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After the final whistle, Arsenal players scoured the field for the traditional round of scoring that will mark their last home game of the season. The few fans who remained to testify to this formality without joy have at least said goodbye sincerely to Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck, none of whom will play a home game here. Moments earlier, Arsenal had said goodbye to any realistic chance of being in the top four in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal could still get out of it if things went wrong on the last day of the mandate – they'd have to win big at Burnley, and hope Tottenham would lose heavily at home against Everton – but Unai Emery agrees that the only realistic way to The Champions League next season will win the Europa League. "Our first target was [to finish in the top four] in the Premier League, so we are very, very disappointed, "said the director of Arsenal. "But we have to stay focused for Thursday in Valencia, we can always do something important." Her team takes a 3-1 lead in this first leg match, but she will have to show more courage than she has done here if she wants to retain it.
This is the last part of a race for the first four that looks more like a lobbying campaign aimed at reducing the number of English clubs in the Champions League. Arsenal came into play after three national defeats. Despite a lead of the penalty by Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang, he almost suffered a fourth. Pascal Gross lost three meters in the last minutes with the goal his mercy.
Brighton had equalized half an hour earlier when Glen Murray had converted a penalty given by Granit Xhaka. It was the first goal outside Brighton in five games and earned them their first point at the home of one of the top six teams this season.
The disintegration of the form of Arsenal in the Emirates, which had been impressive until their defeat against Crystal Palace in their previous match, testified to the presence of a team whose limits had finally come to life.
Brighton entered this match released from the relegation threat thanks to Cardiff City's defeat on Saturday. Maybe Chris Hughton would release his players to attack brilliantly? It was a crazy idea after the first minutes of the session, during which Brighton's green-clad players mbaded around their own box as soldiers guarding a valuable badet.
Keep bad, too. Arsenal had almost taken the advantage just two minutes after Alexandre Lacazette demonstrated one of the talents that had led him to be announced receiving club player before the coup d'etat. sending, fleeing between the giant trees in the visitors' area before handing the ball to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, whose low shot hits the post.
Brighton's resistance did not last. At the ninth minute, Nacho Monreal fell into the corner of the box while Alireza Jahanbakhsh was trying to stretch her legs to win the ball. The referee pointed to where Aubemeyang shot in the corner of the net. It was the 20th goal of the Gabonese striker's season and he still had plenty of time to increase that score.
But Arsenal was released and the imbalances of their team became apparent. Sokratis has deserved a reservation for an absurd dive almost half in the 15th minute, symptom of declining standards.
Brighton rejected their ideas. And as often, Arsenal's defense seemed vulnerable under pressure when his midfield did not offer adequate protection.
Right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, a 35-year-old who made his league debut since February because of Ainsley Maitland-Niles' suspension, struggled to keep up with Solly March.
Bernd Leno caused a stir with an irregular distribution, the most alarming in the 26th minute, when he threw the ball directly to Jahanbakhsh at the edge of the box. In the pandemonium, Shkodran Mustafi blocked a shot from Murray before Mars hit his center to allow the striker to try eight yards. Leno reacts sharply to stop his head down.
Arsenal seldom controls the matches. But at least they threaten the Emirates and create a chance to increase their lead. Mat Ryan had to parry a Mustafi header after a corner in the 35th minute. Moments later, the goalkeeper had to throw himself to his right to stop the low shot from Aubemeyang after a center of Mesut Özil. And just before the conclusion of an incredibly understated first half, Mkhitaryan set the tone with a 20-meter explosion. Ryan pushed him back.
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Whatever Emery says at half-time, it will not change anything. Whether it is the fault of the manager is a subject of debate. His players continued to look disjoint and fragile. And the way they allowed Brighton to come back in the game was downright ridiculous, with Xhaka hitting March on the shoulder as the attacker pbaded him in the box. Murray added the penalty to the net.
Arsenal finally found the urgency, but could not locate the net. Brighton defended like tigers and on one of the rare occasions when Arsenal found a way to counter them, Aubameyang's predatory instinct dropped him when he shot eight meters.
Emery made a triple substitution in search of victory. Her panicked team, meanwhile, seemed to do their best to eliminate the draw. Leno, at least, did well to save Florin Andone's head before Gross missed.
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