Arsenal's freshness before the Premier League start

Mikel Arteta was asked whether Arsenal's intense pressing showed they were ready to start the Premier League season. The Gunners head coach replied: "To me, it seems like that."

Since returning from the US tour in early August, the "Gunners" have shown a strong desire for matches. Especially without the ball, Arsenal's determination is easily recognizable.

In the 4-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal scored 2 goals in a few minutes when Leandro Trossard put pressure on the away team's defense right after the opening whistle. The same thing happened in the match against Lyon when Declan Rice won the ball, but unfortunately Arsenal missed the opportunity to increase the score to 2-0.

The Gunners are looking to finish the game as soon as possible in the new season. They often score from set pieces and minimize defensive errors. To defeat Manchester City, Arteta's army must be almost perfect. And right now, the Emirates team is wanting to do that.

The arrival of new signing Riccardo Calafiori is another boost for Arsenal. The Italian international is a strong presence in the Gunners' defense and is completely different from Oleksandr Zinchenko.

"Calafiori gives me more options because he can take on many different positions, especially, he can support the attack well even as a defender. When you look at how he puts pressure and competes, you agree that he did great things," Arteta said after the win over Lyon.

And many young talents will likely be given a chance by Arsenal next season, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri impressing in left-back and attacking midfield positions.

For Arsenal to go further in the new campaign, they need to perfect their own playing style. And the initial signs are very positive for Arteta.

"I appreciate Arsenal's pre-season preparation. The whole team has achieved positive results with many resounding successes. This team is unbelievable, especially in the first half of today's match, we played at the highest level.

Entering the second half, the whole team still maintained a high playing rhythm. Lyon is not an easy opponent but overall, the whole team has done a good job" - Arteta added.

After the match against Lyon, Arsenal will have about 6 days of rest before entering the Premier League 2024-2025 campaign by hosting Wolves at Emirates Stadium.