Draw PL: Brighton And Hove Albion 0 - 0 Arsenal | Saturday, 2nd October | KO: 17:30 BST | Sky Sports

 

[IstraBalagina]

Today, obviously. But, I mean, not all games are the same?

We did the double on Brighton last year and absolutely battered them in the last game of last season (with Brighton having a better/healthier roster than now, and us having a worse squad than now). Last weekend we blew away Tottenham while Brighton were awful against Palace. It's pro sports. Some times some teams get the better of others, and then the next time it goes the other way. Over-reaction takes to 1 game are usually going to be kind of garbage.

We are too inconsistent and perplexed under Arteta, there's no distinct style of play.

 

[Melquiades]

We are too inconsistent and perplexed under Arteta, there's no distinct style of play.

Sure there is. We're trying to build from the back and play a possession game similar to what City do (with better players) and Brighton do (with worse players). We have a very young team - youngest starting 11 in the PL by a wide margin - and sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't, but it's very clear what we're trying to do.

 

[CountChocula]

Funny how people are saying Xhaka would've made a difference when the guy has got destroyed by pressing teams too many times. I mean Brentford's press killed him but apparently he would've been just fine against a better pressing team
The less he plays, the better he gets as usual

+1 to this. People are reading too much into win vs. Spuds + Xhaka playing vs. loss vs. Brighton + Xhaka not playing. There are too many differences between Spuds and Brighton to read too much into it. Brighton pressed high, are much better organized than Spuds and gave our midfielders no time on the ball. Even if Xhaka were available, I can't see him improving our side today at all.

Feels like outside our FA Cup run, we've constantly struggled against high press. Starting to think we just got lucky then and unlucky today with the one chance today with ESR where we managed to beat their press. We also didn't have the intensity today to beat them to the second ball, which hurt us when we went long. Arteta really needs to improve the build up play against high press or we're always gonna struggle against teams that press high e.g. Liverpool, Brighton, City. Might get better once Lokonga, Tomi and Ødegaard get more settled and don't give up possession so cheaply.

 

[gunner4lyfe]

He's better at holding possession and spreading the ball around as a midfield passing turret getting it to guys in space than the players in the squad today. We didn't handle their press well and their domination in minutes 10-35 or so (most of the game outside of that stretch was pretty even) was based off a lot of poor passes and sloppy turnovers through our midfield. We kept turning the ball over and it just kept building momentum for them.

So you think Xhaka, who sh!ts the bed against pressing teams, would have made a difference?

 

[krackpot]

Partey/Lokonga cannot take the ball forward even a few paces. This is creating a big gap.

With AMN, we probably win the game. He can actually run with the ball for more than a few steps.

 

[MikeVinna]

Partey/Lokonga cannot take the ball forward even a few paces. This is creating a big gap.

With AMN, we probably win the game. He can actually run with the ball for more than a few steps.

That’s clearly Arteta’s instructions isn’t it? When we play his 4-2-3-1 we have too many defensive players on the pitch. Our double pivot can’t bring the ball out even though Partey sure as hell can turn and dribble. We’re just a mess in midfield and always have been under Arteta. It’s why we get dominated so much by ‘lesser’ teams.

 

[TornadoTed]

Didnt watch the game. Clean sheet - Was it a case of the defense being coordinated and strong, or Brighton's lack of finishing?

I thought the defence did really well, Brighton had a lot of shots but most were pretty speculative efforts and didn't have any clear cut chances really.

 

[IstraBalagina]

Sure there is. We're trying to build from the back and play a possession game similar to what City do (with better players) and Brighton do (with worse players). We have a very young team - youngest starting 11 in the PL by a wide margin - and sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't, but it's very clear what we're trying to do.

We are not playing possession game under Arteta lmao, we can barely hold the ball.
We don't build out from the back consistently (and it's bullshit for me anyway and not efficient). What the age of the players has to do with style? The young age is a pretense for Edu and Arteta to buy more time keep their jobs safe.

And there's a difference between trying to do something and actually doing it.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Well, that wasn't very good.

Ramsdale, White, Gabriel all did very well. ESR and Saka tried but the end product wasn't really there. Lacazette helped when he came on. Tomiyasu really struggled early against the impressive Cucurella but sorted himself as the game went along.

It's all well and good to blame the manager - and Arteta was outdone by Potter today - but the players have to hold some responsibility as well. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink, and some players just didn't show up today and had shocking performances. Tierney and Partey had maybe their worst games in an Arsenal shirt, Auba was dire, Sambi was totally aimless, Ødegaard completely uninvolved and invisible. The game turned in minutes 10-20 because individual players who should be better made a series of loose/sloppy plays to cheaply turn over possession and hand momentum to Brighton.

CM remains the team's biggest problem. I'm no huge Xhaka fan but the dropoff from him to Lokonga/AMN/Elneny is massive, and with Partey having a poor game their midfield just killed ours.

Partey was fine mate, did you not see the amount of critical blocks and tackles he put in. Even the simpleton commentary team I watched the game with on a dodgy feed acknowledged it. He’s had worse games for us. Agree a lot of poor performances though. Laca sharpened things up at the end, wish he was on earlier. Gabriel was a monster out there.

