FPL pre-season: Calafiori debut, Nkunku benched + Maresca on Neto

Sunday saw the final batch of pre-season friendlies play out, with four Premier League teams in action.

Two of them, Arsenal and Chelsea, are the focus of this latest Scout Notes article as we pick out the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from each of their games.

Our Chelsea write-up comes courtesy of our Blues-supporting colleague Tom Johnson – our thanks go to him.

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• READ MORE: FPL pre-season: Minteh scores, £4.0m Barco starts, no Watkins, ESR impact
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Remember that you can get all the pre-season minutes, goals and assists in one place via our Pre-Season Minutes Tracker, which we’ve fully updated following the weekend matches.

ARSENAL 2-0 LYON

• Goals: Saliba, Gabriel
• Assists: Rice x2

Arsenal’s final line-up of pre-season bore a striking resemblance to the one that ended 2023/24.

For all the talk of Gabriel Jesus‘ (£7.0m) resurgence and Riccardo Calafiori‘s (£6.0m) arrival, this was Mikel Arteta largely going with what worked last season. That included Kai Havertz (£8.0m) up front, at least for the first hour.

The introduction of Jesus after 64 minutes did see Havertz move back to central midfield.

“He needs to be open, with the qualities and versatility that he gives to the team and the numbers that we have in midfield, he knows that [about playing in midfield]. I spoke to him – he’s very open to play in both positions, in relation to the context of the match, the result, what we need and he’s a real threat from both positions.

“I think he’s enjoying [changing positions]. The more versatile he is, the more minutes he’s going to play so the players are saying: ‘I can play in another position as well.’ They all want to play! When you give them the choice, one doesn’t play as much, believe me, they’re going to pick that one.” – Mikel Arteta on Kai Havertz

Also displaying his versatility was Calafiori. Initially replacing an impressive Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) at left-back, he ended the match at centre-half when Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.0m) and William Saliba (£6.0m) were taken off. A decent debut but bench duty probably beckons in Gameweek 1.

“He brings a lot of versatility because he can play in two or three different positions and especially in attack, he can occupy different spaces because he’s a real defender. When you see his presence, his physicality, how he goes to the duels, he’s unbelievable. Obviously, he’s done a lot last year and I think he’s a player that can improve us.” – Mikel Arteta on Riccardo Calafiori

The dilemmas for Mikel Arteta in Gameweek 1 are probably only twofold. It’s Declan Rice (£6.5m) v Havertz for the ‘eight’ role, meaning Thomas Partey (£5.0m) or Jesus misses out. And on the left, Gabriel Martinelli (£7.0m) v Leandro Trossard (£7.0m).

Martinelli interestingly got the nod here, despite Trossard featuring for much of pre-season. Perhaps, as Arteta hinted below, this was more about sharing game-time. Martinelli had previously not lasted beyond 45 minutes since this summer.

“The same with the other players. They have to do everything they can to deserve to play as many minutes as we possibly can, and we’ll try to make the right calls and the right decisions.” – Mikel Arteta on sharing minutes between Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli

Martinell’s pace caused Lyon problems at times, while he also set up an excellent chance for Havertz – one of four he carved out for his teammates. There’s still a sense that he’s some way short of his best, however, the end product not always convincing.

Saka’s Gameweek 1 game-time prospects were boosted with a 75-minute run-out, his first start of pre-season. A trio of excellent headed chances unusually came his way, the winger picking up some dangerous positions at the back post.

And it was headers that made the difference here: Gabriel and Saliba getting on the end of whipped Rice corners.

There was no Jurrien Timber (£5.5m) but there’s no reason to panic just yet.

“It’s fine. He’s been doing some individual work, that’s clear now. So we expect him to be ready to train with the group in the next week because he has no reaction. So quite positive.” – Mikel Arteta on Jurrien Timber

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba (Kiwior 76), Gabriel (Skelly 76), Zinchenko (Calafiori 64), Partey (Jorginho 77), Rice (Jesus 64), Odegaard, Martinelli (Trossard 77), Saka (Nelson 77), Havertz (Nketiah 77).

