Brighton vs. Arsenal: Tactical Preview of FA Cup Game
Brighton and Hove Albion host Arsenal in one of the more glamorous FA Cup fourth-round ties on Sunday. Chris Hughton's men warmed up in ideal circumstances by beating Championship promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town 3-2 on Wednesday, but are the Gunners a step too far?
Brighton Setup
Brighton are not the play-off-calibre team they were in 2014—they've struggled to score goals and have slipped down the table steadily since Gus Poyet departed for Sunderland.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
They still try to retain possession and boast a passing core and a continued ethos, but Hughton is, and always will be, a mightily pragmatic manager who goes somewhat against the established grain.
Craig Mackail-Smith, the record signing for the club (£2.5 million) and first-choice striker, has one league goal in 16 total games, per WhoScored. Lewis Dunk, the team's 23-year-old centre-back, has six in all competitions and leads the side.
With Mackail-Smith struggling, Sam Baldock could lead a 4-2-3-1 formation, with creators Joao Teixeira and Adrian Colunga wide and a midfield of Rohan Ince and Danny Holla. Joe Bennett, on loan from Aston Villa, has been one of the stronger, more consistent performers this season.
Arsenal Setup
Arsene Wenger has the chance to rotate a deep squad and welcome several peripheral figures back into the XI. Danny Welbeck may not be fit, so Olivier Giroud should feature, while Theo Walcott and Joel Campbell will both expect game-time.
Mesut Ozil has returned to the team after months out with ligament damage and could start, forcing a move away from the regular 4-3-3 and toward the 4-2-3-1 used to begin the season. Campbell left, Ozil central and Walcott right is a deadly setup.
Mathieu Flamini may be given a chance to prove his worth in midfield, though it's highly unlikely he'll do anything to usurp flavour of the month Francis Coquelin inside 90 minutes, such is his recent track record of poor showings.
Calum Chambers and Hector Bellerin will likely both line up, while Arsene Wenger must decide between the impressive David Ospina, rookie Damian Martinez and previous incumbent Wojciech Szczesny for a place in goal. Per Arsenal's official website, new signing Krystian Bielik will not play for at least three weeks.
Key Point 1: Bennett vs. Walcott
Expect a very different Arsenal to the side who pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium last weekend; they went to Manchester to defend, but they'll travel to Brighton to attack.
The Amex Stadium can be intimidating when the home team is flowing, but the Gunners have an obvious form and player-to-player advantage in this tie. If Wenger's looking for an obvious matchup to win and seize control, they don't come much sweeter than Walcott vs. Bennett.
Bennett, on loan at Brighton from Aston Villa, showed during his time at the Premier League club that he struggles immensely against quick, sharp players. His confidence shrinks quickly, and he gets into the habit of playing hospital passes and plunging his team-mates into trouble.
Walcott has looked poor since returning from a long-term injury—the direct opposite of sharp, in fact—but now is the time to announce his own true revival. He can torture Bennett in space and over the top if Ozil or Santi Cazorla/Tomas Rosicky can find him early over the top.
Bennett has the unfortunate habit of creating a sink hole in his own team—one which the Gunners should avail themselves of and work to full advantage.
Key Point 2: Bellerin's Progression
If it wasn't for Yaya Sanogo's incredible four-goal display, or Alexis Sanchez's brief, twinkle-toed debut, Hector Bellerin's performance at the Emirates Cup would have turned far more heads.
Chambers' cover at right-back in the absence of the injury-plagued Mathieu Debuchy has been a steady help, but he's also been badly exposed by pacy wingers such as Jefferson Montero. The lack of cover from his winger hardly helps.
Bellerin, though, has recovery pace to die for and attacks like a seasoned winger sitting on multiple 15-assist seasons. He's agile, great in tight spaces and lethal when he hits the byline; all in all, it's some right-back corps to have at your disposal.
Chambers will likely step in for Per Mertesacker or Laurent Koscielny at centre-back this weekend, leaving the door open for Bellerin to impress again. Many thought he'd suffer against Manchester City at the Etihad, and although Samir Nasri was out due to injury, he didn't look at all troubled by full international James Milner.
The Spaniard's epic progression is one to watch with intent: Could it cause Wenger yet another selection headache he simply did not expect so soon?
