Arsenal: 3 lessons learned from Brighton Premier League draw

The draw at Brighton told us that Arsenal is still very much a work in progress. Heading into the south coast clash the club was riding high on the back of a four-game win streak. However, that was ended thanks to a Graham Potter side that is playing incredibly well at the moment.

The first half was almost like the Arsenal of old, looking lackluster, unable to maintain possession, and well beaten across the park, just not on the scoreboard.

In previous years, the Gunners would have been ripped apart defensively and conceded at least one goal (flashbacks of Liverpool putting four past Arsenal in the opening 20 minutes in 2014). But for all of Brighton’s dominance, they couldn’t find a way through a dogged Arsenal rearguard.

It would be fair to say that if the back five who started away at Brentford on the opening day of the Premier League would have featured at the Amex Stadium then the would have been no clean sheet. No chance.

Arsenal: 3 lessons learnt from the 0-0 Premier League draw with Brighton as Mikel Arteta’s side sit four points off the top four

As the international break arrives the Gunners find themselves in 11th place with ten points, four off the lucrative top four places – whether or not that’s a realistic target only the manager will know.

So, what did Arsenal’s draw against Brighton tell us?

1. Defensively, Arsenal Has Improved Out of Sight

Say what you want about the club’s opening three games in which they went winless, conceded nine goals, and scored none, but the fact is, the heart of the defense was missing. Rob Holding, Pablo Mari, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac, and Cedric all played a serious part in those three games and that tells you all you need to know – although Ben White did feature in the opening game away to Brentford.

With Gabriel, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney all starting together, the defense looks like a different beast. After conceding nine goals in three games, with the new-look backline, Arsenal has only conceded once in five games, while scoring eight goals.

They are not the finished product yet, but the early signs look promising and with the ability to play out from the back with Aaron Ramsdale, White, and Gabriel’s ability to launch passes downfield, it gives the side a different dimension.

The Gunners back-four were not at their best against Brighton, but they still managed a clean sheet, despite the home side having 21 shots on goal. However, it is worth noting that of those 21 shots, only two hit the target. Whether that says more about Brighton’s quality of shots or the fact that Arsenal made them take harder shots at goal is up for debate.

It is still a work in progress but this sample of five games gives fans hope that perhaps the Achilles heel of the club is finally showing signs of progress.

2. Arteta’s In-Game Management is a Work in Progress

Knowing how Graham Potter likes to set his team up, how Mikel Arteta was going to counter that in-game was going to be critical. However, Potter got the better of Arteta on the night as Brighton’s press was simply too good. That happens in football.

With Arsenal liking to play out from the back, Brighton’s constant press forced them to go long while making sure there was little to no space in the middle areas. This is exactly what Potter wanted to do and Arteta has no idea how to counter it.

Every time White, Gabriel and Ramsdale looked to play out they were shut down with authority and when the ball was played long, Brighton’s hulking defenders mopped up with aplomb as Arsenal do not have a strong attacker like in the days of Olivier Giroud. There was simply no way through the home side’s press and going the other way, Potter set his team up to exploit the space behind Kieran Tierney as we know he likes to get forward.

Arsenal played into Brighton’s hands.

Arteta was out thought, and it is not the first time. But how he manages in-game decisions is still one of his biggest weaknesses as a manager and, hopefully, it will get better over time.

3. There’s an Overreliance on Thomas Partey

It is quite simple really: when Partey plays well, Arsenal plays well. When he doesn’t, the Gunners struggle. This was the case against Brighton.

Normally always available for a pass coming out of defense, Partey looked a shell of his usual dominant self and looked shaky confidence-wise. In the face of Brighton’s high-intensity pressing, Partey simply couldn’t get a foothold in the game as he usually does and thread those delightful passes into Arsenal’s frontmen.

Arteta needs to find an alternative to Partey when he is not influencing games. His partner in Albert Sambi Lokonga is still a work in progress and has shown potential but it feels like there needs to be a more stable partner for Partey.

Whispering it quietly…..Xhaka.

Despite riding the wave of a four-game win streak, every Arsenal fan knows the team is a work in progress and there are going to be games like against Brighton as the consistency for the team will ebb and flow throughout the season.

There have been superb performances of late, but the scoreless draw to Brighton still shows there is plenty of work to be done but at least there are signs that the team, under Arteta is on the right track.