Win Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion 2 - 4 Arsenal | Saturday 31st, December | KO: 17:30 GMT | Sky Sports

Must win game.

Let's be honest, they're a far better side than West Ham. Tactically, they're one of the best team in league. They contract the space on pitch and force you to play on their terms and look to impose their game on you. But we're a much different team to the side that lost to them at the tail end of last season tbf.

Prediction

Brighton 0-1 Arsenal

 

[1macca1]

Gabriel gave a pen away last 2 mins. Luckily the opponent made nothing of it

Luckily the cheat he did the shirt grabbing to had pulled off one of the worst simulations of the year 10 minutes prior and was averse to going down easily again in fear of a second yellow.

 

[Mohamed7]

The subs were absolutely necessary. Hectic features. We play against TOUGH, IN-FORM NUFC team just 72 hours later. Thankfully we scored goals at the right times. One within 65 seconds, another just before HT, 3rd before 60-70 mark. And, the fourth minutes after they scored to kill off any momentum. Saliba is making actual, criminal mistakes in frequently. Need to cut asap.

I can’t freaking believe we only played 16 EPL matches thus far. Feels like 25. City have Chelsea away, United away, some pub EPL team then Sp**s at the Etihad. Must keep this winning momentum and am sure we will extend the lead before playing.

Same time last year, we were in a strong position for UCL but didn’t sign backups to key positions and immediately suffered for it when TP5 and Tierny got injured on the International matches in March and cuased us convertible top four position.
We must a quality DM for Partley. A wide player and a back up CF. Can’t waste another title season because of lack of January transfers.


Happy New Year, fans!!!

 

[Uncle Good-Advice]

Wow. Just wow. Usually I have few takes from every match we play but this time around I was too nervous to watch the game and decided to have a few pints instead. I felt like it was inevitable that we're gonna lose tonight, other contenders lost points so my inner Arsenal fan projected we're going to fall miserably like we did many times before and I was truly resigned to a draw when this Japanese random guy scored their third goal.

But it wasn't meant to be.

This game was like a free hit all over to me, a point would have made me very happy, don't care about performance, subs or whatever. We got all three on board and it's a fantastic feeling right now to be an Arsenal fan. We can lose now twice in a row and still be first. We go for it!

 

[freeglennhelder2]

I think some people need to take a step back and realise how difficult it is to sustain such a high win rate at the very highest level of sport. It is absolutely phenomenal. Brighton are certainly no slouches.

COYG

 

[celestis]

I think some people need to take a step back and realise how difficult it is to sustain such a high win rate at the very highest level of sport. It is absolutely phenomenal. Brighton are certainly no slouches.

COYG

Yeah I like Brighton , greater than the sum of their parts .

 

[CaseUteinberger]

I think some people need to take a step back and realise how difficult it is to sustain such a high win rate at the very highest level of sport. It is absolutely phenomenal. Brighton are certainly no slouches.

COYG

This a good point. The fact that we have won every game bar two this season shows what metal this team is made off. We are not in the position we are due to some fluke or a couple of good results. We have been on a run since match day 1. Yes we have a tough run of fixtures coming but Brighton was one of them and we passed that test with flying colors. Now on to Newcastle at home. They are playing well but trust our boys to continue their winning run!

 

[andeoch1]

I think Newcastle are punching above their weight.we should handle them at home . It’s the following 2 fixtures ( especially S***s) that worry me.

 

[Sniper Mik]

I think Newcastle are punching above their weight.we should handle them at home . It’s the following 2 fixtures ( especially S***s) that worry me.

If we play a full team I'd be a lot more confident. The fact that Saka and Saliba are at a risk of suspension and given our luck, they'd both probably miss the game.

 

[bergholt]

If we play a full team I'd be a lot more confident. The fact that Saka and Saliba are at a risk of suspension and given our luck, they'd both probably miss the game.

Not sure that “given our luck” really makes sense this year. We’ve been very lucky with injuries, refs, timing, etc.

 

[quattro]

The subs at around 60 minutes were reasonable. The fullbacks were replaced with players who were not expected to have a significant drop in quality (ffs, these were our starting fullbacks last season) and Elneny was brought in at about the last 15 minutes just enough to close the game out. Sure they made a game of it given that they are one of the better attacking sides in the league playing at home so it's to be expected they'll create a few. That second goal made things interesting, but Saliba was in the right position for it and would have cleaned that up 9 out of 10 times. Plus we were at least 2 goals ahead the whole time.

It was a low-risk gamble which was worth taking, particularly as we are scheduled to take on teams in close proximity in the table in a matter of days.

 

[DanDare]

Subbing both fullbacks at the same time was a mistake I think. I'm all for Arteta subbing more and earlier but why not sub the players that have been at the world cup like Saka and Martinelli before changing 50% of your back line?

 

[Tourbillion]

I think Newcastle are punching above their weight.we should handle them at home . It’s the following 2 fixtures ( especially S***s) that worry me.

