EPL 2017-18: Arsenal 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion, 5 Talking Points

#3 Arsenal missed Mesut Ozil

Ozil was missed as Arsenal put in an under-par performance against Brighton

While many Arsenal fans do not miss an opportunity to criticise Mesut Ozil for failing to add to the defensive presence of the side, this game was perhaps another reminder of how important Ozil remains to the Arsenal set up.

Brighton were a disciplined unit at the back against the Gunners and despite dominating the opening stages of the game, Arsenal found it tough to penetrate the Brighton defence. One of the reasons was the absence of Ozil’s creativity.

We noticed various runs behind the Brighton defence that could have turned threatening if there was a creative force behind the Arsenal attack. However, the likes of Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey failed to pick the right pass and that kept the scoreline respectable for the visitors.

It remains to be seen if Mesut, who was sidelined for the game against Brighton due to an injury, will remain an Arsenal player post the current season. However, his importance cannot be overemphasised as the Gunners will be presented with better defences in the games to come and will need the German to unlock them.