Brighton 0-1 Arsenal: 4 Things We Learned From Vital Win

Arsenal battled their way to a 1-0 win Premier League win over Brighton on Tuesday.

After ending a seven-match streak without victory against Chelsea on Boxing Day, it was imperative Arsenal didn’t nullify that win with any shortcomings on Tuesday.

A bright start that involved plenty of interchanging and running off the ball appeared to suggest Mikel Arteta‘s side would steer clear of such a fate. Yet for all the positives from that opening ten minutes, the Seagulls weren’t being tested whatsoever and Arsenal began to drift from the game just as the hosts grew into it.

Graham Potter’s side could, and probably should, have gone into half-time at least one goal to the good, something they would come to rue after the Gunners flew out of the blocks after the break.

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Everything about Arsenal’s play had more urgency about it, with Robert Sánchez finally being tested. Chances came and went without a goal, until Alexandre Lacazette was brought off the bench and finished off Bukayo Saka‘s dizzying run with a composed finish.

Naturally, it was Brighton who saw the lion’s share of possession as the clock ticked down. The Seagulls pushed for an equaliser, but to no avail, as Arsenal secured hugely welcome back-to-back Premier League victories.

Here’s what we learned.

Arsenal Are Still Way Off

Let’s get the negatives out of the way first, shall we?

Following the elation of victory the positives will naturally be highlighted, although no supporter can confidently claim that Arsenal are a good footballing side. Where the team are now is that they can have spells of quality where all elements click into place, they just can’t be sustained.

Arsenal were dire in that first half.

Having looked bright to begin with, the midfield demons that have perennially plagued this side reared their heads once more. There was not one vertical pass from anyone, let alone Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny, as the movement of the forward line faded away with every unseen or unaccounted for run.

After the break the distribution sped up and players had fewer touches on the ball, meaning the forwards had space to attack when found as opposed to bodies in and around them.

That old adage that it’s a reassuring when you can pick up points without playing well rings true here. With every win the confidence will improve and the spells in matches where Arsenal are dangerous will extend – Thomas Partey and new additions will help, too.

Until then, Arsenal can’t get away with playing well for just 20 minutes of matches.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Not Doing Enough

It’s a fine line trying to establish how much slack to cut the captain. Nobody is discrediting what he’s done for this football club as a whole since he’s been here, and nobody will.

However, when you see a 19-year-old Gabriel Martinelli shouting at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to go and press certain players, concerns creep in.

Aubameyang has not given up. He hasn’t settled in to his contract and stopped caring. What can’t be denied though, is that he isn’t doing enough. There was more pressing in the second half and better work off the ball, but it wasn’t ample to warrant praise.

There were points in the first half where he wasn’t receiving the passes he made space for, yet his body language and general demeanour paint the picture of someone less interested than he actually is. That does him no favours.

Whether that is fatigue or otherwise we don’t know, but it’s come to a point where more must be asked of him.

It’s a Shame Pablo Mari Isn’t Right Footed

Two full Premier League outings on the bounce and Pablo Mari has impressed. By no means an elite central defender and among the best in the division, this short spell in the first team has to be praised.

For someone so slow, the aggression he shows off the ball to press those in front is well-calculated. It’s brave, too, since make those mistakes and your lack of pace will catch you out. It’s the sign of intelligent defending.

In the air there are few qualms about his capabilities. His tall frame is a welcome addition in either box, especially since Arsenal recently find themselves clinging on to results in the latter stages of matches.

When Gabriel recovers from COVID-19 and is available to play, he’ll obviously (rightly) take up his usual left centre-back slot. That’s unfortunate as, on this form, a right footed Mari would be a welcome addition alongside him for his decent distribution and effective reading of play.

We’re only two full Premier League matches into seeing Mari play to this standard so there is no telling yet how long it can be maintained, but it’s nice to see solid cover in an area of the pitch for a change.

Yves Bissouma Would Fit Neatly Into This Team

It’s rare that Arsenal will win a match and another player becomes a talking point. However, watching Yves Bissouma shield his back four so elegantly in the first half while equally act as the springboard for Brighton’s forays forward brought about a touch of envy.

Gracious off the ball and brilliantly belligerent on it, he bossed the midfield on Tuesday with the exception of the 20-minute spell after the break where Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe were superb.

While Arsenal were ponderous in central midfield for the majority of the match, the Malian was as composed as he was destructive, adding bite and brains to the Seagulls.

Clubs up and down the country are tracking him and it will be a major surprise to see him stay on the south coast beyond the summer. Improving week upon week, he was the perfect example of exactly what Arsenal don’t have without Partey.

All-action and comfortable in any third of the pitch, his signing would go down a treat in north London. Not the essential target at the moment, sure, but as part of a major squad overhaul, Bissouma has to be on the list of targets.