Pre-Season 2010: Arsenal 1-1 Milan - Chamakh And Koscielny Star As Gunners Held

Chamakh was handed his home debut, leading the line with Andrey Arshavin playing in the hole. Lukasz Fabianski, who had a topsy-turvy time deputizing for Manuel Almunia last season, started in goal, with new boy Koscielny partnering Thomas Vermaelen in defense.

Jack Wilshere, star of last summer's Emirates Cup, made his first home appearance in an Arsenal shirt for over six months after spending the latter part of the 2009-10 season on-loan at Bolton.

The highly-tipped attacking midfielder played alongside Ghana-born England youth international Emmanuel Frimpong in the middle of the pitch, facing a wealth of experience in Milan's Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso and ex-Gunner Mathieu Flamini. The Italians fielded a strong starting XI, with reported Chelsea target Alexandre Pato upfront alongside Marco Boriello, whilst Alessandro Nesta and summer signing Mario Yepes held the fort in front of Christian Abbiati in goal.

The first chance of note came following boisterous play from Kieran Gibbs, who jinked down the left side of the pitch before providing a cutback for Arshavin, but the Russian lashed wide of goal.

Bosman signing Chamakh showed early signs of promise, with several deft first touches and looked to link play with Samir Nasri, Tomas Rosicky and Wilshere.

Likewise, multi-million pound signing Koscielny made an impressive start, shepherding Pato away from goal before blocking the young Brazilian's shot and bringing the ball out of defense with ease.

His defensive partner then came close to opening the scoring with two well-timed leaps. Vermaelen, who netted eight times for Arsenal last season, first forced a fingertip save from Abiatti with a powerful header from an in-swinging Nasri corner, before then coming close with a glanced effort from a cross.

At the other end though, the Belgian mistimed a header from a launched high pass, with the resultant loose ball falling to former fans' favorite Flamini, whose volley bounced before being pushed over by Fabianski. The French midfielder was at it again moments later with a jinking run and shot that yielded a second corner.

The match soon petered out into a tepid lull every bit as tedious and unexciting as captain Cesc Fabregas's on/off transfer to Barcelona, with a paucity of chances and an understandable lack of gusto shown from either side.

Ivorian international Emmanuel Eboue took it upon himself to inject some life into proceedings on the half-hour mark, but he was highly fortunate not to face a booking for an unnecessarily all-action challenge on left back Luca Antonini, which saw the Italian's hip clattered by the Arsenal man's studs.

Luckily, for the obviously bored fans at the Emirates, the home side turned on the style courtesy of Arshavin, who collected the ball on the halfway line and threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Chamakh, leaving the Moroccan with a simple left-footed finish after beating Yepes and Nesta.

Minutes later Nasri weaved his way through the right hand side and played a neat reverse pass to Rosicky, but the Czech fired straight into the legs of Abbiati from a central position.

Arsenal's sudden flourishes of flair provoked Pato into pulling out some of his finest moves. The 20-year-old delicately pulled down a high ball with his right foot, before cutting inside Eboue and opening up to strike from 30 yards out. Fabianski was beaten, but the Brazilian's effort clipped the top side of the net before falling behind the Pole's goal.

First team regulars Gael Clichy and Theo Walcott replaced Gibbs and Rosicky, respectively, upon resumption of play, and the former Southampton winger hit an early low shot that bobbled wide.

The youngster, left out of Fabio Capello's squad for the World Cup, was soon linking up with new boy Chamakh, who held up a Frimpong ball before releasing Walcott with a weighted through ball. The build-up could not be matched by the final ball, however, as the England man failed to pick out Arshavin who screeched towards the near post.

Flamini maintained his first half attacking instincts by joining both Boriello and Pato high up the pitch whenever Milan had possession, but his acrobatic effort from a Seedorf pass was comfortably collected by Fabianski.

The early stages of the second half were vastly more entertaining than the first half as a whole, with both sides opening up, but Arsene Wenger suffered a scare as Vermaelen went down clutching his head. After treatment, the centre-back was soon back on his feet and ready to resume play.

Chamakh then had the fans on their feet with a skillful roll and pass to Arshavin, whose cross back across the face of goal to Wilshire – the originator of the move – was well-intercepted before the youngster could get a toe on the ball.

Koscielny continued to look solid in the second half, and even showed a Vermaelen-like willingness to strike on goal, but his long range strike dragged well wide of goal. Defensively, the Frenchman appeared very confident and kept Boriello at bay on several occasions.

Fellow debutant and goalscorer Chamakh received a standing ovation upon leaving the pitch for Mark Randall after an exciting outing.

For all of Koscielny and Vermaelen's dominance from open play, a simple set-piece was Arsenal's undoing as Milan leveled the scores when Pato turned in a free-kick cross with 15 minutes remaining.

Chamakh's replacement should have restored the advantage moments later after bursting into the box and playing a clever one-two with Walcott, but Randall's tame effort struck Abbiati's legs.

Vela too had a chance to make it 2-1 after Clichy won the ball down the left, but the Mexican striker dallied a second too long in the box and allowed veteran Seedorf to mop up.

Arsenal's lackadaisical approach was nearly punished further as substitute Gianluca Zambrotta struck a stinging drive from distance that smashed against Fabianski's bar, with the goalkeeper soon called upon to turn away a save at his near post.

For their part though, the home side still pushed men forwards as the game dwindled away. Koscielny again aped his defensive partner's attacking skills, winning the ball on the halfway line before beating two men and opening the play; however, the positive move was undone as the former Lorient man trod on the ball.

It was an apt ending for a game that at times sparkled, but too often failed to culminate in final quality. Wenger will no doubt be pleased by the performances of both of his summer signings, but the manner of the draw and the ease with which Milan were able to equalize from a set play may worry some Gunners.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Eboue (Sagna 46), Gibbs (Clichy 46), Frimpong (Djourou 69), Rosicky (Walcott 46), Nasri, Wilshere, Arshavin (Vela 62), Chamakh (Randall 72)