Arsenal vs Como 1907: Lewis-Skelly Shines as Arteta Gets Final Look
The arsenal vs como 1907 friendly ended in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates as Arsenal completed their final pre-season outing before competitive football returns.
Myles Lewis-Skelly gave the Gunners the lead during the first half, but Como managed to find an equaliser after the break to leave both sides sharing the spoils.
For Mikel Arteta, however, the result was not the most important part of the evening.
The match gave Arsenal another chance to build fitness, integrate new arrivals and assess several players before the intensity of the new season begins.
Bruno Guimaraes made his first appearance for the club, David Raya returned after the interval and Lewis-Skelly once again caught the attention of the Emirates crowd.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was one of the biggest positives for Arsenal.
The young defender found the net in the 33rd minute to put his side ahead, capping another encouraging pre-season performance.
His involvement throughout Arsenal’s summer preparations has been notable. Rather than simply being given a few minutes here and there, Lewis-Skelly has been trusted with significant playing time.
That makes his situation particularly interesting heading into the new campaign.
There has been outside speculation about his future, but the reaction from Arsenal supporters was a strong indication of how highly they value the academy graduate.
The youngster celebrated his goal in front of the home crowd, and the connection between player and supporters was obvious.
If Lewis-Skelly continues to perform with the same confidence, Arteta will have another talented option to consider when competitive matches begin.
2. Bruno Guimaraes gets his first Arsenal minutes
One of the most anticipated moments of the night came when Bruno Guimaraes entered the pitch.
The Brazilian midfielder joined Arsenal after his spell at Newcastle United and was introduced during the second half.
The Emirates immediately welcomed the new signing with loud support.
Guimaraes did not appear overwhelmed by the occasion. He quickly made himself available for passes and looked comfortable moving the ball around midfield.
That was an encouraging first glimpse of what he could bring to Arteta’s side.
Arsenal have invested heavily in strengthening their squad, and Guimaraes is expected to play an important role once the competitive fixtures start.
His debut against Como was only a short introduction, but it gave supporters a reason to be excited about seeing him play a bigger role.
3. Raya’s return brings extra calm
Goalkeeper David Raya also featured after coming on at half-time.
Kepa Arrizabalaga had started the match and had some positive moments, but Raya’s arrival provided Arsenal with another opportunity to get their first-choice goalkeeper back into action.
The Spaniard brings considerable experience and confidence to Arsenal’s defensive unit.
His ability to communicate with the defenders in front of him is also an important part of his game.
For Arteta, getting Raya back into the group will be especially useful as the new season approaches.
The goalkeeper will once again be expected to play a central role in Arsenal’s ambitions, with another strong Premier League campaign likely to be one of his main targets.
4. Arsenal’s senior players are gradually returning
Another positive from the arsenal vs como 1907 game was the sight of several established players moving closer to full involvement.
David Raya and Mikel Merino were among those available from the bench, while Noni Madueke was also part of the matchday group.
Declan Rice was not included in the playing squad, but he was still around the team during the build-up to the match.
That matters because Arsenal have been managing different players at different stages of their summer schedules.
With the competitive campaign now approaching, Arteta will want his strongest players to reach peak fitness as quickly as possible.
The return of the senior members should also make it easier for the manager to settle on his preferred combinations.
Pre-season is primarily about preparation rather than results, and Arsenal are now moving towards the stage where selection and tactical consistency become much more important.
5. Cesc Fabregas makes an interesting return to the Emirates
There was also a familiar face in the opposition dugout.
Como manager Cesc Fabregas returned to the Emirates as the coach of the Italian side, bringing back memories of his successful playing career with Arsenal.
The former midfielder has developed a growing reputation as a young coach, and facing his old club provided an interesting tactical test.
Como did not simply sit back after Arsenal took the lead.
Fabregas’ team remained competitive and eventually found a way to get back into the game.
From Arsenal’s perspective, that made the friendly more useful than a one-sided contest would have been.
Arteta was able to see how his players responded when the opposition increased the pressure and pushed for an equaliser.
What Arsenal can take from the 1-1 draw
The final score from arsenal vs como 1907 will not tell the full story of Arsenal’s pre-season.
Arteta will be more interested in the minutes accumulated by his players, the fitness levels of his squad and how the new arrivals are settling into the team.
There were positive signs.
Lewis-Skelly continued his impressive summer, Guimaraes made his first appearance and Raya returned between the posts.
At the same time, conceding an equaliser will give the coaching staff something to review before the first competitive fixture.
That is exactly what pre-season games are designed for.
There is still time to correct small problems, improve defensive organisation and develop stronger relationships between the players.
Arsenal’s attention now turns to the real competition
The arsenal vs como 1907 friendly marked the end of Arsenal’s pre-season schedule, meaning there is now little time left for experimentation.
Arteta will soon have to make decisions about his starting XI, squad selection and tactical approach.
The return of more senior players should give Arsenal a stronger group to work with.
The arrival of Guimaraes also adds another interesting dimension to the midfield, while Lewis-Skelly’s form provides the manager with another selection question to consider.
For Arsenal supporters, the most encouraging aspect may be the depth of options becoming available.
The 1-1 result against Como was not perfect, but pre-season results rarely tell the complete story.
What matters now is whether Arsenal can take the lessons from these summer matches into competitive football.
The arsenal vs como 1907 encounter gave Arteta one final opportunity to fine-tune his squad, and the next challenge will be making sure those preparations translate into results when the points finally matter.
Arsenal’s pre-season is now finished. The real test starts next.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Thabo Mokoena
Football Writer & Arsenal Transfer News Contributor
Thabo Mokoena is a football writer and passionate Arsenal
supporter covering the latest Arsenal transfer news, rumours,
match updates and stories surrounding the Gunners.
His coverage focuses on clear, engaging football updates,
transfer developments and the stories that matter most to
Arsenal fans.
