Arsenal have found themselves allowing goals at a startling frequency during the summer warm‑up matches – seven goals in just three games. The solidity that helped them clinch the Premier League title last season now appears to be turning into a surprising vulnerability as the new campaign looms. The Gunners are set to meet Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, yet their defensive options look thin.
Central defender William Saliba is sidelined with a serious back problem that is expected to keep him out for a considerable spell, while Jurrien Timber remains several weeks away from full fitness. This leaves Arteta with a back line that is missing two of its most reliable pillars. Compounding the issue, Arsenal's pre‑season statistics reveal a worrying trend. The team has averaged 2.3 goals scored per friendly since the start of August, but it has also been conceding 2.3 per match – a rate that dwarfs the 1.4 goals per league game they allowed on average during the title‑winning season.
In fact, it has been more than three years since Arsenal have given up three or more goals in consecutive fixtures of any kind. The recent results illustrate the problem: - 1 August: Girona 1–4 Arsenal - 5 August: Arsenal 1–3 Real Betis - 9 August: Arsenal 2–3 Borussia Dortmund Arteta will undoubtedly point out the usual pre‑season caveats. Summer games are designed for experimentation, for players to shake off rust and gradually build match sharpness.
Mistakes are expected, and the squad should tighten up as the season approaches. Nevertheless, the defensive lapses cannot be ignored. The Spaniard has a number of first‑team regulars returning from international duty, and the newly signed midfielder Bruno Guimarães is set to be integrated into the side.
Guimarães, alongside Declan Rice, is expected to provide an extra layer of protection in front of the back four. But even with a full‑strength back line, Arsenal looked porous in the loss to Dortmund on Sunday. The line‑up featured a first‑choice quartet of centre‑backs – Gabriel returning to replace Piero Hincapié – yet the defensive shape deteriorated rather than improved. Both Gabriel and Cristian Mosquera were caught out of position, leading to easy goals for the visitors.
Saliba’s absence was felt acutely; his composure and ability to read the game are missed. It is likely that the same quartet will be selected for the showdown with City after a final friendly against Como on Wednesday, which should give Arteta a clearer picture of where the team needs immediate work. He will want his defensive tools sharpened before stepping onto Wembley for the season’s first competitive match.
Any fixture – the Community Shield or a regular league game – carries weight, especially when it pits Arsenal against a direct rival. Arteta, now the longest‑serving Premier League manager, will not be afforded the same leeway that a newcomer such as Enzo Maresca might enjoy in his debut. This is his 353rd competitive match in charge, and a loss still stings.
After the Dortmund defeat, Arteta admitted the result "hurt" and highlighted that Arsenal had allowed "poor goals" both in that game and in the preceding one, acknowledging a dip in intensity and concentration. A deeper look at the six goals conceded to Real Betis and Dortmund shows that three came from shots outside the box, while two resulted from defensive corners – indicators that Arsenal’s shape when out of possession is disjointed. The midfield, in particular, appears unsettled. Once Rice returns to the fold, supported by Guimarães’s assertiveness and Martin Ødegaard’s leadership, the team should regain balance.
Arteta has also been encouraging his creative core to take more risks, which may have temporarily compromised defensive rigidity. Last season, Arsenal were often criticised for relying on set‑piece proficiency to win tight games, while their open‑play efficiency lagged. This season, with the squad’s depth increased, Arteta has more flexibility to rotate players without sacrificing quality, but he must find the right equilibrium between attacking flair and defensive solidity. The good news is that the recent friendlies have shown signs of improved possession and chance creation, suggesting that the offensive side of the equation is developing as intended.
Starting this week, the manager will have the full complement of World Cup winners and England internationals back in training, giving him the opportunity to address the newly identified defensive chink without the safety net of Saliba. In summary, Arsenal’s pre‑season has exposed a potential Achilles’ heel in their back line. While the attacking unit appears to be clicking, the defensive unit needs urgent fine‑tuning, especially with key centre‑backs unavailable. The upcoming matches – the Community Shield and the early Premier League fixtures – will be crucial tests of whether Arteta can restore the defensive resilience that underpinned last season’s triumph and ensure that the Gunners start the campaign on a solid footing.