Published: October 2, 2021 8:04 pm
Last Updated: October 2, 2021 11:01 pm
Arsenal outclassed on the south coast but escape with a point
Brighton continued to prove that 2021-22 is the year of “Potterball”, as the Seagulls well and truly outclassed Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at the Amex Community Stadium tonight.
Not a bad point in the end for Arsenal, who were second best throughout the 90 minutes. Smith Rowe very good, but below par performances elsewhere.
Three wins and one draw from this patch of games has been a good return ahead of the international break. pic.twitter.com/MbpXvDx64T
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) October 2, 2021
Arsenal were lucky to escape with a point in the 0-0 affair that was a throwback to last term, when Brighton’s performance in front of goal and overall points total were both far below what the expected data showed.
The points are shared at Brighton.
🔵⚪ 0-0 🟡 (FT)#BHAARS pic.twitter.com/AqjK8M69ln
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 2, 2021
The Gunners managed just 8-shots (two on target) across the 90-minutes, while Brighton logged nearly three-times that number (21) but still only tested Aaron Ramsdale directly with the same number of efforts on frame.
And it was the Seagulls that played like the traditional Premier League big-six outfit, boasting 58.2% of the possession and a passing success rate nearly 10% higher than Arsenal; 84%-76%.
The result saw Brighton enter and exit the weekend program sitting joint-second in the Premier League table – now on 14-points – while Arsenal failed to extend their three-match winning run, but have temporarily climbed into the top-half.
Absence of Granit Xhaka felt
A Brighton side without Yves Bissouma is usually cause for celebration for opposing outfits, but in Arsenal’s case, the absence of Granit Xhaka countered the Malian midfielder not making Graham Potter’s match day squad.
Arsenals Granit Xhaka leaves the pitch after being sent off during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Picture date: Saturday August 28, 2021. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
It was always going to be tough going for the Gunners without the influential Swiss international deployed in the heart of the team.
The key duopoly of Xhaka and Thomas Partey that was so effective in the second half of last season as Arsenal ran riot to climb within earshot of the European places, is very difficult to replace by default. That issue is magnified by the fact that, of the current central options at the club, only Xhaka boasts the overall package that he brings to the table.
Belgian youngster Sambi Lokonga is a very capable player for his age, but he lacks the refinement that Xhaka has long boasted since his spell at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Lokonga and Partey hardly dominated proceedings in midfield this evening, and the number of second balls that the Seagulls were able to win uncontested just outside the area showed a distinct lack of defensive awareness from the pairing, as well as an inability to read the flow of the match.
It is early doors in Lokonga’s career, and there is still time to iron out the kinks to make the aforementioned pair click on the pitch, but should Mikel Arteta fail in that task, Arsenal’s season may be in for an unfortunate – and lengthy – speedbump.
This article was edited by
Conor Laird.
Arsenal betting odds, next game:
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| Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Result/Both teams score | Yes | No |
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| Arsenal | 5/2 | 6/4 |
| Crystal Palace | 11/1 | 10/1 |
| Draw | 9/2 | 10/1 |
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Premier League table
| # | Team | MP | D | P |
| 1 | Liverpool FC | 6 | 11 | 14 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 6 | 11 | 13 |
| 3 | Chelsea FC | 6 | 10 | 13 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 6 | 8 | 13 |
| 5 | Everton FC | 6 | 5 | 13 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| 9 | Brentford FC | 6 | 3 | 9 |
| 10 | Arsenal FC | 6 | -5 | 9 |
| 11 | Tottenham Hotspur | 6 | -5 | 9 |
| 12 | Watford FC | 6 | -2 | 7 |
| 13 | Leicester City | 6 | -3 | 7 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 6 | -2 | 6 |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 6 | -3 | 6 |
| 16 | Southampton FC | 6 | -3 | 4 |
| 17 | Newcastle United | 6 | -7 | 3 |
| 18 | Leeds United | 6 | -8 | 3 |
| 19 | Burnley FC | 6 | -6 | 2 |
| 20 | Norwich City | 6 | -14 | 0 |
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 5 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 5 |
| Vardy, Jamie | Leicester City | 5 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 4 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 4 |
| Sarr, Ismaila | Watford FC | 4 |
| Townsend, Andros | Everton FC | 3 |
| Benrahma, Said | West Ham United | 3 |
| Gray, Demarai | Everton FC | 3 |
| Ronaldo, Cristiano | Manchester United | 3 |
| Lukaku, Romelu | Chelsea FC | 3 |
| Son, Heung Min | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 |
| Mane, Sadio | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Calvert-Lewin, Dominic | Everton FC | 3 |
| Jota, Diogo | Liverpool FC | 3 |
| Hwang, Hee-chan | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 3 |
| Greenwood, Mason | Manchester United | 3 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 2 |
| Saint-Maximin, Allan | Newcastle United | 2 |
| Player | Team | Red Cards | Yellow Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis, Emmanuel | Watford FC | 0 | 4 |
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 0 | 3 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 0 | 3 |
| Cooper, Liam | Leeds United | 0 | 3 |
| Tarkowski, James | Burnley FC | 0 | 3 |
| Veltman, Joel | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 3 |
| Brownhill, Josh | Burnley FC | 0 | 3 |
| Etebo, Oghenekaro | Watford FC | 0 | 3 |
| Skipp, Oliver | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | 3 |
| Djenepo, Moussa | Southampton FC | 0 | 3 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 0 | 1 |
| Fernandes, Bruno | Manchester United | 0 | 2 |
| Maupay, Neal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 2 |
| Jimenez, Raul | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | 2 |
| Raphinha | Leeds United | 0 | 2 |
| Gallagher, Conor | Crystal Palace | 0 | 2 |
| Alonso, Marcos | Chelsea FC | 0 | 2 |
| Ward Prowse, James | Southampton FC | 1 | 1 |
| Manquillo, Javi | Newcastle United | 0 | 2 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 0 | 2 |
| Player | Team | Assists |
|---|---|---|
| Pogba, Paul | Manchester United | 7 |
| Doucoure, Abdoulaye | Everton FC | 4 |
| Antonio, Michail | West Ham United | 3 |
| Saint-Maximin, Allan | Newcastle United | 3 |
| Jesus, Gabriel | Manchester City | 3 |
| Kovacic, Mateo | Chelsea FC | 3 |
| Salah, Mohamed | Liverpool FC | 2 |
| Townsend, Andros | Everton FC | 2 |
| Benrahma, Said | West Ham United | 2 |
| Ings, Danny | Aston Villa | 2 |
| Toney, Ivan | Brentford FC | 2 |
| Jimenez, Raul | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2 |
| Bamford, Patrick | Leeds United | 2 |
| James, Reece | Chelsea FC | 2 |
| Azpilicueta, Cesar | Chelsea FC | 2 |
| Gross, Pascal | Brighton & Hove Albion | 2 |
| King, Joshua | Watford FC | 2 |
| Pereira, Ricardo | Leicester City | 2 |
| Alexander-Arnold, Trent | Liverpool FC | 2 |
| Rice, Declan | West Ham United | 2 |
