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Full time: Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Peep peep! Arsenal finish an excellent month [it’s October now you eejit - ed.] with a win that takes them up to fifth. Alexis Sanchez was ridiculously good, particularly in the second half, and Nacho Monreal and Alex Iwobi scored the goals. Brighton showed enough at both ends of the pitch to suggest they have a decent chance of avoiding relegation. Thanks for your company, bye!
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90+2 min Gross tees up Propper, who guides a short just wide from 22 yards.
90 min The board says three.
87 min Another excellent inswinging cross from Gross skims off the head of Mustafi and goes just wide of the far post. Knockaert’s corner is flicked on by Propper and cleared crucially by Bellerin.
85 min Cech comes a long way from goal to punch the ball off the head of Duffy. Arsenal have been under some unexpected pressure in the last few minutes.
84 min Gross puts in an excellent cross in from the left, and Murray gets in front of Mustafi to flash a header into the side netting at the near post. That was a pretty good effort.
83 min Arsenal’s final substitution: Elneny on, Xhaka off.
80 min A fine one-touch move from Arsenal falls down when Walcott misplaces his pass in the area.
76 min Iwobi’s goal ended the contest at a stroke. Since then Brighton have offered little in attack.
76 min A double change for Brighton: Murray and Knockaert replaces Izquierdo and Brown.
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75 min A scurrying surge from Sanchez is ended by a foul from Dunk 25 yards out. He has been so good since half-time. But he’s ot good enough to score the free-kick, which is whipped over the bar.
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72 min Brighton make a change as well, with Schelotto replacing the impressive March.
71 min A couple of Arsenal substitution: Giroud and Walcott replaces Lacazette and the goalscorer Iwobi.
70 min Arsenal in total control now, with Sanchez full of mischief and menace.
67 min Sanchez plays a nice through ball to Lacazette, who is denied by an outstanding recovery tackle from Dunk. He has had a fine game at the back.
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65 min Ryan did actually get a touch on that shot from Sanchez in the 61st minute, though it would still have gone in without Dunk’s touch.
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64 min These days, sports fans are encouraged to learn a minimum of five things from every match. I’m not sure we’ve learned anything from this, but Arsenal’s next five league games should tell us a bit more about their prospects for the season: Watford (A), Everton (A), Swansea (H), Man City (A), Spurs (H).
61 min The brilliant Sanchez has a shot cleared off the line by Dunk. He ran infield from the left at Duffy, beat him with ease and sidefooted the ball across Ryan. It was sneaking in the corner until Dunk appeared from nowhere and deflected it just wide of the post. From the resuling corner, Kolasinac’s towering header is cleared off the line by March. Sanchez has been entirely magnificent since half-time.
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59 min “How many games has Iwobi played?” says Andrew Hurley. “I think his time can still come.”
Yeah, I would argue that better players have had bigger flaws at the age of 21. I think he’s an excellent squad player.
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58 min Sanchez, who was quiet in the first half, has been majestic since the break.
GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Brighton (Iwobi 56)
That’s a lovely goal. Sanchez, surrounded on the edge of the area, backheels the ball ingeniously into space for Iwobi, who drives it high past Ryan.
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55 min Dunk makes an excellent interception on the halfway line, strides forward like Morten Olsen and drives a strong low shot that is well held by Cech down to his right.
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54 min Sanchez’s teasing inswinging cross is headed towards his own goal by the stretching Duffy, who is relieved to see the keeper Ryan claim the ball comfortably. Duffy had to go for it because Ramsey was behind him waiting to score.
53 min A summary of the excitement in the last few minutes:
49 min Sanchez eases a pass into Lacazette, whose snapshot is excellently blocked by Duffy. Lacazette is so sharp around the box. He’s very good at hitting shots before the keeper is ready.
47 min “I’m inclined to agree that for all his talent Iwobi is sorely lacking in end product,” says Matt Loten. “He seems unfortunately to be following a familiar pattern for starlets at Arsenal in the late Wenger years: plenty of chances, flashes of brilliance, but lacking the drive (or managerial guidance) to truly explore the outer reaches of his talent. Possibly Bellerin aside, has there been a young player (bought or Academy-raised) since Fabregas who you could look at and say ‘yes, he pushed himself to be the absolute best player he could be’? Perhaps Wilshere would have without the injuries, but Walcott, Chamberlain, Chambers, Song, Coquelin, Song, and even Aaron Ramsey, you could argue, have burst onto the scene and ultimately fizzled out or stagnated.
Some would argue that Yaya Sanogo fulfilled his potential, though that wouldn’t compromise disprove your argument.
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46 min Peep peep! Brighton begin the second half.
