Tactical analysis: Arsenal to go 4-2-3-1 against Brighton?

Arsenal might just be playing Brighton at the perfect time, which is strange to declare given they currently sit four places further up in the table a boast a four point advantage over Saturday’s visitors.

They’re also having to deal with a few unwanted injuries. Yves Bissouma is the standout name and while there is still a chance he could be fit in time for the Amex Stadium meeting he isn’t expected to be in his finest fettle if so.

For all those endeared by numbers, the Seagulls are also having something of a reverse season: they’re outperforming their xG more than any other side in the division whereas last term they massively underperformed based on their metrics; xG always catches up you at some point.

Equally, Arsenal are on something of a high as they head into this one with their tails up after one of the best performances seen during Mikel Arteta’s reign against Tottenham. There are reasons to be confident.

Tactical analysis: Should Arsenal go with a 4-2-3-1 formation against Brighton with Albert Sambi Lokonga and Thomas Partey in the pivot?

Granit Xhaka’s long-term injury has already disrupted that positivity after it was confirmed the midfielder, who would doubtlessly have started this match, was ruled out for three months with injury. It’s an unwelcome blow. Granted, while it would have been nice for him to be succeeded in this team at some stage, preferably that would have been on merit and not at the cost of losing a key member of the personnel for such a long period of time.

It nonetheless presents a huge opportunity for others to step up. Just as it opens the door for Arteta to revert to the single pivot system he’s utilised already with Thomas Partey at the base of midfield.

Against Brighton one of the 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 formations will be in use, the latter almost certainly to include Albert Sambi Lokonga in the double pivot.

Should how Graham Potter sets up his side have an impact on what system Arteta opts for? If it were Chelsea up away from home then most would be screaming for Arsenal to match their shape and find ways to nullify the 3-4-3 with a midfield box and bombing wing-backs.

Is that the way to go? No, it isn’t.

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Brighton’s Tactical Approach Shouldn’t Move Arsenal Away From 4-2-3-1

What Potter has implemented on the south coast is a tactically fluid side. One that operates with wing-backs and morphs into various shapes pressing regimes dependent on whether they’re in attacking or defending transition, with wide overloads and an increased emphasis on a possession-based style.

It’s an approach that is only just now starting to bear fruit even if the underlying metrics of their season would paint a different picture.

Whether gaining results or not, there is one hallmark of their approach that remains throughout: compactness. The shape is tight with the gaps between the lines never too vast, and when pressing in the opposition half they do so as a unit – often with a central diamond – to prevent being played through in the middle of the pitch.

And, even when relinquishing possession unwillingly, they’ll drop into a back five and keep distances short and primed to break out.

Looking to keep it tight in those areas shouldn’t deter Arteta form maintaining a double pivot and bringing Sambi in for Xhaka. It’s an area of the pitch that can’t be overrun and while there will be Premier League fixtures to play slightly more expansive, this isn’t one of them. Whether Bissouma plays or not they will keep a destroyer-type operator in the deepest slot and the way they push up in unison makes them poised for high turnovers.

Arsenal need to set their own traps and to utilise the high technical quality and clever movements of Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe to play through the Seagulls. Despite the different fortunes this season, Arsenal have talent to trust and so long as there is a steady foundation in midfield with two players capable of progressing the ball centrally and diagonally with both inviting and bypassing pressure then there is more than enough in this team to claim three points.

Stretching the pitch as Aubameyang did against Tottenham and constantly having aggressive wide options either side with Odegaard holding it all together centrally, continuity of selection with options always available to a pivot that has to be press resistance is where Arsenal will find success.

Arsenal should be confident, even if this can be deemed as snobbery. It isn’t that. Arsenal are still miles off. But, this is a team with the tools to hurt a strong Seagulls side.