It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement surrounding Arsenal Football Club right now, and if you’re a supporter, then we don’t blame you. The Gunners have spent so long in the shadows over the last few years under the tutelage of Arsene Wenger, but it finally seems as if they’re ready to burst into life with Unai Emery bringing a whole new style to the club. Some thought that this would be a season of rebuilding and others felt a touch more confident, and it seems as if those in the latter category could wind up being onto something.

Whilst we all know that pre-season doesn’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of the domestic & European season, it does give us an insight into what kind of play or tactics we can expect from any given team. When it comes to Arsenal, their recent 5-1 demolition of French champions Paris Saint-Germain indicated to us that they’re starting to up the tempo of their passing game, to the point where they can run rings around most other teams.

Obviously, that’s quite the statement to make, but if they were ever going to be tested ahead of their season opener against Manchester City, then the test will come in the form of a showdown against local rivals Chelsea. The Blues are going through their own ‘transition’ of sorts at the moment, and yet while 99% of fans would’ve agreed that their squad was better than Arsenal’s last season, we aren’t quite sure if that’s the case this time around.

The Gunners have done really well to strengthen at the back and in the midfield, and with there still being time to make some moves in the summer transfer window, we wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see another forward being brought into the fold.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftA_xYTZPAE&t=15s

You could argue that they don’t need it with Aubameyang and Lacazette leading the line, but it can’t hurt to have options – especially if they’re flexible when it comes to potentially playing out wide.

In general, it just feels like Arsenal have a more ‘unified’ squad than Chelsea, and that isn’t necessarily even their fault. The Blues took a while to sort out the deal that saw Maurizio Sarri replace Antonio Conte as the club’s new manager at Stamford Bridge, but in time, you’d have to imagine that the former Napoli boss will be able to whip them into shape.

With that being said both clubs do find themselves in both an interesting and risky position, with there being so much confidence flying around regarding their chances this season. Given that they’re both desperate to get back into the top four you could argue that they’re more dangerous than they have been in a long time, with less focus likely being put on the Europa League in comparison to the Premier League.

Still, when it comes to this game specifically in the International Champions Cup, we can’t allow ourselves to look past Arsenal as the clear favourites with just under two weeks remaining until the EPL gets underway.

Receive exclusive betting tips and offers directly to your inbox. Receive exclusive betting tips and offers. SIGN UP