Another Pre-Season Defeat - Don’t Panic!

Arsenal’s defeat reveals the tantalising possibilities of Arteta’s new midfield

Just under three months after that unforgettable night in May, Arsenal returned to the Emirates Stadium as Premier League champions.

There was no trophy to lift this time and no victory to celebrate. Borussia Dortmund won an entertaining pre-season friendly 3-2, exposing some of the rustiness that has characterised Arsenal’s preparations. Yet the afternoon still offered a glimpse of why there is so much excitement about the season ahead.

Before kick-off, Bruno Guimaraes walked onto the pitch for the first time as an Arsenal player, greeted by a booming chorus of “Bruno!” from the home support.

It was a moment Arsenal supporters had waited a long time to see. Four and a half years after the club decided against signing him from Lyon, Guimaraes has finally arrived—and he joins a midfield overflowing with possibilities.

Mikel Arteta highlighted the Brazilian’s versatility, ball-winning instincts, speed of progression and ability to break into the penalty area. In other words, Arsenal have not signed a specialist. They have acquired a midfielder capable of changing his role according to the opposition and the players around him.

That flexibility could prove invaluable.

Guimaraes can operate as the deepest midfielder, but restricting him to a conventional holding role would waste some of his best qualities. He can win possession, escape pressure, accelerate attacks and arrive late in the box. He is aggressive without the ball and adventurous with it.

The intriguing question is not simply where Guimaraes plays. It is what his arrival allows Arsenal’s other midfielders to become.

Martin Odegaard provided a partial answer on Sunday.

The Arsenal captain was given only 30 minutes following his post-World Cup holiday, but immediately brought greater imagination to a team that had struggled to play through Dortmund with any fluency.

Odegaard threaded passes behind the defence for Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Max Dowman to chase. He was secure when Arsenal needed control and incisive when an opportunity presented itself. Brief though his appearance was, he looked much more like the player who illuminated the World Cup with Norway than the one who sometimes struggled to impose himself during the earlier stages of last season.

How Arteta deploys him will be fascinating.

During Arsenal’s title run-in, Odegaard was often pushed into a more advanced No 10 position, combining with Eberechi Eze around the penalty area. For Norway, however, he excelled in a deeper and more energetic role, collecting possession earlier and dictating the game from the centre.

Guimaraes gives Arteta the freedom to use either version.

Arsenal could field Guimaraes at the base with Odegaard and Eze ahead of him. They could use a more balanced double pivot, allowing Odegaard to begin deeper before advancing into attacking areas. Against particularly physical opponents, Guimaraes could play further forward and lead Arsenal’s press.

There will be no shortage of tactical diagrams produced over the next few weeks. The encouraging thing is that Arsenal’s midfield no longer appears dependent on one fixed formula.

Tzolis makes his case

If Arsenal’s midfield supplied the intrigue, their wingers provided the urgency.

Dowman and Christos Tzolis have started throughout pre-season and may be required again when Arsenal face Manchester City in next Sunday’s Community Shield.

The continued emergence of Dowman is becoming almost absurd. He is still only 16, yet he looks increasingly comfortable playing against senior opposition. His intelligent touches and sudden bursts behind Maximilian Beier repeatedly altered the shape of Arsenal’s attacks.

He created an early opportunity for Gyokeres, who struck the crossbar, and won a free kick inches outside the penalty area. These were the moments when Dowman looked most liberated—receiving the ball, committing his defender and playing without fear.

Tzolis took longer to become involved but eventually became Arsenal’s most influential attacker.

The Greek international’s game is refreshingly uncomplicated. He receives the ball and immediately looks to beat his opponent, shoot or deliver into the penalty area. There is very little sterile possession for its own sake.

With Arsenal trailing 2-0, Tzolis drove into the Dortmund box and sent a low left-footed cross towards Nwaneri, who reduced the deficit. He later won the penalty converted by Gyokeres.

Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eze are due to return to training on Monday, but none has enjoyed a proper pre-season. If Arteta decides they are not ready to begin the campaign, Dowman and Tzolis have done enough to merit serious consideration.

