Arsenal's senior players were "very upset" after their 3-0 friendly defeat to Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday night.
Mikel Arteta's team lost the pre-season match 3-0, with all four goals coming in the first half. The Arsenal manager admitted his players were unhappy with their performance, describing them as "fuming" at half-time. "Very upset, even at half time," Arteta said. "They are fuming, but this is good. That's what we need."
The defeat came despite a strong showing from some of Arsenal's academy players, who were brought on in the second half. Arteta praised their efforts, but made it clear that the senior players had not met his expectations. "We did the first one quite well in a lot of moments, but the 'compete' part, especially in and around our box, is not to the standards to win a football match against a good side," he explained.
Arsenal will now look to bounce back from the defeat in front of their home fans at the Emirates Stadium this weekend. They face Borussia Dortmund in the annual Emirates Cup match on Sunday, August 9th at 14:00 BST. It's a chance for the Gunners to put things right and get back on track ahead of the Community Shield match against Manchester City on August 16th.
Several of Arsenal's key players were back in action against Real Betis, including Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli. They now face a race against time to be fit enough to start the Community Shield clash. Martin Odegaard was also in training at London Colney, but it's unclear whether he'll be available for selection.
Arsenal's defeat to Real Betis serves as a wake-up call for the team ahead of the new season. The Gunners will be looking to build on their progress from last season and challenge for major honors. With a tough schedule ahead, including the Community Shield match against Manchester City, they'll need to get their performance back on track quickly.
The Emirates Cup match against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday will provide an opportunity for Arsenal to regroup and refocus. With their home fans behind them, the Gunners will be hoping to put on a better display and get back to winning ways.
Source: Yahoo Sports