We'll lose against the ****. Embrace that from now and you'll feel calmer.

 

[Tourbillion]

The subs were absolutely necessary. Hectic features. We play against TOUGH, IN-FORM NUFC team just 72 hours later. Thankfully we scored goals at the right times. One within 65 seconds, another just before HT, 3rd before 60-70 mark. And, the fourth minutes after they scored to kill off any momentum. Saliba is making actual, criminal mistakes in frequently. Need to cut asap.

I can’t freaking believe we only played 16 EPL matches thus far. Feels like 25. City have Chelsea away, United away, some pub EPL team then Sp**s at the Etihad. Must keep this winning momentum and am sure we will extend the lead before playing.

Same time last year, we were in a strong position for UCL but didn’t sign backups to key positions and immediately suffered for it when TP5 and Tierny got injured on the International matches in March and cuased us convertible top four position.
We must a quality DM for Partley. A wide player and a back up CF. Can’t waste another title season because of lack of January transfers.


Happy New Year, fans!!!

It is indeed mental that we've only played 16 FFS.

 

[bergholt]

Subbing both fullbacks at the same time was a mistake I think. I'm all for Arteta subbing more and earlier but why not sub the players that have been at the world cup like Saka and Martinelli before changing 50% of your back line?

Zinny clearly not fit enough for 90 min yet

 

[Big Poppa]

Wow. Just wow. Usually I have few takes from every match we play but this time around I was too nervous to watch the game and decided to have a few pints instead. I felt like it was inevitable that we're gonna lose tonight, other contenders lost points so my inner Arsenal fan projected we're going to fall miserably like we did many times before and I was truly resigned to a draw when this Japanese random guy scored their third goal.

But it wasn't meant to be.

This game was like a free hit all over to me, a point would have made me very happy, don't care about performance, subs or whatever. We got all three on board and it's a fantastic feeling right now to be an Arsenal fan. We can lose now twice in a row and still be first. We go for it!

We gotta leave the sandbagging behind in 2022

 

[Big Poppa]

I think Newcastle are punching above their weight.we should handle them at home . It’s the following 2 fixtures ( especially S***s) that worry me.

Do people still believe this?
They only have 5 less points than City over 35 games in 2022 and have an outrageously good defensive record this season - 11 conceded in 17 with 9 clean sheets.

This game will be a huge huge test.

 

[Makingtrax]

Not sure that “given our luck” really makes sense this year. We’ve been very lucky with injuries, refs, timing, etc.

Luckiest year I can ever remember watching Arsenal. Injuries have been pretty good, refs have been kind and we’ve really had the bounce of the ball. 2 ricochets and it fell at Saka’s feet for the first goal. Complete missed kick by Ødegaard that popped up and looped into the goal, gave us a two goal start yesterday. It feels like a Leicester year.

On top of that we’re playing some excellent football and the squad is very rounded, no holes anywhere. 2023 is our year.

 

[avenellroad]

The subs were absolutely necessary. Hectic features. We play against TOUGH, IN-FORM NUFC team just 72 hours later. Thankfully we scored goals at the right times. One within 65 seconds, another just before HT, 3rd before 60-70 mark. And, the fourth minutes after they scored to kill off any momentum. Saliba is making actual, criminal mistakes in frequently. Need to cut asap.

I can’t freaking believe we only played 16 EPL matches thus far. Feels like 25. City have Chelsea away, United away, some pub EPL team then Sp**s at the Etihad. Must keep this winning momentum and am sure we will extend the lead before playing.

Same time last year, we were in a strong position for UCL but didn’t sign backups to key positions and immediately suffered for it when TP5 and Tierny got injured on the International matches in March and cuased us convertible top four position.
We must a quality DM for Partley. A wide player and a back up CF. Can’t waste another title season because of lack of January transfers.


Happy New Year, fans!!!

It’s why it sort of feels like a false position (being 16 games in) whilst by this point of the year usually we will have played around 22 games. We have deserved to be the leaders though.

 

[Chris Red]

Do people still believe this?
They only have 5 less points than City over 35 games in 2022 and have an outrageously good defensive record this season - 11 conceded in 17 with 9 clean sheets.

This game will be a huge huge test.

Yes, I do believe this too. I have not watched them many times but I watched part of their game against Leeds. Wondered why they are third. They did not impress me.

However, it is true that it won't be easy, they defend well, stick together but the offensive content looked quite poor to me. That's why they're punching above their weight.

 

[Tomb Bombadil]

The subs were absolutely necessary. Hectic features. We play against TOUGH, IN-FORM NUFC team just 72 hours later. Thankfully we scored goals at the right times. One within 65 seconds, another just before HT, 3rd before 60-70 mark. And, the fourth minutes after they scored to kill off any momentum. Saliba is making actual, criminal mistakes in frequently. Need to cut asap.

Yes but I would not have subbed both fullbacks at the same time. Could have brought in Tierney for Zinchenko and Viera for Saka. But for my liking he's still not using his subs enough with so many games. But on the other he's winning all the games