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Confirmed Arsenal team to face Brighton – Saka returns

Arsenal travel to Brighton this evening knowing that only a win will do and this is the team selected by Mikel Arteta.

We are now at a crucial juncture in the season where only victories will suffice for Arsenal. With Manchester City and Liverpool maintaining their winning ways, every match from here on until the seasonโ€™s end carries immense significance.

Brighton poses a challenge; they possess the capability to elevate their performance, particularly when playing at home. However, their inconsistency and unpredictability also render them susceptible to heavy defeats.

If Arsenal performs at the standard they have demonstrated since the beginning of 2024, they should emerge victorious in this fixture. Yet, any complacency or lack of focus could provide an opportunity for Brighton to capitalise.

A win for Arsenal would propel them back to the top of the standings, placing pressure once again on Liverpool to secure all three points in their away fixture against Manchester United tomorrow.

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68 Comments

  1. Brighton don’t start the game with an inverted-LW, so Zinchenko would likely have a relatively easier defending task

    1. @Gau
      Brighton are very skillful using Zichenko for me has a question mark? I hope he doesn’t expose us. I think Arteta wants to compete in ball possession.

  2. Strong lineup but hope Zinchenko doesn’t get skinned by Adingra in that left wing, Bayern Munich lost their game so hope that also has a negative impact on their game against Arsenal on tuesday.

    2. Jesus is not clinical

      Kai is not better

      Some people will be surprised if I said Jesus’ finishing is still better than Kai

      He’s only won the spot cos he brings another type of dynamism to our attack (or probably cos he’s a Manager favorite)

  7. With City winning and Liverpool currently above us this is a huge game for us against decent opposition. Brighton has been quite poor recently so i expect a result.

    Villa drawing with Brentford has really opened the UCL door for the Spuds unfortunately!

  8. ESR Man of the Match performance relegates him back to the bench, what does the lad have to do to get a starting run?

    1. Who should he start instead? Oddegard? Play him alongside Oddegard in an away game and get exposed? Besides, he was not really that good against Luton.

      1. Very good question

        Maybe he wants us to bench Rice or Odergaard

        Or maybe he feels Smith-Rowe can do a defensive midfielders job better than Jorginho

        That was Luton and we were at home

        If everybody plays a 3/10 performance, some who plays 4/10 will be Man Of The Match

        I love Smith-Rowe but Brighton-Away is one of the matches we could drop points – we need our best team

  9. Unless Kiwior will be the one starting against Bayern I’m unhappy that Arteta is not allowing Zinchenko fight for his spot

    I’ve actually gotten to the point where I feel we can sell Zinchenko over the next transfer window, cos I feel Timber looks like an improvement & Kiwior is a better defensive cover than him

    I feel we’re fine without what Zinks offers (asides for a need of dynamism in tactics)

    1. Agreed babasola! Defensively weโ€™re weaker with him in the team. No disrespect because he offers something different going forward but it puts more pressure on Gabriel as he has to cover his own and zinchencho position.

    2. I agree.
      A real shame Kiwior has been solid and better than Zinchenko as a LB.

      Not to mention the team better with White inverting.

      So what happens next?
      Zinchenko immediately back to starting, and Jesus as well.

      Odd how ESR and Martinelli need extra time after injuries but Zinchenko and Jesus straight back in. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

    1. He’s compiling a written report on : “How To Destroy Bayern”

      To be submitted to the Gaffer before COB

  13. Zinny and Jorginho already far behind the Brighton pace when they attck8ng, easily jogging past both. Gabriels going to have to be very awake covering for them.

  20. We have dominated the half completely but unfortunately game is not over yet because we missed 3 glorious chances

  22. A great save by Raya keep us in front
    Iโ€™ve been reasonably entertained by the game so far – especially after the first 10 minutes

  23. I could see why Deschamps was reluctant to play Saliba ahead of Upamecano, despite Saliba’s better form. Saliba tends to make risky decisions that have been working well with Arteta’s tactics, but Deschamps seems to prefer a safer approach

    As for the game, we wasted several very good chances to kill it. I hope Brighton won’t catch us up in the second half

    1. Deschamps is mediocre manager
      And it’s good for Arsenal that he is not playing in pointless in friendlies

  24. It’s now official, Gabriel Jesus is not good enough to be squad first 11. He will not score goals, he will not pass the ball, all he does these days is to selfishly waist the scoring opportunity and put his two hands on his head.

      1. He talked about his inability to score and his selfishness – always wanting to dribble

    2. You’re very correct

      I don’t like the way he laments so much after losing a scoring chance & still loses the next one and the next one

      I used to tell people then with Auba, 2 chances is the max he will lose. He will be very determined to put-in the next 3rd chance

      I’ve never counted it being 3 lost chances with Auba

      With Jesus he’ll lament so bitterly and lose the next 10 chances

  25. Massive 45 plus minutes coming up.
    It would be and should be a big win but I think we will need a second goal to wrap things up, let’s all get behind the chaps
    COYG

  28. Zinchenko is nothing near a defender

    He’s cannot be a good CM too
    Cos CM can actually mark and throw tackles

    Xhaka used to do fine at LB

    Zinchenko is outstandingly poor in marking and tackling, even Saka marks better than him

    The left side is always open
    People(Jesus, Maghalaes) have to helping him out everytime

  31. Very good finish from Havertz, not that easy

    Hopefully we bring Partey on now to rest Rice for UCL

  40. I hope Man Utd will remember their fighting spirits tomorrow then forget when we come visiting

    I’m beginning to think we can actually win all our remaining matches

  42. Arsenal were like a swarm of bees at times attacking Brighton.

    A solid performance that showed how much Havertz is maturing. He was like Odegaard in covering so much ground and making opportunities- as well as being there to slot the ball in.

    Credit in the first half to Raya for making an important save

    Iโ€™m loathe to mention OZ but he so obviously isnโ€™t a left back. Other plus points but not there.

    We have now a really impressive array of players who all work so hard and they made me a happy gooner today

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