According to a report by Flashscore on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Arsenal struggled to make their possession count during the first half of their Carabao Cup encounter against Fleetwood, heading into the break trailing 1-0. Aaron Loupalo-Bi scored in the 21st minute to give Fleetwood the advantage, leaving the Gunners with plenty of work to do in the second half.

Despite controlling 75 per cent of possession, Arsenal failed to create enough clear-cut scoring opportunities to trouble their opponents consistently. Several players struggled to deliver the attacking quality needed to break down Fleetwood's defence, contributing to the team's disappointing performance before halftime.

Max Dowman was one of the Arsenal players who failed to make a significant impact during the opening 45 minutes. In the 10th minute, he delivered a free kick towards Piero Hincapie, whose close-range header went over the crossbar. Dowman had another opportunity from a free kick in the 23rd minute, but Fleetwood's defence cleared the ball. His biggest missed chance came in the 20th minute when he collected a loose ball inside the penalty area but fired wide of the left post.

Kai Havertz also struggled to convert his opportunities into goals. The German forward unleashed a powerful shot in the 39th minute, but a Fleetwood defender blocked the effort. One minute later, Havertz connected with an excellent cross inside the penalty area, only to send his header over the crossbar. His missed chances prevented Arsenal from finding an equaliser before the interval.

Jurrien Timber experienced difficulties creating attacking opportunities from the right flank. His cross in the 12th minute was comfortably cleared by Fleetwood's defenders, while his attempted pass into the penalty area in the 16th minute was intercepted. Timber's contribution was further disrupted in the 42nd minute when he was caught offside, ending another potential Arsenal attack.

Ceadach O'Neill also failed to make his set-piece deliveries count. His corner in the 31st minute was cleared by a Fleetwood defender before it could reach an Arsenal teammate. Although he helped Arsenal maintain pressure in the attacking third, his delivery lacked the precision required to create a serious threat.

Overall, Arsenal's first-half display exposed their weaknesses in finishing and attacking execution. Despite dominating possession, they struggled to turn their control into goalscoring opportunities. With Fleetwood leading 1-0 at halftime, Arsenal needed greater accuracy, creativity and composure in front of goal to improve their chances of securing a positive result.