Arsenal Player Ratings vs Brighton: Back-to-Back Victories
![Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on December 29, 2020. (Photo by Frank Augstein / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by FRANK AUGSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on December 29, 2020. (Photo by Frank Augstein / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by FRANK AUGSTEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/843cbdaa764e3fccaaed45ec5046dbb18293d9cfe979d60f3bf7b3ffe321aa66.jpg)
Midfielders
Mohamed Elneny (CM) – 4/10 – Ironically, the simplest passes were the ones that Elneny was getting wrong against Brighton. It was more of the same as we saw against Chelsea, only made to look worse given the opposition. While there are still elements of his game he does well, errors are creeping in at an alarming rate.
Emile Smith Rowe (CAM) – 7/10 – Didn’t do anything wrong on the night. Tried to make Arsenal click by drifting into space and his defensive work-rate was impressive. However, he, like so many, had to be braver on the ball, which we saw in the second half as he caused Brighton all sorts of problems. Did his long-term chances in the team no harm.
These last two fixtures will have been real eye-openers for Arteta.
Granit Xhaka (CM) – 5/10 – Didn’t do anything wrong, just didn’t do anything noteworthy either. No progression on the ball, always opting for the sideways or the diagonal. It’s always hard against sides defending in such numbers, yet Xhaka’s inability to impact the game in an offensive sense hamstrung Arsenal for large spells.