TWO goals from Eddie Nketiah and another from Joe Willock gave Arsenal a 3-0 win over Fiorentina in their International Champions Cup game.
Arsenal started on the back foot and were regularly opened up by their opponents, with the defence a problem throughout. As underwhelming as Fiorentina had been in Serie A last season, Arsenal’s back three found it almost impossible to track their markers throughout the first half.
Nonetheless they took the lead when Nketiah span neatly on the penalty spot after 15 minutes and fired in a cool finish, but this was an inexperienced team, and it showed.
In the second half, Unai Emery allowed some experienced players like Bernd Leno, Alexandre Lacazette and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to get some minutes on the pitch, but the thrust of the game quickly evaporated.
Nketiah then made it two after Lacazette and Mkhitaryan combined to set him up for another close-range chance, and made a point to his manager that he is worthy of regular minutes – if not with Arsenal, then elsewhere this season. Joe Willock added a late third after a string of subs.
Emery will be content with the showing from his forward line, but unless Laurent Koscielny returns or is replaced, defensive weaknesses look set to continue. – Eurosport
