4 January 2025
Brighton 1 Arsenal 1
Brighton had really hit the wall of late and were struggling to get positive results. They welcomed Arsenal to the Amex Stadium, where Arteta surprised many as Odegaard sat on the bench for the visitors. Hurzeler’s side were devoid of confidence and form and you wondered whether they were going to be able to even give The Gunners a game in this one.
Most Arsenal fans will disagree but this team is so largely reliant on Odegaard and Saka that you wondered with neither in the starting line-up whether the form guide could be upset in this one. After all, the creativity of the pair had been masking The Gunners lack of a striker for some time now, so much so that their absence is often glaringly noticeable.
The reality is that Arsenal need a new striker as much as Arteta needs a new coat. They continue to play their possession-based passing game but all often there is no output. As Jesus and Havertz like to drop deep to link play, when they get into dangerous areas out wide, there is no one in the penalty area for the wingers to get the ball into.
This is the position Nwaneri found himself in, deputising for the injured Saka on the right. Fortunately, The Seagulls completely switched off at the back. Estupinan was caught out higher up the pitch and as the winger ran down the flank, none of the Brighton centre-backs reacted at all to go and challenge the youngster.
As a result, he was able to cut inside and make a beeline for the goal. He could not believe that no one was closing him down and slotted past Verbruggen to give The Gunners the lead. That said, the keeper should have done a lot better to save the relatively tame shot from the Arsenal man. Not that the visitors were complaining after taking an early lead.
This Arsenal starting line-up really lacked any X-Factor whatsoever. The only time anything seemed like happening in an attacking sense was when Rice was stood readying himself to take a set-piece. For a side that wants to be challenging for major honours, that is simply not good enough and makes you question how Arteta has invested in this squad.
While many will point to the injuries of Saka and Havertz, with Odegaard and Martinelli only being fit enough for the bench, the Spaniard has still spent over £600m. For that kind of outlay, there should be far more depth to The Gunners’ squad. The majority of the bench most football fans would struggle to pick the players out of a police line-up, even if they were wearing Arsenal tops.
As they tried to pass the ball around in defence, the hosts’ press saw them win it back in a dangerous area. O’Reilly had the vision to spot a teammate unmarked and in space in the middle of the goal. As he squared, the shot was sliced well wide of the target, like the player’s legs had instantaneously broken. Then I saw his face and I was a Baleba. Terrible miss.
The visitors forced a corner and Rice swung it into the far post. Like some slapstick comedy sketch Merino, Jesus and Partey all clattered into each other trying to get the ball. The Spaniard managed to make contact with his head but sent it harmlessly over the crossbar, with all three players laying on the floor seemingly injured in the aftermath.
One thing you can always guarantee with Arteta’s side nowadays is that there will always be more play acting than most improv classes. The slightest touch sees them rolling around, looking out of the corner of eye to see if the referee is buying it. Then if not, they are straight to their feet like the grandad from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on finding that gold ticket.
Into the second-half and the visitors won another free-kick. Rice whipped in a low, curling cross in behind the Brighton defence to pick out Merino. He scuffed his shot well wide of the target but it was a massive chance for The Gunners to put this game to bed. You could understand his £31m price tag in the current marketplace after that miss.
Gabriel made a hash of trying to win the ball in the middle of the park and Brighton were away. It was worked into the box to Joao Pedro, whose control flicked the ball up in the air. He headed it forward before ending up in a heap on the floor. The referee seemed to pause for an age, then blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot with everyone baffled.
On seeing the replay, it is clear that as the Brighton player headed the ball forward, Saliba headed Joao Pedro. It was a stonewall penalty, whatever anyone else may tell you to the contrary. Claims were made that the Arsenal defender headed the ball but that was after The Seagulls’ striker and he had also caught the player with his head at this stage.
Joao Pedro stood up and slotted the ball past Raya, sending the keeper the wrong way. It was a well-taken penalty from the Brighton man. With half an hour to play, it was the visitors now chasing the game. Arteta spotted the ‘in emergency please break glass’ sign on the box he keeps Odegaard in and felt it was his time to shine.
However, it was Brighton who looked most likely to score. Minteh cut inside from the right and as Raya came to his near post, he stabbed a ball across the goal. Mitoma was completely unmarked at the back post but could not get anywhere near the pass. The Japanese winger was raging that his teammate had not picked him out.
Neither side could find a winner and the draw seemed like a fair result. Arteta was disgruntled after the game with the penalty decision but it seems like sour grapes now. Depending on your thought process and allegiance will be how you deem it. Despite the decision, this was an evenly contested match with very little to separate the sides, making it seem the right result.
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