Player Ratings: Boreham Wood 2-1 Arsenal XI: Attendance 1,911

An Arsenal XI led by Mehmet Ali made the short trip to Boreham Wood FC on Saturday afternoon as the talented youngsters gear up for the forthcoming 2023-24 season. 

Luke Garrard’s side went ahead in the 17th minute when the lively Kwesi Appiah slotted past keeper Noah Cooper after a well-worked move. The lead was doubled 180 seconds later when Mo Sagaf drilled a low shot past Cooper to make it 2-0. 

Canada-born, Mexican international Marcelo Flores pulled a goal back just after the half hour, when the 19-year-old cut inside to fire a low shot past Wood keeper Nathan Ashmore to make it 2-1.

Ali’s charges would have learned plenty against a top level National League side gearing up for their first match next weekend, prior to the Gunners boss making a raft of substitutions midway through the second half, that led to only Charles Sagoe Jnr and Ethan Nwaneri remaining as the only starters.

However, despite plenty of endeavour the Gunners couldn't grab an equaliser agaqinst Garrard's experienced side. 

Find out which Young Guns impressed at Meadow Park with our Player Ratings

Noah Cooper: 6.5/10 - Initially beleaguered after Wood’s blistering start but grew into the game as befits a young keeper with immense potential. Subbed for Alexei Rojas midway through the second half

James Sweet: 6.5/10 - Always willing to supplement colleagues further forward

Lino Sousa: 7/10 - Will be looking to progress this season after being drafted into a few of Mikel Arteta’s first team squads last term

Reuell Walters: 7/10 - Another who will be aiming to remind Arteta of his worth to the first team squad 

Zane Monlouis: 6.5/10 - Captain. Needs to work on his distribution. Will have benefitted from playing against hardened National League forwards prior to being replaced by Taylor Foran

Bradley Ibrahim: 6.5/10 - Solid. While the club’s ethos is to play from the back, and the fact that he possesses an excellent technique for a defensive player, it is still somewhat reassuring to see the England U18 international put his foot through the ball to clear his lines when under pressure on rare occasions

Charles Sagoe Jnr: 6.5/10 - Scored at Meadow Park during last summer’s friendly which resulted in a 2-2 draw, and gave his all attempting to repeat history

Jack Henry-Francis: 7/10 - A vital cog both offensively and defensively. Influential in recycling the ball, while also proficient at allowing attacking moves to flow through intelligent running on and off the ball and well-placed touches

Nathan Butler-Oyedeji: 6.5/10 - Worked hard up front against an experienced and disciplined top National League backline

Ethan Nwaneri: 7/10 - Fresh from signing his new long-term contract with the club, the 16-year-old has filled out to add further athleticism to his game. Full of running and vision allied with an excellent touch, technique and temperament

A good run out for Arsenal’s talented 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri as he is replaced by Timi Henri-Davies with seven minutes remaining here at Meadow Park with the score still 2-1 to Boreham Wood pic.twitter.com/xE76fLZP9b

— Layth (@laythy29) July 29, 2023

Marcelo Flores: 7/10 - The Canada-born Mexico attacker scored an excellent goal when he cut inside to fire past Ashmore in the Wood goal. With full international honours already achieved with Mexico it will be interesting to chart the continued progress of the talented 19-year-old this term

Goal! @BOREHAM_WOODFC 2-1 Arsenal XI. An excellent strike from the Gunners young Canada born Mexican international talent Marcelo Flores who cut inside to fire a low shot past Wood keeper Nathan Ashmore at his near post just after the half hour here at Meadow Park pic.twitter.com/KiwMKARWEJ

— Layth (@laythy29) July 29, 2023

Substitutes:

Taylor Forlan: 6/10 - On for Monlouis midway through the second half as boss Ali swapped one backline for another

Henry Jeffcott: 6/10 - Replaced Ibrahim at the same time as the entire backline was changed. Tenacious

Michal Rosiak: 6/10 - The talented defender, who was one of many who impressed during the side’s run to the FA Youth Cup final, swapped with Sweet to play the invested right-back role so favoured by Arteta

Elian Quesada-Thorn: 6/10 - Came on for Sousa as the other changes were made

Ismail Oulad M’Hand: 6/10 - On for Henry-Francis

Myles Lewis Skelly: 6/10 - Another hero of last season’s FA Youth Cup run made an entrance midway through the second half as part of Ali’s raft of changes

Alexei Rojas: 6/10 - Came on for Noah Coper between the sitcks

Osman Kamara: 6/10 

Khayon Edwards: 6/10 

Timi Henry-Davies: 6/10 Replaced Nwaneri with seven minutes remaining