Published: 4 August, 2013
by TOM FOOT at The Emirates Stadium

Emirates Cup
ARSENAL, 1 GALATASARAY 2

SO here we are. Back again, staring doubtfully towards another season, hoping that some bright spark can bring the belief – or at least the joie de vivre – back to Arsenal Football Club.

Despite the big spending hype, Yaya Sanogo is Arsenal's only signing. Judging by today's performance, the 20-year-old French youth international is not going to fulfil those requirements.

He got a shot away within the first minute, slightly dragging it after a clumsy first touch. This scrappy and uncertain play continued until he was substituted by Olivier Giroud late on.

For the fans, there was an inescapable reminder or Arsenal's troubled past, with Didier Drogba – so often a tormentor at the Emirates for Chelsea – scoring two late goals to snatch another trophy away from Arsene Wenger's grasp.

If the pre-season Emirates Cup tournament is anything to go by, Arsenal are not going to be very, very good this year. But they are not going to be very bad either.

Santi Cazorla is a reason to be cheerful. He has a scampering style and the ability to execute the Wenger way. Theo Walcott, scorer of Arsenal's only goal on 42 minutes, looks to have lost none of his pace or attacking danger. The flight of his clipped cross deceived the keeper and bounced into the bottom corner. 

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s play now packs a punch. He looks capable of putting in some match-winning performances. Everyone is fit and – unusually – settled. There are no desperate want-aways causing a distraction.

Arsenal deserved a draw in this sleepy, fragmented match, a game when the ball rolled slowly along the turf, the crosses fell short, the one-twos were mis-timed and the shots – few as there were – whistled wide. The Mexican waves began on 70 minutes.

Former Gunner Emmanuel Eboue, now Galatasary's captain, did not get a hero's welcome but was well received all the same. Drogba is the shadow of his former self, but he still has that bullish quality. He converted the penalty he won with a dubious fall inside the box with 10 minutes to go. Five minutes later, he gave Per Mertesacker the slip around the penalty spot and rifled a left-foot drive past Wojciech Szczesny. 

The Turkish champions – with a large and vocal following inside the Emirates – were on the front foot for much of the final third and had looked more likely to grab a winner. They lifted the trophy with Napoli in second place, Arsenal third above Porto.

Gedion Zelalem came on for Arsenal in the closing stages, wearing the number 58 shirt. Tricky, confident but unselfish, he may be a name for the future.

But the players left the field to the familiar sound of a few frustrated boos and whistles of disappointment.