Gunners hit the wall but Wenger's happy
ARSENE WENGER insists Arsenal are bang on course for a massive season.
But the Gunners boss admits some players have hit the wall after a 17-day boot camp.
And their condition was really put to the test by uncompromising Japanese side Urawa Reds in the final match of their Far East tour.
Wenger revealed: "We've had two tough, full sessions in the last two days and we really had to dig deep to get through the game.
"But that's all part of pre-season training and I feel we are now well advanced in our preparations.
"It all depends how quickly we can recover from this trip because it has been really difficult for all the players.
"Urawa were very aggressive and made many fouls from behind. Jack Wilshere got a lot of kicks.
"We wanted a competitive game and we certainly got one."
Chuba Akpom's fourth goal of the trip was enough to ensure the Gunners left The Orient with a 100 per cent record.
The powerful 17-year-old pounced on an 83rd-minute mix-up in the Reds defence to tap in, after ex-Leicester defender Yuki Abe had volleyed a ferocious equaliser.
Arsenal had grabbed the lead on 49 minutes when Germany forward Lukas Podolski fired home three minutes after coming on.
Having scored 17 goals in their previous three pre-season matches, this was by far the toughest test of Arsenal's Far East tour.
And after 17 days in the draining humidity of Indonesia, Vietnam and Japan, Arsenal looked like they could not wait to fly home.
They have worked their socks off during this Eastern adventure and will feel the benefit when the season gets under way in three weeks.
The Londoners have two games next weekend against Napoli and Galatasaray in the Emirates Cup followed by a final warm-up match against Manchester City in Helsinki.
It will be interesting to see what reception new Napoli signing Gonzalo Higuain receives after slipping through Arsenal's fingers.
Wenger admits progress is slow in their pursuit of the stellar signings.
But he has seen enough during these past weeks to know his squad are in better shape now than they have been for a good few summers.
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