Arsenal beat Brighton 2-1 in a hard fought Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon. Brighton are not a side that can be taken lightly, as they thrive on causing problems for top teams, and Arsenal were fully aware of the challenge they faced.
It did not take long for the Gunners to demonstrate why they sit at the top of the Premier League table, with Martin Odegaard opening the scoring. Brighton’s bold approach gave Arsenal belief that further chances would come, provided they remained disciplined at the back and avoided conceding themselves.
Arsenal largely controlled the contest leading up to half time, although Brighton showed glimpses of danger on the break. Despite Arsenal’s dominance, the scoreline remained tight, and Brighton stayed firmly in the contest as the teams went into the interval.
Arsenal Control the Early Phases
The Gunners began the second half with confidence and soon doubled their advantage through an own goal. That moment increased the tempo of the game, as Brighton responded with greater intensity in an effort to force Mikel Arteta’s side into mistakes. Arsenal continued to press forward, seeking to put the match beyond doubt, while remaining alert to Brighton’s threat on the counter.
Brighton’s persistence paid off when Diego Gomez pulled a goal back, raising the tension inside the stadium. The visitors sensed an opportunity and pushed for an equaliser, forcing Arsenal to defend resolutely during the closing stages.
Late Pressure and Narrow Victory
Arsenal continued to look for another goal, but their attacking intent left them exposed at times. Brighton took advantage of the space, testing the Gunners repeatedly, and Arsenal were ultimately grateful to David Raya, whose composure helped them see the match through.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for Arsenal in a match that highlighted both their attacking quality and their resilience under pressure. It was a demanding afternoon, but the Gunners did enough to secure another important win as they continue their push at the top of the Premier League.
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Hincapie robbed the ball, then Odegaard made an excellent shot
Rice produced a very good corner kick that forced Rutter make an own goal, but he was caught napping on Brighton’s second goal
Martinelli missed a sitter and Jesus is obviously way more skilled than Gyokeres for the CF role, but both Jesus and Gyokeres should be shipped out after the season ends
Calafiori should also be send back to Italy in June next year, because of his injuries. We can’t keep injury-prone players in our squad if we want to win major trophies, no matter how talented the player is
I think we should focus on current season and not on shipping players out next summer. Leave that for next summer. Its pointless and very negative thinking especially after winning
Let’s support all our players this season and hope they all improve
Forgot to mention that Raya made a world class save that made us keep the three points
But he conceded a goal so he should be shipped out after the season ends
@Gai I don’t know how firm Arteta is with his players. He seem to also harbour some sentiments for some players. We can’t seat here blaming only the players.
IMO, the players that played against CPalace played with more purpose. Why won’t the coach bring in Madueke instead of allowing Saka to play full 90 minutes? He will still play Villa game..
Our forward players aren’t doing enough they aren’t clinical when they get chances. Saka, Gyokeres & Matinelli.
I’m sure Arteta has his favorite players. But Madueke could play ahead of Saka against Aston Villa, since Saka played for ninety minutes today
U didn’t start watching Arsenal under Arteta yesterday right ?
U think Arteta will bench his best player when we are about to play a team that always beats us in Emirates recently & just beat us some weeks ago ?
“Brighton’s second goal”😀. Stop that!
Yeah it was supposed to be “Brighton’s goal”
gotanidea
You’ve got no Idea of what you are saying. In short, Arsenal should also sell Saka, Timber, Odegaard, Martinelli, Trossard because they have been injured alot
As for Gyokeres. He is here to stay. For those who have played football, we know what he is offering that you can’t see
Calafiori off in the summer? How do you sleep the best left back in the league so far this season? Why is Reece James still in Chelsea?
*Sell, not sleep
Freddy, I have believed for some time, that GAI, needs to change his name along the lines of your first sentence!
