Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brighton: Sambi & Partey in 4-2-3-1?

Arsenal are looking to make it five straight wins in all competitions on Saturday as they take the short journey south to the Amex Stadium to face a Brighton side sitting comfortably in sixth place. Here is the predicted lineup.

This is set up to be a tasty tie. Playing on a Saturday but not at the unfortunate 3PM kick-off that supporters will have to get used to this season without European football, under the floodlights this something Arsenal haven’t had as of yet this term: a top half encounter.

Indeed, after beating Tottenham by two clear goals the Gunners now find themselves in the top half of the table for the first time this campaign, a position they can solidify with three precious points.

Boasting his full complement of players previously for the first time since the Ice Age, Mikel Arteta savoured that moment for a full 82 minutes until the seemingly indestructible Granit Xhaka suffered an unfortunate knee injury.

https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/1443531075490357250

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday: Albert Sambi Lokonga & Thomas Partey in the midfield with 4-2-3-1 shape?

A freak accident, his three month absence will be felt.

Although perhaps not here. Given the rest of the squad is in tip top condition the manager can choose which his other four central midfielders should feature. The question isn’t as much which two (we know one for certain) and instead whether he opts for two in the first place.

From disaster comes opportunity and without Xhaka both the 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1 systems can be in operation for this game – and indeed the coming months: does Nicolas Pepe come in to face the side he’s scored three goals in his last two appearances against or will there be a straight swap for Xhaka in the pivot?

All these questions and more will be answered in the usual one-hour meltdown prior to the game starting, although now that period has softened. Fans actually quite like this group of players. How refreshing.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – Has anyone ever won over a set of supporters as quickly as Ramsdale has managed? It’s honestly hard to think of someone who there was such widespread uncertainty over to now fans firmly believing he’s the best in the world.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (RB) – Brighton boast some serious aerial presence on set pieces in both boxes and Tomiyasu is the man above all that Arsenal would trust to handle that threat. Even if he was rubbish at football (which he obviously isn’t) he’d probably come in anyway just for that reason alone.

Ben White (CB) – The player to watch on Saturday. What sort of welcome will he get? Will Neal Maupay look to get under his skin?

Nobody will know this Seagulls team better than White and no team will know White better than the Seagulls. Who was paying the most attention in training?

Gabriel (CB) – With two bossing performances on the trot, the pace of Maupay (he presses more than any other forward in the league (20 per 90 minutes)) and Mac Allister will pose a different challenge for Gabriel this weekend from the physical presences of Kane and Wood previously. His relationship with White continues to grow.

Kieran Tierney (LB) – Has gone about his business in the last three games somewhat routinely. A solid 7/10 guy in recent weeks, he hasn’t been as impactful in the final third as usual with Arsenal striking a finer attacking balance.

So he is definitely scoring against Brighton.

Continued…

Midfielders

Thomas Partey (CM) – Has looked spectacular in midfield since he returned from injury and how worthwhile those 60 minutes he got against AFC Wimbledon proved to be as he completed 90 minutes against Tottenham – Partey did that only ten times in the league last season.

Brighton know he is the man to watch out for and both their strikers on the day can be expected to press him hard at the Amex.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – This is where all the debate is.

It would be a surprise to see Arteta not go like-for-like with Xhaka and Sambi. Having blown Spurs away with the double pivot, and now having Tomiyasu to absolve the midfield of the responsibility of dropping into defence for progression, its time for the Belgian to get a proper run in the team.

Should Sambi get the nod with Partey then it will be their first Premier League start together.

Martin Odegaard (AM) – The glue that holds everything together. Given the goals were shared out among Hale End and Aubameyang against Spurs, the Norwegian flew somewhat under radar.

Still earning deserved praise for his performance, it’s growing increasingly difficult to work out what people don’t see in him.

He’s a gem already at 22 years old and an absolute bargain at £30m.

Continued…

Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – Tiredness? What tiredness? Sure, Saka ended up cramping towards the end of the Tottenham clash but that was down to constant direct running. He may not have covered Tomiyasu as some may have liked but the way he took his goal and set up Smith Rowe’s was not the sign of someone feeling fatigued.

Arteta has rightly been asking for some end product from the star boy and hopefully last weekend was the beginning of it.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (ST) – When was the last time Aubameyang had a game like he did in the derby? Well, in truth, about a week prior since he also ran his socks off against Burnley, pressing and harassing, only he didn’t get a sniff in front of goal.

He looked engaged. There is a battling spirit in him that if he loses will result in the goals drying up. No doubt about that.

Will get to build on that at the Amex.

Emile Smith Rowe (LW) – With the exception of Xhaka, Arteta has his preferred starting lineup. This is it. This is what he wants.

Key to that is the Smith Rowe, who is going to be a superstar. Absolutely no question whatsoever. Already playing at an incredibly high level, if he keeps chipping in with the goals and assists then he is going to be challenging Saka, if not overtaking him, in the running for POTY.

None of which he will be thinking about. Focus will be on what he can deliver and how he delivers it. This is going to be some season for him.