(Credit: Imago, Manh Tung - Breaking Media)

Oliver Walton

Wed 6 August 2025 20:25, UK

Arsenal’s defensive frailties were on show as they lost 3-2 to Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday (6 August).

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The Gunners conceded twice in the first-half as Nicolas Pepe came back to haunt his former team with the opener inside 17 minutes and Etta Eyong doubled the visitors’ lead in the 34th minute.

New signing Christian Norgaard quickly got his side back into the game with a headed goal from a corner two minutes later, but Villarreal were able to restore their two-goal lead in the second-half as Arnaut Danjuma fired home.

(Credit Imago)

Highly-rated Arsenal star Max Dowman won a penalty soon after, which was dispatched cooly by Martin Odegaard, but the Gunners were unable to grab another and the game ended 3-2 to the La Liga side.

David Raya – 5

Should have been much stronger for both of Villarreal’s first two goals, with his weak parrying leading to an easy finish for the opponent on both occasions.

Ben White – 6

Passive.

Did not help his centre-back partner as he also struggled to keep up with the Spaniard’s impressively fast counter-attacks.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 5

Produced some strong defending and was good on the break, but got caught napping on occasion and should have done better for the second Villarreal goal.

Ethan Nwaneri – 6

The youngster was impressive going forward and in the half-spaces, but sometimes left his midfield partners with too much work to do when he lost the ball in the middle of the park.

Christian Norgaard – 6

Caught out in transition a few too many times in the first-half, but he did take his header well and will no doubt be a serious threat off set-pieces this season.

Mikel Merino – 6

Similarly struggled when Villarreal countered, and maybe missed Declan Rice’s influence in midfield.

Will need to get up to speed soon to match the anticipation.

(Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Gabriel Martinelli – 6

Good delivery from a corner for the first Gunners goal, and did well on the front foot when he did get the ball, but that was not often enough as he fights for his place with Noni Madueke.

Martin Zubimendi (for Norgaard 46?) – 6

Had a quiet second half as he kept the game ticking over well.

The summer signing will need to buck his ideas up based on this performance, where he seemed to get caught out and ran past every time an opponent took him on, and kept committing fouls.

Gabriel (for Saliba 62?) – 5

A largely easy end to the game but he did get caught sleeping for Villarreal’s third goal, where he tried to play offside near the halfway line but didn’t realise that his teammates hadn’t.

Declan Rice (for Gyokeres 62?) – 6

Rice came on in midfield to allow Merino to go up-front, and he could not do much wrong with the game that was being played, as he just ticked it over and looked to get Arsenal on the front-foot.

Max Dowman (for Nwaneri 62?) – 9 – Player of the Match

Generational.

He was the Gunners’ main threat in the latter stages and did his first-team chances absolutely no harm.

Kepa (for Raya 62?) – 5

Should have done better for Danjuma’s goal as the ball seemed to be fired underneath his diving hand, and that was effectively all he had to do.

Jurrien Timber (for Kiwior 62?) – 6

Like many others that came on for the last half-hour, Timber was rarely called upon to break a sweat and he did what he needed to do well.

Martin Odegaard (for Saka 62?) – 7

Dynamic.

Took his penalty well and threaded some nice passes into space for the wingers to run on to.

Oleksandr Zinchenko (for Lewis-Skelly 76?) – 6

The Ukraine international had a quiet cameo as he tried to get into the feel of the game.
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