My thoughts after watching Arsenal’s disastrous defeat at home to Brighton

Here are my thoughts after watching Arsenal’s disastrous defeat at home to Brighton

Managerial Concerns

It appears that Mikel Arteta does not have a great deal of faith in his Arsenal squad as a whole. He seems to be certain about the first XI, but after that, he is not sure or confident that the other players can get the job done. This is likely why he has been reluctant to rotate his squad. Of course, none of us can know this for sure, but it is the impression that I get.

Ramsdale

Aaron Ramsdale is the best shot-stopper in the Premier League, and I would not trade him for anyone else. As time goes on, he will cut out the occasional mistake and go on to become a legend for Arsenal.

Partey

It took me a while to start believing in Thomas Partey, but he did have a fine season until recently. For whatever reason, he has gone back to being a bit ponderous and has generally lost form. I hope that he can regain his form soon, as he is a key player for Arsenal.

Diving

Today’s footballers are great athletes, but they do like to “go down” too easily. For example, Gabriel’s collapse in the recent match was unbelievable. He should have stood up and defended the clear and present danger, but he instead chose to go down and appeal for a foul. This type of behavior is disappointing to see, and it needs to stop.

Everton/City

I am not sure that the Everton/City result had anything to do with Arsenal’s performance against Brighton. Everton are a good team, and they were always going to be a tough test for City. Arsenal should have been prepared for this, and they should not have let the result of the other match affect their performance.

Summer Transfers

The right recruitment during the summer will see Arsenal improve as a squad. Contrary to what some people believe, City are not going to dominate forever. Arsenal need to strengthen their squad in order to challenge for the title.

Osimhen

Even if Napoli were willing to sell Victor Osimhen, he would be too expensive for Arsenal. However, Arsenal do need a proper center-forward. An old-school “killer striker” who can score goals would give Arsenal another dimension and keep opposition defenders guessing. At present, Arsenal have excellent tricky players, but they are all similar in their style of play.

Game Management

Arsenal can improve their game management. There is no shame in playing against City or Liverpool with less than expansive football if it means coming away without losing. Arsenal need to be more pragmatic and learn how to win ugly.