Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Club friendly match.
Arsenal have returned from their Asian tour and are preparing for their final pre-season friendly. Their opponents are Villarreal, who have already played six matches over the past two weeks.
Arsenal
It is expected that Mikel Arteta will field a full-strength starting eleven for this friendly and, more importantly, will refrain from making wholesale changes at half-time. However, the squad’s full potential has yet to be revealed. In their most recent match, they looked significantly sharper than Tottenham Hotspur (0.47–0.21 in xG), although Viktor Gyökeres was not involved. The Swedish striker would certainly have been capable of turning the team’s chances into goals.
Villarreal
There is no urgency for Villarreal, as they are set to host Aston Villa in another friendly on 10 August. As such, a good deal of tactical experimentation from Marcelino García Toral is likely during the match in London. So far, these trials have produced underwhelming results: two defeats and no wins in six fixtures. Their most notable opponent to date has been Leeds United (1:1), who also played with a largely second-string squad.
Arsenal vs Villarreal Prediction
The Arsenal squad appears to be in good form, and the inclusion of Viktor Gyökeres should only bolster their attacking output. Villarreal, by contrast, continue to rely heavily on youth and fringe players, so meaningful resistance seems unlikely—especially at Emirates Stadium.
