Arsenal missed many opportunities in the match in attack. In defense, they made many mistakes, allowing Dortmund to take advantage of them successfully. With only one week left until the English Super Cup match with Man City, it is clear that coach Arteta still has a lot to do.
After the match, coach Mikel Arteta emphasized that Arsenal's defense is below standard. He shared: "We lost the match, clearly I am not happy about that. And it is true that everything needs to be improved. Some players need to play more and regain the pace of play.
For fans, losing a match like this is really heartbreaking, even if people call it a friendly match, a test or something else. But yes, we know where we are. We know that there is still a shortage of players and some players have not been fully trained. And yes, sometimes losing a match is good.
According to analysis by the British media, Arsenal's defense is showing many concerns. Previously, they also lost to Real Betis 1-3. Since December 2023, Arsenal has only conceded 3 goals in one match, which was the 2-3 defeat to Man United in January this year, ending a streak of 123 matches without conceding 3 goals/match.
Currently they have conceded three goals in two pre-season friendly matches in a row. The last time they conceded three goals in two consecutive matches was in April 2023, when they drew 3-3 with Southampton and then lost 4-1 in the title-deciding match against Man City.
This is the preparation stage for the new season. Arsenal still has 8 first-team players who will return and strengthen the midfield, including Declan Rice and new signing Bruno Guimaraes.
But currently there are worrying habits for the Gunners. Arsenal appears quite loose in defense when using the official four-defender squad they have.
William Saliba's back injury currently seems quite serious, while Jurrien Timber still needs a few more weeks to return after a prolonged groin injury.
That made Arsenal's defense, which was already solid, become very loose. Among the six goals conceded against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, three came from shots from outside the penalty area, and two came from corner kicks.
Arsenal will still have time to fix this, including the possibility of recruiting more quality defenders. However, coach Arteta needs to do everything quickly because the new season is about to start.