Agreed
How are we going to get 3 points off Aston Villa like this
Those one’s won’t let us off the hook
Something’s off with the team
Maybe we should start with Gyokeres
Jesus clearly makes us more dangerous than him
The Guy offers way way too little
Seems it needs to be on a plate for him to score – but asides scoring, he doesn’t bring much at-all
Aston Villa might score 2 but concede 3 own goals, that is how we get the points
Believe mate, we are going to win the league
Havertz will be back soon (although 2 forwards may replace him in hospital)
A 2-1 day. Liverpool, City and Arsenal. Will it be another 2-1 in the next match between Chelsea and Villa?
Jesus & Martineli has to start against Aston Villa, to give rest to the tiring lads and add energy to the outfit put put.
The 2 – 1 score line flatters the visitor
Merino out on his feet, knackered, no norgaard whats the story? He was motm against Palace. Arteta is one strange egg
Agree completely mick on Christian Norgaard, who is a totally underutlzed resource by Arteta. What has he done wrong?
Rice and Saka look exhausted.
Subs too late, can’t blame busy schedules (which every top team has) when you have a bench like ours and your first change is after 70th minute
Not sure why Norgaard isn’t used more, he controls a game so well
In Wrightys words, its not happening for us this season if we continue like this
Me too PJ.
Agree, PJ-SA. A constant and correct criticism of Arteta is his inability to utilize his strong bench, notwithstanding the current injury issues.
PJ-SA you are right and a common thread is late substitutions. Against palace in the cup Timber should have come off. Our players are knackered and need even more rotation. Arteta needs MUST de-priortize all league, cup, and CL games in January. That’s 4 games where 1st team and half of 2nd team must NOT play if we are to now regain form and freshen up to keep the title charge. We simply must rest, rest rest players. Play reserves in FA Cup and league cup who cares .
Great first half ,probably should have been 2-3 nil up .
Second half ,desperate football per usual.
Everytime go into a shell and let opponents come back into it ,luck will soon run out .
For someone who has been spoken about in the gods of football tactics Arteta does seem to struggle tactically closing games out .
We won yes but dam it was a hard view .
Dan, good approach play with poor finishing continues.
3 points and a win. But boy do we like to make it harder than it should be. Rice was great first half not so second, Odergaard played one of his better games, Saka played ok but lack of quality and vision, stopped a better game. We are trying to control the ball and opposition but we are missing the chances to open up teams by doing it. It obviously works to a point but it also (as seen today) causes us unnecessary pressure when it breaks down and we haven’t pushed the opposition back, when we had the chance. We can not win the league playing this style of football. It has to improve but at the moment, saying too much is futile because we are top of the league. Thats worked, I can’t see it working all season. It needs to change and we need to being more forceful and not controlling. Great save from Raya to keep us top of the league.
Reggie, in defence of Odegaard, he is regaining match fitness after returning from injury.
As for Rice, I am concerned Arteta is playing him into the ground, when Norgaard warms the bench.
👍
Saka needs to be told to lower his selfishness and be a team player more. He wasn’t that kind of a player really where did it come from?
Stats not looking good for bro, he seems desperate to score.
Exactly my thoughts.
If it wasn’t for Saka, we wouldn’t have won that game.
The amount of time the ball was in the air. It was just being wacked out of defence with no purpose other than to clear.
I’m so glad that the all important 3 points were secured courtesy of Raya’s quick and sharp reflex. Also we’re grateful for the largesse of our opponents in helping Arteta to be picking these points for now through their giftings of (OG) for the past 3 – 4 matches. Someone just said that Arteta is a strange egg and I agree. So is it only when a player gets injured that Arteta can make substitute before 70th minutes, Saka’s form right now is around 75% besides in today’s match he’s already tired by the 60th minutes but Arteta forced him to remain in the match till the end. He has succeeded in making the midfielders and defenders to be playing panicking football, they’ve lost the confidence of taking on opponents, too quick to turn attack to defense unnecessarily how can the attackers score with this rusty and nasty philosophy no wonder they’re now missing glaring sitters every match. Brentford can fire 3 goals past Bournemouth but Arsenal was unable to score one against Wolves, when last did we score 2 – 3 goals in an Epl match no matter the club? Those defending clean sheet how far now? Let Arteta keep making Nwaneri & Co match rusty until his favorites gets burnt out or bows out due to injury and he starts featuring them for instant magic it has never worked like that. The time bomb is ticking he should better have a rethink and rescind this his high blood pressure philosophy before the unwanted usual flop surfaces God forbid.
