Morning all.
Arsenal v Brighton was expected to be tough match but in reality, it wasn’t. That’s not me being disrespectful to the visitors but giving praise for Mikel Arteta’s team. The possession stats ended being pretty even but Arsenal had 22 shots at the Brighton goal with 9 on target compared to the away team registering just 6 with only 1 on target. Arsenal had 10 corners, Brighton had just 1.
We won 2-0 but with better finishing, it might have been 5 or 6-0.
Arsenal played much better than us. They deserved to win the game. We suffered a lot. I think Arsenal are one of the best, maybe this season the best team in the Premier League. We are not used to suffering in this way. We are used to controlling the game.
That’s quite a compliment coming from a manager whose team is notorious for causing upsets in this league.
Gabriel Jesus’ headed finish was very good. A corner whipped in by Bukayo Saka which took a slight deflection was then buried in the net. Our second was from Kai Havertz whose Arsenal career seems to be on the rise which is only positive.
It’s hard to write something after a game not watched so I won’t. I’m just pleased that we’ve finally beaten Brighton who was fast becoming a bit of a bogey team for us.
Mikel Arteta:
I think it was a phenomenal performance with a great feeling as well because of what happened last season, and the demands that Brighton put on you. I think the team was outstanding today from the start to the end, and thankfully we deserved to win the game, and we won it. I was concerned because I think we had 15 shots in the first half and we had so many open situations to put the ball in the back of the net, but we didn’t, and this is the Premier League. We kept going in the second half, and in the end we found two very different goals, a great way to score them and I’m really happy today.
He’s right to be concerned about not finishing more of the chances we as a team create because it might just cost us the league title in the end. We need a 20+ goal a season player in my opinion. All sorts of rumours are going around about Eddie Nketiah being sold next month and a striker replacing him but I’m not sure that’ll happen because player prices can be inflated in a winter transfer window.
The Champions League draw takes place in an hours time and here’s who we could be paired with:
FC Copenhagen (DEN)
Inter Milan (ITA)
RB Leipzig (GER)
Napoli (ITA)
Lazio (ITA)
Paris St Germain (FRA)
Porto (POR)
I don’t think we should fear any of the above clubs. Respect yes, but if by the time the fixture comes around and we have a fully fit squad barring Jurrien Timber, we’ll have a chance of going through to the next round. Especially if Arsenal make a striker signing next month.
Next up for Mikel Arteta’s players is a trip to Anfield next Saturday. Liverpool dropped two points against Manchester Utd yesterday in a game they really should have won. Still, it was good for us that they didn’t.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Rico
Another very professional performance from Arsenal yesterday. Played Brighton off the park and deserved more goals.
Rice was outstanding again. Head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. Worth every penny.
Harvertz starting to look the goal scoring attacking midfielder we were hoping for. For a tall player he has a real turn of pace. When the season ends I expect his stats will look pretty good.
Liverpool next weekend will be a tough game. Like United yesterday we can’t afford to give them space to play their long ball tactics.
Morning Pete.
Good to hear. Haven’t seen the game yet but it sounds like a cracking performance against a very good Brighton team.
Porto it is then…
Cue our resident Portugese contributor re Porto . Duoro valley anyone ?
Pete is right , watching Havertz live you see so much more than on the box . He gets criticised on line for being a bit lanquid but its because he is thinking ahead . There is a player in there , it’s just up to Arsenal to find it and capitalise .
Rice is the most controlling midfielder that we have since Vieira and Saliba and Gabriel at the back just solid they snuffed out everything Brighton tried to do .
Finally I can’t help feeling that the only reason our Sussex based ref booked Mitoma is so that he could get to Arteta . He may have been found innocent by the independant panel but he definitely public enemy number one at Pgmol towers .
Next fixture F.C. Poto.
hard game.
Afternoon, rather Porto than PSG, Inter or Napoli. No easy games as ManU found out, but if we can’t beat Porto we don’t deserve to be in Quarters.
Arteta’s booking was just ridiculous and he knew it by the look on his face.
Good afternoon to you all.
We are being criticised because in yesterday’s game we had twenty-six attempts on goal, nine of them on target and only two goals. Well let us not forget that those two goals gave us three points and moved us back to the top of the Premiership table. I would rather have twenty-six attempts than none and it was clear that as the attempts total built up, the Brighton defence was getting more desperate by the minute. They bunched up to such an extent that when Martinelli’s corner took the slightest deflection and the ball flew to the unmarked Jesus he had the simplest task to head it into the empty net.
Brighton’s defensive problems were exacerbated by fatigue to the extent that Havertz had time to spare in scoring our second goal confirming the win.
Reminiscent of the Bould /Adams combination . Dunk had an interesting day at least he had problems on at least” two counts ” and one count of two.
‘Rice is the most controlling midfielder that we have since Vieira’
Exactly what a friend said yesterday, Potter.
I wonder if Arteta fancies playing Rice as a sweeper? He’s got all the attributes to play the role and it could revolutionise the system. At present Rice takes up a position between the two centre backs when the full backs are roaming forward, so he already does half the job, although his passing would need to improve.
Wow!!! Manchester City have been punished for failing to control their players over the foul mouthed rant by Haarland at the referee for stopping play to award a foul. The punishment? A fine of £120,000. No doubt City will find that amount down the back of Guardiola’s sofa. Ludicrous!!
I was listening to Jay Bothroyd this morning and he said Rice plays like he’s been at the club for ten years and the money we paid for him could be considered cheap because he’s so so good.
Can’t disagree.
Dominic Solanke is the latest striker linked to Arsenal.
Ian Wright is quitting MotD in the summer, maybe we could sign him up as our new striker. 😉
Good night one and all. 😴
Pete at 2:39, I said the same thing. Rice as a sweeper is definitely possible if Partey is playing alongside him… dare I say Gilberto and Viera. If only Partey can stay on the pitch.
We desperately need Partey back, I really hope he doesn’t go off with Ghana… same with Tomi and Japan.
A couple of outings with Ghana could help to get Partey match fit. He will then be a greater asset when he returns.
Who would you drop from our midfield three to accommodate him, Rice, Odegaard or Havertz? We still have Jorginho and ESR waiting in the wings. I don’t think Partey has a long term future at Arsenal and his return from injury is not a priority for me. Sorry Rico.
Just for the run in Cicero, we know what happened last year. He can come in to rest Rice in the FA Cup… I don’t see him as our future but I do think he’s our present if we’re to push hard for the league or FA Cup.
Edu will block any attempts to sign Jakub Kiwior in January, according to the Express.
Morning Cicero, all.
New post up