Arsenal vs Brighton: Yves Bissouma shines in Emirates audition

With the final whistle against Brighton, Arsenal and their miserable Premier League season came to a close. This campaign was marred by the effects of the pandemic, an underperforming squad and disappointment both domestically and in Europe. While fans and those at the club alike will be looking to put this past year behind them, the future holds numerous questions.

Will the Kroenkes sell the club? Will they stay and back the manager? What players will Mikel Arteta and Edu be looking to sign? The answers to these questions will arrive over the next few months. The latter, however, is one that fans are constantly wondering about. One name that has been linked consistently is Yves Bissouma.

While the plaudits will (rightfully) go to Nicolas Pepe for his brace, Bissouma’s audition for a potential summer move was excellent.

He showcased everything that he has to offer, as he has done throughout this Premier League season. A few impressive long balls coupled with his intelligence in defense illustrated why he has been linked to the club so often: Bissouma has an incredible knack for sniffing out danger. After doing so, he possesses the judgment on how and when to win the ball back.

Arsenal vs Brighton: Yves Bissouma shines in Emirates audition as Mikel Arteta is linked with summer transfer move for Malian

Rash tackles and cheap fouls were nowhere to be seen from the midfielder. His calmness in the middle of the park was invigorating. A small subtle deflection here, scooping up a loose ball there. While his passing and dribbling is less adventurous than might be desired for a goal-shy Arsenal midfield, that can be attributed more to the team he plays for and the style they espouse. It is unreasonable to expect Bissouma to charge forward, slalom between Arsenal’s players and score from 30 yards when down by two goals.

There is no question about Bissouma’s quality. The question, rather, is about Arteta. How does the Spaniard want to build his team? While Bissouma impressed for Brighton, Arsenal’s own midfield was no slouch either. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey dovetailed beautifully, with the Swiss’ presence contributing a solid foundation for the rest of the team to flourish. Partey will be here for the long term but the profile of his partner remains to be seen.

Seeing the combination of energy and exuberance from Partey with a more reserved midfielder pulling the strings from deep is certainly attractive. The Ghanaian’s shortcomings on the ball are offset by someone who possesses a wide array of passes and is comfortable on the ball. Bissouma, however, does not fit this profile. The Malian midfielder is quite similar to Partey and there are doubts over whether he would complement the former Atletico Madrid man to boost the performance of the midfield.

Only Arteta knows how he sees this midfield. But should Bissouma want a move, he could do nothing more to impress Arteta on his Emirates audition. Nicolas Pepe even gave him a tour of the stadium post-match. How kind.