Tzolis, in particular, looks capable of offering something Arsenal occasionally lacked last season: directness. He does not merely occupy the width; he uses it as a platform from which to attack.

Pre-season errors—or warning signs?

The less encouraging aspect of Arsenal’s afternoon was the defending.

Dortmund established a two-goal lead through Samuele Inacio and Konstantino Karetsas. After Nwaneri pulled one back, Joane Gadou restored the visitors’ advantage before Gyokeres converted from the spot to complete the scoring.

Arsenal have now conceded six goals in consecutive defeats against Real Betis and Dortmund. Both performances have contained the kind of peculiar individual mistakes often dismissed as pre-season rust.

That explanation is reasonable—but only to a point.

Arsenal have lacked first-team regulars, while some of those who have played appear to be at very different stages of their preparation. Kepa Arrizabalaga has not covered himself in glory in David Raya’s absence, inevitably reopening the debate over whether Arsenal should retain him as second choice or place greater faith in new signing Illan Meslier.

My own view is that Meslier is the better goalkeeper, although plenty will disagree. Either way, Arsenal cannot afford uncertainty behind Raya if they intend to challenge on four fronts.

The problems have not been confined to the goalkeepers. Outfield players have waited for passes instead of meeting them, failed to anticipate pressure and approached defensive duels with a worrying lack of intensity.

Arteta was right to describe the goals as a collective responsibility. Arsenal’s defensive excellence has always depended upon the entire side reacting together. When the press is half-hearted or one player switches off, the structure quickly begins to look far less secure.

The good news is that Arteta will finally have his complete squad from Monday. Saka, Eze, Madueke and the remaining returning internationals should raise both the quality and intensity of training.

Wednesday’s friendly against Cesc Fabregas’s Como should therefore provide a more accurate indication of Arsenal’s condition before the Community Shield.

Nobody should lose sleep over a pre-season defeat. Dortmund looked sharper, Arsenal made mistakes and the result will soon be forgotten.

What may prove far more significant was the sight of Guimaraes standing on the Emirates pitch, Odegaard rediscovering his passing rhythm and Tzolis driving relentlessly at the Dortmund defence.

Arsenal still have plenty to sharpen. But beneath the rust, the shape of a frighteningly versatile team is beginning to emerge.

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Brawny Bruno finally arrives at Arsenal

After a bit of a transfer saga, brawn sandwich Bruno Guimaraes is finally an Arsenal player, adding meat, gristle and strength to an already powerful midfield.

It has taken four and a half years, a Newcastle detour and considerably more money than it would have cost the first time around, but Arsenal have eventually got their man.

Back in January 2022, Edu and Tim Lewis had thrashed out a deal to bring Guimaraes to north London from Lyon. Mikel Arteta decided against it, reportedly unconvinced that the Brazilian was the right fit for the side he was constructing.

Newcastle United required considerably less persuasion.

They signed Guimaraes for around £40million and watched him develop into their captain, talisman and one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders. Arsenal, meanwhile, were given regular opportunities to reconsider their decision as he fought, passed, tackled and occasionally quarrelled his way through a succession of fierce encounters with Arteta’s side.

Now, after paying Newcastle £75m, Arsenal have corrected their original mistake.

The Premier League champions confirmed on Saturday that Guimaraes had signed a four-year contract, with the option of another 12 months. There are no performance-related add-ons, although Lyon and the player’s former Brazilian clubs will receive portions of the fee.

This was not a transfer Newcastle wanted to sanction. Guimaraes meant more to them than his statistics or market value could adequately express. He was the captain around whom they intended to build their next team and a player who had developed a genuine connection with the city.

Their original demand of at least £100m was therefore understandable, even if Arsenal never appeared remotely interested in meeting it.

Arsenal’s opening offer was reportedly only £45m, which probably did little to improve relations between the clubs. Much of the subsequent negotiation was conducted through intermediary Kia Joorabchian rather than directly by sporting director Andrea Berta. Newcastle were frustrated by Arsenal’s apparent distance, while weeks passed without meaningful progress.