CHELSEA 1-1 INTERNAZIONALE

• Goal: Ugochukwu
• Assist: None

(Write-up from Tom Johnson)

Lesley Ugochukwu’s (£4.5m) late equaliser earned Chelsea a deserved draw at Stamford Bridge.

After five matches in the USA and plenty of goals conceded, Chelsea finally looked like more of a team – and a better organised one at that.

In goal, Robert Sanchez (£4.5m) looks set to start Gameweek 1 after playing 90 minutes. This chimes with reliable news reports suggesting that Filip Jorgensen (£4.5m) has been brought in to compete and not usurp, at least for now.

At the back, Levi Colwill (£4.5m) and Wesley Fofana (£4.5m) played the best they have done all pre-season, although the latter still looks slightly rusty after a lengthy injury lay-off. They were replaced after 69 minutes by Tosin Adarabioyo (£4.5m) and Benoit Badiashile (£4.5m). Axel Disasi (£4.5m) was an unused sub, meanwhile, and hasn’t played any minutes over the summer.

Marc Cucurella (£5.0m) played 45 minutes and looks like being first choice in the left centre-back/left-back slot. Youngster Renato Viaga (£4.5m) replaced him at half-time, with this being Cucurella’s first post-Euros run-out. Malo Gusto (£5.0m) is a shoo-in for the right-hand side with Reece James (£5.0m) suspended and now injured. Gusto didn’t just invert but was allowed to overlap Cole Palmer (£10.5m) in the second half.

Enzo Fernandez (£5.0m) played the full match and wore the captain’s armband. Romeo Lavia (£4.5m) and Moises Caicedo (£5.0m) got half each in the deeper lying position, so it’s hard to call who will get the nod for Man City. Christopher Nkunku (£6.5m) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£6.0m) also played a half each as the attacking 10. Despite the benching, the former is surely a shoo-in for Gameweek 1. He was very lively yet again and nearly scored with an incredible overhead kick.

“We tried to share minutes with all of them. At the end of the first half, we changed four players, just to give some minutes to Cole [Palmer], Moi [Caicedo], all the players who need to get fit. Also for Nicolas [Jackson] it was the first time for him. Overall we are happy with the physical condition of the players.

“We have Wes [Fofana], Romeo [Lavia] and Christo [Nkunku] available, all of them are fantastic players. Wes, I know he’s fantastic, it’s just a matter of being fit. Romeo I know very well from Man City and Christo is doing well, so I’m very happy.” – Enzo Maresca

On the wings, Palmer swapped with Noni Madueke (£6.5m) on the right at half-time while Mykhailo Mudryk (£6.5m) got 78 minutes before swapping with Raheem Sterling (£7.0m) on the left. Sterling did far more in 12 minutes than Mudryk did all afternoon.

The Blues now have added competition in the wide areas, of course, in the form of Pedro Neto (£6.5m).

“I’m very excited, he can offer many things. He can play on the right side, he can play on the left side, he’s very good one-on-one. It is one more option we have because there will be many, many games in the season, so we need a big squad.” – Enzo Maresca on Pedro Neto

Up front, Nicolas Jackson (£7.5m) replaced the impressive and high-energy Marc Guiu (£5.0m) to register his first minutes of pre-season.

Overall, the defence finally looked solid. Chelsea conceded only six shots, just three on target. This was in stark contrast to their haphazard US tour.

In the first half, Guiu was unlucky not to score and Madueke was bright. However, the second half was dominant with Palmer, Nkunku and Jackson linking really well. Ugochukwu’s goal came after a scrap in the box following a Palmer free-kick.

Still much to decide ahead of Gameweek 1, then, but a few concerns were addressed against Inter.

“I don’t know my team yet. Pre-season has been very tough, intense, many games going from one city to another city. Now finally we start a normal week. Tomorrow we are off and then we start to prepare the game.” – Enzo Maresca

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto (Ugochukwu 80), Fofana (Tosin 69), Colwill (Badiashile 69), Cucurella (Veiga 46); Enzo, Lavia (Caicedo h/t), Dewsbury-Hall (Nkunku 46); Madueke (Palmer 46), Guiu (Jackson 56), Mudryk (Sterling 78)

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