The Media Review: Arsenal

A full house, a potentially great come-back thwarted by a VAR decision, a first league goal from a promising teenage striker – yes, Albion finished 2022 with a home defeat, but there was plenty to enjoy in the New Year’s Eve match against Arsenal.

It was, of course, no surprise that most of the headlines and the plaudits went to the table-topping Gunners. Or that most writers concentrated on their early dominance in a 4-2 away win.

But as Sam Dean admitted in The Sunday Telegraph, “this is not to say that everything went Arsenal’s way. Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton are a complicated opponent, capable of rattling any team, and Arsenal had to survive extended spells of difficulty. The visitors conceded twice in the second half and were grateful for a marginal offside call that denied Kaoru Mitoma another goal towards the end.

“Throughout the game, Mitoma was the biggest threat for Brighton. On another day, perhaps against another opponent, the night would have belonged to him. 

“For De Zerbi, the greatest frustration was his side’s inability to remain calm in the opening moments of both halves. Saka scored after just two minutes, converting coolly after Martinelli’s shot had spun into his path. Later, just a few seconds after the break, Nketiah prodded home Arsenal’s third.

“Even at that stage, with Arsenal leading by three goals and seemingly cruising towards another three points, Arteta was not satisfied. At one point he saw something he did not like, somewhere in his team, and he screamed towards the dugout in rage.

“No amount of control in the game will make the Spaniard overlook the little details, and he knew the evening was not over. He was right, too. Mitoma converted a tidy pass from Pascal Gross to re-energise the home crowd, before Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson capitalised on an error by William Saliba.”

Adrian Kajumba of The Mail On Sunday was one of the few to point out that Albion had been at a disadvantage before a ball was kicked, writing of “a Brig hton side missing four players from the spine of their side in Adam Webster, Moises Caicedo, World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Danny Welbeck.

“Given the opportunity presented to Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table, by City and Newcastle dropping points at home, it was an impressive immediate response in the first hour or so. Admittedly a more uncomfortable last half hour than manager Mikel Arteta would have liked followed but, ultimately, so too did three crucial points.

“Centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba both had chances to make it 4-0 but Arsenal found themselves pegged back when Kaoru Mitoma swept Pascal Gross’s clever pass beyond Ramsdale.

“Brighton’s tails were up thanks to that goal and Roberto De Zerbi’s attacking changes. One of them, Jeremy Sarmiento, got to the byline and fired in a cross that was agonisingly just too far ahead of any of his teammates.

“Seconds later, the ball was in Brighton’s net again. Still though, Brighton refused to go away, summed up by another substitute, teenage striker Evan Ferguson who pressured Saliba into a mistake from Dunk’s through ball and slipped in his first ever Premier League goal.

“Mitoma had a second goal ruled out for the tightest of offsides, Dunk headed over and Ferguson’s low shot was gratefully pounced on by Ramsdale.”

According to Mark Irwin in The Sun On Sunday, Arsenal established “such a stranglehold that even a team as easy on the eye as Brighton were made to look positively pedestrian for much of this match.

“They thought they were back in business when Pascal Gross’ 65th minute reverse pass freed Kaoru Mitoma to reduce the deficit with a precise shot into the bottom corner.

“But any thoughts of a comeback were ended six minutes later when Odegaard’s magnificent first time pass sent Martinelli haring away from Lamptey to restore the visitors’ three-goal lead.

“And though teenage sub Evan Ferguson was able to capitalise on William Saliba’s poor control to net his first Premier League goal, it wasn’t enough to prevent their opponents from disappearing into the distance.

“Mind you it might have been a lot tighter had Mitoma’s 89th minute shot through the legs of Granit Xhaka not been ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside.”

His stablemate James Gheerbrant was more appreciative of Albion efforts in The Sunday Times, writing that “Arsenal replaced their full backs and Brighton then scored a lovely goal. Billy Gilmour forged forward, breaking the lines, and passed to Pascal Gross, who drew Takehiro Tomiyasu out of the defensive line, then released the ball at the perfect moment to Kaoru Mitoma, who controlled then passed it with finesse into the far corner.

“They brought on 18-year-old striker Evan Ferguson, who made an impact. Saliba made a mess of Dunk’s long pass, chesting into the path of Ferguson, who bundled it past Ramsdale. They were then denied a third, which would have set up a grandstand finish.”

In The Observer, John Brewin wrote that “Brighton scored two late second-half goals, another ruled out by VAR, to stop this becoming a new year’s parade. ‘A big win, I’m really happy, they made it tough for us,’ said Arteta. 

“Brighton had lost only three of 10 previous Premier League encounters with Arsenal and would eventually play their part. When Kaoru Mitoma cut in from the space his lax Japanese compatriot had left to score, it was a reminder of how reliant Arteta has been on his first XI, his squad far thinner than their chasers.

“Teenager Evan Ferguson’s first Premier League goal set up a climax in which Brighton showed a danger their first half had lacked. ‘Maybe we need to control the game a bit better,’ admitted Odegaard. ‘We let them in a couple of times, but they are a good team, good on the ball.’

“When Mitoma had the ball in the net a second time, a miraculous comeback looked on, only for technology to intervene.

On The Mirror website, Felix Keith looked beyond the result. “They may have lost, but Brighton fans can still reflect on a hugely memorable year as they go into 2023,” he wrote. “The Seagulls finished ninth in the Premier League in May and finish the year one place better, in eighth, despite losing to the league's best side on New Year's Eve.

“The decision-makers at Brighton deserve a lot of credit for their current position. Losing Graham Potter to Chelsea in September could easily have derailed their season, but that has been far from the case, with Roberto De Zerbi fitting in perfectly to the team's style. Seagulls fans only need look at bottom side Southampton for evidence of how difficult managerial changes can be.

“Brighton's first goal here showed off the pass-and-move playing style, with Pascal Gross playing in Mitoma with a lovely reverse-pass before the Japanese midfielder tucked the ball away with aplomb. Ferguson then took advantage of some hesitant defending from Saliba to grab his first Premier League goal.

“They didn't count for anything on this occasion, but Brighton have no reason to be dispirited.”

Finally, a reminder that the Irish media have always maintained a keen interest in the performances of their countrymen at the club, from Mark Lawrenson and Gerry Ryan in the 1970s to Shane Duffy and Aaron Connolly in the Premier League. Evan Ferguson has been on their radar since he arrived in Sussex, and Macdara Ferris of Extratime.ie celebrated his strike against the Gunners.

“Evan Ferguson's goal for Brighton & Hove Albion against Arsenal on New Year’s Eve made him the youngest Ireland international to score a goal in the Premier League,” Ferris wrote.

“The former Bohemians player came on as a second half substitute at the Amex Stadium just before the hour mark with his club 3-0 down to the league leaders.

“Speaking to his club’s media team afterwards, 18-year-old Ferguson said that his manager Roberto De Zerbi ‘was looking for a reaction. He wants the subs to come in and try and get us going again and be positive. He has his full trust in us. I tried to come in and make an impact.'

“In the 77th minute Ferguson got on the end of a Lewis Dunk ball over the top and he slid the ball below Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to become the first 18-year-old to score for Brighton in the Premier League and beating the record held by Michael Obafemi as youngest Irish international goalscorer in the Premier League.

“’I'm buzzing to get the goal,’ said Ferguson who made his league debut back in February becoming the youngest ever player to play Premier League football for Brighton.

“’It was a disappointing result as we wanted to win the game but on a personal level it was good to get a goal. Hopefully I can get going and look to get another in our game on the third’.”