I and many others completely underestimated how much Arsenal would miss Oleksandr Zinchenko. The debate surrounding the Ukrainian was how vulnerable his defensive deficiencies were making us but in reality, the control he brought to the side was not only a bigger asset but it significantly outweighed the drawback.
Kieran Tierney had seemed like an obvious pick but by half-time he had made just seven passes, completing four of them. Brighton were able to grab control of the possession relatively comfortably and ride their luck with Arsenal’s lack of clinical finishing.
Zinchenko has been involved in so many of Arsenal’s goals, as was evident in just the last two wins against Chelsea and Newcastle. Without his influence in the clash with the Seagulls combined with William Saliba’s continuing absence, the Gunners were without their two most progressive players.
