Arsenal fans were not satisfied with how the Gunners started their Premier League duel against Brentford.
The objective was clear when Arsenal headed to the Gtech Community Stadium as Mikel Arteta’s side understood the game was a must-win.
With Liverpool already sitting nine points and a game in hand clear of the Gunners in the Premier League table, there was no room for Arteta’s squad to stumble against Brentford.
Despite a dominant start, it was the hosts who opened the scoring, as Arsenal target Bryan Mbeumo gave the Bees the lead.
Gunners icon Martin Keown highlighted Mbeumo’s quality before the contest, in what should have been regarded as a warning to the visitors.
Arsenal fans react to Riccardo Calafiori error against Brentford
For all of Mbeumo’s brilliance, the goal was an exceptionally poor one for Arsenal to concede, with several players making clear errors in the build up.
Martin Odegaard lost the ball and failed to win it back and David Raya was beaten at his near post however, it was Riccardo Calafiori’s role in the goal that alarmed Arsenal fans.
The Italian failed to track Mbeumo, showing the in-form forward far too much space, allowing him to punish the Gunners at the first opportunity.
Fans flooded to X in response to Calafiori’s disastrous piece of defending, with many left unhappy with the summer signing.
“Calafiori is horrid at actually defending,” a supporter said, before another dubbed the defender ‘pathetic’, saying, “Odegaard and Calafiori were pathetic there.”
“He’s absolutely done Calafiori there,” a frustrated Arsenal fan said, as criticism of the Italy international rolled in on X.
- “Odegaard and Calafiori. Absolutely embarrassing. Goodness me.”
- “Calafiori is so suspect in defending.”
It wasn’t only Calafiori who had fingers pointed in his direction, with Arteta’s decision to start the 22-year-old leaving many puzzled.
Calafiori was restored to the starting lineup in place of academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, a call that angered fans.
“Calafiori man, why didn’t MLS just start?” one supporter asked, as two others agreed.
“Calafiori could have done better there, that’s why MLS is better,” and “that was horrendous from Calafiori. Lewis-Skelly clear.”
Arsenal concede at Brentford for the first time since 2021
Before Calafiori gifted Mbeumo a goal, Arsenal held an admirable record at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Gunners hadn’t conceded away to Brentford since 2021, scoring five and conceding zero in their previous three visits across the capital.
In the first half, the record was ended by Mbeumo, who left Odegaard, Raya and particularly Calafiori, very red faced.
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