AFTV News

Arsenal's most disappointing defeats this season By James Reid It has been a bit of a rollercoaster for Arsenal this season, and despite all the trials and tribulations the Gunners have a real chance of Champions League football with just four games left to play.   However, while there have been plenty of great results this season, Arsenal have had their fair share of bad results too.   We took a look back at some of the most disappointing defeats this season.  Brentford 2-0 Arsenal   What better place to start than the first game of the season?  The start of a new season always brings fresh and optimism, but that was quickly dampened by defeat to newly-promoted Brentford on the first day of term.  Sergi Canos opened the scoring in Brentford’s first ever Premier League game just after 20 minutes and Christian Norgaard scored after the break to cap a nightmare start to the season for Arsenal. The Gunners never looked like really troubling Brentford who were ...

Four Brighton players who Arsenal should try to sign By Jonny Bray Brighton & Hove Albion may not be in the best form but they still have players Mikel Arteta should be keeping his eye on ahead of the summer transfer window. It will be a crucial window for Arsenal regardless of whether or not the Gunners qualify for the Champions League. For that reason, Arteta and the recruitment team must make the right decision. So with that in mind, here are four Brighton players who Arsenal should try to sign this summer. Marc Cucurella In one season on the south coast, Marc Cucurella has shown Premier League players, pundits, and supporters how good he can be.  The former Barcelona and Getafe star moved to Brighton last summer, having already made his debut for the Spanish national team.  And now he's making an impact in the Premier League, registering an assist and five clean sheets in 27 appearances.  Graham Potter's side have capitulated in the second half of this campaign...

Alexandre Lacazette had a great season last year, but is yet to get much game time this campaign.  How to get Arsenal's forward line firing again Arsenal's attack looked clumsy, slow, and devoid of any creative spark in last week's game against Brighton. The drab 0-0 draw saw the Gunners get eight shots away compared to Brighton's 21, while Mikel Arteta's team kept only 42% of possession. I doubt anyone would have predicted those statistics in a game between the Seagulls and the Gunners 15 years ago when Brighton sat near the bottom of League One and Arsenal were a safe and secure member of a practically impenetrable top four. How times have changed, and nothing compounded that fact more than watching Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang et al being completely outplayed in the final third by Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay. This isn't even a matter of poor personnel, as was shown when this same forward line played Tottenh...

Can Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga excel as Arsenal's midfield partnership? By Oli Dickson Jefford Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Brighton brought Arsenal slightly back down to earth after the high of a 3-1 derby demolition of Tottenham the previous weekend. The Seagulls have started the season superbly and were never going to be pushovers for the Gunners, who were duly forced to work hard for a point. Now reaching the second international break of the season, Mikel Arteta has a couple of weeks to reflect on what has been a positive run of league matches. Though the performance against Brighton was not sparkling, it was certainly solid and among those who impressed were Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga. Partey and Lokonga anchored the centre of midfield together and this is a partnership that could be employed for a while. With Granit Xhaka facing a potentially lengthy layoff, the duo that started against Albion on Saturday may be paired together for the next ...

Arsenal v Brighton preview   By Oscar Maung-Haley A recent upturn in form sees Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal travel to the Amex to face Brighton on Saturday evening.   The Seagulls are enjoying an excellent start to the Premier League season, with Graham Potter’s men sitting sixth after winning four of their opening six games.   Can Arsenal extend their Premier League winning streak to four on the bounce and send the entire Gunners fanbase into a positivity meltdown?   Four wins, Mikel? Four? That’s insane.   You read that correctly. Arsenal have the chance to make it four Premier League wins on the spin when they take on Brighton on Saturday.   What a turnaround it’s been for Arteta’s men, who prior to the 1-0 win over Norwich, shipped nine goals in three Premier League games.   Following the win over Norwich, Arsenal pulled off a 1-0 win over Burnley thanks to a Martin Odegaard free-kick stunner, which was then followed up with a 3-1 derby day win over Tott...

What will new signing and England defender Ben White bring to Arsenal this season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton      It is believed Arsenal have now agreed a fee for the club’s latest new arrival – Brighton defender Ben White. After several initial rebuffs from Albion, a deal believed to be in the region of £50million has now been agreed between the two parties. It would be a record spend by the club on a defender. The 23 year-old, from Poole, was part of England’s squad at the European Championships, only appearing on the pitch in the two warm-up friendlies. His impressive rise over the last two seasons has seen him become the number one defensive transfer target for Mikel Arteta and Edu this summer. But what will he actually bring to the team? Technical ability White is your classic modern, ball-playing centre-half, who is good enough technically to play in a possession-oriented tactical system. He has become one of the most sought-after defenders in the league, primarily b...

Ben White, 23, with former Leeds teammate Kalvin Phillips, 25 Transfer target profile: Ben White By Jonny Bray The battle between Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds United for Ben White was one of the most fascinating transfer sagas of last summer.   Anyone who watched that season’s Championship will know that White is as big a reason why Leeds are where they are as Kalvin Phillips or Patrick Bamford.   White spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, earning the admiration of the fans and the trust of his parent club.   He’d been a target for Tottenham after impressing in duels against Harry Kane while on loan at Newport County in both legs of a third round FA Cup tie.   White chose a new contract at Brighton and a loan spell at Leeds over a permanent move to Spurs, showing he has the sound mind-set necessary to succeed at the top level.   The England international went from strength to strength, as he played in every game of Leeds’ promotion s...

Potential transfer targets and a former Gunners striker - what can we expect from Brighton? By Josh Graham Arsenal end the Premier League season at home to Brighton with the visitors fresh from a stunning 3-2 victory over champions Manchester City.  Graham Potter’s men will give Mikel Arteta’s side a stern challenge on Sunday and boast potential Gunners transfer targets and even a former striker within their squad.  The Seagulls will be full of confidence after overturning a 2-0 deficit against Pep Guardiola’s men and will be looking for revenge after losing 1-0 to Arsenal at the Amex in December.  Danny Welbeck One man who would have been hoping for a warm welcome from the 10,000 Gooners lucky enough to be inside the Emirates on Sunday is Danny Welbeck.  The 30-year-old forward spent five years in north London after leaving boyhood side Manchester United in 2014. But the England international is set to be denied a homecoming after hobbling out of the extraordinary C...

How could the addition of Yves Bissouma boost Arsenal's prospects next season?  By Peter White While Sunday’s 2-0 win at Newcastle served a welcome boost ahead of Thursday’s do-or-die Europa League showdown with Villarreal, news that Arsenal are leading the race for the summer signature of Yves Bissouma earlier this week was further cause for smiles among the Emirates faithful.  The Gunners have reportedly been long-term admirers of the Brighton midfielder, with sustained interest during the winter transfer window eventually coming to nothing after creative star Martin Odegaard was supposedly prioritised.  But the Arsenal hierarchy have kept tabs on the 24-year-old Mali international, who has emerged as one of the Seagulls’ most prized assets throughout a season in which they have largely delivered more on the pitch than their results would suggest.  Having left Lille for the south coast in a £15m deal in 2018, it is widely acknowledged that Bissouma is ready for his...