Half-time chit-chat
“On the subject of snappily named back fours, didn’t Charlton once field a defence that read Young-Fish-Costa-Fortune?” writes, er, Panini Cheapstakes. “Also, my own Saturday team could once field Burn, Burn, Birnie and Fry - surely the hottest back line in all football.”
“Celtic’s Weir/Tebily/Scheidt defensive line summed up the John Barnes era,” says Martin McKeefry.
“Can we talk about nominative determinism?” says Ian Copestake. “If so my query is whether the wonderfully named Izquierdo does indeed play on the left?”
When Arsenal of Islington meet Brighton of Brighton, they all play on the left.
Half time: Arsenal 1-0 Brighton
That was an enjoyable half between two neat footballing sides. Monreal scored, Lacazette and March hit the post with storming efforts, and Ryan made an excellent save from Ramsey. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Bong marches forward from the back and slips a ball down the side of the area to Izquierdo, who holds Mustafi off and plays a short pass back to Propper. He doesn’t have much room to work with and his attempted curler flies over the bar.
43 min “Has anyone ever written a sentence where the words “Iwobi shot” and “comfortable save” don’t appear together?” says Martin McKeefry. “Just checking.”
In his defence, he’s 21 years old. I could barely do my tie up at that age.
42 min Cech makes a mess of a corner but gets away with it and Arsenal break in numbers at devastating speed. Bellerin and Kolasinac tee up Ramsey, whose close-range shot is brilliantly saved by Ryan. He was going the wrong way and stuck out his right foot to divert it wide.
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38 min Duffy is booked for a naughty swish at Sanchez, who had turned him superbly.
37 min “There was a period when Swansea had both Angel Rangel and Jazz Richards on their books,” says Matt Dony. “Two of the finest names in the whole league, sharing one position. Brighton might just have them beat, though. Has there been a more satisfying back line than Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong?”
Good call. It sounds like a cryptic itinerary for a stag do.
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36 min Since Arsenal went ahead this has been an enjoyable game, with both sides showing plenty of flair.
35 min A poor header from Mustafi goes to Izquierdo, who makes space for a shot that is well blocked by the charging Holding.
34 min A poor pass from Gross puts Dunk in trouble and he can only divert the ball to Lacazette. He moves towards goal and shoots straight at Ryan from inside the D. He should have done better there.
33 min “I like the idea of an unofficial nicest manager of the year award, but Hodgson has it stitched up,” says Bill Hargreaves. “Rumour has it he does the Santa at the PL managers’ Christmas bash, or was down to until Mourinho got upset and was awarded to role to avoid conflict before the mince pies were out.”
I suspect approximately 100.00 per cent of Liverpool fans would offer an alternative view re: Hodgson’s niceness.
32 min Another team who were superb at punching above the weight - Brian Clough’s late 80s/early 90s Forest side. I think they finished third in the league a couple of times but even when they were mid-table they were the scourge of the bigger teams.
31 min Dunk fouls Lacazette 25 yards from goal. Sanchez or Xhaka? Xhaka or Sanchez? It’s Xhaka, and it hits the wall.
29 min “The gruesome Wimbledon sides of the late 80s/early 90s hovered either side of eighth place in the top flight and could, with the wind behind them (literally as much as metaphorically) dole out some terrible beatings (yep, literally as much as metaphorically),” says Gary Naylor. “I was at Plough Lane to see Everton’s 1987 title-winning team hammered (and I mean hammered) 3-1 by Fash the Bash and his not so Merry Men. Just look at that line-up of steely pros who could all put a foot in - pretty much anywhere on the body too.”
28 min The lively Iwobi goes on a long, meandering run before driving a low shot from the edge of the area that is comfortably saved by Ryan.
25 min Brighton should try this attacking lark more often. They have been superb since going behind, with March causing plenty of problems on the right wing.
23 min March hits the post with a brilliant effort! Brighton worked the free-kick beautifully: March touched it to Stephens, who put his foot on the ball as Gross made a dummy run towards the ball as if to cross into the area. Instead Stephens pushed it square for March to run around the ball and whack a fierce rising drive from 25 yards that flashed past Cech and rattled off the post. The ball rebounded to Dunk, who diverted it wide of an open goal from 10 yards. The ball came to him so quickly that I wouldn’t be too critical.
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22 min Brighton have shown more attacking intent since going behind. Izquierdo drives a fine crossfield pass to Propper, who is bundled over just outside the area by the endearingly oafish Kolasinac. The free-kick is a long way to the right, so you’d expect a cross rather than a shot...
21 min “Coming to you live and direct from the only sports bar in Ubud,” says Robert Petersen. “Some thing that Australians like has just finished, and I’m hoping Mount Agung doesn’t erupt mid-match. Interesting/exciting team selection from Chris Hughton. I’m looking forward to getting a proper look at Izquierdo. Bit concerned about Bong, though. He often looked outclassed in the Championship, so I don’t much fancy him in the Prem. Does Suttner have a knock?”
