Arsenal: Where Arteta was beaten tactically against Potter’s Brighton

Arteta Didn’t Manage to Bypass the Press

Whenever the ball found its way to one of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, something felt like it could happen for Arsenal. They were the two who could ride challenges, burst beyond a player and make use of the space in front of them.

Neither were electric on a tough night for all, but if Arsenal were going to progress the ball, be it at feet or be moving it on, it was likely to come from them.

Due to the brilliantly organised press that Potter implemented, those in midfield and defence struggled to move Arsenal up the field. What needed to happen was the likes of Martin Odegaard, Saka and Smith Rowe collecting possession deeper. The best resistors of press in the team had to be involved more in the first and second phases to give Arteta’s side some impetus.

It didn’t happen.

But, where there is real sympathy for Arteta was that individually Arsenal were not great. At all. Odegaard had an uncharacteristically sloppy evening where when he was found in between the lines his touch was so off, with Partey behind him looking like a shadow of his usual self.

Equally, Saka struggled with the physicality and every single pass into Aubameyang ballooned off him like the was a trampoline. Just like in the away game at Burnley, it fell on the players not to make the most of the chances.

So there is mitigation for the manager. Yet given how poor Odegaard’s touch was under pressure, even moving him deeper to collect and bypass the press would have been a wiser call, and one approach that came too late with the introductions of Lacazette and Pepe with Smith Rowe moving central.

Therefore to leave without losing in an evening for precious little came off for Arsenal has to be seen as a positive. Premier League lessons to be learned, and all that.