Kai Havertz makes his debut: THINGS WE LEARNED from Arsenal’s 1-1 friendly draw against Nurnberg 

Arsenal returned to action for the first time since the end of the season, being held to a 1–1 draw by Germany’s Bundesliga 2 side Nurnberg.

Kai Havertz made his long-awaited debut in his home country after a £65 million transfer from Chelsea and finally returned to midfield.

William Saliba returned from injury after what must have felt like an eternity for Arsenal supporters watching their star defender agonize in the stands as the season draws to a close.

While Bukayo Saka was on the scoresheet again as Mikel Arteta tried to blow the Christmas cobwebs off ahead of a pre-season tour of America.

Mail Sport takes you through the key talking points from Arsenal’s first pre-season friendly.

Arteta starts strong

Pre-season friendlies, and especially the first game of the warm-up campaign, are usually fraught with a host of young talents looking to catch the manager’s eye, but Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta showed no sign of any such thought process.

The Gunners started with a large number of regular first-team players. Four of the players who started in April’s decisive 4-1 defeat to Manchester City were given a starting place in Germany.

Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, Thomas Partey and Ben White were all handpicked by Arteta as he tried to assess his side’s fitness after their summer break.

Just 46 days between Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Wolverhampton on the final day of the Premier League season and Thursday’s pre-season curtain-raiser, and although there was ring rust, Arsenal’s stars seemed keen to keep going.

Bukayo Saka was one of the surprise first-team regulars to start the game

Mikel Arteta put together a strong starting eleven as he tried to analyze his stars after the summer break

Saliba makes a solid return

The Frenchman who boasts amazing air dominance and exceptional defensive capabilities shows that his skills are built for Premier League football. Unfortunately his body may not have been in the lead up to the end of the season as his absence due to a back injury coincided with Arsenal’s mistake in the title race.

There were several attempts to get Saliba back into the team at the end of last season, all unsuccessful as it was finally decided that he would not play a role until the pre-season.

That appears to have been the right decision as the 22-year-old has played in center back against Nuremberg and Arsenal and has looked solid defensively, albeit against a second-rate German opponent.

Saliba showed that he hasn’t lost his pace by displaying his solid defence-ability to fend off opposing attacks and similarly looked back at ease in his partnership with Gabriel.

Arsenal need Saliba to be fully fit for most of next season and the early signs are a strong indication that the decision not to rush his recovery was the right one.

William Saliba (right) marked his return from injury and immediately shot back on defense

Partey will challenge Declan Rice

Despite all the hype surrounding Declan Rice’s imminent arrival at the Emirates, you could be forgiven for thinking he’s already an Arsenal player. He is not and Thomas Partey showed that he is not easy to replace.

When the West Ham captain’s triple-digit arrival is finally confirmed, he will move into midfield and almost certainly take the defensive spot occupied by Partey, but the former Atletico Madrid player will not lay down and roll over.

Partey was one of Arsenal’s key figures in their rise and hold at the top of the Premier League table for more than 90 per cent of last season and again showed his class during the first half against Nürnberg by stopping play and to kick. attacks begin.

There is no guarantee that Rice will be the world-class star that many Arsenal supporters swear he will be and Partey’s determination ahead of the season is a statement of intent to Arteta.

If he leaves, the Gunners will lose one of their best midfielders and probably for little money.

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey (right) challenges Declan Rice for a midfield spot next season when West Ham captain joins the club

Havertz finally returns to midfield

Is Kai Havertz a midfielder? Yes. All Chelsea supporters may have forgotten that after he was deployed as a center forward last season. A position that the German international clearly did not enjoy.

His first Arsenal appearance came in the second half against Nürnberg and it was clear that Arteta does not intend to use Havertz as a striker, but to use the midfielder in support of Gabriel Jesus.

Havertz meshed well with his fellow midfielders, at times being allowed to drift into wide areas, but generally remaining central and acting as one of the main creators.

Kai Havertz made his Arsenal debut in Germany after joining from Chelsea for £65 million

Havertz (right) was finally back in midfield when Arteta brought him in as a playmaker

The tough decision will be who will he team up with when the Premier League season gets under way? Odegaard and Rice are – if he participates – assured of starters and that leaves Havertz with a large number of others competing for third place.

Flowered is too strong an assessment of his Gunners debut, Havertz created space and showed glimpses of his quality, but perhaps above average is a more accurate depiction. He will need time to adjust to a new environment and Arteta will give it to him.

Saka starts where he left off

There have been instances where players who signed new bumper contracts then failed to deliver the riches provided to them by their trusting clubs. Bukayo Saka is not one of them and looked like he had never been away from the action.

The Arsenal star winger endured a long season as he took part in England’s European Championship qualifiers, scoring a hat-trick against North Macedonia before taking a well-deserved break.

He is Arsenal’s most dangerous attacker and once again showed why the club were so eager to sign him on a long-term contract by scoring his side’s only goal against Nuremberg.

Saka scored Arsenal’s only goal and showed why he got another super contract

Saka was repeatedly kicked by Nurnberg players during the first half and was rested in the second period

In what is becoming a signature goal for the 21-year-old, he sliced ​​in, fanning past a defender’s outstretched leg before firing low and hard past the goalkeeper who stretched helplessly.

Saka took some hits in the first half and was left off for the second period, but already looks hungry for the start of the season.

Balogun does enough to show he has to stay

Arsenal’s attack will almost certainly see a striker leave during the ongoing summer transfer window. Gabriel Jesus stays and that leaves the exit door open for either Eddie Nketiah or Folarin Balogun.

The latter played for Stade Reims last season and on Thursday in Germany it looked like he could be one of the youngsters to watch in the Premier League next season.

Folarin Balogun impressed in Arsenal’s first friendly game, but should have scored

Balogun was introduced in the second half as Arteta made the changes, and if this was a scouting call for other potential suitors, there will be plenty.

His pace was terrifying, as the Nuremberg defenders often found with relentless runs behind, while his selflessness to put other players in better positions is a rare trait among forwards, but one that Arteta should be happy to exploit.

A first senior Arsenal goal should have been added to his record after he flinched to see his shot rattling off the post, while an even better chance followed at the end of the game when he kicked the ball around the keeper but his effort hit the side nets.

Nketiah has failed to take his chance to become Arsenal’s main striker, but Balogun should be given a similar opportunity and looks poised to strike.