Nope, he’s on the bench.
19 min March drives a dangerous low cross that is kicked behind by Mustafi. Cech punches the corner away.
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18 min Gross was booked for protesting about the goal.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Brighton (Monreal 17)
Nacho Monreal drives Arsenal into the lead. Brighton are unhappy because they thought Xhaka’s free-kick went out of play before Lacazette headed it back into the area. Replays suggest he just kept it in play, and his header led to a game of pinball in the area. Mustafi had a shot kicked off the line, Bellerin’s follow-up was blocked and finally Monreal scored from 10 yards.
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15 min Brighton will be happy that Arsenal have created no clear chances, although it’ll be hard to defend this deep for 90 minutes.
13 min Sanchez plays a nice little pass into the area for Iwobi, whose low shot is comfortably saved by the sprawling Ryan.
11 min Arsenal have had 77 per cent possesion so far. Brighton’s 4-2-3-1 is, in practice, a 4-5-0-0-1.
7 min Sanchez’s long-range shot is comfortably saved by Ryan.
5 min A half-chance for Brighton. Gross curls in a good free-kick from deep on the left that is helped on by the head of Brown and drifts a few yards wide of the far post. I don’t think he was trying to score so much as help it into a dangerous area. He managed that, but there was nobody following in.
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4 min Arsenal have started with a lot of confidence. Brighton are playing dangerously deep, with nine men behind the ball most of the time.
3 min “A few years ago it seemed that out and out strikers were becoming an anachronism in elite football and the thing to be was some variation on Lionel Messi, Robin van Persie or Thomas Muller,” says Phil Podolsky. “With the likes of Lukaku, Morata and Lacazette, is the tide turning? I mean I’m sure you could cherry pick names to make the case for the opposite trend but I’m not one of those demanding intellectual rigour of football chatter.”
Yes, most tactics are cyclical aren’t they. See also three at the back and two up front. I’ve even heard rumours of an uninverted winger!
2 min Lacazette hits the post with a monstrous strike from 25 yards! The ball sat up perfectly after a return pass from Iwobi, and he sweet-spotted a stunning effort that roared past Ryan and smashed off the face of the post.
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1 min Peep peep! Arsenal kick off from left to right. They are in red; Brighton are in yellow.
The players are on the pitch. Arsene Wenger and Chris Hughton, two outstanding contenders for the unofficial title of Nicest Man in Football, greet each other warmly on the touchline.
An email!
“Arsenal maybe the best sixth-placed team in memory?” says Neill Brown. “I like this kind of idle speculation. Let me ask this: which Premier League team that never finished higher than, let’s say eighth, would ‘on their day’ give any team a proper mauling? For what it’s worth, I think the Di Canio era West Ham could potentially have outclassed the traditional big-hitters on a regular basis.”
They were great fun, a proper On Their Day team. That said – and you have no idea how much I detest myself for this act of pedantry – they did finish higher than eighth in 2001-02 (and 1998-99, pre Di Canio).
The team that comes to mind, though they were just before the Premier League and finished seventh one season, are Chris Nicholl’s Southampton with Shearer, Le Tissier and Rodney Wallace up front. They marmalised the champions Liverpool in 1989, put Man Utd out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford in 1992 and bloodied many other noses.
Any others?
Team news
Arsenal (3-4-2-1) Cech; Holding, Mustafi, Monreal; Bellerin, Ramsey, Xhaka, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Sanchez; Lacazette.
Substitutes: Ospina, Mertesacker, Maitland-Niles, Wilshere, Elneny, Walcott, Giroud.
Brighton (4-2-3-1) Ryan; Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Bong; Stephens, Propper; March, Gross, Izquierdo; Brown.
Substitutes; Krul, Goldson, Schelotto, Suttner, Molumby, Knockaert, Murray.
Referee Kevin Friend.
Preamble
Hello. Football is a peculiar elderly pastime. Take today’s match at the Emirates. Arsenal will probably win, yet they can’t win; Brighton will probably lose, yet they can’t lose.
Whether it’s fair or not, Arsenal’s season will be judged almost entirely on their results away from home and/or against the rest of the Big Six. Whoever finishes bottom of that mini-league will probably be the best sixth-placed team in Premier League history, and Arsenal are favourites to claim that dubious honour. They have responded well to their humiliation at Anfield in August and will expect to continue their superb home form today, yet they know only a draw or defeat will stop the press.
For Brighton, any game away to one of the Big Six is a freebie, in which any points are a bonus. There is, however, one teasing incentive: if they win by two goals, they will go above Arsenal in the league.
Kick off is at midday.
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