Arsenal have been allowing the opposition to find the net far more often than anyone would have anticipated during their pre‑season schedule, surrendering seven goals across just three friendly fixtures. The question now looming over the club is whether the defensive solidity that was a cornerstone of their Premier League triumph last term has turned into a surprising vulnerability as they approach the new campaign. The upcoming Community Shield clash with Manchester City highlights this concern. Arsenal are set to start the match with a noticeably thin defensive line‑up.
Central defender William Saliba is sidelined with a serious back problem that is expected to keep him out for a considerable stretch, while Jurrien Timber is still several weeks away from full fitness after his own injury lay‑off. The absence of these two key figures leaves a gap that the manager must fill quickly if the Gunners hope to keep a clean sheet against a potent City attack.
Statistically, Arteta's side have been leaking goals at a rate that would be alarming in any competitive setting. In the three friendlies played since the beginning of August, Arsenal have conceded an average of 2.3 goals per game – six goals in the last two matches alone. By contrast, during the 2022‑23 Premier League season they allowed just 1.4 goals per match. The current figures are not only higher; they are historically unusual for the club.
It has been more than three years since Arsenal have given up three or more goals in back‑to‑back games of any kind. The results to date illustrate the trend: - 1 August: Girona 1‑4 Arsenal - 5 August: Arsenal 1‑3 Real Betis - 9 August: Arsenal 2‑3 Borussia Dortmund Arteta will, of course, point out the usual caveats that surround pre‑season fixtures. These games are designed for experimentation, for players to shake off rust and gradually move from a testing phase to a more fluid, match‑ready state. Mistakes are expected, and sharpness typically improves as the season draws nearer.
Nevertheless, the defensive lapses are difficult to dismiss. The squad has a number of first‑team regulars returning from international duty, and the recent signing Bruno Guimarães is being integrated into the midfield engine room.
Alongside Declan Rice, Guimarães is expected to provide an extra layer of protection for the back line. Yet the performance against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday was a stark reminder that the current defensive quartet – even when it includes the newly returned Gabriel – was not up to the required standard. Both Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera were caught out of position, and the back four looked disjointed rather than cohesive. Saliba’s absence was felt acutely in that game.
The French centre‑back’s composure and ability to read the game are qualities that are not easily replicated. The manager will likely stick with the same back four for the Community Shield after a final friendly against Como on Wednesday, which should provide a clearer picture of where the defensive deficiencies lie and what work needs to be done before the season opener at Wembley.
Any match at this stage, whether it is the Shield or a regular league fixture, carries weight. It offers Arteta a chance to assert early dominance over a direct rival. As the longest‑serving manager in the Premier League, Arteta does not enjoy the same leeway that a newcomer such as Enzo Maresca might receive in his first official outing. This is his 353rd competitive game in charge, and a defeat – even in a pre‑season setting – still stings.
After the loss to Dortmund, Arteta admitted that the result "hurt" and that the team had conceded "some poor goals" both in that match and in the one against Real Betis. He acknowledged that Arsenal were not playing with the intensity he expects. A closer look at the goals conceded reveals a pattern. Of the six goals let in against Real Betis and Dortmund, three originated from shots taken outside the penalty area, while two came from set‑piece situations, specifically corners.
This suggests that Arsenal’s shape when out of possession is not as compact as it should be, leaving spaces for opponents to exploit from distance and from dead‑ball scenarios. Midfield is another area where the lack of defensive discipline is evident.
The roles and responsibilities of the central midfielders should become clearer once Rice returns to full fitness, supported by the aggression of Guimarães and the leadership of Martin Ødegaard. Their combined presence is expected to provide a more balanced shield for the defence, helping to close down passing lanes and press the opposition higher up the pitch. Arteta has also been encouraging his creative players to take more initiative in the final third, a shift that may have initially come at the expense of defensive solidity.
Last season, Arsenal were often criticised for relying heavily on set‑piece prowess to win tight games, while their open‑play efficiency sometimes fell short. This season, with a deeper squad and greater flexibility to rotate players without sacrificing quality, Arteta appears to be seeking a better equilibrium between attacking flair and defensive resilience. The promise of improvement under Arteta now hinges on a more dynamic and exciting possession game, which recent friendlies suggest is beginning to materialise.
Starting this week, the manager will have the opportunity to work with a full complement of players as the World Cup winners and England internationals rejoin the squad. His primary focus will be to plug the newly identified gap in Arsenal’s defensive armour, a task made more challenging by Saliba’s ongoing injury. In summary, Arsenal’s pre‑season performances have highlighted a potential weakness that could prove costly if not addressed promptly.
While the attacking talent remains evident and the midfield is beginning to click, the defensive unit must tighten its shape, improve communication, and regain the consistency that underpinned last season’s title-winning campaign. The upcoming Community Shield will serve as an early barometer of whether Arteta’s adjustments have borne fruit, and it will set the tone for the challenges that lie ahead in the Premier League.