It's always good to pick up wins and perform well during pre-season, but a lot of it is also about trying new things and preparing for different scenarios for the upcoming campaign.
That's exactly what Mikel Arteta did during Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton yesterday after ringing the changes at half-time. Kieran Tierney's absence due to a 'slight problem' meant that Nuno Tavares started at left-back, but instead of Cedric taking his place at the break, it was 17-year-old Reuell Walters who was tasked with playing there for the second 45.
The youngster has remained part of the first team's pre-season tour after making an impressive debut in Germany the other week, and now he is the only current academy player to have been included in the squad that has flown over to America. Despite primarily operating as a right-back, Walters played at centre-back alongside Pablo Mari against FC Nurnberg and didn't look out of place one bit. He met the physical demands with relative ease, looked calm on the ball and was defensively switched on in most moments.
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Fast forward to last night and much of the same can be said about his performance. After listening closely to Arteta's instructions on the sidelines, Walters entered the fray and took up his position on the left. He didn't have an awful lot to deal with, but when he did, he got stuck in and dealt with it well. Again, he showcased his strength and pace, while remaining composed in possession more often than not.
It may only be two pre-season matches, but it's certainly no exaggeration to say Walters has looked like a very promising talent. Against Nurnberg, in particular, he looked as if he'd played at first-team level before and that's always a really good sign.
His ability to comfortably operate in different positions when required has also been great to see, and it's something that could come in handy next season. The aforementioned Tierney has encountered several injury problems since joining in 2019, struggling for regular game time as a consequence.
Nuno Tavares was brought in to provide competition and support for the Scotsman last summer, but he too has encountered his own challenges with consistency. The Portugal U21 international is now the subject of loan interest and it's believed Arsenal are open to letting him go.
In fact, a loan move is looking increasingly likely after the club agreed a deal to sign Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko. It's said to be at a stage where personal terms are being discussed, indicating things could be wrapped up pretty swiftly.
The Ukrainian will provide much-needed depth and experience, but his versatility may often see him play in central midfield as well as left-back. However, the emergence of Walters provides Arteta with an extra option should he need to rotate the squad.
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