Arsenal: The major worry Mikel Arteta must address to prove Brighton nightmare was a one-off

Gunners endured a nightmare afternoon against Brighton

How generous it was of Arsenal to play their part in the spirit of winding the clock back.

Brighton celebrated their 125th anniversary by sporting commemorative kits and then delivering a performance to rival the very best the Amex Stadium faithful have witnessed.

This was a throwback of sorts from Arsenal, too. Not to the early chapters of the club's history, or to the glory days since then.

The performance would instead have looked right at home had it come at some point between the latter years of Arsene Wenger's reign and the opening stanzas of Mikel Arteta's tenure, with Unai Emery's 18 months in the hotseat in between very much included.

Arsenal fans in that period grew accustomed to this. Their side going away from home, looking weak defensively, and having no answer to a rampant opponent.

This Arsenal team, though, don't get bullied. Gabriel and Declan Rice do not get overpowered and overrun. David Raya does not get rattled.

Except they did, for what Arteta will hope was one afternoon and one afternoon only. Aberration or blueprint? That will be the question circling through his mind for the next three weeks.

Declan Rice avoided a red card late on against Brighton

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Come the end of this extended international break, he will insist publicly, no doubt, that it was the former. That his side have made a superb start to the season, made even more impressive by the disrupted summer they had after the World Cup.

He is probably right, too. Arsenal are surely the best defensive unit in Europe and one bad performance does not change that.

Gabriel can ordinarily be expected to close attackers down, rather than backing off twice and watching shots fly in from distance.

Kai Havertz is unlikely to again lose the ball almost in his own box and then concede a soft corner, from which Arsenal decide marking is optional.

Those are anomalies and Brighton themselves are a unique example. This is not a blueprint every side can roll up to face Arsenal with.

Brighton's pressing is extraordinarily well-coached. They play with a physical intensity that few teams would be able to maintain for the full 90 minutes and suffocated Arsenal.

Lesser sides trying to copy those tactics against the Gunners will not unduly concern Arteta. He would prefer that to them sitting deep behind the ball.

Those teams will not force the same amount of mistakes in such dangerous areas and it is easy to imagine them being picked off.

This is not a blueprint every side can roll up to face Arsenal with

What should be more of a worry for Arteta is his attack.

Arsenal's defensive strength usually means that they do not need their forward players to be particularly efficient. One goal is often enough to win.

Arsenal were hugely wasteful against Napoli earlier this month but it did not matter. Nor did the big chances missed against Sunderland.

The reverse, though, is not true. When the defence has a rare off-day, the ruthless execution and decision-making in attack is not there to bail the team out.

As poor as they were against Brighton, Arsenal had chances. At 1-0, the Gunners broke up the pitch from a corner with numbers.

Neither Martin Odegaard or Bukayo Saka got it right, Brighton countered themselves, and immediately made it 2-0.

That came after Arsenal had another chance on the break. Saka underhit his pass to Christos Tzolis, who would have been in, and the winger then took a heavy touch into trouble.

The decisive actions in those transition moments are not there. That is a theme for this side, rather than being an anomaly against Brighton.

Those are the situations Arsenal need to make more of to stop teams trying to replicate Brighton's tactics.

Part of the problem is a lack of pace. Opponents are comfortable squeezing up the pitch, knowing Arsenal do not possess the speed to really threaten in behind.

Noni Madueke is the one player who can offer that, but he does not solve the efficiency issues. Finding the right combinations in attack to help prevent Arsenal from getting pinned back is a key issue for Arteta.

Major questions over the summer recruitment remain. Selling Gabriel Martinelli and losing those attributes without a replacement has not made any more sense a month into the season.

It also feels harsh to criticise Christos Tzolis for not looking like he is ready to be a first-choice winger when that is not what he was initially signed for.

Christos Tzolis has struggled for consistency since his summer move

Arsenal's defence will not define their season. There is no reason to think there will be a repeat of the Brighton horror show. Come May, David Raya will almost certainly have another Golden Glove to his name.

What should be more pressing for Arteta over these next three weeks is how to sharpen up the attack. Eight goals in five league matches can be improved. Manchester City have 13, Brighton 16.

The defence cannot always be the crutch that holds up this team. Arsenal's attackers need to prove they can carry the load too.