By Alan Duffy
Arsenal 0-1 Monaco – Friendly – 3rd August 2014
Arsenal failed to build on their impressive 5-1 win against Benfica on the first day, instead going down 1-0 to Monaco as Valencia ultimately went on to the win the tournament.
Arsene Wenger played a lot of his big guns, with Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Mikel Arteta all starting, with Mathieu Debuchy and Alexis Sanchez making their first starts.
However, it was Monaco who would net the only goal of the game, courtesy of a fit-again Falcao who headed home in the first-half. The fact that the Colombian superstar was left unmarked to nod home the goal won’t have pleased Wenger or his assistant Steve Bould.
After the break, sub Chuba Akpom should have won a penalty when he was felled by Monaco ‘keeper Danijel Subasic, only for referee Martin Atkinson to erroneously award a free-kick outside the box.
Ultimately, while the Gunners failed to win the game and the tournament, the two games at the Emirates will have given the Arsenal squad much-needed game time ahead of next weekend’s Community Shield clash with Man City.
Photos…
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Photos: PA
Highlights: Footballshow Tavares