Arsenal fall flat in Dublin
Lacklustre Arsenal fell to a comprehensive 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in their second pre-season friendly. The Gunners gave their fans in Dublin little to enjoy with an under-par display.
Mikel Arteta watched his side make a string of mistakes, showing the kind of rustiness that he'll hope will be gone in less than a fortnight when they start the 2026-27 season against Manchester City for the Community Shield. Arsenal found themsleves 2-0 down inside 26 minutes and Arteta was visibly frustrated on the touchline. Piero Hincapie pulled one back but Betis didn't take long to restore their advantage before half-time. A raft of changes didn't make much difference in the second half and it was a match that will have fans talking for the wrong seasons. Here are five talking points from the Aviva Stadium.
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With Illan Meslier through the door, there's competition to be Arsenal's No.2 goalkeeper. But Kepa Arrizabalaga didn't help his case by making an error in the ninth minute. A corner was floated in by Pablo Fornals and Kepa came steaming out looking to punch. But the Spaniard got it all wrong and completely missed the ball, giving Rodrigo Riquelme a tap-in. Kepa's appeals for a foul fell on deaf ears and soon enough he made another error. His poor clearance surrendered possession to Betis and Nelson Deossa punished him with an unstoppable strike.
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After finding themselves 2-0 down and playing poorly, Arsenal needed a response. That came in the form of - you guessed it - a corner. New signing Christos Tzolis whipped the ball in and it evaded flapping Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles inside his own six-yard box. Standing a matter of inches from the line, Hincapie had a simple task to nod the ball in. It was another well-worked routine from the Gunners. Tzolis' delivery dipped perfectly and Betis were bamboozled by the runners in yellow, who were sporting Arsenal's new third kit.
On the day Arsenal agreed a £75million deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, their second-choice midfield was exposed. Sloppy, lethargic, careless - all of those could be thrown at the trio of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Kai Havertz. Both Betis' second and third goals summed up their performances that will remind the Arsenal board just why they're buying Guimaraes. Deossa's strike may've been a screamer but he was afforded was too much time to pull the trigger. And then for Fornals' goal which restored Betis' two-goal cushion, Havertz gave the ball away with a weak pass. It was all far too easy and so unlike Arsenal.
Arteta rung in the changes at half-time, making a total of seven substitutions. One who came on was Louie Copley, who captained Arsenal's under-21 side last season aged 19. But sadly for the highly-rated midfielder, who was used at right-back, his night only last 10 minutes. Copley had landed awkwardly while chasing the ball and immediately looked in pain. Arteta reluctantly subbed him, as the teenager had to be helped off the pitch as he struggled to put weight on his leg. Hopefully for Copley, it's nothing serious.
As the game petered out, albeit with Betis looking the more likely to score against a youth Arsenal XI, Arteta made two intriguing substitutions. Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli had only entered the fray at half-time, but they came off 30 minutes later. The two Brazilians had only reached the round of 16 at the World Cup, but it's clear that Arteta is being careful with his starters who played a mammoth amount of minutes last season. Both Gabriels should be involved on Saturday at home to Borussia Dortmund.
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Arsenal’s pre-season has already had its own share of talking points. Earlier coverage on streaming problems that marred Christos Tzolis' debut showed how closely watched these warm-up games have become, while Mikel Arteta’s broader summer rebuild has included exits and more change across the squad.
That context also feeds into the discussion around the current squad and the speculation over further additions, with Arsenal previously linked to several major moves as they continue to shape the side for the season ahead.
In Dublin, though, the immediate concern was the performance itself. Arsenal were second best for long periods, exposed in midfield, and forced into damage limitation as Real Betis punished their mistakes and made the most of a disjointed display.
The defeat will not define Arsenal’s season, but it did underline that Arteta still has work to do before the 2026-27 campaign begins against Manchester City for the Community Shield. The test against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday now takes on added importance, both as a chance to improve and as a check on how quickly the rust can be removed.
For Arsenal supporters in Dublin, it was a reminder that pre-season is as much about warnings as it is about results.
Five talking points from the Aviva Stadium
First, Kepa Arrizabalaga’s night did not go to plan. With Illan Meslier through the door, there is now competition to be Arsenal's No.2 goalkeeper, but the Spaniard’s ninth-minute mistake handed Real Betis an opening goal. Pablo Fornals delivered the corner, Kepa came out to punch and missed the ball completely, allowing Rodrigo Riquelme to score.
Kepa then compounded the issue by appealing for a foul that never came and, soon after, his poor clearance gave Betis another chance. Nelson Deossa punished the error with an unstoppable strike that doubled the lead and left Arsenal chasing the game.
Second, Arsenal finally responded from a set piece of their own. Christos Tzolis swung in a delivery that Alvaro Valles failed to deal with, and Piero Hincapie was on hand on the line to make it 2-1. It was a reminder that Arsenal’s set-piece routines remain a major weapon and that even in a poor performance, they can still find a route back into games.
That goal also highlighted how Betis were bamboozled by the runners in yellow, who were sporting Arsenal's new third kit. The movement created the confusion, and the finish was simple once the ball dropped in the six-yard box.
Third, Arsenal’s midfield balance looked badly off. Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Kai Havertz struggled to impose themselves, with Betis able to move through the centre too easily. The second and third Betis goals summed that up, with Deossa given far too much time before his strike and Havertz culpable for the weak pass that led to Fornals restoring the two-goal cushion.
Those lapses will concern the Arsenal board at a time when the club agreed a £75million deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle. The deal was announced on the same day, and the contrast between the signing and the display in midfield was hard to ignore.
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Fourth, the evening brought an injury scare for Louie Copley. The 19-year-old, who captained Arsenal's under-21 side last season, was asked to play at right-back after coming on at half-time. But his night lasted only 10 minutes after he landed awkwardly while chasing the ball and immediately looked in pain.
Arteta reluctantly took him off, and the teenager had to be helped from the pitch as he struggled to put weight on his leg. The hope is that it is nothing serious, but it was still the clearest injury blow of the night for Arsenal.
Fifth, Arteta’s substitutions suggested he is already managing minutes carefully. He made a total of seven changes at half-time, then later took off Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli 30 minutes after both had entered the fray.
The two Brazilians had only reached the round of 16 at the World Cup, but Arteta is clearly being cautious with the players who logged a mammoth amount of minutes last season. It is likely both Gabriels should be involved on Saturday at home to Borussia Dortmund, where Arsenal will hope for a cleaner performance.
Betis, for their part, were sharp and disciplined, and their second and third goals exposed the difference between the sides on the night. Nelson Deossa’s finish was the standout strike, while Pablo Fornals’ goal restored their two-goal cushion after Arsenal’s brief revival.
The result will matter less than the lessons, but the lessons were clear enough. Arsenal’s first-choice players still need rhythm, the fringe men need to raise their level, and Arteta needs to get through the final pre-season fixtures without further setbacks.
