The Arsenal u21s faced Enfield Town FC in their second pre-season friendly on Tuesday, with a number of players held back ahead of the first-team tour.

Ethan Nwaneri in training with the Arsenal first team (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Ethan Nwaneri in training with the Arsenal first team (Photo via Arsenal.com)

Mehmet Ali’s Arsenal u21s took on Enfield Town on Tuesday, but the squad had a number of alterations compared to the lineup used against Boreham Wood last Saturday.

From the Boreham Wood squad, the following players all dropped out:

Lucas Nygaard, Omar Rekik, Zane Monlouis, Charles Sagoe Jr., Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Charlie Patino, Josh Nichols, Ayden Heaven, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jimi Gower, and Ethan Nwaneri.

Most of the players on that list were spotted in pictures from Arsenal’s first-team training session on Tuesday, suggesting they were held back from the u21 game to join senior training instead.

Though nothing is confirmed, it looks like many of the players on that list could be in with a shot at travelling with the first team on tour later this week.

Arsenal are still waiting on quite a few internationals to return to the squad, and they have a friendly match against Bournemouth next week. There will be opportunities for academy players to fill in.

Match report

Mehmet Ali managing the Arsenal u21s (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Mehmet Ali managing the Arsenal u21s (Photo via Arsenal.com)

Ali’s much-changed Arsenal u21 side ended up losing 2-1 to Enfield, with the hosts scoring once in both halves before Dan Casey scored what turned out to be a consolation goal.

Casey’s long-range finish did spark the team into life in the 69th minute, and Michal Rosiak, Ismail Oulad M’Hand, and Elian Quesada-Thorn all had chances to equalise, but it wasn’t to be.

Young striker Khayon Edwards had most of the Arsenal chances before the Casey goal, having a shot blocked and narrowly missing from close range in the first half, before skewing an effort in the second.

But it was Josh Robinson who went closest, hitting the post from 25 yards.

Ultimately, the team will focus on the positives on the fitness front for such an early pre-season game.

Arsenal u21 lineup vs Enfield Town

Okonkwo, Julienne, Clarke, Kacurri, Ismail, Shuaib, Copley, Dudziak, Butler-Oyedeji, Edwards, Kamara

Substitutes

46th minute: Ibrahim (for Julienne), Robinson (for Clarke), Sweet (for Kacurri), Rosiak (for Ismail), Kabia (for Shuaib), I. Oulad M’Hand (for Copley), Annous (for Dudziak), Casey (for Butler-Oyedeji), Quesada-Thorn (for Kamara)

67th minute: Ransom (for Okonkwo), Forde (for Edwards)

Arsenal academy pre-season fixtures and results

Omar Rekik celebrating a goal for the Arsenal u21s (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Omar Rekik celebrating a goal for the Arsenal u21s (Photo via Arsenal.com)
  • July 13th – Boreham Wood 2-4 Arsenal u21s – Report
  • July 16th – Enfield Town 2-1 Arsenal u21s
  • U21s: Saturday, July 27th, 11:00 – Rapid Vienna (N) – Tickets available on the gate
  • U21s: Wednesday, July 31st, 19:45 – Bishop’s Stortford (A) – Tickets not yet available
  • U21s: Saturday, August 3rd, 15:00 – Lincoln City (A) – Tickets
  • U18s: Saturday, August 3rd, 15:00 – Hitchin Town (A) – Tickets
  • U18s: Tuesday, August 6th, 19:30 – Hendon (A) – Tickets
  • U21s: Saturday, August 10th, 15:00 – Stoke City u21s (H) – Behind closed doors

Times in BST