Sports
Arsenal vs Athletic Club Preseason Showdown 5 Big Questions Fans Want Answered
As Mikel Arteta prepares Arsenal for the Premier League opener, all eyes are on new signings, injury returns, and tactical chemistry against Athletic Club.
Table of Contents
The Emirates Stadium will host a fascinating preseason finale as Arsenal face Athletic Club in what many are calling a “dress rehearsal” for the new Premier League season. More than just another friendly, this Emirates Cup clash will give Mikel Arteta one last chance to fine-tune his squad before a tough run of fixtures kicks off their competitive campaign.
Why This Match Matters More Than the Score
While preseason fixtures are often dismissed as low-intensity affairs, Arteta knows that this match is his final opportunity to build rhythm, sharpen fitness, and integrate his summer signings. Athletic Club, who finished fourth in La Liga last season, are no pushovers. They’ve managed to keep hold of their star winger Nico Williams, and with his blistering pace and direct style, he will provide a stern test for Arsenal’s defensive shape.
The Gunners haven’t exactly lit up preseason, and while some fans are concerned, others believe the lack of intensity is intentional — conserving energy for when the real battles begin.
1. How Quickly Can the New Signings Gel?
Three fresh faces could shape Arsenal’s season: Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyökeres, and Noni Madueke.
- Zubimendi will add calm control and precise passing in midfield, but adapting to Arteta’s positional play is never instant.
- Gyökeres, the Swedish striker with a relentless work rate, is expected to offer a different dimension to the attack, running in behind and linking play with wingers.
- Madueke brings flair and unpredictability — traits that could unsettle compact defences.
Today’s game is about seeing how quickly these players connect with Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli in real match conditions.
2. Injury Updates — Who’s Ready for the Opener?
Minor knocks have sidelined Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Riccardo Calafiori during preseason, but there’s good news: Havertz and Calafiori are back in training. Whether they’re fit enough to start today will be telling ahead of the opener against Manchester United.
Defensively, Gabriel Magalhães might not get the full 60–70 minutes but is expected to be ready for competitive action soon.
3. The Gyökeres-Martinelli Connection
One of the most intriguing preseason developments has been the early chemistry between Gyökeres and Martinelli on the left flank. The Brazilian’s quick one-twos and direct dribbles combine well with the Swede’s movement. If that partnership clicks, Saka on the opposite side could find even more space, creating a three-pronged attack that’s hard to defend.
4. The Max Dowman Mystery
Teenage sensation Max Dowman has been the talk of Arsenal’s preseason, impressing fans with composure beyond his years. But in a surprise twist, Dowman isn’t in today’s matchday squad — reportedly given belated time off. That decision raises questions about his role in the early part of the season and whether Arteta sees him as a rotation option or someone better eased in gradually.
5. The Final XI Dress Rehearsal
Expect Arteta to field something close to his preferred starting XI for at least 60 minutes. The likely lineup includes David Raya in goal, Jurrien Timber and Calafiori at full-back, William Saliba alongside Gabriel in central defence, a midfield pivot of Zubimendi and Declan Rice, and a front four of Saka, Ødegaard, Martinelli, and Gyökeres.
Athletic Club, meanwhile, bring experience in Unai Simón between the posts, the pace of Iñaki Williams, and the guile of Alex Berenguer. They won’t just sit back — expect them to press high and counter swiftly, especially targeting the spaces behind Arsenal’s full-backs.
Where to Watch
UK fans can watch for £6.99 on Arsenal.com, while some viewers in Spain might catch the game for free on Athletic Club’s official website (Spanish commentary only). Geo-restrictions may apply.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about lifting the Emirates Cup — it’s about sending a message before Manchester United arrive at the Emirates next week. A convincing performance would ease fan nerves and build momentum. A flat display could invite criticism and questions about preseason preparation.
With new signings hungry to impress, returning players eager to prove their fitness, and opponents ready to test them, this fixture is far more than a casual friendly. For Arsenal, the real season starts now.
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Sports
Caleb Williams Impresses, but the Bears’ Late-Game Decisions Raise Eyebrows
One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next
For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.
With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.
Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.
And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:
Why not go for two?
The dream-big argument
If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.
Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.
Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.
But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.
Why Chicago didn’t gamble
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.
Because miracles don’t stack.
Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.
After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.
“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”
There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.
So Chicago chose survival over glory.
How it unraveled anyway
The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.
And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.
Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.
So… was it the wrong call?
Emotionally? Maybe.
Strategically? Probably not.
Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.
That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.
What this moment really means for Chicago
The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.
You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.
Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.
Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”
It will be remembered as the beginning.
Sports
A Strong Night for Caleb Williams Ends With Doubts About the Bears’ Late Decisions
One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next
For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.
With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.
Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.
And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:
Why not go for two?
The dream-big argument
If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.
Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.
Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.
But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.
Why Chicago didn’t gamble
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.
Because miracles don’t stack.
Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.
After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.
“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”
There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.
So Chicago chose survival over glory.
How it unraveled anyway
The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.
And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.
Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.
So… was it the wrong call?
Emotionally? Maybe.
Strategically? Probably not.
Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.
That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.
What this moment really means for Chicago
The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.
You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.
Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.
Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”
It will be remembered as the beginning.
Sports
Caleb Williams Did His Part But Did the Bears Overthink the Finish
One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next
For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.
With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.
Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.
And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:
Why not go for two?
The dream-big argument
If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.
Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.
Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.
But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.
Why Chicago didn’t gamble
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.
Because miracles don’t stack.
Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.
After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.
“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”
There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.
So Chicago chose survival over glory.
How it unraveled anyway
The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.
And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.
Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.
So… was it the wrong call?
Emotionally? Maybe.
Strategically? Probably not.
Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.
That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.
What this moment really means for Chicago
The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.
You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.
Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.
Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”
It will be remembered as the beginning.
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