Emirates Cup lessons for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger can take plenty of positives from the Emirates Cup
Arsenal lifted the Emirates
Cup for the fifth time on Sunday night - but what did Arsene Wenger
learn from his side's double-header over the weekend?
goal-scoring. Ultimately, the results and trophy win count for little, though - Wenger will be far more focused on his side's performances.
Here, we take a look at what lessons he can take from the pre-season tournament…
Kolasinac adds power
'Powerful' is the word which springs to mind when assessing Sead Kolasinac - and his performance at left wing-back against Benfica reflected his burly physique. The summer signing bullied Pizzi out of possession before crossing for Theo Walcott to score Arsenal's opener, and repeatedly surged forwards with the ball.
Sead Kolasinac impressed on his first Emirates Stadium appearance for Arsenal
Wenger was left impressed. "I think he has gone, in pre-season, from strength to strength," said the Arsenal boss. "He started a bit nervous, but every single week he moved his level up. The first two goals came from him. He looks powerful and the timing of his availability going forward was very good."
Lacazette and Giroud primed for No9 battle
Wenger has a selection dilemma ahead of the opening weekend of the Premier League season, with new signing Alexandre Lacazette and Giroud vying to lead the line.
Alexandre Lacazette scored his first goal for Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday
When [Lacazette] was involved he was intelligent and protected the ball well and he got his goal. Overall it was an encouraging performance.
Arsene Wenger on Alexandre Lacazette

Olivier Giroud celebrates after scoring against Benfica
Defensive make-up
Wenger will be sticking with three-at-the-back this season - the question for the manager is how that trio of centre-backs is best made up. Throughout pre-season, the Frenchman has experimented with a variety of options, and he continued to look at different combinations during the Emirates Cup.There have been some surprise choices this summer, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles, more often seen in a wide role, and defensive midfielder Mohamed Elneny, both pushed back into central defence, and the pair had run-outs in the backline over the weekend.

Per Mertesacker holds the Emirates Cup after Arsenal claimed the trophy for a fifth time
Laurent Koscielny, who came up with a key interception in the first-half against Sevilla, showed his class against the Spanish side, while Nacho Monreal and Calum Chambers barely put a foot wrong in their Sunday stints.
However, there were gasps when Per Mertesacker gave the ball away on the edge of the box in the build-up to Benfica's second and both he and Rob Holding - also culpable for conceding possession deep in his own half - managed to inadvertently deflect shots past David Ospina.
Wenger has a range of options - with Shkodran Mustafi also available - but selecting a three-man defence he can count on throughout the campaign will be one of his most important decisions ahead of the new season.
Talented youngsters eager to step up
Wenger has consistently used the Emirates Cup as an opportunity to hand first-team experience to Arsenal's most promising youngsters. That doesn't mean an appearance in the summer tournament is a guarantee of future success - Yaya Sanogo scored four in one game in the 2014 edition - but the home supporters in attendance this weekend will feel excited about the latest crop emerging from the youth ranks.
Rising star Reiss Nelson played well against Benfica
But 19-year-old Maitland-Niles also earned credit in an unfamiliar centre-back role on Saturday, using his pace and skill on the ball to get himself out of tricky situations, while Joe Willock, 17, was tidy in the centre of the park against Sevilla, and 21-year-old Cohen Bramall - who was playing for non-league Hednesford Town this time last summer - produced a goal-saving interception during his 45 minutes on Sunday. The future's bright.
Optimism around the Emirates
While it's easy to mock Arsenal's Emirates Cup celebrations - especially as they beat Sevilla to the title despite losing to the Spanish side - there is a sense the Gunners are heading into the 2017/18 season with optimism, on the back of a largely positive pre-season.Of course, the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea was the standout set-back, but there are plenty of arguments to suggest Arsenal's preparations are on track. Wenger has praised his side's combination play, both Lacazette and Giroud have looked eager and dangerous, while Alexis Sanchez's return to training on Tuesday will provide another boost.

Arsenal's preparations for the new season appear to be on track
Arsenal started last season slowly, dropping four points by the end of August. But two weeks out from the Gunners' curtain raiser with Leicester, Wenger will be satisfied with where his squad stands after another productive Emirates Cup.
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