Pepe made easy work of Arsenal upon his returnplaceholder image
Pepe made easy work of Arsenal upon his return | Getty Images
Arsenal saw some of their biggest issues exposed by Villarreal on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal saw some of their biggest issues exposed by Villarreal on Wednesday night, with the friendly proving to be a very worthwhile exercise for Mikel Arteta and his men.
The Gunners were beaten 3-2 by Champions League-bound Villarreal, with Christian Norgaard and Martin Odegaard scoring, and the second goal was from the spot - a penalty that Arsenal were perhaps fortunate to get due to an apparent foul in the build-up.
Arteta said after the game: “We’re disappointed with the result. I think we were a bit naive, especially the way we defended open spaces and the counter-press in a few moments - I think they had three shots, three goals.
“In that sense, we’re not happy, but in a lot of things that I saw, very, very happy. Our efficiency in the final third has to improve, that's for sure, but a lot of the things we do in all departments, I think we are in a good place. But again, that pain in the belly about losing a game is necessary, and is something positive we can use for Saturday and the start of the season.”
Villarreal actually had eight shots, seven of which were on target and three of which were goals, with the Yellow Submarine enjoying a highly efficient afternoon in front of goal, while Arsenal were once again inefficient.
The Gunners had 17 shots and only seven were on target, keeping in mind one of those was the penalty that Odegaard scored. Viktor Gyokeres endured a night to forget as he looks to settle into his surroundings, and the lack of efficiency in front of goal is becoming a theme for Arsenal in pre-season.
Arsenal seem to dominate games quite comfortably, but they are not taking chances, and while it’s only pre-season, and Gyokeres is going to get better as he becomes more comfortable, it’s an issue Arteta will want to address
What is also clear is that Arsenal need that something different, and it’s not difficult to see why Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze is a target, given the magic he can produce. Arsenal managed an expected goals total of 2.49 against Villarreal - penalty included - but with 17 chances created, they can certainly do better, and Arteta will want to see his side create better quality chances. Eze could play a clear role in that.
Another issue that was exposed by Villarreal, and by former Arsenal man Nicolas Pepe, was the back line. Pepe and the Villarreal attack tore Jakub Kiwior to shreds on the attack, and Pepe had the better of Myles Lewis-Skelly a handful of times.
Arsenal have already signed Cristhian Mosquera to add depth to their defence, and while this performance is not indicative of Kiwior’s performances as a whole as a Gunner, Arteta may well be considering using Kiwior to raise the funds he needs to go out and get Eze. The question then is whether Arsenal have enough defensive depth, particularly with Mosquera being so young.
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