Arsenal goes up against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium this evening, in hopes of putting an end to our six-game Premier League winless run. Whilst the Seagulls are not doing much better, coming into this game on the back of three straight defeats.
Good day all. Despite not doing very well this season the Gunners are just four points off fifth-placed Wolves. However, we got to pick up the pace before the top-four starts getting to far away from the chasing pack.
Freddie Ljungberg had his first run as Arsenal interim boss at Norwich last Sunday, while we did not play particularly well overall, we came from behind twice for a share the points. Of the issues we struggled with during Unai Emery’s tenure were still there. As we still seem too likely to concede regardless of opposition, as well as the over reliance on Bernd Leno at one end of the pitch and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the other to keep us in the game.
The Swede noted at his pre-match presser that he identified few areas we need to improve on in order to produce better performances to keep hope alive of ending the season in Champions League spots. Of his main concerns were transitions with the defense being left too exposed, flat-footed if we lose the ball. So whilst adjusting he need to ensure the boys stay switched on in order to get wins in our next two games to help ease some of the pressure ahead of the very tricky festive run.
Since winning away at Watford on the opening day Brighton have not win any of their following six games on their travels (D1, L5). So with defeats in their last three games as well as their last four on the road, Graham Potter will be well aware that his side need to end their losing run or risk being dragged into the early relegation scrap; they’re currently hovering just one point above the drop zone.
Potter may feel that this North London trip came at an opportune time to get out of their rut. They also have recent history on their sides, being unbeaten in the last three meetings between these sides (W1, D2). However, his cause for concern will be that his sides defense too are lacking in patches; having conceded at least two goals in five of their away games. Meaning there are vulnerabilities for our attackers to exploit as well.
Team news
Dani Ceballos remain out till at least end of this month, alongside Rob Holding.
Prediction
Having already dropped too many points against sides in the bottom half of the table, this game certainly goes into the “must-win” bracket. Hopefully Freddie’s first game in charge in front of the Emirates faithful will give the Gunners an advantage, but this won’t be a cakewalk though. Given our issues we got to take our chances if we are to get our first win in a very long while.
That said, Arsenal for the win with goals coming at both ends.
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Watch very carefully how well the team perform.
Disregard the score.
If you analyse well then it will indicate if Freddie is capable or not.
There should be some improvement on the aspects he has highlighted.
Otherwise he is like Emery……………full of shit.
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Good review. Have you seen that Simon Jordan bloke having a pop at aftv? Aftv arent my thing too much, but I liked the way Robbie stood up for himself. That Jordan bloke isnt too smart either, considering hes calling everyone out, looks like Fragel and Johnson have him as a sunbeam. Continent cut off by fog my arse.They tools wont be laughing when c h i na rules them (which it mostly does anyway).
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Great preview LG,
The early games of the Freddie era are interesting as well as exciting and I’m looking forward to ARSENAL games again.
We may not have been brilliant against Norwich but the footballing signs were there and the dream of good football weren’t as far away as they have been. It was like we had come out of the fog or something and although I was crapping myself at times I totally enjoyed the game for the first time in ages.
COYG.
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Amazon Prime let’s me turn off the commentators. It’s very nice
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Great energy about the team, lots of hard work. Their reaction to adversity will be telling.
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And now we shall see.
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You knew it was coming Stew!
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wish the crowd would get behind the lads a bit more.
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Come on Fred, sort this Emery hangover out! Need something special for the second half. Didnt react well to the adversity! This is th eonly time I will agree with the Desperate Bicycles: medium is the tedium.
Still in it though.
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I just dont see how it is possible to play against such one sided officiating .
They want us relegated.
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Bob Mac, I think we ought to give the man some time. He does not only have to get them
playing the way he wants but there is going to be a detox period. Emery didn’t even have a preferred 11, no identity at all, that means Arsenal is essentially starting from scratch. These players don’t even know how to play together as yet.
I am obviously seeing this thing totally different. I am going to be patient with this thing. You don’t turn this sort of malaise around overnight.
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phew. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
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Is the ref calling fouls in our favor at all?
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Auba’s passing leaves a lot to be desired…in this match at least.
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one nil down, two one up!
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Miles offside
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It’s beginning to look a lot like Arsenal.
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Good strike all the same.
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bah! foiled again.
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True dat Steww. Have not seen this since the beginning of last season.
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Loving Pepe!
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I’m confused. Why have we gotten so lazy and crap all of a sudden?
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What a shower of shit….
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For two games running we end the game on the back foot. Freddie has to sort that out. Seemed to slow down when we made the subs!?
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No reason to lose this game. The team stopped playing for whatever reason. I still see improvement but we need to continue to be aggressive throughout the 90.
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What has happened to this club?
Could easily soon be in a relegation spot after the Xmas fixtures.
Not sure many managers are going to want this
Shocking season, pretty much the worst I can remember so far
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Make no mistake, this has nothing to do with Freddie. He is trying to fix something that has been happening since Arsene left. I see improvement and I fully support him.
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Sadly, confidence, and the team structure are major issues, no quick fixes
This is not what we lost Highbury, and our greatest manager for
Not Freddie’s fault, but not going to help him.
Cannot see where the next win is coming from, with this defence
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Our attack is really poor. It breaks down so often without a chance being created that the defense keeps getting put under pressure. Defending for the second goal was poor.
I think a front 3 of Auba, Laca, Pepe need to pay closer to the centre. With Ozil behind. One full back at a time attacks while the other tucks in to defend. Ozil and the closest of the 3 forwards can move to the flank to create overloads.
