Arsenal 4-1 Watford: 4 talking points from pre-season win

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Arsenal at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on April 11, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Tim Keeton / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by TIM KEETON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – JULY 13: Mikel Arteta manager of Arsenal during the pre season friendly between Hibernian and Arsenal at Easter Road on July 13, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images) /

3. USA Tour Cancellation a Blessing in Disguise?

In pre-season if you’d asked who would you rather be facing to get your team up to speed between Inter and Millwall, nobody would argue against the former.

However, so long as all those who contracted COVID-19 are well and safe, not travelling to Florida may well have been a blessing in disguise for Mikel Arteta.

Playing behind-closed-doors is never ideal and the feeling of supporters in and around the pitch doesn’t compare, but this is extra days of travel the players haven’t needed to make. Two matches at the training ground have meant bonus sessions at London Colney for the players to build up fitness and the results will also do the team no harm.

Back-to-back 4-1 wins, albeit against lesser opposition, will boost the mood in and around the squad and the additional freshness of legs can only benefit.

With both Chelsea and Tottenham to come up for the final two pre-season matches of the summer there will still be top class opposition to face, as well as Tottenham.

There are only four full days between the Toilet Bowl clash and the Premier League opener against Brentford so it should be gung-ho against the Blues at home.

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