Arsenal's defence a concern after back-to-back pre-season defeats
UKPulse Sport Desk
Arsenal suffered a 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup, with their defence conceding three goals for the second consecutive game.
- Arsenal's defence has conceded three goals in back-to-back pre-season games
- The team's usual intensity may return once the Premier League season starts
- Christos Tzolis has strengthened his case to start the season as Arsenal's left winger
Arsenal suffered a second consecutive pre-season defeat ahead of the start of their Premier League title defence as clinical Borussia Dortmund won the Emirates Cup with a 3-2 victory in north London.
New signing Bruno Guimaraes was unveiled to the Arsenal fans before kick-off and there was a party atmosphere as the Gunners returned to the Emirates for the first time since lifting the Premier League title in May.
Captain Martin Odegaard returned for the first time since the World Cup and Gabrel Magalhaes started in defence, but sharp finishes from the visitors' Samuele Inacio and Konstantinos Karetsas left Arsenal two goals down before half-time.
Why this matters: Arsenal's defensive record was outstanding last season, but it needs to be sharper up as the new campaign approaches.
What this means for you: If you're an Arsenal fan, you may be concerned about the team's defensive performances in pre-season.