2. Excellent midfield
Alexis Mac Allister has arguably been Brighton’s best player this season, and his ten goals in 30 games this season would certainly attest to that. However, Moises Caicedo’s all-action displays put him in the picture as well.
In recent weeks, Caicedo and Pascal Gross have been alternating at right back with Tariq Lamptey out, and he has done very well, but taking him out of midfield with Martin Odegaard on the pitch could be a huge risk to Brighton.
With his running power and ability to aggressively cut out play, he’s someone who could keep Odegaard quiet. However, the biggest strength of the pair is their ability to attract the press, pop it off first time and find a third-man runner before linking with their full-backs or wingers, and they could punish Arsenal if they get it right.
It’s worth noting that without them in the team, Arsenal put four past Brighton at the Amex, showing just how critical they are to the team.
Continued to next slide…
The game</a> could have huge ramifications, with both teams needing to win to keep their end-of-season goals alive, and with Arsenal only winning one of their last five against Brighton at home, they will be well aware of the threat they pose.</p>
<h2><em><strong>3 threats Brighton pose to Arsenal</strong></em></h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Leandro Trossard and Kaoru Mitoma have the same number of goals for Brighton this season. Trossard signed for <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arsenal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#Arsenal</a> almost four months ago. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/afc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#afc</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://t.co/ZuH413ycsU">pic.twitter.com/ZuH413ycsU
<p>— Adam Keys (@adamkeys_) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/adamkeys_/status/1656656725863464964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 11, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h2>1. Dynamic left-hand side</h2>
<p>Kaoru Mitoma has been one of the stories of the season, with his seven goals and four assists in 28 Premier League games catching the attention of everyone.</p>
<p>Mitoma’s game is about much more than goals, with his trickery on the left allowing him to twist and turn defenders in the style of an old-school dribbler, while also possessing the vision to free his runners and the composure to link with Brighton’s midfield trio.</p>
<p>Behind him, Brighton have a powerful, tireless full-back in Pervis Estupiñán. The Ecuadorian has thrived under Roberto De Zerbi, as he has room to get forward on the overlap, knowing that Moises Caicedo will be there to cover when he reaches the final third.</p>
<p>With this security, Estupiñán can burst into the final third and stretch teams, while Mitoma cuts in on his left, creating doubt between full-backs and central defenders, which is something Ben White and Jakub Kiwior will have to be conscious of on Sunday.</p>
<p><em>Continued to next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 Caicedo and Mac Allister </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-134346" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1742,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1440341402-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1742" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1440341402-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1440341402-768x523.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1440341402-1536x1045.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1440341402-2048x1394.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"></p>
<h2><strong>2. Excellent midfield</strong></h2>
<p>Alexis Mac Allister has arguably been Brighton’s best player this season, and his ten goals in 30 games this season would certainly attest to that. However, <a title="Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo: Who should Arsenal sign this summer?" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/11/declan-rice-moises-caicedo-arsenal-sign-summer/" rel="">Moises Caicedo’s</a> all-action displays put him in the picture as well.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🗞️| “Brighton will consider allowing Moises Caicedo to leave the club this summer if their valuation of the player is met. If the bidding for Caicedo surpasses a certain number – believed to be £80m – then Brighton are ready to have conversations about his future.</p>
<p>“Caicedo… <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://t.co/XbxUQH73iQ">pic.twitter.com/XbxUQH73iQ
<p>— Arsenal Buzz (@ArsenalBuzzCom) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/ArsenalBuzzCom/status/1656380139494572032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 10, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>In recent weeks, Caicedo and Pascal Gross have been alternating at right back with Tariq Lamptey out, and he has done very well, but taking him out of midfield with Martin Odegaard on the pitch could be a huge risk to Brighton.</p>
<p>With his running power and ability to aggressively cut out play, he’s someone who could keep Odegaard quiet. However, the biggest strength of the pair is their ability to attract the press, pop it off first time and find a third-man runner before linking with their full-backs or wingers, and they could punish Arsenal if they get it right.</p>
<p>It’s worth noting that without them in the team, Arsenal put four past Brighton at the Amex, showing just how critical they are to the team.</p>
<p><em>Continued to next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 De Zerbi Ball </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-134347" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1487797276.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1487797276.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1487797276-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1487797276-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"></p>
<h2><strong>3. De Zerbi Ball</strong></h2>
<p>Brighton’s individuals have shone this season, but De Zerbi has had Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster playing out from the back with ease, and every player in his team playing fast, exciting football with an incredibly well-coached 2-4-2-2 set-up.</p>
<p>And, it all starts with Jason Steele. Brighton love having two players in the box from goal kicks, with four ahead, followed by another four at the halfway line. As soon as the first man receives the ball, two of the final four drop back to create a two in front of the four and two ahead of them.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="de">Roberto De Zerbi-ball.<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://t.co/uJqhlXUALv">pic.twitter.com/uJqhlXUALv
<p>— the twothreefive (@TtfFutbol) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://twitter.com/TtfFutbol/status/1622673793905995777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>February 6, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>This meticulous possession system has created a lot of problems for teams who have struggled to deal with the speed at which Brighton move the ball, and the zip with which their players move up the park and join the attack.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="WTfR1bq0GS"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/11/declan-rice-moises-caicedo-arsenal-sign-summer/">Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo: Who should Arsenal sign this summer?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo: Who should Arsenal sign this summer?” — Pain in the Arsenal" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/11/declan-rice-moises-caicedo-arsenal-sign-summer/embed/#?secret=bsDzMCZn7z#?secret=WTfR1bq0GS" data-secret="WTfR1bq0GS" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div>
<p>However, it does mean that Brighton leave a lot of space to attack, which Arsenal exploited on NYE and as Everton did on Sunday. If they aren’t careful, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/12/3-threats-brighton-pose-arsenal/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/10/gabriel-jesus-important-arsenal/">Jesus could have a field day by using their strengths against them.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
