Arsenal defensive frailties exposed as Real Betis win 3-1 in Dublin friendly

Arsenal were beaten 3-1 by Real Betis in a pre-season friendly in Dublin, with a sloppy first-half defensive display undoing Mikel Arteta’s side against Manuel Pellegrini’s LaLiga outfit.

Betis took the lead when Rodrigo Riquelme tapped in unmarked at the back post after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had fumbled a corner delivery. The visitors doubled their advantage soon after when Nelson Deossa was given far too much room outside the box and curled a fine effort into the top corner.

Hincapie strike offers brief hope

Arsenal did find a way back into the game when Piero Hincapie profited from a mistake by Betis goalkeeper Valles at a corner to halve the deficit. It proved to be only a temporary respite, however, as former West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals restored the two-goal cushion before half-time, finishing calmly after Kai Havertz was dispossessed cheaply in midfield.

The second half was a far more even contest but produced no further goals. Arsenal introduced a raft of changes as the match progressed, with Gabriel, Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri all withdrawn for Kepa Clarke, Josh O’Neill and Salah-Eddine Kabia. Hector Bellerin, playing for Betis, twice caused problems down the right, including a cutback that narrowly evaded a finish from Riquelme.

Pellegrini rotates as Premier League-experienced trio come on

Pellegrini also freshened up his side with a triple substitution, bringing on Antony, Marc Bartra’s replacement Diego Llorente and full-back Junior Firpo — all three with previous Premier League experience — for Pablo Garcia, Bartra and Fran Garcia. Antony, who had a brief spell at Manchester United, was jeered by supporters each time he touched the ball.

Arsenal’s best late opportunity came when Gabriel Jesus shot wide from a tight angle in stoppage time, though the effort was rendered academic as the offside flag had already gone up against Vieira in the build-up. The final whistle confirmed a 3-1 defeat for the Gunners in their second official pre-season fixture.

Kepa’s future under scrutiny

The result will do little to ease pressure on Kepa Arrizabalaga, whose error for Betis’s opener has renewed questions over his standing as Arsenal’s back-up goalkeeper. Arteta’s side, who have been strengthening their squad this summer, will look to address the defensive lapses on display before competitive action resumes.

Read more: Arsenal closing in on Bruno Guimaraes as Howe exit shakes Newcastle

Sources

• dailymail.com
• Evening Standard
• Sky Sports

This is an independent report written from the facts across the sources named above.