The Media Review: Albion take deserved point against Gunners

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Nick Szczepanik

2025-01-05T10:30+00:00

Georginio enjoys the celebrations after Joao Pedro's equaliser. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Sometimes you can read a newspaper report of a match you have watched and wonder whether the writer was at the same game. But the contributors to Sunday’s papers were unanimous in getting it right: Albion roared back after an underwhelming first half to grab a deserved point that could have been three.

Admittedly, most of those verdicts were delivered after a consideration of the significance of two dropped points for Arsenal, but that reflects the reality of the Premier League table.

In The Sunday Telegraph, for example, Sam Dean wrote, “Leading at the break, Arsenal were unable to handle Brighton’s change of gears, as Fabian Hürzeler’s side created a more chaotic game that suited them best.

“The best attacker on the pitch was not an Arsenal player, but Brighton’s João Pedro. The Brazilian won a controversial penalty – an incident described by Arteta as unlike anything he has ever seen – and scored it himself. He also ran tirelessly with and without the ball, driving Brighton forward as their leader.

“For much of the second half, it felt like Brighton – who had far more attacking options on their bench, and were powered by the brilliant Carlos Baleba – were the more likely team to win it. Ultimately, Arsenal had their complaints about the penalty decision but they could have none about the result. Here, Arsenal fell way short.”

Joao Pedro notched his sixth goal of the season. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Amex regular Ed Aarons wrote in The Observer that, “despite extending their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches, Arsenal have become too reliant on their prowess from set pieces and were hanging on at the end in the face of concerted Brighton pressure.

“Brighton – who were without their captain, Lewis Dunk, due to a calf strain – have still lost only once here this season but their home form has been patchy to say the least, with Hürzeler saying this week he understands supporters’ frustration at recent results. But he was understandably pleased with the way his side responded to going behind, although there have to be question marks over his decision to leave Kaoru Mitoma on the bench until the second half.

“Hürzeler turned to record signing Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh in an attempt to lift his side. Minteh was inches away from finding Mitoma at the back post after a lightning quick break that must have had Arteta fearing the worst. But even though his defence stood firm in the end, this was another reality check for the Arsenal manager.”

A far lesser-spotted visitor to these parts, Miguel Delaney of The Independent, thought that, “Brighton’s attacking meant they were decent value for the point, leaving aside the debate about the penalty. They created enough, and caused more scares for Arsenal than David Raya’s defence are used to. The ball dangerously flashed across the Spanish goalkeeper’s box a number of times. All of Brajan Gruda, Matt O’Riley, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh could have scored.

“The manner of Nwaneri’s goal, where Brighton’s defence looked like it was being held together by two players, is a criticism that has been said of Hurzeler’s Brighton a lot, but more should perhaps be made about how his team regularly adapt to it.

“It was like this in the 2-1 win over Manchester City, which Hurzeler did discuss after the match. They really raised it, admirably upping the intensity. And that without Kaoru Mitoma, who could afford to be rested given the attacking strength in depth. It was striking that Brighton’s attacking options on the bench looked far more numerous, and varied.”

In The Mail on Sunday, Riath al-Samarrai went into more detail on Albion’s plan to counteract Arsenal’s much-heralded corner kicks.

“Interestingly, Brighton followed the example set by Monaco of leaving three men near halfway, forcing Arteta to forego a swamping of the area,” he wrote.

“Deterrent or not, Arsenal found no way through – Nwaneri hit the near post direct from one delivery, was booked for dallying too long on his next, and in between a Rice corner triggered a three-way collision between Jesus, Merino and Thomas Partey. They’ve had better days.

“For the second half, Hurzeler brought on Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh for Matt O'Riley and Brajan Gruda. With the extra impetus, they were the better side long before the penalty that changed the score.

“It was Brighton who then came closest to winning, with Minteh getting away from Riccardo Calafiori and blazing inwards on the precise path to goal taken by Nwaneri. Picking the same spot, he was a fraction wide of landing the heist. Moments later, Yasin Ayari skidded a free-kick a touch outside the opposite post, before Arsenal had two last spins in the game of set-piece roulette.”

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Albion were awarded a first penalty of the season, and Joao Pedro took full advantage and slotted home to earn a valuable point against second placed Arsenal at the American Express Stadium on a wintery evening. Club photographers Paul Hazlewood and James Boardman were on the touchline to capture all the action.

In The Sun on Sunday, Jordan Davies noted that “Brighton continue to reign as kings of level-pegging – winless now in their last eight Prem games but in six of them they have won a point, with 10 draws in total this term.

“With the game turning gritty, Arsenal turned to their corner prowess, but their opponents had done their homework. It was from a corner that young Nwaneri picked up a yellow card for time-wasting, the dark arts not going unpunished this time.

“A messy performance bit [Arsenal] on the backside in the 59th minute as Saliba’s head made contact with that of Joao Pedro. Anthony Taylor took a long look at it before pointing to the spot. VAR deemed “sufficient contact” had been made. Arteta disagreed. Either way, it resulted in Pedro sending Raya the wrong way in front of a jubilant home support.

“Desperation crept in. Odegaard was flung on to seize the moment, no matter how worse for wear he felt, but it was Brighton pushing with intent, as if they were the ones chasing the title.”