Can The Gunners Rock Brighton?
Sep 30th, 2017 by 'holic
At some point I have probably been critical of people drawing conclusions about who will play in an upcoming fixture based on the training snaps on the club’s official website. However today guess what I found myself doing while Manchester City’s trip to Chelsea was unfolding on my laptop.
Now Arsene has pre-empted the where’s Mesut and Kos queries. More interesting is the possible absence from the session of Skhodran Mustafi. That may be just to give him an extra day of recovery after he played full matches on Monday and Thursday. It does raise the possibility of Rob Holding and Per Mertesacker being asked to play for the second time in under three days alongside Nacho Monreal and in front of Peter Cech.
There is a possibility of something similar in midfield where Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka could be reunited behind either Alex Iwobi, or possibly Jack Wilshere, so impressive against Bate Borisov. Hector Bellerin and Sead Kolasinac should return as wing-backs. That leaves, presumably, Alexis Sanchez to provide real firepower up front with Alexandre Lacazette.
With another interminable international break looming, and Brighton looking weakened up front by the three match ban for Tomer Hemed, the manager may feel he can afford a little rotation as both his league and cup teams appear to be playing with a degree of confidence right now.
What the visitors will bring to the Grove will be a defensive operation martialed by Chris Hughton, who has previous for defeating us with a newly promoted club during his stint at Newcastle. Arsene Wenger conceded pre-match,
“I think it will be difficult to break them down because they are very well organised, they are very disciplined as well. Their team keeps the ball well and from what I’ve seen they have a good technical quality, they try to play everywhere and it is a different challenge for us.”
They had a tough start to life in the top flight with consecutive 2-0 defeats against Manchester City and Leicester before opening their account with a point from a goal-less draw at Watford. They scored their first goals and secured their first win three weeks ago when beating West Brom 3-1 at home. Defeated twice at local rivals Bournemouth in League and EFL Cup, they bounced back last week scoring the only goal of their home match with Newcastle United.
The ‘holic pound
The head is telling me 2-0 after a determined resistance by the Seagulls, but at a best of 11/2 (it is the favourite with the bookies) I am off in hunt of the best value and being led by my heart. 4-1 at 18/1 is too good to ignore and at our fluid best, with a makeshift defence, we are perfectly capable of delivering something in that area.
Travelling From The West Country?
If you are coming to the match from the west by rail do double-check your options before setting off. There isn’t a train from Swindon, nor Bath I believe, which will get you to the capital before kick-off. I’ve booked with National Express coaches which are a little bit more expensive but should get me to the match on time.
As ever, ‘holics, have a good one.
46 Responses to “Can The Gunners Rock Brighton?”
Theo!
racist !
tsicar!
Good luck with Stoptober, cba. Admire you for doing it. Nurse once told me ten day breaks are all you need. I trust nurses! 😉
smoke free dormitory?
nah
I feel a good win coming on after my afl team here Richmond won its first championship in 37 years!
Crown of 100,012 in melbourne
Go the gunners
Only 2-0 Holic?
I think this is a game we can win well especially as most of the team is well rested. I like Ramsey further forward and Jack in midfield and I hope we can put three centre backs together who can do a job, Holding, BFG and Nacho will do for me.
I have not seen us play Brighton at home for years but have happy memories of our clashes with them at Highbury. 4-0 to the boys in red!
Laca’s first hat-trick for us.
Nice preview H. A 12.00 o’clock kick off on a Sunday is absolutely no good to me at all. As a result my tickets are with a regular of this establishment.
It would be great to see LJW get at least some game time. He has a lot of something that many lack. I just hope his glass ankles last the duration.
There should be no excuses in a game like this if we genuinely feel we can do something this season. I know they will be resolute. I know they will be tough. But we should have more than enough.
For those going, enjoy. Here’s to another 3 points.
Right. Need to be off to bed. Off to the Ems just after 9am if I’m to enjoy a pint first. I’ll be in the Tolly if anyone’s around.
Come on you Gunners!
Nice preview Guvna. It’s about time one of your bets came in and 4-1 feels about right if we can hit the ground running. However as ever, and as usually observed by Steve T but not on this occasion, it depends which Arsenal turns up.
Though I would love to see LJW given the opportunity to pull the strings and engineer the plucking of the seagulls, I think the bench is the closest he will get to the match until circa 70 minutes as I do think it is prudent to ease him back in gently. A Lacazette hat-trick would indeed be nice?
Theo who, Holic?
No manager has faced Chris Hughton more times than AW, but Hughton’s teams have won just two of the nine encounters, with one draw and six losses. Norwich in 2012 and Newcastle in 2010 were his two successes, as noted above, and the only games in which we failed to score (both 1-0 defeats).
The last three games between the two managers have seen us score at least three each time, including the most recent one, the 3-2 FA Cup fourth round win in January 2015, so some form for the ‘Holic pound.
Our team that day: Szczesny, Chambers, Koscielny, Montreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Walcott, Ramsey, Rosicky, Oil, Giroud.
I won’t mention that Theo scored after 2 minutes because it will only reopen that particular can of worms…
Don’t think one has come in yet bath, after a couple of profitable years. Hence why I am looking for something more fanciful to get us underway. Smaller stake this week. 🙂
Nice preview as ever, Holic.
4-1 would be lovely – plenty of goals for one daughter and me to enjoy.
Can’t keep away you see. Having loaned my own ticket out for this season, I couldn’t resist the chance of two together for this one.
Actually from a regular of this establishment … ?
