Ex-Rangers trialist scores for Arsenal academy vs Monaco | OneFootball

The Arsenal u21s secured an away win over Monaco to end their pre-season preparations, with a former Rangers trialist getting on the scoresheet.

Photo via Arsenal.com

The Arsenal u21s have had a difficult pre-season so far, partly thanks to the absence of some talented youngsters like Max Dowman, Marli Salmon, Josh Nichols, Ismeal Kabia, and Andre Harriman-Annous due to first-team call-ups.

Up until this weekend, the young Gunners had drawn one and lost four of their pre-season games, only scoring five goals across the five games.

But the team was much closer to full strength away to AS Monaco II on Saturday, with Tommy Setford in goal, Nichols and Salmon in defence, and Kabia and Harriman-Annous in the front three. None of the five had featured in the previous game against Chelmsford City.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Arsenal clearly benefitted from the changes, with Kabia giving the team the lead in the 40th minute, and Setford maintaining a clean sheet at the other end. But it was actually a trialist who secured the victory by doubling Arsenal’s advantage late on.

Free agent former Rangers winger Archie Stevens was making his second trial appearance for the Gunners, and in the 93rd minute he found space in the box before slotting home for 2-0.

Stevens has played senior football before, making one appearance for Rangers and playing 11 times on loan with Scottish second tier club Dunfermline Athletic in 2024/25.

It looks like he could now get the chance to play for the Arsenal academy on a more permanent basis, if he keeps impressing.

Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images

The Arsenal u21s recently learned their Premier League 2 fixtures list for the coming campaign, kicking things off with a game against Fulham at home on Friday, August 15th.

The team will also play Nottingham Forest away and Brighton at home later this month.

The first big derby game is away to Chelsea on October 25th, but there will be no regular season north London derby this season.

Photo via Dowman on Instagram

The current Premier League 2 format involves 29 teams playing a 20-game regular season, so you don’t face eight teams until the play-offs, if at all.

This year, Arsenal won’t face Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, or Spurs in the regular season. But they could still meet some of the above in the play-offs or in other competitions.

As for who might be in charge of the team when the competitive campaign gets underway, that much is still unclear. Jack Wilshere is reportedly in the running to return to the club as their u21 manager, but Max Porter and Ken Gillard have taken joint charge of the team on an interim basis for now.