The Media Review: The talking points from Arsenal

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Nick Szczepanik takes a look at the media's reports from Saturday's game.

2024-09-01T10:00+01:00

Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion 31AUG24 PH.166

Most of the reports of Albion’s 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium focused on the incident that led to the dismissal of Arsenal’s Declan Rice for a second yellow card. But there was also plenty of praise for the visitors’ contribution to an eventful lunchtime encounter.

Sunday Times football correspondent Jonathan Northcroft wrote that “After Rice’s departure, Brighton grabbed hold of the game. Fabian Hurzeler has made them spikier, more rugged, more vertical in their play, and his young team are not flattered by their position in the top two in the table. Pedro, a constant handful, equalised after a brilliant pass from Lewis Dunk.

“With Danny Welbeck dropping deep and Pedro, Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh running beyond him, Brighton’s movement was a challenge to Arsenal’s defenders. And when Dunk saw Minteh charging into a gap between William Saliba and Gabriel, he fed a pass to The Gambia international. Though David Raya parried his shot, Pedro arrived to drive home the equaliser.

"Brighton’s two 20-year-olds in midfield, Baleba and Yasin Ayari, were terrific and Mitoma worried Ben White but Arsenal dug in.”

07 Yasin Ayari gets down the right, as he-s persued by Leandro Trossard

Ed Aarons also pointed out the extreme youth of the Albion engine room in The Observer. “A crestfallen James Milner had to limp off,” he wrote, “and with new central midfield signings Matt O’Riley and Mats Wieffer also on the treatment table, Brighton had to turn to substitute Yasin Ayari to fill the void alongside fellow 20-year-old Carlos Baleba – combined age two years more than Milner.

“The visitors managed to establish their rhythm after the early storm and an attack started by Baleba ended up with Kaoru Mitoma flashing a volley just past the post. Hürzeler’s frustrations boiled over soon after when he was booked for protesting that Rice’s lunge on Veltman should have resulted in a heavier punishment than a yellow card.

“The England midfielder’s afternoon took a dramatic turn for the worse when he was sent off after being shown a second yellow card. The home fans were understandably upset and their mood towards the officials only darkened when Dunk played a straight ball right through the middle of Arsenal’s defence to Yankuba Minteh. His shot was saved but Pedro gobbled up the rebound – the first goal Arsenal have conceded this season.”

Joao celebrates after scoring for the second successive game. 📷Paul Hazlewood.

Describing Albion as “energetic and unorthodox”, Sam Dean of The Sunday Telegraph wrote that “Arsenal’s structure disintegrated in a way that had not been witnessed for some time. In the nine minutes between the red card and Pedro’s goal, Arsenal allowed a total of five shots at their goal. Last week, away to Aston Villa, the home side had only six shots in the whole match.

“It should be said, however, that before the red card, it had not been Arsenal’s most slick performance. Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton team deployed a courageously high defensive line and they largely stopped Arsenal finding their rhythm.

“In Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh, Brighton had three players more than capable of hurting Arsenal’s defence. Pedro, especially, was taking up positions in the final third that presented all sorts of problems for the home side.

“Brighton’s goal was finished by Pedro but was made possible by the eye-watering speed of Minteh, who surged through Arsenal’s defence before firing towards goal. David Raya, Arsenal’s goalkeeper, saved the initial effort but could do nothing about Pedro’s follow-up.”

Yankuba Minteh went close with this first-half header. 📷 Paul Hazlewood

The tabloids also purred their appreciation. Jordan Davies of The Sun on Sunday wrote that “with Brighton taking the game to the wannabe champions of England, Arsenal were struggling to get a grip of this game.

“This Brighton lot are fearless. Kaoru Mitoma nutmegged and zipped past Ben White with a far-post delivery that was met by Yankuba Minteh.”

The Mirror’s Ryan Taylor wrote that “there is no shame in dropping points to Fabian Hurzeler's talented, young, hungry and gutsy side - especially with 10 men.

“They will be in top-six contention this season, there is no doubt about that, as they're quickly maturing into the Premier League's most watchable team.”

In The Mail On Sunday, Oliver Holt wrote that “This was a slip-up [for Arsenal]. Not that Brighton will be a push-over for many teams this season. They were still very much in the game even before Mr Kavanagh’s contentious decision to dismiss Rice, even though they lost their most experienced player, James Milner, to injury.

06 James Milner's afternoon came to a premature end, as he went off with an injury in the first half

“Rice was dismissed, essentially, for delaying the restart of play. By the letter of the law, it was the correct decision by the referee although Arteta would be entirely within his rights to point to a moment in the first half when Joao Pedro kicked the ball away in front of the dug-outs and no action was taken against him.

“There was some irony, then, in the fact that it was Joao Pedro who should bring the scores level eight minutes after Rice’s dismissal, which had changed the mood of the game entirely.

“Dunk redeemed his error for the Arsenal goal by playing Yankuba Minteh through the middle. Minteh evaded the challenge of Gabriel and tried to drill his shot past David Raya. Raya beat it out but it fell to Joao Pedro who tucked it under his body into the net.

“Brighton sensed their opportunity and threatened more and more. The chances came thick and fast now. Substitute Yasin Ayari saw his shot well saved by the legs of Raya as the Brighton midfielder tried to wrong-foot him and, at the other end, Saka raced on to a cross but could only direct his sliding shot straight at Verbruggen.

“Brighton desperately tried to force a winner in the six minutes of added time but Arsenal’s ten men held on admirably.”

Arsenal holding on for a point at home to the Albion? What a time to be a Brighton fan.