Come on you Reds !
If we score 6 we could end up 4th. I just can’t see AW’s elect scoring that many. And I daren’t mention who might against what should be very vulnerable opponents.
In any case, as previously stated, my preferred front 3 currently would be Alexis, OG and L’Exocet. For this game I’d like to see Rambo behind them, with Kalashnikov alongside Xhaka, leaving a back 4 of Hector, Per, Must and Nacho. Not going to happen of course.
How come we are playing at 6am boss, or is that just me?
Thanks for the preview Guvnor.
Team looks about right.
3 points and a break looks about
right too.
Just you, bt8. As far as I’m concerned it will be midnight. So early to bed with coffee, a bottle of Delamain Vesper and large packet of cheese and onion chips … settle in, enjoy an easy victory, switch off, turn over and enjoy the sleep of the just.
A civilized 8pm start in Japan.
Mugi shochu and sembe on the
sofa for me.
Mugi shochu and sembe? Are they a female double act perchance? 😮 Or beer and crackers? 😀
Random fact about muni shochu is that under Japanese law its colour must be 90% lighter than whisky.
…about mugi shochu…
Didn’t know that Ned, there are
some odd local laws though. That
one certainly isn’t followed.
A female double act while
watching The Arsenal the
football is a cracking idea –
now to persuade the wife.
Beer and crackers was close!
Cheap barley grain alcohol
(around 20%) and a
biscuity/cracker type snack
to soak up the booze 🙂
It’s turning into Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares in here …….
National Express? Luxury! Enjoy your day, Holic. 4-1 has a very nice ring to it.
Team news in….
Iwobi made it, Kos didn’t.
Mus, Holding and Nacho at
the back. Usual MF.
Alexis, Laca, Iwobi up front.
Glad that Rob had got the shout
ahead of Mert. Makes sense for
the future to show some faith
now. Hope he gets back to form.
Chance for Iwobi too, hope he
knocks a couple in.
COYGs!!
I think my local team can play faster than this…slow pressing,even slower build up…
I think Jack can make a difference to up the tempo in the midfield…
All very lacklustre and a bit too pedestrian. We look sloppy at the back and are not clinical enough up top. 1 nil should really be 3.
Time to sharpen things up second half.
2 nil up. At home to Brighton. 7 minutes to go. Brings on Elneny.
Our lack of ambition at times is staggering.
10 minutes to see out the win.
Good enough so far, not clinical
as Steve said but let’s take the
3 points and keep the sheets
clean.
Oh dear, just read @30.
My own lack of ambition too
Matt. My point is that the one midfield player that we have with any degree of creativity is Jack. We are now heading into an international break. Surely if he’s fit enough to be on the bench he can still lay 10 mins at the end?????
I don’t think he’s good enough for Arsene…?
Steve,
Yes, especially as Elneny played the
previous 2 games.
Apart from the Alexis touch we
were mostly workmanlike again
today.
Oh, and I just realized the Guv
talked himself out of a winning
11/2 shot.
Should have bet with my head. ?
Matt
Did you see how surprised Iwobi looked at the back heel? Great finish but for that split second, they weren’t on the same planet.
Schoolboy error H. Should know better at your age.
?
Steve,
Hahaha, yes I did. Lucky for
him the Brighton defence were
even more surprised.
Speaking to BBC Sport about Alexis Sanchez’s back-heel pass for his goal, Iwobi said:
“It was a great team play. I didn’t think Alexis would find me but it shows the skill he has.
“He is capable of doing anything. To have eyes in the back of his head and back-heel to me was amazing.”
—————
Pay him what he wants.
2-0 prediction posted online but not backed at the bookie. Cracks of confusion starting to show. 😉
Easy win but Brighton like Bournemouth are not a good measure of our progress. We did the necessary and that is all we can do but it’s rinse and repeat , the steadying of the ship after being stuffed. The impressive result and performance was at Chelsea. Otherwise we’ve played knock- off teams since Anfield.
Big concern today is that we were too open when they counter- attacked us. Xhaka increasingly fails to impress me and Ramsey likes to drive forward too far. We need to get a Wanyama type alongside Jack and give Ramsey licence to roam. Laca let me down with my hat- truck prediction but I like him
Today I liked Nacho, Kalashnikov, and Sanchez particularly and Holding didn’t do badly but Brighton aren’t much of a team. Still not reassured about the future. We are good but not contenders
I have to say I don’t like 12 noon kick offs. Too damn early and everyone nursing Saturday night hangovers.
The game was actually a dull and fairly boring routine 2-0 win! There’s a rarity!
Bit of a shame that Laca’s rocket didn’t go in in the third minute but we really were good value for this 2-0. Sanchez had his best game of the season – really unlucky not to score and the backheel to play in Iwobi was sublime. Iwobi buried it which was good to see.
Why isn’t Laca playing 90 mins? Don’t quite get it.
Probably wise not to risk Jack but i’m looking forward to seeing him back after the break.
The Brighton fans were brilliant – took their full allocation and were singing right to the end. Excluding Cologne, best away fans this season.
So after doom and gloom in August and having played Stoke, Liverpool and Chelsea away we’re on the same number of points as Chelsea, one point behind Spurs and either a point ahead or a point behind of Liverpool (as I write it’s 1-1 at SJP with 30 mins to go).
Finished 1-1 so we are a point clear of Liverpool.
Despite everything we’re actually in the mix for CL places.
Don’t worry everyone, we’ll cock it up around November or January and return to our reliable frustrating worst.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>