Arsenal were content to wait.

They knew Guimaraes wanted the move and believed Newcastle’s position would eventually soften as the end of the transfer window approached. The player had made it clear that he wanted to work with Arteta and personal terms were never a problem.

After the departures of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, Newcastle had been determined to retain their captain. However, Guimaraes’ desire to leave gradually made that position untenable.

Once he travelled directly to Spain rather than returning to England before Newcastle’s training camp, the transfer entered its decisive phase. A senior Newcastle executive finally contacted an Arsenal counterpart directly in an attempt to bring an end to what one source described as the “melodrama”.

Arsenal hoped to complete the deal for approximately £65m. Newcastle insisted £75m was the minimum acceptable figure. Eventually, the champions paid it.

For Arsenal, this is an outstanding signing.

Guimaraes can operate as either a No 6 or No 8, giving Arteta numerous midfield combinations. He is press-resistant, aggressive and capable of advancing the ball through both his passing and movement. He also possesses the slightly nasty competitive streak that every successful team needs.

Declan Rice apparently welcomed him with the message: “Come here and please no more fights, now we’re friends.”

That rather neatly captures why opposing supporters frequently dislike Guimaraes while wishing he played for their own team.

At 28—he turns 29 in November—the Brazilian sits outside Arsenal’s usual recruitment profile. That should not be considered a serious concern. Arsenal are no longer assembling a young team in the hope that it might eventually challenge for the title. They are Premier League champions attempting to remain champions.

There comes a point when potential has to be supplemented by experience, authority and players ready to deliver immediately.

The departures of Leandro Trossard and Christian Norgaard have also reduced the age of the squad. Gabriel Jesus remains available for transfer, while Mikel Merino, at 30, is currently Arsenal’s oldest outfield player. The squad can comfortably absorb an experienced midfielder at the peak of his career.

Indeed, Guimaraes may be precisely what Arsenal need.

The question is where everybody else fits.

Arteta now has an embarrassment of riches in central midfield. Rice, Guimaraes, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Merino and several younger options cannot all expect to start regularly.

Rice and Guimaraes could form a formidable partnership, with either capable of playing deeper or pushing forward. Guimaraes could also operate alongside Zubimendi, allowing Rice to take up the more advanced position in which he has become increasingly influential.

On paper, the possibilities are glorious. In practice, somebody is likely to find himself spending more time on the substitutes’ bench than expected.

That brings us to Zubimendi.

Reports continue to suggest that the Spaniard is homesick and open to returning to La Liga. His first season at Arsenal has not been a failure, but the arrival of Guimaraes inevitably raises further questions about his role.

Arsenal are unlikely to have invested £75m in Newcastle’s captain merely to improve the quality of their substitutes. Nor is Rice going anywhere. If Arteta intends to retain Odegaard as his principal creative midfielder, Zubimendi may suddenly find himself squeezed out of the preferred XI.

Perhaps Arteta wants genuine competition in every position. Perhaps he envisages rotating his midfield according to the opposition. Perhaps Zubimendi will adapt, flourish and make any discussion of a return to Spain irrelevant.

But the Guimaraes deal changes the equation.

For Newcastle, his departure closes the most significant chapter of their recent history. Guimaraes was visibly emotional when saying goodbye to his team-mates and staff, and nobody at the club has questioned his professionalism. Nevertheless, there is no disguising the scale of the loss.

New head coach Matthias Jaissle at least has £75m to reinvest and several weeks in which to do it. That is preferable to beginning the season with an unsettled captain or becoming trapped in the type of final-week scramble that followed Alexander Isak’s departure for Liverpool.

For Arsenal, this is another demonstration of their new status.

They once decided Bruno Guimaraes was not quite right for them. Four and a half years later, having watched him become one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders, they have paid £75m to bring him to the Emirates.

First impressions are not always final ones.

Guimaraes is finally an Arsenal player. The next question is whether his arrival will send Zubimendi back to Spain.

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Arsenal miss out on superstar

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal aimed for the stars this summer. In the end, they didn’t quite land one.

