Liputan6.com, Jakarta Arsenal suffered a 2-3 defeat to Villarreal in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
The match, held at the Emirates Stadium in London, drew attention as it was the Gunners' second consecutive defeat in their pre-season schedule, following their previous defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
This result surprised many, given that Arsenal had dominated the match, particularly in the first half.
However, Villarreal's efficient counter-attacks proved key to their victory, punishing every lapse in Mikel Arteta's defense.
The match also provided an opportunity for several new Arsenal players to showcase their skills, including Viktor Gyokeres's debut as a starter.
Nevertheless, this defeat leaves Mikel Arteta with a significant amount of work to do to improve his team before the Premier League season begins.
Dominance Isn't Enough: Villarreal's Efficiency Destroys Arsenal
Despite Arsenal's significant dominance throughout the match, especially in the first half, they found themselves trailing by two goals at halftime.
Villarreal, nicknamed the Yellow Submarine, managed to exploit gaps in Arsenal's backline through effective counterattacks.
The Gunners, under Mikel Arteta, deployed a relatively high defensive line.
This strategy, while intended to pressure their opponents, backfired when Villarreal quickly launched counterattacks.
Villarreal's three goals came from counterattacks that punished Arsenal's defense, which the manager deemed "naive."
Villarreal's efficiency in converting chances into goals was the key difference in this match.
They didn't need much possession to pose a serious threat, proving that statistical dominance doesn't always directly correlate with the final scoreline.
Goal Drama: Former Player Haunts Arsenal, Odegaard Closes the Gap
Villarreal took the lead through a goal from former Arsenal player Nicolas Pepe in the 30th minute.
Pepe, now a Villarreal player, chose not to celebrate his goal out of respect for his former club, a gesture appreciated by the fans.
Shortly after, Karl Etta Eyong doubled Villarreal's lead in the 33rd minute, leaving Arsenal trailing 0-2.
The Gunners briefly reduced the deficit through Christian Norgaard's first goal for the club in the 36th minute, giving them hope before halftime.
However, in the second half, Arnaut Danjuma extended the lead again by scoring Villarreal's third goal, restoring their two-goal lead.
Arsenal continued to fight and managed to score a second goal through Martin Odegaard's penalty in the 75th minute, which was converted thanks to a brilliant performance by youngster Max Dowman.
Unfortunately, the goal was not enough to avoid defeat.
Gyokeres Debut and Highlight for Max Dowman: Arteta Highlights Defense
This match was a significant moment for several Arsenal players.
New striker Viktor Gyokeres made his debut as a starter after only making a brief appearance against Tottenham.
Despite playing for an hour, his performance was still subdued and he was overshadowed by other players.
Swedish striker Gyökeres was named in the starting lineup in Arsenal's first preseason action at the Emirates Stadium following a protracted transfer from Sporting CP in a deal worth €63 million ($74m) plus €10m ($11.7m) in add-ons.
Gyökeres lasted 62 minutes before being replaced and Arteta declared himself happy with what he witnessed.
"We already broke that line today because I think it was very important for him to start a match and start to have the feeling and the connection with the team," Arteta said in a news conference.
"He's been with us only a week or so, but I really saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, especially the way he was attacking certain spaces.
15-year-old Max Dowman once again put in an impressive performance.
Coming off the bench, Dowman won a penalty, which was converted by Martin Odegaard.
His brilliant performance in preseason demonstrates his immense potential for the club's future.
After the match, manager Mikel Arteta openly expressed his dissatisfaction with his team's defensive performance.
He labeled Arsenal's defense as "naive," indicating that much work needs to be done to improve the solidity of the backline before the official start of the season.
This defeat, coupled with the 3-4 penalty shootout loss after the match, was a significant loss for Arsenal.