Source: Daily_Mail
Wenger blames illness for Arsenal keeper Almunia missing first tour game
Arsenal opened their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 4-0 win at npower League Two side Barnet. [LNB]Russian Andrey Arshavin put the Gunners ahead after just twominutes, with youngster Jay Simpson netting a first-half double andSamir Nasri - one of 11 second-half substitutes - wrapping things upwith 15 minutes left. [LNB] Doubts: Keeper Almunia[LNB] [LNB]Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, who has seen his position as Arsenal number one come under question over the summer, was absent from the squad, despite having been named in the original 22-man party yesterday, along with striker Eduardo. [LNB]Manager Arsene Wenger said he was absent because of illness.[LNB]Lukasz Fabianski was between the posts, as new signing Laurent Koscielny lined up in defence, while fellow summer arrival Marouane Chamakh was on the bench. [LNB]England under-21 midfielder Jack Wilshere, who spent last season on loan at Bolton, was in central midfield, with Czech winger Thomas Rosicky captaining the side as Barcelona target Cesc Fabregas is still away on leave after helping Spain lift the World Cup. [LNB] Unfriendly: Jack Wilshire goes down under the challenge of Barnet's Sam Cox[LNB] Arsenal went ahead after just two minutes when Arshavin waltzed into the Barnet area following a clever exchange with Rosicky. [LNB] It was 2-0 on 16 minutes when Simpson netted from close range. [LNB] Just before the interval, Arshavin cut in from the left and rattled the crossbar. [LNB]The Russian then fed Wilshere on the break down the left, who pulled the ball back across the face of goal for Simpson to tap in. [LNB] Arsene Wenger changed the entire Arsenal XI at the restart. [LNB] Away days: Andrey Arshavin celebrates with Emmanual Frimpong[LNB]Morocco striker Chamakh was handed his debut, as Theo Walcott, a controversial omission from Fabio Capello's World Cup squad, Johan Djourou and England under-21 defender Kieran Gibbs, both fit again after long-term injury lay-offs, also came on. [LNB]Walcott almost made an instant impact when he dashed clear, but his chip was touched past the far post by Bees keeper Jake Cole. [LNB]With 15 minutes left, Nasri capitalised on a mistake by Daniel Leach at the edge of the Barnet box to knock in a fourth. [LNB]Arsenal now continue their pre-season preparations with a 10-day Austrian training camp, when the rest of the players who were in World Cup action - apart from Fabregas and Holland striker Robin van Persie - will join them from next week. [LNB] Fabregas fears the end of his Barca dream as Catalans admit they may waitHenry retires from France duty and gets ready for Irish-American backlashARSENAL FC
