Declan Rice who is sent off after two yellow cards.
The Gunners with a points loss in a 1-1 match against Brighton & Hove Albion where referee Chris Kavanagh is the main focus in a highly questionable decision at the start of the second half. Goal scorer in Arsenal was Kai Havertz.
First half
Arsenal fielded an eleven with the only change to the Aston Villa eleven being Trossard replacing Martinelli. It was the red cannons who started the match intensively with high pressure and a lot of running. Arsenal created chances right from the start where Bukayo Saka was above all responsible for a spirited effort and made it difficult for Brighton’s left back. After a lot of ball possession and some half-chances but after thirty-eight minutes played, Timber clears the ball into the air where Saka wins the aerial duel against Dunk who then frees Havertz who lobs over Brighton’s goalkeeper who is on his way out. A notable incident after that is Declan Rice coming in late on for a sliding tackle that resulted in a yellow card that would then prove prohibitively expensive. In the rest of the first half, Brighton had a few opportunities to go forward, but the Gunners’ stable back line held out and, as usual, were extremely stable.
Second half
In the half-time break, it looks like a match where Arsenal will be in control and be able to play the match easily, but it didn’t turn out that way. Four minutes into the second half after a duel again between Rice and Veltman again Veltman was awarded a free kick, he rolls the ball forward a few meters and then Rice gives a light toe to the ball which causes it to change direction and this thus results in the referee Kavanagh hands out a second slice of cheese to the Englishman and thus the Gunners are one man less in the remaining forty minutes.
After this Brighton dominates the ball line and after nine minutes we see Calafiori who is to be replaced. We got the answer why about 15 seconds later when Brighton manage to hit a ball through Saliba and Gabriel and Minteh in Brighton gets free. The speedy winger gets a shot away that Raya saves but the rebound ends up with Joao Pedro who can easily score 1-1. After that Calafiori comes in making his first competitive game at the Emirates Stadium. A Brighton who is one man more controls the match and Arsenal stand low and defend but Brighton find it difficult to create any really dangerous scoring chances. Arsenal create a few counter attacks including Saka coming very close to scoring after a pass from Havertz. Raya also makes a fine save in this match when Swedish Yasin Ayari shoots at a lying Raya who saves the ball with his lower body.
The match ends 1-1
Notably, Bukayo Saka is the first Arsenal player to assist in the first three games of a season since Thierry Henry.
Also that Declans Rice misses NLD with the two yellow cards.
Summary
The Gunners put up a warrior effort in the second half and it is a very high-quality Brighton who are the opposition. Again, it’s a good defensive effort.
The next round is the NDL and it is a tremendous loss that Rice is suspended.
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Player rating (according to the following scale):
1 = Failed
2 = Approved
3 = Bra
4 = Very good
5 = World class
6 = Henry
David Raya – 3.5
The Spaniard again stands for a good effort with many Finns’ interventions, incredibly sharp at coming out and reading situations in the penalty area. Unfortunately no kept zero today.
Ben White – 2
Ben stands for an approved match today. Not bad, not great either, just does what he’s supposed to.
William Saliba – 3
Hard to think of a bad game Saliba has had at Arsenal. As usual very good. Could have done better with the conceded goal.
Gabriel – 3
The same as for Saliba makes a good game but could have done better with the conceded goal.
Jurrien Tiimber – 2
Glad he’s back playing again. Was a duel in the first half where he was sloppy at a cross where Minteh in Brighton had a good chance. Other than that, I think he handled his inverted role well, but I know there is still a lot to be gained in this guy.
Declan Rice – 1
He had a passable first half but an incredibly stupid one to give the referee the chance to show him a second yellow card.
Thomas Party – 1
Thomas didn’t play his best game today. Loses a lot of duels and bad homework when the target is stuck.
Martin Ödegård – 2
Our captain had moments where he played well in the first half, including as usual a good collaboration with Saka, but in the second half he was very invisible.
Bukayo Saka – 3
Assisted the goal. Created many chances and was good defensively and inches away from making it 2-1 in the second half.
Leandro Trossard – 2
After scoring last weekend, he didn’t follow up to show that he deserves to start. Some sloppy ball drops and also quite invisible. Substitution in the fifty-ninth minute.
Kai Havertz – 3
Goal scorer, good in defense and very mobile. Great match by Kai.
Understudy
Riccardo Calafiori – 2.5
Home debut, won duels and contributed with a stable defensive game.
Gabriel Martinelli – X
Played too short to judge
Oleksandr Zinchenko – X
Played too short to judge
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Melker Blanck2024-08-31 17:24:26