In the cold swirling torrential rain Brighton remained very hungry throughout the game. We weren’t awful, but certainly didn’t match their intensity.

 

[RandomHero84]

Boring to watch, and largely disappointing following last week. I find partey on a bad day tends to go real bad. Lokonga and he were too slow to progress the ball.

Lots of players slightly off the boil today.tomi, Ode, partey. Ramsdale error seemed to be directly due to the level of water our there, as their keeper repeated the same error. Other than that I thought he was good.

I think on balance, this will be looked back on as a good point. They have been in great form, have a real identity, and played very well. We nullified it largely, and with any form at all in the front 3 we could easily have taken it.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I didn't even watch the game but i will ask. What would Xhaka have done today that would have influenced the game in a different way?

Better hold up play and we don't lose the ball numbers of times. Not the big difference but the way we play it make difference it doesn't matter yesterday because 7 of our players had off day only Ramsdale white Gabriel and ESR had decent game

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

Performance was fine, clean sheet again and clearly the defence is finding their feet.

Equally clearly the attack is just nowhere near. Interesting that these defenders have played about 4 games together while these attackers have played about 20-30. You'd think they should be understanding each other about now but it's just not happening.

Three choices imo:

- Arteta just can't create goals
- We don't have quality enough attackers
- Our formation is too defensive

I suspect it's a combination of all of the above. Single pivot with Partey seems like it's worth a try. I think ESR and Ode don't generally play well together, but also neither do Pepe and Saka. Even if everyone's fit and in form I'm not sure we have a solid front combination to work with.

Good post. I think what we also were missing was the right mindset and commitment. Rainy day against a well drilled Brighton. They seemed like not ready a 100% for that. Loosing too many balls and challenges. A point is ok but how we played was not encouraging.

 

[Camus]

5 seasons, 3 different managers for us, 2 for Brighton and we still play shamefully badly against these lot. And it’s not even like they play Stoke style football.

P9 W2 L3 D4

That’s shocking. You see a record like that and think it’s against a big boy like Chelsea or United etc.. not Brighton

 

[Tir Na Nog]

There's no big analysis here. Arteta's system worked vs a Sp**s side with no midfield and gave us the freedom of the centre of the park. Vs Brighton it was very congested as they tend to have a lot of players centrally, they pressed us more and better so our tactics weren't working just like they normal don't against any half decent team that tries. There's no real need for in depth discussion, bottom line is Arteta's **** tactics and **** style of football is holding us back, that's it really.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

just watched highlight again and my god Brighton shooting is just awful the only 2 shots on target was so comfortable for Ramsdale. their shooting was like having coutinho and Partey on pitch i think Potter give them freedom to shot from every where but they are too bad.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

'3rd fewest goals conceded' when we finish 8th again can't wait.

Yeah I dont get this either. We should be trying to concede more goals.

 

[Riou]

Potter is probably a Top Four level manager, I would have him over that weirdo Pep too...no shame in getting outdone tactically by him, from Mikel's point of view.

Arteta will do enough against the rest of the managers in the league, to keep his job...still feel he will get us European football next season, so the board won't sack him.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

Only City have conceded fewer shots on their goal than Brighton. Given it was away from home, the conditions and the way Brighton play, a point is a good result. 10 points in the last 4. A good return. I like that the defence is looking pretty resolute. We go again after the International break.

 

[OSBK]

Have to give credit to potter. The 3 giant cb they have kicked and bullied auba and saka. I actually think the kicking saka got was worthy of 1 yellow card as a minimum from burn. As poor as auba was it was obv from early on he wasnt going to get any success. Im not actually that crital of auba, he did try early to challenge but was quickly put in his place. Changes shouldve been made at halftime when it was clear the plan was not working. Arteta again showing how niave he is when he is getting outclassed by a young english manager.

It was a very poor game by Ødegaard. Looking at the midfield he was up against he shouldve shone but for whatever reason he was pocketed by adam flippin lama. I actualy dont think Ødegaard links that well with esr and saka and would be tempted to try him rw and move saka inside.

Partey was terrible, just terrible. Looked off the pace, poor positioning and his shotting is worst than gervinho. Sambi did his best but feel he lacks alittle conviction with his passing. That will improve as he develops.

Tommy and tierney both had poor games. Again this is down to potter, against chelsea the wingbacks killed us and brighton did the same. Arteta needs to learn from these mistakes.

Thought ramsdale, white and gab were brillaint. Saved us, brighton shouldve beat us by 4 or 5.

 

[Big Poppa]

Performance was fine, clean sheet again and clearly the defence is finding their feet.

Equally clearly the attack is just nowhere near. Interesting that these defenders have played about 4 games together while these attackers have played about 20-30. You'd think they should be understanding each other about now but it's just not happening.

Three choices imo:

- Arteta just can't create goals
- We don't have quality enough attackers
- Our formation is too defensive

I suspect it's a combination of all of the above. Single pivot with Partey seems like it's worth a try. I think ESR and Ode don't generally play well together, but also neither do Pepe and Saka. Even if everyone's fit and in form I'm not sure we have a solid front combination to work with.

Arteta needs to stop sacrificing our midfielders freedom so that Tierney can play high and spam crosses into strikers who are useless in the air.