Gunners still faces questions at left back, Smith Rowe inches towards the exit door and Timber returns: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED from Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Bournemouth

Arsenal's pre-season began with a penalty shootout win over Bournemouth on Wednesday night in Carson, California.

The two teams played to a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Fabio Vieira scored Arsenal's only goal in the 18th minute on an assist from Reiss Nelson, but Mikel Arteta's side conceded an equaliser to Antoine Semenyo in the 73rd.

Ultimately, Arsenal managed to prevail on penalties.

ISAAN KHAN was on hand in California, where he picked out five things we learned from this friendly.

New season, same problem

The same pressing question from last season reoccurred: who is going to play at left back? A Jurrien Timber long-term injury left Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko to fill that spot in the previous campaign, to varied success.

Tomiyasu was the most assured, but he's injured once again. Expected signing Riccardo Calafiori, who can play multiple positions across the backline, is not an Arsenal player just yet. So that presented Myles Lewis-Skelly the chance to start at left back.

The highly-touted Lewis-Skelly, who has been training with the first team since late last year, has typically played in midfield for the academy.

Mikel Arteta has high hopes for the 17-year-old, moulding him behind the scenes into an inverted left back. A Oleksandr Zinchenko prototype, you could say.

On the evidence of this display, the teenager could well be part of Arsenal's first-team squad this season. He stood out in each facet of his play.

His defensive work was good, putting in some well-timed tackles. He certainly wasn't pegged back nor targeted by the Bournemouth attack.

But it was the defender's ease at inverting into midfield which really shone, poking holes through when in attack. That left him receiving a hefty push to the floor after 33 minutes.

He has the neat footwork and turn of pace to penetrate up the field while getting back defensively on turn overs.

So far, Arteta's Project Lewis-Skelly is coming to fruition.

Nwaneri grasps his opportunity

Ever since Ethan Nwaneri became the Premier League's youngest-ever player – aged 15 years and 181 days against Brentford in September 2022 — his rise has been anticipated but slow.

He came on in the 77th minute of Arsenal's 6-0 league thrashing of West Ham in February, but has had scant other chance with the first team.

Arteta has not given him the playing time many fans have been crying out for.

That made tonight so crucial for him. He took his opportunity, alright, the Gunners outfield player to play the most minutes here. On six minutes, his mazy run from the Gunners half split the opposition defence and outpaced a number of players.

The crowd gasps were audible. His confidence is clear, looking to progress forward whenever he had the ball to feet.

The key for Nwaneri will be minutes. The talent and potential is there but he needs to play to further excel. He would have perhaps liked to have impacted the game more in certain periods, but that is unrealistic at present when he has barely played for the first team.

Whether Arteta can further integrate the 17-year-old this season remains to be seen. If not, a loan move may well be a potential route.

Emile Smith Rowe's exit draws nearer

Hours earlier, news had broken that Fulham are close to reaching an agreement for Emile Smith Rowe.

That made his spot on the bench tonight expected. Arteta made seven substitutions in the second half, but not the attacking midfielder.

A very clear sign that the exit door is close. Similar to him being made captain on Saturday for the final 20 minutes against Leyton Orient — a scent of a kind farewell gesture.

If the reported of fee £35million is correct, it's a deal that works out well for all parties — no matter how much Smith Rowe is cherished in these parts.

That's a handsome sum of money and, after an injury-ridden last campaign which saw him make just three league starts, he is keen to be playing.

If this is the end of Smith Rowe at Arsenal, at least his final minutes in a Gunners shirt were as captain.

The 'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe' song may be no longer, but his crucial goals in the 2021-22 season will not be forgotten.

Arsenal bring a dozen academy players to the US

On Arsenal's US pre-season tour last year, only one academy player made the squad — Amario Cozier-Duberry.

This time, owing to senior players such as Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka staying home for extra rest after the Euros final, 12 youngsters were brought on this tour.

Though, the departures of many young talents who weren't able to break into the first team may have influenced this drive.

Cozier-Duberry and Reuell Walters are among that talented crop of players who have left.

The record-breaking academy star Chido Obi-Martin is also set to be on his way out.

A club such as Arsenal who have a rich history of academy graduates cannot afford to keep on leaking such talent.

Maybe this tour will give the academy players that extra vein of hope for their future at the north London club.

Timber makes encouraging return to the pitch

Seeing Jurrien Timber back, fully fit, raring to go was a rewarding sight; the price of eight hard months of recovery after ACL injury in August.

He was played at centre back. A different role for him at Arsenal, but one he is not unaccustomed to.

Timber has played a variety of roles across the backline in his career.

Bournemouth were physically punctured by the Dutchman, for starters. He imposed himself on both Dominic Solanke and Romain Faivre anytime they got forward.

Some of the tackles were riddled with sheer aggressive intent. His yellow card on 53 minutes was certainly warranted.

But to see him back and physically ready to compete at his full potential was a reminder that the Gunners, in effect, have a menacing new signing who is chomping at the bit.