Don’t be cocky Arsenal fans – Brighton will be hard to break down

Considering that Brighton have only just been promoted from the Championship (for the first time in 34 years) and their whole team is probably worth less than Alexis Sanchez on his own, Arsenal fans could be forgiven for thinking that the Gunners will win by a cricket score but the reality is somewhat different.

After a difficult start to the season, with a loss to Man City at home and then a defeat away to Leicester, the Seagulls have settled into their rhythm now and have only lost one of their last four Premiership games, a narrow defeat away at Bournemouth. They have beaten Newcastle and West Brom and had a hard fought 0-0 draw with Watford, and in fact if they win this afternoon they would actually be level on points with us in the middle of the table.

Arsene Wenger is well aware that this is not going to be a walkover, as he said yesterday: “I think it will be difficult to break them down because they are very well organised, they are very disciplined as well. Their team keeps the ball well and from what I’ve seen they have a good technical quality, they try to play everywhere and it is a different challenge for us. But we came back from a good experience away from home. We have done very well at home until now, so we know that it is absolutely vital for us.”

And Le Prof has noticed Brighton’s improvement and believes they have the infrastructure to stay in the top flight. He continued: “I remember we played some cup games a few years ago there and they had a new stadium and you drive home and you think this club is absolutely everything needed to play in the Premier League. They fought every year and just fell off at the last moment and you think they deserved [promotion] because they were on a consistent way always. They were always present in the fight to get up to the Premier League and finally they made it. They have all the structures and that means as well the club has quality people because when you have consistency, that means you have quality people always.”

Wenger has also been impressed with their manager Chris Hughton: “I believe that he will be focused on the quality of his team and try to organise them, which he does very well. He has done an exceptional job with Brighton.”

So let us not get cocky lads, we will have to be disciplined and ready to fight for the points. I always worry when we play teams that look easy on paper and perhaps get a bit overconfident. Let’s not make any mistakes or it could be a tough afternoon at the Emirates….

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6 Comments

  1. We can level up with Chelsea, that will be one we gained on so long as we don’t fock up. We need to take the points and get a run going, others will drop points and then we can see how they react to it. It’s the norm at the minute, the teams setting the pace being talked about like they’re from a different planet, they’re not, the prem is toughest when you least expect it sometimes. A reality check will kick in with every side, we don’t need one right now we’re fine thanks, lets hope we get a good streak going. COYG!!!

  2. Arsenal would get past Brighton easily, if they could pass the ball more accurately and more confident. If you see the current Premier League player’s stats, you will see Xhaka is one of the best passers (498 passes so far).

    But do not be mesmerized by the passes statistics, because as a deep central midfielder could produce many backpasses to the defenders (the best is Fernandinho with 566 passes). Spurs’ and Manchester City’s defenders dominate the best passers list, which means both clubs dictate the tempo very well from the back (Arsenal cannot do this yet).

    The top five of the most through balls list is dominated by Manchester City’s and Manchester United’s players. This means most Arsenal players do not have confidence to pass the ball forward and do not dare to be more adventurous.

    I think Arsenal’s manager, staffs and fans have pressurized the players to not produce misplaced passes, that was why most of them like to play safe with backpasses. And most Arsenal players cannot pass the ball more accurately, something that has to be fixed before today’s match begins.

  3. Already looking for excuses against a side we should be rolling over with ease … Didn’t hear guardiola moaning before game about losing aguerro and mendy … We are miles behind them now at a passing game we claim to be masters off but what surprised me was the way pep has improved delph who in my books was a very average player … Can’t think of when wenger has last done that … Would like to see ozil and wilshire in today just because they have football brains that hold out the possibility of decent football

  4. When are u going to learn that Ozil doesn’t contribute in marking? In this 3 4 3 formation all the front three must be fast, acurrate and active.. I still don’t know y Walcott is being benched like this. Walcott is better than that French Thomas Lamar in attack, but here we are trying to sell walcot who scored 19 goals last season and bring a 92 million pound lefty who only knows how to shoot d ball. Hmmm

    1. Keep listening to the commodores … Walcott should have been shipped out 5 years ago along with his sugar daddy … Watching city is painful coz there is no reason other than greed and arrogance of owners and manager why we couldn’t be playing a similar brand of football

  5. Under rate any epl team at your peril.Recall Hull/BR/Wigan . The gunners let slip a 2 goal lead against Wigan.As for the other two its the sos. Lots of possession abut unable to score through over elaboration, 9 men wall.goalie,etc
    As for BH,dont pass the ball too long . Go direct . A through pass when the defnce is napping will do.If not expect the gunners to be stifled in md.

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