Mikel Arteta has criticized Arsenal’s ‘naive’ defending after their 3-2 friendly defeat to Villarreal, highlighting the need for improvement in open spaces.

Mikel Arteta was disappointed with his team’s performance, particularly in defense. “Today I think the result is painful,” Arteta said. “I think they were super efficient but we’ve been naive, especially the way we have defended in open spaces.”

Arteta emphasized that defending in open spaces is an area that Arsenal needs to work on, especially given their style of play. “That’s something that, especially the way we play, we have to absolutely nail,” he said. “Today we haven’t been good at all in that department and that has cost us the game for sure.”

The defeat was Arsenal’s second in as many pre-season matches, following a loss to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Arteta was pleased with the performance of some players, including striker Viktor Gyokeres. The 27-year-old Swede completed his £63.5 million switch from Sporting last month and started his first match for Arsenal.

Arteta praised Gyokeres’s performance, saying that he saw “a lot of things and a lot of purpose” in the way he attacked certain spaces. “He’s been with us only a week or so, but I really saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, especially the way he was attacking certain spaces,” Arteta said.

The Arsenal manager also heaped praise on 15-year-old attacking midfielder Max Dowman, who won a penalty for Arsenal. “He continues to impress, without a doubt,” Arteta said. “The impact he had in the game again today, the efficiency that he shows in every attack and action, it’s incredible.”

Arteta’s comments on Arsenal’s defending will be a key area of focus for the team as they prepare for the new season. The manager will look to his players to improve their defensive solidity and avoid costly mistakes.