Two Arsenal Defenders Blamed After Being ‘Exposed’ in Brighton Defeat
Arsenal’s impressive start to the Premier League campaign suffered a major setback as Mikel Arteta’s side were beaten 3-0 by Brighton at the Amex.
Pascal Groß opened the scoring shortly after the half-hour mark, turning before firing a powerful effort from the edge of the box beyond David Raya.
Brighton doubled their advantage around 15 minutes later. Charalampos Kostoulas was given far too much space around 25 yards from goal and took full advantage, smashing a low shot into the bottom corner.
The Seagulls added a third after the break when Chema Andrés rose highest from a corner to head the ball home.
The defeat saw Arsenal lose their place at the top of the Premier League, while Brighton moved to within two points of the Gunners.
After the final whistle, several Arsenal supporters singled out Gabriel and Ezri Konsa for criticism, blaming the centre-back pairing for some of the defensive problems.
Fans questioned the defenders’ positioning and claimed they repeatedly failed to close down Brighton’s attackers. Others suggested Gabriel and Konsa looked out of sync, highlighting the fact that the pair have had limited time playing alongside each other since Konsa’s summer move to north London.
With Arsenal conceding three goals, supporters are now looking towards the return of William Saliba, who remains sidelined with a back injury dating back to the 2026 World Cup.
Saliba has avoided surgery and is instead undergoing rehabilitation. His return is currently expected around November, although the club could potentially bring him back earlier if defensive issues continue.
For Arteta, the Brighton defeat will raise fresh questions about Arsenal’s defensive organisation and the partnership at the heart of the defence.
