Brentford 2-0 Arsenal: Talking points, as Arteta’s men slump to opening day defeat | EPL 2021-22

Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers of Arsenal battle with Ivan Toney of Brentford -Premier League
Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers of Arsenal battle with Ivan Toney of Brentford -Premier League - IMAGO / PRiME Media Images

Arsenal crashed to a 2-0 defeat in their Premier League opener against Brentford earlier tonight. Mikel Arteta will be under immense pressure after the side’s poor start to the league campaign.

Goals from Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard ensured a memorable win for Brentford in the top flight after 74 years.

Here at Anytime football, we look at the three major talking points from tonight’s contest.

Ben White’s debut will worry the fans

Arsenal signed the 23-year-old defender for a fee of around £50 million earlier on in the summer, and he was expected to be their leader at the back.

Ben White struggled throughout the game against Brentford earlier tonight, and the fans will undoubtedly be concerned with what they have seen so far.

The former Brighton defender’s positioning was suspect all game, and his decision making cost his team the second goal of the game.

There is no doubt that the defender is talented, but his application was relatively poor tonight.

Mikel Arteta looks bereft of ideas

Arsenal struggled from the start of the game, and their manager failed to change things around.

Mikel Arteta looked bamboozled on the sideline as soon as Arsenal went down, and he never quite managed to turn the game back in his side’s favour with tactical switches or substitutions.

The Spaniard was heavily criticised for the lack of ability to change games last season, and it seems that nothing has changed this year.

If Arsenal continue to perform the way they did tonight, Arteta might not make it past Christmas.

Brentford are no pushovers

The bees made quite an impact in their first-ever Premier League game. They returned to the top flight after 74 years, and few would have expected them to perform the way they did tonight.

Thomas Frank’s men were full of urgency and purpose from the beginning, and they harassed the Arsenal players with their intensity and pressing.

Brentford managed to take their opportunities as well, and they have shown that they are not going to be guests in the Premier League this year.