ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JULY 20: Eddie Nketiah #14 of Arsenal celebrates a goal during a Florida Cup friendly against the Orlando City at Exploria Stadium on July 20, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JULY 20: Eddie Nketiah #14 of Arsenal celebrates a goal during a Florida Cup friendly against the Orlando City at Exploria Stadium on July 20, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Arsenal News

Arsenal 3-1 Orlando City: 3 talking points as Odegaard dazzles

by Adam Schultz
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Arsenal maintained their unbeaten record this pre-season with a 3-1 win over Orlando City. Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, and Reiss Nelson were among the goals for the Gunners.

Another pre-season game and another game of two completely different halves. The first was marred by sloppy play and an inability to create anything meaningful aside from Martinelli’s deflected shot just five minutes in.

The home side were good value to head into the shed’s level at half-time. Mikel Arteta picked a second-string side, and it showed. There was little to no cohesion, and Orlando were the better side for the most part.

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1549948908306046976?s=20&t=4YpG9qSubLlYko2wb96pNQ

The second half was the polar opposite. With the introduction of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey, Gabriel, William Saliba, and Ben White, the Gunners took over the game.

A poacher’s finish from Nketiah gave Arsenal the lead before a well-taken strike from Nelson put the result beyond doubt.

3 talking points from Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Orlando City

The game provided plenty of talking points. Here they are.

1. Depth is Arsenal’s biggest issue

If the first halves against FC Nurnberg and Orlando, along with the second half against Everton, told us anything, it’s that the gap in quality between Arsenal’s first-team and the fringe players is enormous.

Against Orlando, Arsenal failed to get anything going offensively and were outplayed for big stretches of the half. The back four of Rob Holding, Pablo Mari, Nuno Tavares, and Cedric (unlucky to be included as he was not at fault for anything) were pulled apart and easily undone by simple long balls.

The midfield failed to create any real drive, and the front three – made up of Nketiah, Martinelli, and Nicolas Pepe – barely fired a shot, the Brazilian’s goal aside.

That will be the biggest worry for Mikel Arteta. His first team can match it with just about any team in the Premier League, but his squad players were outshone by MLS players (no disrespect intended).

While tremendous strides have been made in the first-team, it could be Arsenal’s back-ups that cost them a top-four shot.

Continued on next slide…

Next: Talking Point #2

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