I think I agree with you🤣
👌
🤟
Arteta is “strange” for building one of the best teams in Europe. Current Arsenal results are amongst the best in the world.
Yet, according to you and certain other people the assessment of him is that he is “strange”.
You people need to rethink your narratives.
David,
I’ll tell you what I find strange, it’s you. It seems to me that no one can question anything that Arteta does or doesn’t do. In you’re eyes it appears that unless anyone has anything positive to say regards Arteta, then they shouldn’t say anything at all.
Just because some poster’s question certain aspects of Arteta’s management, doesn’t mean there being negative for negatives sake. Yes we’re top of the League currently, which is very good. But it doesn’t mean that we have to stay silent on aspects that we can see as a problem.
And currently certain poster’s see that Arteta isn’t utilizing his bench in the best possible way, and because they dare to question it, you see it as an attack on Arteta.
You’re constant defense of him no matter what is baffling at times. I really do wonder what has to happen before you dare have a negative thought regards Arteta.
Those criticisms that you defending are ridiculous as they do not stand up to any form of serious scrutiny. The criticisms that I question lack balance, consideration of context or are just plain stupid.
How can anyone seriously call the approach to games that has been adopted as “rusty and nasty”? It is plainly false that Arteta does not make substitutions before the 70th minute.
Can you highlight one thing that makes any sense in what has been posted? Or do you think we should just accept anything, however silly , as valid criticism?
What I find strange is that some people are so twisted that they will agree with things that make no sense just because they want to be negative.
As I say David, people asking valid questions of Arteta are just attacking Arteta as far as you’re concerned.
But it doesn’t really surprise me to be honest.
Three crucial points, and oooh boy think we will win the league with me on a drip! My heart was pounding too much and we seem not to be killing games off. Good thing to see big Gabo back, and our luck with injuries continues. Villa next ,we beat them we are 9 clear off them.
Kenya001,
If we beat Villa we will be 6 points ahead of them.👍
That Arteta can make substitutions before the 70th minutes?
By this rate Arsenal can’t beat Terry’s Chelsea 15 goal conceded record? Can we? Hereafter we play ahead of Man City unlike the past 2 matches that put Arsenal players in apprehension aiming to reclaim the top spot from them.
Can I be brutally honest, I don’t care a jot about that😂
I feel like that records been dead for well over a month now. Once Gabriel got injured it was a dead giveaway it wasn’t going to happen. Scoring goals is our issue anyways ,yet again. As it has been for what, 3 seasons now
Odegaard was superb – I’m happy for him. And what an incredible save from Raya! Onwards and upwards.
Aston Villa are serious title contenders now.
If they beat us on Tuesday and Man City win, we will be in 2nd place and level on points with Aston Villa just with a superior goal difference.
We need to start scoring goals because goal difference might end up being the deciding factor for winning the League.
I fear for the match on Tuesday. Aston Villa are in incredible form. And they have beaten us home and away before in the 23/24 season and the inability to win them in one of the legs cost us the league that season with Man City passing us with 2 points.
24/25 season we beat them at their ground and we drew at the Emirates.
We really need to play extra good to beat them on Tuesday so the chances needs to be created more and we need to finish the chances created.
It will be a nerve wracking and entertaining match come Tuesday night.
I hope and pray we come out victorious.
To be sincere we can’t beat Aston Villa on Tuesday
All their players are very sharp
if Rice is not in our midfield those guys will run us ragged – maybe like 2 or 3 goals difference (unlikely that Timber will be ready)
With our best – it might be a draw we’ll grapple for
Unless Arteta finds something tactical
They seem to prefer to play on the counter as they find themselves easily & are all very sharp
We might need to slow the game down and invite them to play instead
We might even need the dark arts strategy against them
Cos no lies, Aston Villa are better than us currently
Why dont you put up the white flag altogether…..
