Mikel Arteta reaction: What did Arsenal boss say after Brighton bullied his bullies?

Arsenal's perfect start to the Premier League season came to a screeching halt on Saturday, as the Gunners were battered and bullied by Brighton in a 3-0 defeat down on the south coast. BRIGHTON 3-0 ARSENAL — Updates, highlights from Saturday’s game Below is the latest Mikel Arteta reaction, speaking after a humbling defeat just before the upcoming international break. Long-range strikes from Pascal Gross and Charamalmpos Kostoulas made it 2-0 in the first half, and 21-year-old summer signing, midfielder Chema Andres, headed home a corner kick from the doorstep just before the hour mark. Mikel Arteta reaction: What did Arsenal boss say after Brighton bullied his bullies? We'll have Areta's post-match interviews and press conference as soon as they start, here. Gunners can’t cope with Brighton’s press Brighton decided they would defend both boxes and nowhere else, and it worked better than Fabian Hurzeler could have ever imagined it would. Gabriel and Ezri Konsa were out of their depth against the Seagulls' high press which extended all the way to the Gunners' end line, and Bruno Guimaraes and Declan Rice were hardly helpful to get them out of trouble in midfield. Arsenal's insistence that they must play short was a huge hindrance when they came up against a side that chased and harried with the same intensity and physicality that they typically impose upon their opponents. Arteta will not have enjoyed a little taste of his own medicine. When they did manage to beat the press, Brighton dropped into the deepest of deep shells defensively. All 10 outfield players were within 25 yards of their goal and then, and only then, did they start to chase the ball again. Fabian Hurzeler was betting that, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Christos Tzolis up top, Arsenal wouldn't capitalize on the rare transitional opportunity and that they would eventually halt the attack to play the ball sideways or backwards. Excellent scouting and game planning, that is. Dare I say, Brighton made the champions look quite average against real pressure and quick, one-touch passing moves through the middle of the park. I'd say that the secret to beating Arsenal has been revealed, but there simply are not many sides that can do what Brighton do on a regular basis. Massive credit to Hurzeler, who has built and rebuilt a new team every one of the three seasons he's been in charge.