Right now everyone Auba or Pepe got the ball on the flanks they were too far away from the others and with 3 opposition players in between. We are not using the half space in between centre back and full back properly I feel.
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The whole team had shut down when they scored the second goal. We either passed the ball around slowly or tried some silly long pass. We failed to possess the ball with intent and Brighton gained confidence again. Disappointed big time but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We will win sooner than later.
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Xhaka played very well I thought. Ozil needs to get on the ball more.
Luiz let’s attackers turn too easily. Doesn’t put enough close pressure.
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Definitely signs of improvement, shame about the final score. Emery was given 18 months too long and left us so far in the doldrums, I just hope Freddie is given a little time to build some momentum, because to be honest, I don’t relish any of the names being bandied about for the next head coach!
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I know this seems strange but I am still encouraged. Pepe looked more confident the attack is improving and someone has finally had the sense and guts to sit Guendouzi down. We will improve with the players finally getting to know a system and understand each other. Does not mean we don’t have weaknesses but we are starting to form an identity.
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Freddie needs to make that call to Wenger ASAP.
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I think a big problem with our attack is that outside of scoring, Aubameyang in particular and Lacazette to a lesser extent, offer very little in the build up. Neither passes the ball well or assists anyone else. At least the over rated Guendouzi was back on the bench where he belongs. I think if this team can get a little run together, they will start to click
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I don’t think Wenger could turn the crap we witnessed under Emery around over night. It is ya that need patience.
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us
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This team is so wounded, even a new manager bounce can’t fix it.
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Agreed Passenal, Auba (especially) does not pass very well. Another thing is that I expect him to take defenders on way more than he does. He ought to with the speed and skill he has.
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Agreed. Auba and Laca are not really good at passing. Especially Auba. That’s 1 thing I really miss Giroud for. Also we don’t have a player making near post runs for crosses like he did. Becomes easier to defend.
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We did seem to cope a little better on counter attacks considering they had 2 quick forwards. Didn’t defend the crosses well at all today.
Ref gave cards to us very easily I thought. Some decent penalty shouts for shirt pulling in the box.
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I feel if we can get Auba, Laca and Pepe playing together closer to the goal it would be great. No benefit in them receiving the ball on the flanks.
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Best thing about tonight is Stew posting, We’ve got our Positively Arsenal back.
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chkmiaot, I’m with you. With that It’s going to take time for them to gel. I hope Freddie continues with Pepe, I like Willock but I don’t think he is where he needs to be as a player to play in the middle of the park; that’s where Ozil ought to be for me.
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Yes we lost but this game offered more insight to why.
Time to rejig the formation again.
Our centre has been too soft for too long.
4-1-2-3 or 4-1-2-1-2
I say deploy 1 of our 6 CBs (either of Luiz, Chambers, Mustafi) as holding MF to support the CBs & wing backs and allow the attackers concentrate more on their attacking.
This collective attacking and defending is distorting everything.
So a DM with two #8s (Xhaka, Torreira, Guendouzi, Willock, Ceballos) or one #8 + a #10 (Ozil/Ceballos/Xhaka) gives more sturdiness, balance and greater positional efficiency to
all players.
Our CBs get overworked and are not that bad. They’d all look much better with a DM in front of them. Neither Xhaka, Torreira or Guendouzi is a DM. They are out of position too ooften. Since we don’t have an Ndidi, a CB will have to do.
Also, clearly Bellerin is still not at his best but has to play to regain form. The DM coverage would really help him when he overlaps.
Ainsley has also got to be re-integrated into the team for his mobility & positional flexibility.
Pepe too needs consistent game time.
Auba & Laca do not have to start every game together.
Martinelli is the truth offensively and defensively.
Saka is great going forward but is a defensive liability.
Freddie must prioritize the DM position or else!
‘Tis why the great AW was let go.
COYG!!!
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I am tired of seeing so many good players look so ordinary.
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Forget about Champions League, we look like we’re heading for the Championship.
The damage done by Emery may be irreparable in the short term.
Why oh why did they leave it so long to get rid of him
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Scary bit for me is that whoever is to really pick us up has to do it against backdrop of the refereeing situation we have.
Nothing that outrageous tonight, just 3-5 well-judged penalty box offences. They were infringements, but not enough to have me really incensed or convinced it was or had to be a pen. Although the clear push on Laca was pushing his luck from Gross.
But game after game, that, and worse, within a league which contains exact opposite, Liv’s ref situation at moment, and given how far we seem behind on the pure footballing front and now the confidence and form front…yikes, I don’t know how good a coach you’d have to be to do it. The task seems enormous.
It was one thing coping with the shit reffing from the relative strength of a top-four capable team, but from here, climbing back, despite it, when you really are properly down?
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Why did they leave it so long to get shot of Emery, would suggest finances, lack of planning for a replacement, but first and foremost , Raul.
If we really end up in a relegation battle, or anything like ,expect Raul to be collateral damage
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Liverpool’s refereeing is suspicious Rich, as is their ability at intense pressing for 90 mins game after game. One of many things that did us at the end of last season, injuries, and players running out of steam, Liverpool players never run out of steam. Strange, we hired contracts man Huss Fahmy from Team Sky cycling, but it is Liverpool rather than our boys who seem to have the “attributes” of Team Sky
I would put Leicester and to a lesser extent, Tottenham close to Liverpool on favourable decisions.
But as the meme says, VAR…decision….whatever Liverpool want
But yes, any manager coming to Arsenal could be in for a PGMOL shock. And they have their work cut out on other fronts too
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