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

By Adam Schultz

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) /
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Nuno Tavares struggled in Orlando. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Nuno Tavares struggled in Orlando. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

3. Fringe players fail…..again

The likes of Pablo Mari, Nuno Tavares, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Nicolas Pepe failed again. While that may seem harsh, these kinds of performances have manager Mikel Arteta looking for buyers for all of them.

The first half, like it was against FC Nurnberg and the second half against Everton, was a chance to put their best foot forward in front of Arteta. They didn’t do it.

Tavares was led a merry dance by Facundo Torres by simple balls over the top, Maitland-Niles was a tad sloppy in the middle of the park, and Nicolas Pepe, for all his tricks, failed to create anything meaningful.

Mari was at sea several times, and the thought of any of these players getting significant game time this season scares every Arsenal fan.

It is not a personal attack on the players mentioned, just what the eye test tells us. With Chelsea to come next before Sevilla at home, it is hard to envision any of these players seeing considerable game time.

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