Mikel Arteta reacts as Arsenal need penalties to beat Bournemouth in pre-season friendly

Mikel Arteta was delighted with the performance of his youthful Arsenal side as they beat Bournemouth on penalties in the first game of their pre-season tour.

With a vast number of regular starters still away after international duty, Arteta put his faith in several young players against a strong Bournemouth side.

Fabio Vieira scored midway through the first half but Arsenal were eventually pegged back by Antoine Semenyo, but the Gunners kept their composure and snatched the victory on penalties.

"Very pleased," Arteta said after the game. "We have a very different context today with so many young players – most of them making their debuts for us. Really pleased to see them, just looking at their faces and the energy and understanding that they were going to be involved was great.

"And I think the senior players had a good game. It was a really competitive match against Bournemouth as we expected. They are a little bit ahead of us in terms of the time that they had to prepare. Good competitive match, with a lot of things to take forward.

"[The young players] have impressed us in a really positive way. That's the thing. It's not easy to come up to the level and the standards that we're at now. They've been a joy to work with every day."

Arteta did hint at frustration towards the lack of senior players available to him but backed his starters to hit the ground running when they return.

"It's a different context where we have to adapt and find ways, having less or more limited time, be better," he reflected. "This is what we have prepared for.

"It's true that they have spent another year together, so that chemistry, those relationships are already really strong. I think it will click as soon as they get together again."

Arsenal are back in action against Manchester United on Sunday at 01:00 (BST).

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