By Hibernian FC

What might Arsenal’s side look like against us?

When you’re looking at this team, line-up, or squad, for this friendly, you’ll have to immediately look at the players that are back for pre-season. It’ll be a combination of players that haven’t been away on international duty and will be in the plans for next season, like Smith Rowe, Pepe, Holding etc. Arteta will come to Scotland and want to see the players staking a claim to be starting or in the squad next season.

How does this friendly benefit Arsenal?

This is an ideal friendly for Arsenal. Some pre-season games are just a fitness work out, and when you’re playing against other teams that are just playing for fitness, it can often turn into an uncompetitive game that’s quite pointless and you don’t take anything from it. The fact that Hibs have competitive action on their horizon, and will be in better physical shape, is good for Arsenal as it’ll provide them with a test. There will be a focus and a bite, which Arteta and his staff will like. It’s also good for Arsenal to be playing against a high reputation club like Hibernian first up, at Easter Road with a purpose, then this is the ideal pre-season game.

How’s the transition going under Mikel Arteta?

It’s a very tense period for Arsenal. There’s a lot of goodwill behind Arteta and the vast majority of the fanbase want him to succeed, but there’s also some that are skeptical about what they’ve seen so far. Arsenal have declined since the departure of Arsène Wenger, even towards the end of his reign, to the point now where they’re outside Europe for the first time in 26 years. Some performances from Arteta’s sides have caused concern, which, you know, a year and a half in you’d like to see them playing better football and getting better results on more consistent bases. Saying that, there have been flashes of really good football and really good results. There were some really high pressure points last season, especially around December, when they turned their form around at Chelsea. It was that point where he turned to the younger players like Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and came through it, but then they took another dip again, before the end of the season where they finished really well. Losing to Villareal in the semi-final, though, upset a lot of people too. The will of the club, and the hierarchy, is to support Arteta, to build around him, and to continue using the transfer market to recruit so he can build his squad.

What’s Arsenal’s aim for the upcoming campaign?

Arsenal prepare for the season with lots of optimism and only now have to focus on the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the League Cup. You’ve seen with teams in the past that when they have a season without European football that they do well. The number one priority is to build a successful Premier League season, the cups are a bonus, they need to be back in Europe urgently, not only for footballing credibility but for the finances. It’s fundamental that they get back into Europe, and they’ll be targeting the Champions League. Now that could be possible if they get their recruitment right and Arteta shows himself to be the coach that many people think he is/can be. They will have a greater focus, determination to fight back, and have some really hungry players.