Brighton v Arsenal, 5.30 PM on Saturday Oct 2

Klaus

A couple of weeks ago I would have expected this to to be a difficult game, but considering our boost from the NLD win and all of their injuries we should steamroll them:

lorddulaarsenal

Was Welbz hairline always like that?

KingslandBarge

Martial liking, fuller cap

banduan

This was always gonna be tough so the injuries do actually help.

flobaba

If we are going to be the best we have to beat the best! I want their best team. Come on Arsenal.

TambourineMan

No excuses if they have half their squad out and we are only missing Xhaka (who some would argue actually improves us).

Same XI as Spurs with Lokonga in for Xhaka. No Europe really gives us a unique opportunity to field the same XI every week in the league so let's take it. No messing about with rotations.

I'd take a cagey 2-1 win with more glimpses of the type of link up play we saw between Ode, ESR and Saka on Sunday.

ohboy

Very tough game at the AMEX.

Can’t wait to go.

Trossard is the dangerman, we have to keep him quiet. Also Potter has played gross and Curella as wingback which may pose an issue.

With no Bissouma, I’m hoping that we fully dominate the middle of the park.

banduan

single or double pivot is the question now.

I think it's good that Arteta can keep 'em guessing. Not that our play patterns change too much.

Qwiss

Even before the injuries I thought we'd edge this one so with so many for them I expect we'll win handy enough.

Gazza M

hope we win and someone scythes maupay down on principle

Clrnc

We will win. They have half the bloody squad out.

QuincyAbeyie

Yeah, shouldn't be an issue.

lorddulaarsenal

Tricky game.

goon

Brighton never really give us too many problems even at their best anyway, Potter usually goes quite defensive against us. They are pretty good at stifling us though so I'd quite like to see the return of the 4-3-3 for this one to get as much creativity and end product as we can cram in.

banduan

flobaba wrote:
If we are going to be the best we have to beat the best! I want their best team. Come on Arsenal.

we had to play games with first team players out with Covid, I wouldn't give a shit if every team we face from now on have depleted squads.

Anzac

banduan wrote:
we had to play games with first team players out with Covid, I wouldn't give a shit if every team we face from now on have depleted squads.

Agreed.

IIRC we had 4 senior players confirmed the week before the opening game and most were still unavailable v CFC & MC(?). Not sure if anyone else has had the same numbers out in the same sort of hit & there were comments from the club they were surprised the game/s weren't postponed at the time.

flobaba

All teams dealt with covid. If we were hit harder than most, it’s not because we are unlucky, it’s more likely because we, or our players rather, handled themselves and the COVID threat recklessly.

Klaus

I don't think we were hit disproportionally compared to other big city clubs. It's easier to contract covid in London than in Brighton probably, but we're not the only London team.

Clrnc

We weren't even badly hit by covid. That's a weird take tbh

Jed

White to have a stormer against his former club, making them regret selling him for a measly £50m.