We will beat Villa and make no mistake…..
We have not been at our best since the last int. window….and still , SOMEHOW , we are top…..resilience , character , experience.
You better believe….Gabby is back and the confidence that brings is immense to the others.
MA….This is not a playing ground or a theatre to develop Yoki in the requirements of the PL…..right now , he is way behind Jesus in the key aspects of CF play. Jesus starts against Villa …..and we win…..
I don’t and have never seen Jesus as a striker. Neither did Pep, thats good enough for me.
👍
I am truly disappointed by your prophet of doom verdict! How dare you make an unequivocal statement on an issue which is still in contention? What will you do if we win the game like I believe we will? I don’t think that’s the way a true fan should behave! It is as if you are gloating over what you consider to be our likely loss! The good thing is that your attitude will not change matters on the pitch.
The above reply was meant for Babasola Osa but it has been misplaced.
SJ, you only have to look at who is the manager of Aston Villa, the performances he normally gets from his players and teams and the point he has to prove, when his teams play Arsenal.
Brighton’s goal exposes Arsenal’s weakness. When we relax, because we can’t attack all the time, we leave the initiative too much to the opponents and are not careful enough. Arsenal can play defensively at times, but then we have do more aggressive defending when the opponents attack. At Brighton’s goal, the Brighton players had about 15 passes without any Arsenal player touching the ball before it is in the net. It’s just not good enough. I really fear Aston Villa. They showed an intensity and fighting spirit that I don’t see in the Arsenal players. Because of fatigue or because Arteta hasn’t set up the players enough to perform, I don’t know. I also don’t understand that Saka has to play full time, he is not challenging enough and does not create chances for his teammates, but is more focused on scoring himself. It costs us some goals. He has to play the teammates who are free instead of shooting at goal every single time. Then it pains me that we don’t have a striker who is a goal threat. It’s a fact that will also cost us in the long run. One striker who is dangerous at the moment is Ollie Watkins. What a game he had for Villa today. Watkins and Rodgers are players we have to pay special attention to in the next game. It’s okay for Arteta to rotate his players, but against Villa we have to play with the strongest players, because it will be a crucial key game for Arsenal. But good that we got 3 points today after all, but I’m a little worried, I must say, if we don’t score more goals in the attack. We can’t keep counting on own goals.
We are pushing our luck. I hope Gabi brings bank resilience to the defence and confidence. He can be rested when we have a decent lead, and not used irresponsibly in internationals. Really hope we smash Villa at home, we really owe them.
Glad that a lot of people are agreeing Gabby J needs to start the next match. Thank goodness Kai is working his way back too and we’ll see him in January. There’s no pleasant way to dress up what a flop Gyok has been.
As for this match, it was a good first half, and a lackluster 2nd half. Losing control of the game for no reason yet again is annoying and Raya saved our bacon. Saka looks heavy-legged. Another game he shouldn’t have played the full 90 minutes. And the finishing was atrocious all around besides for the Odegaard goal. Saka should’ve scored, and Martinelli definitely should have. Do we need to lie to him and tell him these are UCL games? Cause only time he seems to perform now. Kind of frustrating to see all these players bought in during the summer and still have basically the same problems as last season. Besides Zubi who has been an upgrade on Partey thank goodness.
Zubi is not an upgrade on Party
The defense getting exposed very easily is partly cos we don’t have a bullish defensive General in the defensive midfield that sits in front of the CB’s and seals up the place – making hard for opponents to work
That’s what Partey was
As good as Rice is at winning balls – Partey was better and Zubi is not even half as good as Rice at Winning tackles
Partey was never a general, we have way more control over games with Zubimendi as CDM. I think you’re overhyping some of Partey’s defensive play as well he’d be caught out all the time especially last season. Partey was a good player, never that good. Especially when it came down to important run-ins his form would drop tremendously. We’ll have to see if Zubi holds form but more optimistic about him than Thomas.
