Arsenal: 4 talking points from Villarreal defeat

Arsenal Are Still in This Tie

Ignoring the above about Arsenal giving supporters little hope of a turnaround, on face value this tie is still within their grasp. With 20 minutes to go in Spain with ten men and two goals down, nobody would have said so. Yet here we are.

With the way the game was heading, 2-1 would’ve been the absolute best they could have hoped for. At half-time confidence was shot and in order to have restored some faith Arsenal simply had to secure the away goal. They did.

A 1-0 home victory will seal the deal.

Despite that, one can’t help feel that Arsenal will need to score three times at the Emirates. Villarreal have dangerous options in attack: Chukwueze showed his ability, Gerard Moreno picked up neat positions in the half-spaces and Paco Alcacer is constantly on the move.

Keeping a shutout in north London at a stadium where Arsenal regularly look nervous is hard to envisage.

Spending more time on the training pitch working on how they defend transitions – which was shockingly bad on Thursday – and breaking down low blocks is essential. Some of that will come with the return for 4-2-3-1, and victory over Newcastle is essential for confidence.