Arsenal player ratings vs Brighton: 2-1 defeat dents top four hopes

Arsenal saw their top four ambitions suffer a catastrophic blow on Saturday afternoon as goals from Leandro Trossard and Enock Mwepu secured a 2-1 win for Brighton in the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta’s side were rocked by a pair of damaging injuries in the aftermath of the 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace with Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey both looking as if they would miss the remainder of the season.

That prompted multiple changes in the team with Nuno Tavares dropped and Granit Xhaka slotting into left-back, while Sambi Lokonga came into the midfield in what appeared to be a 4-2-3-1 shape.

The front three remained the same from Selhurst Park with Gabriel Martinelli coming into the team and Emile Smith Rowe picking up a more central No. 8 role.

Arsenal player ratings vs Brighton as Trossard and Mwepu put a huge dent in the Gunners’ top four hopes with 2-1 Premier League defeat

A tame and pedestrian performance from the Gunners saw them struggle to build up the pitch, with that inevitably leading to them trailing after 28 minutes.

Leandro Trossard was found in the box with acres of space and he side-footed an effort beyond Aaron Ramsdale. Arsenal thought they’d got themselves back in the game in the dying embers of the first half, only for a lengthy VAR check to cancel out Gabriel Martinelli’s header.

With Arsenal pushing for an equaliser after the break they were left stunned when a fierce long range effort from Enock Mwepu put the Seagulls two goals up with just over 20 minutes to play.

Martin Odegaard’s deflected long range strike gave Arsenal a glimmer of hope in the final seconds, but it wasn’t to be. Dreams of a top four finish have been dented significantly, if not fatally.

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Aaron Ramsdale (GK) – 6/10 – Had next to nothing to do other than picking the ball out of the net – twice.

Cedric Soares (RB) – 5/10 – Started off at right-back and then moved into a back three after the break, being tasked with the crossing duties, all of which resulted in precious little joy for Arsenal. Was still arguably the best of a bad defensive bunch.

Benjamin White (CB) – 4/10 – Tried to build play but there was nothing giving for him, while at the back he was as guilty as anyone of losing his focus and being too casual.

Gabriel (CB) – 4/10 – Was the player on the ball most for Arsenal but his passing was either sloppy or slow. Posed a threat at set-pieces but was static at the back. So many defensive lapses.

Granit Xhaka (LB) – 4/10 – He is not a left-back. It’s as simple as that. He was caught high up the pitch for Trossard’s goal and the speed of play down that side was sluggish throughout. He’s been hung out to dry there.

Moved into a semi-midfield role after the break and Arsenal garnered more control as a result.

Continued on next page…

Midfielders

Martin Odegaard (CM) – 4/10 – Tried to instigate matters from a slightly deeper position but gave away too many cheap fouls. Nowhere near enough positive influence on the game despite his best efforts.

Scored late on from distance, but it wasn’t enough.

Sambi Lokonga (CM) – 4/10 – He struggled massively in the first half. Sitting in the base of midfield he doesn’t have the ability to turn defence into attack like Partey does and his distribution, both short and long, left plenty to be desired.

Was guilty of some slack moments in possession that put Arsenal under unnecessary pressure, with only the occasional burst forward on the ball with a second half improvement.

Emile Smith Rowe (AM) – 3/10 – Offered nothing in the left No. 8 role in the first half with no forward motions or incision to his play, always receiving with his back to goal.

It was a frighteningly poor showing from him all around, with and without the ball.

Continued on next page…

Forwards

Bukayo Saka (RW) – 4/10 – One of the few players making any inroads in the game and even Saka was guilty of some sloppiness that was characteristic of the entire team’s performance.

His service down the right was minimal at best at it felt a lot of the time like him against Brighton.

Alexandre Lacazette (ST) – 3/10 – Nothing stuck to him, his touch was flimsy, and his movement was non-existent. Arsenal couldn’t build the play in general but they weren’t aided by another ineffective and lifeless display from their No. 9.

Gabriel Martinelli (LW) – 5/10 – Was denied a goal by VAR that was total guesswork, and kept plugging away even when he was moved to a left wing-back role after the break. Tried to force the issue in every way possible but nothing was coming off for him and he was forced to go outside his man too often.

Continued on next page…

Substitutes

Eddie Nketiah – 6/10 – Had some nice moments and touches playing as a shadow striker and cutting in off the left. A strong cameo.

Nicolas Pepe – 4/10 – When faced with as many bodies behind the ball as this there is precious little that Pepe can contribute.

Mikel Arteta – 0/10 – If anyone knows what is was that the manager intended to do, please weigh in.

Having lost his best midfielder he moved his second best midfielder to left-back, a move that didn’t work, and one that he didn’t alter. The system, shape and changes solved nothing. An absolute disaster from Arteta.