You are overhyping Zubi more than he is overhyping Partey
100%
“Zubi is not an upgrade on Party”
Oh he is, he really is!!!
Zubimendi is 100% not an upgrade on Partey.
Not meant to be though. Zoob thing is different, how he recieves and gives is better than Partey for sure, but Partey is remembered for driving runs and muscle, not artisan water carrying. On Gyok, I think early days for definitive judgement. He has muscle, pace and finishing skills to a level he hasn’t produced for us yet, but he does possess all that. Gyok is like evergreen tec upgrade. How many of you use AI like co-pilot? If you don’t, when you do you’ll be excited that it’s actually really helpful, but until you do it’s just sitting there not properly used.
Recent results havn’t really matched performance. Some really big openings not be made most of, against Brighton gilt edged chances passed up. Thinking of Villa game, it’s exciting as it’s a big one. Think of world cups where England or any big side narrow win against minnows before a much bigger clash they actually play much better in. I think it will be like that, big performance in big atmosphere and clicking in front of goal.
RSH, show me a centre forward, who has thrived under Arteta. Shades of Denis Bergkamp at Milan, where the system didn’t help him
Gyokeres is fast losing confidence, which is essential for a striker.
Ozziegunner
Aubameyang thrived under Arteta
Do you guys watch Arsenal matches?
By thrive you mean scoring lesser than previously until he was shipped out for free by mutual consent?
😂👍
You forgot Barca making 15 million on him 6 months later .
Freddy, Aubamyang scored 4 goals in 12 matches in his last season 2021/22 under Arteta, before he was transferred out. In the seasons before and after he has been more prolific under other managers.
Ozziegunner
You have a point
But have you forgotten that Aubameyangs most productive period for Arsenal was during Arteta’s first 6 months?
He gave us the FA cup by scoring braces against City and Chelsea
He was also joint top scorer in the EPL that season
Auba tied for golden boot previous year under Wenger. Auba’s goals dried up under Artetaball, as has every player in our “striker” position.
Artetaball sees striker as an extra midfielder, just like inverted LB.
Explains why we typically dominate possession but struggle to score in open play; no one centrally in box, everyone either on wings or back in midfield maintaining possession
👍Durand
You people are just focusing on Arteta without looking at broader considerations
Take Aubameyang who has been Arsenal’s best pure goal scorer in recent years.
Aubameyang was, for Arsenal, a pure goal poacher when playing as a central striker. The rest of his game was relatively average. That’s not enough for a team in the PL that wants to win a major title. He wasn’t good at challenging defenders, holding off defenders or bringing others into the game.
He was actually more productive overall when played from the left. However, once the goals dried up you could see how the limitations of his overall game became an issue.
The only way he works long term for any top team is for the whole team to be built to service him. However, to justify this would require exceptional levels of goal scoring effectiveness (e.g. Haaland, Ronaldo).
Aubameyang actually won the golden boot with Emery as manager.
You people !!
😂
Durand
Are you sure what you are saying?
Aubameyang joined Arsenal in January 2018, 6 months before Wenger quit. Do you want to tell me he scored 21 league goals in 6 months?
Like I said, Aubameyang was EPL joint top scorer in the 2019/20 season, which was half Emery and half Arteta. And under Arteta ALONE, he shone in the FA cup, scoring braces against Man City and Chelsea
Freddy, I havent forgotten, but the majority of the FA Cup run had been under Emery’s management and Arteta was in the process of implimenting his system in that first 6 months. Aubamyang’s productivity dropped off after that.
In season 2022/23 Arsenal scored a club record of 88 goals in the league and 108 overall. The following year they beat that. It might be the main striker who loses out but the goals were shared around. Is it a bad idea in your opinion?
Sorry, that should have been a reply to Durand
However, Emery played no part in the matches played in the FA cup that season as far as I’m aware
Yeah I seen this myth repeated many times
I seen fans on YouTube say Arteta only managed from the semi final onwards
It’s like the Mandela effect….. something made up so often it’s now believed
Arteta managed every round of that FA Cup win
I have nothing but admiration for Emery’s record elsewhere, but the hero worship surrounding his time at Arsenal is misguided. What’s the point of banging on about giving him more time when he had lost the players? Too late in the day.
