Arsenal's preparation for the Premier League resumed with a 3-2 defeat against Villarreal in a pre-season match at the Emirates.
Headline Grabber
Former Gunner Nicolas Pepe, who was often in the headlines for the wrong reasons, returned to target his former employers as he put Villarreal ahead in the 16th minute. This wasn't what Arsenal fans expected before the kickoff, as many of them had hoped to see their new star signing and striker Viktor Gyokeres make his first start in front of the Emirates fans by scoring a couple of goals against the Spanish side Villarreal.
The New No 9
After coming on as a substitute in his first game for the Gunners against their fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Viktor Gyokeres was named in the starting 11 as Arsenal took on the Yellow Submarines at the Emirates stadium. It wasn't to be for the Swedish-born striker, as he struggled in front of goal, managing just 1 shot on target with a pass accuracy of 57% after only 14 touches. After failing to impact the match for 60 minutes, he was substituted, and it became clear that he might need time to adjust to his new environment.
Tactical Frailties
During the post-match presser, Mikel Arteta referred to Arsenal's defensive fragility, stating "I think we were a bit naive, especially with the way we defended open spaces and counter-press in a few moments- i think they had three shots, three goals, In that sense we are not." happy." With an experimental starting 11 that included the center back partnership of Jakub Kiwior and William Saliba, Arsenal didn't look like a side that inspires confidence as they struggled to contain Villarreal's attack. Not only that, they also lacked bite in attack as they most times resorted to crossing instead of a creative build-up play, and the realization that the new signing still needed time to understand his teammates was evident.
Positives
Despite the loss, there were still some positives to take away from the match as Mikel Arteta's side prepare for their next game on Saturday against another Spanish team, Athletic Bilbao. One of these positives is 15-year-old Max Dowman, whom people have been clamoring to include in the first team; he won the penalty that captain Martin Odegaard converted. He has impressed during the pre-season, but it remains to be seen whether he will be given more game time with the first team or continue playing for the age group. Another the positive takeaway from the match was fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri impressing and dazzling in midfield, earning him praise from supporters and commentators alike.
Ethan Nwaneri's directness is a breath of fresh air in the middle of the pitch. Sizes a man up, uses his low center of gravity to glide by & plays forward. Liked his freedom to drift wide, brought Saka more central. Would like to see that on the left too.pic.twitter.com/Fm1tXp2gur
— Will Balsam (@willbalsam) August 6, 2025
