Arsenal 2-0 Brighton: Gunners too good for tired Albion
How were you feeling before Arsenal 2-0 Brighton? I was still knackered from the euphoria of beating Marseille on Thursday night and all I had done was sink nine pints, not play a must-win game of Europa League football.
If simply watching (and drinking) can take so much out of a human, spare a thought for those who were on the pitch. No wonder the Albion looked tired at the Emirates Stadium. No wonder they were outclassed by the Premier League table toppers.
The 2023-24 season was always going to be one of trade offs for the Seagulls because of the additional workload added by Europe. Losing 2-0 at Arsenal is a price worth paying for winning against Marseille – and it will become even more so should Brighton return from Crystal Palace with all three points.
Roberto De Zerbi and Lewis Dunk both had words of praise for the Gunners. De Zerbi called them the best team in the Premier League. Dunk said that nobody had nullified the way Brighton play under De Zerbi as effectively as Arsenal.
All of which is why Albion fans should not be too downhearted by Arsenal 2-0 Brighton. Not only were circumstances against the Seagulls, but they were up against a better team.
No harm in admitting that and no need to dwell on the result. Instead, move on quickly to a more important game against that lot up the road on Thursday night.
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton was the first time the Albion had failed to score in 32 league matches, ending a much-heralded club record streak.
Chances were few and far between for the visitors. Jack Hinshelwood had Brighton’s only effort on target with a second half header dealt with by David Raya.
Pascal Gross should have scored what would have been an equalising goal with eight minutes to play but he could only put Kaoru Mitoma’s cross into the side netting.
That was it really in terms of Albion opportunities, an uncharacteristically dull performance going forward – especially in the first half
Less mentioned than Brighton’s run of scoring in 32 consecutive Premier League outings is that the Albion have now also set a new club record for longest sequence without a clean sheet.
21 games have passed since Jason Steele recorded the Albion’s most recent shutout, ironically in the 3-0 win against Arsenal at the Emirates back in May.
The two goals Bart Verbruggen conceded on this occasion could in truth have been many more. Verbruggen made several important saves as he returned to the starting XI at the expense of Jason Steele. Yes, De Zerbi is still rotating his goalkeepers.
Lewis Dunk seemed to stop wave after wave of Arsenal attacks almost single-handedly. Along with a trademark casual chest back to Verbruggen, Dunk’s highlight reel consisted of a block from Martin Odegaard and a superb clearance off the line after ex-Albion defender Ben White glanced a corner towards goal.
Jan Paul van Hecke was equally formidable for the most part. He also denied the impressive Odegaard with a last ditch tackle when the Gunners captain seemed certain to tap in a Bukayo Saka cross.
Most of the chances Arsenal created in the first half came down Saka’s right hand side, an entirely predictable outcome when De Zerbi opted to put 37-year-old James Milner up against one of the quickest, dangerous wingers in the Premier League.
To be fair to Milner, he coped much better with Saka than he had Jeremy Doku when Brighton lost away at Manchester City in October.
For all the Gunners’ dominance, it was an early Christmas gift from Brighton which gave the hosts the lead. Verbruggen got in a bit of a mess playing out from the back, causing Van Hecke to make that aforementioned challenge on Odegaard.
Gabriel Martinelli swung over the resulting corner and with the Albion’s marking absolutely all over the place, Gabriel Jesus headed home at the back post.
It is maddening that Brighton have a presumably well-paid set piece coach and yet they cannot defend corners with any sort of conviction, nor do they ever look threatening at the other end of the pitch.
As for the second goal, the Albion were caught on the break by a quick counter attack led by Martinelli. The Brazilian slipped in Kai Havertz, who clinically beat Verbruggen whilst Dunk and Van Hecke appealed for offside.
And that was that. Who knows if things would have taken a different turn had Gross not been uncharacteristically wasteful six minutes before Havertz wrapped up the three points.
But if Gross had equalised and the complexion of the game changed so Arsenal do not add their second, then it would have been an underserved point for the Albion.
Instead, let’s go and get three deserved points on Thursday night.