Real Madrid have officially confirmed that Vinicius Junior has signed a new contract until 2032, ending weeks of speculation over one of the most ambitious transfer possibilities Arsenal have explored in years.

The Brazilian winger had become Arsenal’s dream target. Not a player loosely linked for clicks, but someone the club’s hierarchy were genuinely prepared to move heaven and earth for if circumstances aligned.

Those circumstances almost did.

As The Athletic reported, Arsenal’s owners were fully supportive of making Vinicius their marquee signing. The Premier League champions identified him as the perfect addition to an already formidable attack, and perhaps most intriguingly of all, the player himself was open to the possibility of moving to north London if he decided against extending his stay in Spain.

That is perhaps the biggest takeaway.

This wasn’t another case of Arsenal chasing an unattainable Galactico while the player never gave England a second thought. Vinicius seriously weighed his options. Faced with renewing, running down his deal or embracing a new challenge under Arteta, there was a genuine decision to make.

Ultimately, Real Madrid did what Real Madrid usually do.

They paid accordingly.

Reports suggest the package presented to Vinicius reflected both his status at the club and his importance to Mourinho’s new era. Faced with that level of commitment, remaining at the Bernabeu was always going to be the most likely outcome.

For Arsenal supporters, there will inevitably be disappointment.

Players of Vinicius’ calibre simply do not become available very often. At 26, already a multiple Champions League winner with 128 goals and 100 assists in 375 appearances, he represents the rare combination of elite production and years still ahead of him.

Imagine him alongside Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice and Viktor Gyökeres.

Defenders certainly have.

Yet rather than viewing this as failure, Arsenal fans should perhaps see it as evidence of where the club now sits.

A few years ago, this conversation would never have happened. Arsenal weren’t shopping in the same market as Real Madrid. Now they’re Premier League champions, backed by ambitious owners and capable of convincing one of the world’s best players that moving to the Emirates is a realistic career option.

That is significant progress.

It also reinforces something we’ve seen throughout Arteta’s rebuild.

Arsenal no longer settle for simply improving the squad. They identify transformational players and try to sign them. Sometimes they succeed. Sometimes they don’t. But the ambition itself speaks volumes about how far the club has come.

Madrid, meanwhile, can breathe a sigh of relief.

With Mourinho beginning his second spell and several high-profile arrivals already through the door, keeping Vinicius was arguably their most important piece of business. Losing him after two trophyless seasons would have sent entirely the wrong message.

Instead, they’ve secured one of football’s genuine superstars for the remainder of his prime.

Arsenal will move on. There are always alternatives, and Arteta has shown repeatedly that missing one target rarely derails his long-term planning.

But one thing is certain.

For a brief moment this summer, Arsenal weren’t dreaming.

They were genuinely in the race for Vinicius Junior.

And that alone says plenty about where this football club is heading.

1-3 Betis & Gluey Gone

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal’s defeat to Real Betis was disappointing but insisted there was no reason for panic, pointing to the context of a heavily rotated pre-season side and the absence of many senior players.

Speaking after Wednesday night’s defeat in Dublin, the Arsenal manager acknowledged that results always matter but stressed that pre-season is about far more than the final scoreline.

“The important part is to win it, and we didn’t manage to win it,” Arteta said. “We used 25 players, so you need to give a bit of context to the game.”

While disappointed with aspects of his team’s defending, particularly around their own penalty area, Arteta was encouraged by much of Arsenal’s attacking play and believes setbacks like this can help sharpen the squad ahead of the new campaign.

“There are things to improve, obviously,” he admitted. “But there are some positives to take from the game and sometimes a bad result is good to create even more fire in them.”

The Arsenal boss also reminded supporters that his squad is still far from complete, with a number of key players yet to return after the summer break and several new arrivals only recently joining the group.

“Half of the squad is still not with us,” Arteta explained. “We had four players join three days ago, so we know the context. We have to maximise every day that we have with them.”

With two more home friendlies before the Community Shield, Arteta remains confident his side will be ready when competitive football returns.

