Mikel Arteta named a rotated Arsenal side on Wednesday as his side faced Premier League rivals Brentford in a friendly behind closed doors on Wednesday. The Spaniard gave minutes to players who have had less involvement through pre-season, with the boss looking to ramp up preparations before the return of the Premier League.
While results mean little in pre-season, the Gunners suffered their first defeat in the summer break, losing 2-1 to the Bees. Victories over Ipswich Town, Nuremberg, Everton, Orlando City and Chelsea all preceded the loss, with one final game against Sevilla in the Emirates Cup final on Saturday left before the real action is underway.
There has been a sense of excitement surrounding the club's performances so far, but Arteta was quick to remind everyone that it is just pre-season. That will likely work the other way too, with a loss, such as the one to Brentford, not meaning a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
