ARSENAL are just a week away from the start of their season, but they look a world away from being champions again.
The Gunners put in a lacklustre showing as they fell to a 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, just seven days out from the Community Shield.
Arsenal were beaten 3-2 by Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup Credit: Getty
Mikel Arteta will have hoped to have his side ticking by now, ready to attack rivals Manchester City in Cardiff and lay down a marker for the new campaign.
But if their pre-season performances are any indication of what Arsenal will be like this season, Arteta will be more than concerned.
After being thumped 3-1 by Real Betis in mid-week, the Gunners were well beaten in their own back yard by a heavily rotated Dortmund side.
Arsenal looked sleepy from the first whistle, and it took just six minutes for Dortmund to take advantage of that.
Cristhian Mosquera switched off completely and allowed Samuele Inacio to ghost in behind him and poke home a slide pass from Felix Nmecha.
Arsenal thought they would have a chance to respond just 10 minutes later when Martin Odegaard was taken down on the edge of the area.
But Viktor Gyokeres blasted the resulting free-kick over the crossbar, a reminder of how the Swede has lacked finesse since his move to the Emirates.
Before 30 minutes had passed, Arsenal found themselves in deeper trouble as their midfield seemingly disappeared, allowing Konstantino Karetsas to carry the ball into a dangerous area and curl a beauty into the top corner.
New signing Bruno Guimaraes, who was watching from the stands after being unveiled to the crowd before the game, will have been wishing he was playing during that moment.
The Brazilian has been brought in as another midfield option and, alongside Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, would be expected to clean up those types of dangerous attacks from now on.
Without Guimaraes, and a host of other World Cup stars yet to return, Arsenal look so light in midfield.
Martin Odegaard impressed during his short cameo, but was taken off after 30 minutes having only returned to training this week.
His replacement, Ethan Nwaneri, offered a glimmer of hope for Arteta as he turned home a drilled Christos Tzolis pass to pull a goal back for the Gunners 10 minutes into the second half.
But just three minutes later, Arsenal had conceded again, this time from a poor corner that was bundled around the box like pinball before Joane Gadou poked it home.
Tzolis was trying to create again as Arsenal fought for a way back into the game and earned the Gunners a penalty when he went down under a clumsy challenge from Kaua Prates.
Gyokeres continued his impeccable record from the spot to net his first goal of pre-season and make the score 3-2.
But Arsenal were unable to use that spot-kick gift as a way back into the game and Arteta cut a frustrated figure as he watched it all unfold from the sidelines.
Substitute Gabriel Martinelli thought he has equalised in added time, but the linesman’s flag went up to prevent the blush-sparing goal.
Arsenal have the caveat of stars like Rice, Zubimendi, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino and Ebere Eze still missing.
As well as injured aces like Jurrien Timber and William Saliba.
But Arteta will know what he is seeing from his current crop if nowhere near the level that earned them their first league title in 22-years last term.
A dip into the transfer market could help, but there are perhaps some underlying issues that need to be addressed first.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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