Despite playing the majority of the game with 10 men after Declan Rice’s red card, Arsenal could have won their match against Brighton if they had been more clinical.
In the first half against the Seagulls, the North Londoners created numerous opportunities that they should have taken advantage of. They had three big chances in the first half and missed two of them, while Brighton never had a single chance.
Despite being down a player in the second half, the Gunners created two big chances (one fewer than Brighton) but failed to capitalise on them; the Seagulls capitalised on one of theirs.
With more clinical play, Arsenal could have won in the first half or scored on one of their two second-half chances. Our Gunners are still showing signs of not being clinical, which is not good.
Ian Wright has pushed Mikel Arteta to improve his team’s sharpness in front of goal. He admits Arsenal should have beaten Brighton in the first half but did not. He concedes that the Gunners’ failure to take chances is preventing them from becoming the best of the best, which Arteta should address in training.
“The chances we had in the first half… it’s going to come down to that. It will come down to that,” said Wright on PL productions.
“What they’ve got to understand is like City have done and what great teams do, they make sure that when they get those chances, you take them because that then finishes the game off,” he explained.
“If I’m in the dressing room or I’m the manager, I want them to see the chances because I’ve got to emphasize to them how important it is to take these chances in the first half to kill these teams’ spirit,” Wright concluded.
After struggling in front of goal in the first part of last season, the Gunners would have hoped to improve this season. It is too early to assess them, but Arsenal must be merciless in front of goal, as Wright and every other Gooner expects, if they are to compete with an Erling Haaland-led Manchester City.
Daniel O
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Struggling in front of goal?
Weren’t we tied to city last season in terms of goals scored?
@slye
What they did last season, does not apply to this one. Just sayin…
Well said by Ian wright. But I will like to add we had the same goals tally with City last season despite City having Halaand in their rank. I think the issue imo with Arsenal learning the “ART” of winning Epl Cup. There is a run of wins at certain time of the league that Arsenal must have. At those stages their isn’t no excuses at not been clinical. Those situations determine who wins the league. City are Masters at that.
Our forward players need to be consistent at been clinical especially at our home matches and stop losing great chances to gain 3 points. Winning on the road is additional points
Yeah, the players say to themselves just before attempting to score “hey, this isn’t really important, I don’t need to score, I’ll be less clinical and be more merciful today”. If you score more than the other club, you win, if you don’t, you lose or draw. You either use your skills to try to score or you don’t. Something tells me the players try to do the former. Whether they are able to use their abilities to score at any given point is the question. In the Brighton game our players were able to use their scoring abilities once and the Brighton players were able to do the same.