Arsenal: 3 positives from 2-1 defeat to Brighton

How dare anyone look at what unfolded at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday and be positive. From near enough every angle it appears as if Arsenal have thrown away the top four within the space of a week.

But we have to be. From the darkness comes a new light. Granted, the positives to take from the game do not mask over the overwhelming negatives, those which will be stewed over for many months, but God loves a trier.

Arsenal were comfortably beaten. This much can’t be argued. One of the worst halves of football the side has produced this season saw them fail to inspire themselves let alone the crowd, with Mikel Arteta’s tactical disasterplan failing to ignite the requisite response to the loss in south London.

Second best to every ball and every duel, this was a side bereft of ideas from the first minute in a system that they struggled to get to grips with – just as they had when it was tried last season.

Arsenal: 3 positives from 2-1 defeat to Brighton as Mikel Arteta oversees Premier League defeat that leave top four hanging by a thread

The ploy of fielding Granit Xhaka at left-back in 2020/21 did work…until it didn’t work. Arteta wants deep progression but it came at the loss of balance and solidity in midfield, resulting in a turgid performance that didn’t kick into life until the 80th minute.

Too little, too late.

It’s a result that leaves hopes of a top four finish in the Premier League hanging by a thread with Spurs finding form at all the wrong times, and fans will struggle to compartmentalise another season where Champions League football was wasted in matches against Brighton and Crystal Palace.

As we said, though, there has to be something even remotely encouraging, right? Let’s try to, anyway.

Eddie Nketiah Once Again Bright

You know you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel when you have to praise the performances of substitutes in matches. Once again, however, just like at Palace, it was someone coming off the bench who stood out.

What Eddie Nketiah produced at Villa Park was embarrassing. His heart wasn’t in it and nor was his head.

Yet, to his credit, both times he’s come off the bench since have been positive cameo outings and his Brighton display was a continuation of what he produced against Palace. While the caveat for both appearances is the game state – in which both opposition teams were happy to defend their leads – Nketiah looked engaged and threatening.

With him operating as a No. 9 there are a lot of data points to fall back on: Nketiah isn’t physical enough to be a centre-forward from the start, nor is he capable with his back to goal. Coming on to act effectively as a shadow striker is a different matter as he can make third man runs and be released from any positional burdne.

He bent his runs well, showed willingness to get into the box both for near post and far post movements, and had that touch of quality when he released the ball to be involved in secondary actions. Were it not for a flying save he could have leveled the scores.

With Lacazette detracting from the team as opposed to adding to it at the moment, while there are legitimate concerns over Nketiah’s capacity to lead the line, he at least offers some goal threat through the middle of the pitch.

His inclusion must be at least considered.

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Midfield Improvement Must Teach Arteta

The manager overthought it. Again.

Having found a system and style that suited his players and produced the highest quality of football from the team throughout his entire tenure to date, he chose to change it. Even if Nuno Tavares isn’t on Kieran Tierney’s level, he opted to deviate from the blueprint the players had warmed to.

Xhaka was shifted to left-back, Smith Rowe became a No. 8, and the huge show of faith in Sambi Lokonga saw him left alone in midfield. If it hasn’t been mentioned enough, it did not work. The Belgian was too timid in possession, shackled with the fear of losing the ball and having the spaces behind him exploited.

But, when Arteta did eventually have a reshuffle and moved Xhaka into midfield, there was an improvement. A fairly noticeable one, too.

Sambi was released. From the first minute in the second half he seemed freer. There were driving runs from midfield that he was afraid to make in the opening 45 minutes on account of the role he was playing. Bringing Xhaka into the fold changed that, and he became more confident on and off the ball both in his pressing and distribution.

Was it enough? No. Obviously not. But what this may hopefully twig in the manager is what he has to go with next. Xhaka at left-back destroys balance and solidity, while it also limits Sambi. Of the numerous lessons to learn from this match, abandoning that shape is one of them.

Hopefully he’s learned. Now that would be a positive.

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Manchester United & West Ham Both Lost

Yes, that is where we are. While we’re not entirely kissing goodbye to top four now, there needs to be some realistic expectations.

It would be nothing short of a disaster if Arsenal don’t at least secure Europa League football. This club can not be involved in the Conference League. It would be unacceptable considering where they got themselves to, whether or not the team suffered critical injuries.

Leaning back on realistic expectations, given how crushing said injuries have been and the respective run-ins for both north London clubs, it’s going to be an almighty ask to finish in the top four. So, consolidating a top six place is paramount.

Therefore, while West Ham and Manchester United weren’t considered of any concern previously, both of them losing on the same weekend Arsenal dropped points is hugely beneficial. Spurs are the (painful) real winners, but Arsenal have to look at the results and be somewhat thankful that it didn’t get even worse than it did. It’s hard to see it that way, admittedly.

Given that the Gunners still have to play both those sides, the pair of them slumping to defeats at the same time has to be seen in a positive light. European football is the absolute minimum for this team.

Heck, we’re trying here, right?