On paper it looks like a perfunctory 2-0 win for Arsenal and given that we’ve been getting into the habit of those kinds of wins, you’d be excused for not thinking that if you didn’t watch the 2-0 home win against Brighton in the League Cup. But the reality of the performance yesterday was that it was anything but a standard comfortable 2-0 home victory. Brighton can probably consider themselves unlucky not to be that name in the hat and still in the competition.

Both Arteta and Hurzler decided to make numerous changes to what you’d consider the first XI for both teams, with Arteta possibly going a little harder with his than the Brighton manager. In fact, other than Eze, the whole team was replaced last night. Kepa, White, Mosquera, Hincapie, MLS, Norgaard, Merino, Nwaneri and Dowman can all be considered the first team ‘understudies’ at Arsenal, with Harriman-Annous getting the nod to start in what must have been an amazing evening for him. This wasn’t even dead minutes either; he played 77 minutes of the 90 and I have to say I thought he acquitted himself rather well. He pressed, he harried, he even had an impact...