Fantasy league tips: 5 things we learned from Arsenal’s pre-season clash against Bayern Munich
- Fantasy football game Dream Team is live NOW
- Arsenal are currently in China as they prepare for the new Premier League season
- New signing Alexandre Lacazette has been performing well for the Gunners
- Click here to enter Dream Team
Arsenal's pre-season tour is well underway, with new boy Alexandre Lacazette the main man on our fantasy football radar.
The Gunners are currently touring China as part of their preparations for the 2017-18 Premier League season, and so far things have been going pretty well.
Dream Team 2017/18
How does the game work?
- This year's fantasy football game will be absolutely FREE for all players to play
- The total prize pot is an approximated £750,000
- Game Weeks will run from Friday to Thursday
- £50m budget on 11 eligible players
Arsene Wenger's side beat Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, before facing old foes Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup (or something) on Wednesday afternoon.
With all the usual hallmarks of tepid pre-season action, the Gunners actually managed to beat the Germans (on penalties no less), with Alex Iowbi scoring a last -minute equaliser following Robert Lewandowski's first-half penalty.
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But let's look at the main talking points with a bit more detail, shall we?
1 Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil together is a match made in heaven
Arsenal fans got their first taste of new boy Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil together against Bayern - and the pair looked tidy from the off.
Despite only playing the first 45 minutes together before Wenger made wholesale changes to his side, the duo linked up well in a number of encouraging Arsenal attacks.
A legend of assists playing well with a natural goalscorer?
We saw that one coming.
How did Ozil get on in fantasy football last season?
- 13 goals in all competitions - his highest since moving to Arsenal in 2013 - and 13 assists
- WhoScored rating of 7.30 - one of the highest performing midfielders in the Premier League
- 202 Dream Team points - more than Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino
- Want him in your fantasy football team? Sign up now
2 Petr Cech is still the Gunners resounding No 1
Petr Cech ended last season as Dream Team's fifth-best goalkeeper, thanks largely to Arsenal’s customary late season form.
Three clean sheets in his last five games saw Cech sneak into the top five, but the Czech Republic international is undoubtedly beginning to decline.
He'll almost certainly remain Arsenal’s first choice next season, and his performance against Bayern was right on the money, but the veteran shot-stopper will need to be replaced in a year or two.
3 Theo Walcott must do more to keep his Arsenal dream alive
It seems Theo Walcott can't pass-by a transfer window without being linked to a move away from the Gunners.
The 28-year-old (crikey, he's 28?!) has been linked with the likes of Everton and Southampton this summer, but is probably not going anywhere.
He was largely anonymous during his second-half stint against Bayern, and after all these years is still somewhere between the fringes and the first-team.
He's at an age now where he should be at the peak of his powers - and we have a feeling this season could be make or break for the England international's Arsenal career.
4 Arsenal have a decent group of youngsters
Pre-season is often a good chance to see your club's young talent in action, and we certainly got a good look at the players Arsenal have been producing in the Bayern clash.
The technically-gifted Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been turning heads throughout the tour so far, but it was 17-year-old Reiss Nelson who really impressed, causing Bayern all-kinds of problems down the right-wing.
Nelson is considered one of the finest youngsters to come through Arsenal's academy since a certain Jack Wilshere and could certainly be one to watch for the future.
5 Arsenal actually managed to beat Bayern Munich
Hold up, what?
It might just be pre-season, but Arsenal showed plenty of fight against their old foes.
Despite going 1-0 down in the first-half thanks to a pretty dubious penalty decision, the Gunners came back and fought to the very end to equalise and beat the German giants on penalties.
Friendly or not, the win will prove to be a morale boaster for Wenger's side.
When can I sign up to Dream Team?
You can sign up right now – weeks before the Premier League season gets underway - as the Dream Team game went live on July 7.
That gives you an awfully long time to monitor the transfer market and choose your team accordingly, with Bernardo Silva the first major coup of the summer after his £43m move to Manchester City.
Keep up to date with all the latest fantasy football news with our fantasy football live blog and sign up to Dream Team here.