27/27 passes, 3 recoveries: 27-touch star was Arsenal's standout player vs Villarreal - opinion
Arsenal lost 3-2 to Villarreal in yesterday’s friendly at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners picked up a second-straight defeat in pre-season following a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last week.
There were several underperformers in the game on both ends of the pitch.
Manager Mikel Arteta will want his players to step up for the final friendly against Athletic Bilbao at home on Saturday.
Looking at the positives, summer signing Christian Norgaard needs to be appreciated after a solid 45-minute display.
The Dane got the nod to start in the holding midfield role against Villarreal yesterday. He had 27 touches, completing 100 percent of his passes (27/27).
Norgaard also delivered two successful long balls with three recoveries.
The former Brentford star capped his performance with a goal from a corner. He had a free header at the back post.
Martin Zubimendi replaced Norgaard at the interval, and the Spaniard likewise had an impressive performance.
Zubimendi is widely expected to start as the regular number six this campaign, but Norgaard is proving to be a brilliant buy.
The 31-year-old made a big impression in his first non-competitive home game in an Arsenal shirt.
His quality attributes and leadership skills should be handy for the manager if he wishes to rotate in the number six role.
The Dane received a 7/10 rating from football.london for his showing.
Alongside Norgaard, Max Dowman was particularly good during the second half off the bench.
The 15-year-old has made a huge impact already. He has caught the eye with his direct running and dribbling on the right wing.
Dowman won a penalty against Villarreal, which captain Martin Odegaard converted, but the club could not find a late equaliser.
Zubimendi should also be appreciated for continuing Norgaard’s good work.
The Spaniard completed 100 percent of his passes. He won every duel contested. His progressive passing made Arsenal better during the second half.
The Gunners have one more friendly against Athletic. Arteta is likely to field his strongest starting line-up versus the La Liga outfit.
We should see Gabriel Magalhaes, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi make the XI.
A good victory over Athletic would be ideal preparation for the Premier League curtain-raiser against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Stats from Fotmob.com
The post 27/27 passes, 3 recoveries: 27-touch star was Arsenal's standout player vs Villarreal - opinion first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.