Complete nonsense. Emery played no part in Arsenal’s cup run.
I’d forgotten that. It was all Arteta’s work. No Emery involvement at all.
Ozziegunner
Emery didn’t manage any FA match in the 2019/20 season. It was all Arteta. And we saw the best version of Aubameyang who was playing from the left like Henry. That is the kind of strikers Arteta looks for
Jesus.
Trossard. Odegaard. Saka.
Rice. Zubimendi.
Hincapie. Gabriel. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.
Our top players are in the red zone, Timber and Cala heading back to the medical tent, Gabi, and Kai just coming back.
We can’t finish worth anything.
Own goals saving our a$$eS.
Better rotate more, Madueke, Ethan, Norgaard and Ezi or the team is toast.
Ozziegunner, you are being way too kind to Gyorkes, blaming Arteta’s tactics and loss of confidence for his nothing performances. From what I’ve seen from his Arsenal games the guy simply doesn’t have the skills to make an impact. And comparing him to Bergkamp is a huge call. Even if he comes back to his best ( whatever that was) Gyorkes will not come close to Bergkamp.
Joe S. I was in no way comparing Denis Bergkamp (in my view the most complete footballer I have seen in an Arsenal shirt) with Gyokeres ability or mentality wise. The point I was making was that Bergkamp was considered a failure in Milan, because the style/system of play did not suit him. Time will tell whether Gyokeres can develop into the striker, we hope he can be, if he can adapt to Arteta’s requirements and players around him to the best ways to create opportunities for him.
Gyökeres’playing style simply does not fit Arteta’s footballing philosopy. Don’t forget that last season he won the award of the best striker in Europe. His playing style fits a counter-attacking football where he runs pass to his teammate, receives back the ball and simply do a tap-in. Otherwise he is not good at one-one-one, he cannot dribble his opponent, he doesn’t have skills to hold the ball and bring hit teammates into the game, He is simply not a good fit for premier league where defenders are skilled.
Your take on Gyökeres is very different from what I have seen from the goals he scored at Porto.
He scored most of his goals after taking a few touches of the ball. He was very good at running with the ball and often dribbled past his markers in one v one situations. Not sure why you seem to think he scored a lot of tap ins.
Gyökeres to me is more a forward that thrives when there is space ahead of him to run with the ball. He’s not the traditional number 9 like Shearer and van Nistelrooy who relies mainly on positioning and anticipation to be at the right place and right time to simply apply the first time finish. Gyökeres is more a runner than a poacher
👍sushi
Where are Three Lions prospects Eze and Madueke? Beginning to pay prices for not being convincing when given plenty of game time? Arteta may have planned to deploy them against Villa which will be more demanding than Brighton’s.
Madueke has been convincing even thou he doesn’t score much. I just don’t know why arteta doesn’t subs on. Norgaard should be starting some games over zubi but arteta is just too stubborn to rest some players.
Sorry, but Madueke has yet to fully convince. He looks good and frightens defenders but his end-product has not been consistent. His decision making remains hit and miss.
😂😂
Sunderland paying heavy price as a result of releasing 6 players for Afcon. They now couldn’t match Leeds at home so what could happen to them when they face City on Thursday? City really lucky with the fixture also. Yesterday Dyche bitterly complained of the reffing as Dias escaped second yellow for deliberate tripping on a goal advancing forward.
A good win against Brighton. But these close games are coming along to often for my liking.
We really need to be more clinical in front of goal. it will come back and bite us one day.
As I’m keeping an eye on our six games at a time, my latest round up reads: first 6 games 13 points from possible 18 points. The next 6 games 16 from 18. And these last 6 games, 13 from 18. Total 42 points from a possible 54 so far.
Which is 8 points down on our 2022/2023 season when we picked up 50 points out of a possible 54.