Arsenal's 3-1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin was not a season-defining event, but it did expose a few awkward edges. Kepa Arrizabalaga looked shaky on his audition, Arsenal were loose in midfield, and [Mikel Arteta] had to watch an injury cameo from Louie Copley end after only 11 minutes.
Kepa's error and Betis' first-half control
The first blow came in the ninth minute when Rodrigo Riquelme scored after Kepa failed to claim a corner. SI FC's match report was blunt about the keeper's night, saying he was "culpable for both of Betis’ opening two goals as his flaws were brutally exposed."
Betis did not need much help beyond that. Nelson Deossa doubled the advantage with a long-range strike midway through the first half, and Arsenal were already chasing the game. They faced seven shots before the break and conceded three, which is a poor half by any standard, friendly or not.
What the friendly says about Arsenal's depth
Sky Sports called it a "sloppy performance" as Arsenal were beaten 3-1 by the LaLiga side in a pre-season friendly in Dublin. The more useful takeaway is not the scoreline itself, but the shape of the night. Arsenal won all five of their most recent competitive matches before this friendly, so this reads more like a warning about current depth and combinations than a collapse in form.
Kepa has now been involved in five recent matches in the tracked sample, so this was not a one-off cameo. It was part of a run where the scrutiny is growing, especially with a makeshift midfield and younger players asked to carry more than they should at this stage.
There was also the injury scare for Louie Copley, who lasted just 11 minutes before going off after twisting his knee. That is the sort of thing clubs would rather avoid in July and August, even if the source only says it could be a longer concern. For Arsenal, the bigger issue was simpler: a friendly in Dublin showed exactly where the margins are thin.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
