Pre-Season: New signings make debut in thrashing of Cologne

Arsenal played their final game of pre-season on Sunday evening in Germany as Arsenal beat Bundesliga 2 side Cologne. Arsenal's pre-season hadn't gone completely to plan on their Asia tour having only beaten Malaysia late on, losing to Manchester City 2-0 despite dominating the best parts of the game and drawing to Kitchee FC 2-2. However, the Gunners looked back to their best as they beat Cologne 4-0, a side they had beaten 2-1 last season thanks to goals from Gervinho. The Ivorian was once again on the score sheet on Sunday as he, Vermaelen and Podolski grabbed two on his debut. Also making their Arsenal debuts was Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla who played the first half and showed glimpses of why Arsene Wenger has brought them to the club. Meanwhile, 17 year old German Serge Gnabry played 20 minutes of senior football for the first time.

All new signings played well as Giroud held the ball up well and showed great strength and was rather unlucky not to score. Cazorla, however, looks to be one of the bargains of the season as he was very good in possession and his vision was excellent. The game will have hopefully given Wenger a chance to have a rough idea of his starting XI for the first game against Sunderland on the 18th August.

Lukas Podolski scored twice on his Arsenal debut

The first chance of the game fell to Olivier Giroud as Coquelin played him down the left and he struck a shot towards the near post from a tight angle which Horn put out for a corner.

From the resulting corner, Arsenal took the lead. Cazorla's corner was flicked on by Mertesacker at the near post and into Vermaelen who nodded the ball home from close range.

Arsenal's next chance was then created by Giroud. Walcott crossed the ball onto the head of the frenchman who knocked the ball down into the path of Cazorla whose shot was saved well.

The Gunners were dominating the early parts of the game and on 13 minutes were awarded a penalty after Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought down on the byline. Lukas Podolski stepped up to take the penalty and slotted the ball home to score against his former club.

Cologne were then gifted their first chance of the game as Coquelin gave the ball straight to Pryzybylko who got into the penalty area and fired a shot just past the post.

Horn in the Cologne goal was pulling off some good saves and was forced to make another from Girouds' attempt. Walcott and Chamberlain played a one-two before Chamberlain pulled the ball to Giroud whose shot was saved brilliantly.

Cologne were now starting to move the ball around and had another shot as Ishak struck a shot from distance but it went wide of the goal.

Giroud was then denied again after Cazorla split the defence with a ball through to him but his shot was saved again by Horn. It was then again from a corner that Giroud's header was tipped over the bar by the Cologne keeper.

Cologne almost found a way back into the game as Royer's effort went through the grasp of Mannone and hit the bar. It was a let off for Arsenal and the Italian goalkeeper.

Three minutes before the break Lukas Podolski grabbed his second of the game. Kieran Gibbs got down the left hand side before finding Podolski who sweeped the ball into the back of the net.

The score at half time was 3-0 to Arsenal.

The first chance of the second half fell to Cologne as Lehmann struck a shot from distance which cannoned against the bar and hit the goal line but luckily for Arsenal, didn't cross it.

Just after the hour mark, Arsenal found themselves 4 goals up. Gervinho linked up brilliantly with Podolski down the left hand side before beating his man and beating Horn at his near post.

Near to the end of the match, Andrey Arshavin began to show glimpses of his old self. The Russian went straight through 3 Cologne players before finding Gervinho who stuck his shot straight at the goalkeeper.

The final score in Germany finished Cologne 0-4 Arsenal.

The teams lineups:

Cologne: Horn, Kubler, Pezzoni, Wimmer, Hector, Jajalo, Royer(45), Schnellhardt(61), Strobl, Ishak, Pryzybylko.
Subs: Schuhen, Eichner, Matuschyk, Tese, Thelen, Broker, Bisanovic(61), Lehmann(45).

Arsenal first half: Mannone, Yennaris, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Chamberlain, Coquelin, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud, Podolski.
Arsenal second half: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Djourou, Koscielny, Santos, Song, Diaby, Arshavin, Gnabry(69-Van Persie), Podolski(69-Chamakh), Gervinho.

Man of the match: Lukas Podolski

Gervinho scores on debut in Germany

Gervinho scored twice on his Arsenal debut as the Gunners beat Cologne in Germany 2-1 last Saturday afternoon. However a freak own goal from Carl Jenkinson meant that Arsenal were not able to keep a clean sheet. More players went to Germany than on the whole of the Asia Tour, so to play all of the players Arsene Wenger had 3 players which were substituted again after coming on.



With basically Gervinho's first touch of the ball he scored on 7 minutes. Wilshere played the ball through to Gervinho who chipped the ball over the oncoming Cologne goalkeeper for 1-0 to Arsenal.

Cologne's first chance fell to Podolski after Novakovic found him but he could only drag his shot wide of Szczesny's goal.

7 minutes after their first goal Arsenal doubled their lead and it was Gervinho who had scored again. Wilshere found Walcott who got into the box and slid the ball into the Ivorian who could not miss as he made it 2-0.

However Gervinho had to be substituted after just 29 minutes because of the clash he had had with the goalkeeper during his second goal.

On the stroke of half time it was 2-1 as a long ball was played forward from a Cologne player but Jenkinson scuffed his clearance and the ball looped over Szczesny and into the back of the net.

In the last 10 minutes of the game Arsenal had a chance to make it 3-1 as Frimpong won the ball back in the middle of the park and played Arshavin in but his shot was saved by Varvodic in the Cologne goal.

Arsenal 1st half: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Walcott, Ramsey, Song, Wilshere, Gervinho(from 29 Miyaichi), Van Persie.
Arsenal 2nd half: Mannone(from 69 Fabianski), Sagna, Squillaci, Djourou, Henderson(from 70-89 then Afobe), Frimpong, Rosicky, Nasri, Arshavin, Vela, Van Persie.

Cologne: Rensing(16), Brecko, Mohamad(87), Riether, Podolski, Novakovic(83), Andrezinho(63), Lanig(63), Jajalo(84), Chihi(63), Geromel.
Subs: Varvodic(16), Eichner(63), Pezzoni(63), Peszko(63), Makino(87), Clemens(83), Roshi(84).

Referee: Christian Fischer
Attendance: 41,500