Away from the match itself, Arsenal also confirmed the departure of Christian Norgaard, who has joined Everton in a deal worth around £7 million after just one season in north London. The Danish midfielder, signed from Brentford last summer, leaves with Arteta’s gratitude after playing what the manager described as a vital role behind the scenes.

Arteta said of “Our glue player”. “He had an incredible capacity to bring people together and keep the standards high. He had a massive opportunity with a manager and a club he knows really well, and we wish him all the best.”

Arteta also singled out teenage prospect Ceadach O’Neill for praise following another encouraging display.

“I’ve been really impressed with him,” the Arsenal boss said. “For his age, he’s really mature, really focused and he has a tremendous quality.”

There was less encouraging news regarding youngster Louie Copley, whose injury against Real Betis appears to be serious.

“It doesn’t look good,” Arteta admitted. “The mechanism is not too positive. Let’s hope tomorrow the news is better than what we think.”

Despite the defeat, Arteta revealed the mood inside the Arsenal dressing room was exactly what he wanted to see.

“They are very upset,” he said. “Even at half-time they were fuming. But this is good. That’s what we need.”

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Arsenal Finally Land Bruno Guimarães – And This Could Be the Missing Piece

If Arsenal supporters needed one signing to convince them the club genuinely mean business this season, Bruno Guimarães might just be it.

Assuming the reported £75 million deal is completed, Arsenal won’t simply be buying one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders. They’ll be taking one of their biggest rivals’ leaders, weakening Newcastle while strengthening an area that already looked formidable.

That’s how title-winning squads are built.

Some will inevitably question the fee for a 28-year-old. Seventy-five million pounds is serious money. But context matters. Arsenal aren’t paying for potential—they’re paying for one of the league’s most complete midfielders, a Brazilian international entering what should be the peak years of his career.

Bruno does things statistics don’t always capture.

Yes, the numbers are impressive. Nine goals and eight assists last season. Four assists at the World Cup. One of Europe’s best line-breaking passers. Comfortable receiving the ball under immense pressure.

But it’s his personality that elevates him above many midfielders.

He’s constantly demanding possession. He refuses to hide. When matches become chaotic, Bruno wants the ball. When his team are struggling, he takes responsibility. Those qualities cannot simply be coached.

Arsenal have plenty of outstanding footballers.

Martin Ødegaard dictates play beautifully. Declan Rice dominates physically. Martin Zubimendi offers control and intelligence. Bruno would complement all of them rather than duplicate any of their strengths.

Imagine trying to press an Arsenal midfield containing Rice, Zubimendi, Ødegaard and Guimarães.

Good luck.

The Brazilian’s greatest attribute may be his ability to progress play through pressure. Modern football is increasingly about escaping aggressive presses before attacking open space. Few midfielders in Europe manipulate those situations as calmly as Bruno.

He rarely panics.

He receives awkward passes.

He turns.

He breaks the first line.

Suddenly Arsenal are attacking.

Those moments don’t always make highlight reels, but they win football matches.

There’s another aspect that shouldn’t be ignored.

Leadership.

Newcastle made Bruno captain for good reason. Leadership isn’t always about shouting. Sometimes it’s about setting standards with the ball, demanding responsibility and dragging team-mates through difficult periods.

Arsenal have developed enormously under Mikel Arteta, but there were still moments last season when games drifted away from them.

Bruno doesn’t allow games to drift.

From Newcastle’s perspective, this is a painful loss.

Selling Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and now Bruno Guimarães in one summer represents an extraordinary dismantling of the side that established them among England’s elite. Replacing players of that quality is never straightforward, regardless of how much money arrives.

For Arsenal, however, it’s another statement.

The club aren’t merely adding numbers to the squad. They’re targeting established Premier League performers who know exactly what’s required to compete at the highest level.

Some transfers are exciting because of what a player might become.

Others are exciting because supporters already know exactly how good the player is.

Bruno Guimarães belongs firmly in the second category.

If Arsenal complete this deal, they’ll be signing a midfielder capable of controlling games, increasing their technical level and adding another genuine leader to the dressing room.

Premier League champions don’t stand still.

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