Arsenal and Brighton Combined VI: Could it Result in a PL Title?

I know it's a weird idea at first glance, but hear me out, OK. This idea was ignited by all the talks about how Tariq Lamptey's possible move to Arsenal, and I started thinking about how this may cause them to line up. I then noticed how good either team might become if they could just get a select few players from the other to get transferred to them for free. I played with a few lineups before deciding on this exciting and gifted 3-3-2-2 team. No loan players other than Mat Ryan (who is on loan from Brighton to Arsenal) will be included, so no players loaned in, such as Martin Odegaard, or players loaned out. So here we go!

Goalkeeper: Bernd Leno

Goalkeeper was a toss-up between three players; Robert Sánchez, Mat Ryan and Bernd Leno. I find Bernd Leno accident prone and don't really rate him, but I think most people would go for him over the two Brighton shot-stoppers so I let that be the final call. To be honest with you, I would have chosen Emi Martínez if he hadn't gone to Aston Villa.

Probably the weakest position, although with fair squad depth, I think goalkeeper will be a highly contested and frequently rotated position, and unless Leno can learn to be consistent, communicate with his defenders and have a longer range of passing fairly soon I think he may have to be dropped, probably for the experienced Mat Ryan.

Left Centre-Back: Kieran Tierney

The three centre-back roles were always going to go to three of Gabriel, Ben White, Lewis Dunk and Kieran Tierney, and in the end I went for Tierney on the left. I think as he matures he might take up a deeper and more central role, and he really needs to if he wants to play for Scotland alongside Andy Robertson without being shoved in a different position every match. 

The left-footer can go forwards if needed to, but is also comfortable with sitting in a high-up-the-pitch defense to cut out any counter-attacks from the opposition in a forward-thinking side like this one. He is also a young option who will be able to sprint around energetically after any long balls from the opposition.

Central Centre-Back: Gabriel

In the heart of the defense is none other than Gabriel. While he hasn't even completed a full season at the Emirates, it is plain to see that Gabriel has been a brilliant signing for Arsenal and has already done a excellent job shoring up the Arsenal defense.

A strong-voiced leader, Gabriel was a shoo-in for the defense. While he may not be the fastest or most creative, Gabriel makes up for it with excellent consistency, dominant strength and impressive areal ability (being well over 6ft tall) and at only 23 years old he still has many long years of service to contribute to the beautiful game that is football.

Right Centre-Back: Ben White

Completing a backline with an average age of 22 2/3, it was inarguably the hardest decision of this entire list to bench Lewis Dunk, who I rate highly (although it would have been Tierney rather than White I would drop to bring him in). 

One of England's best of a generation of budding young defenders, I would say that White has a good chance of making the Euros this season, especially with his experience deputizing at left-back, a position that, unlike right-back, is not particularly well-represented by English players (unlike Scotland).

Left Wing-Back: Tariq Lamptey

If Tariq Lamptey were to convert to left wing-back, he would be my favorite left-back in the league who isn't a Scottish Liverpudlian called Andrew, and should, in my opinion, start for England, and it is his links to the Gunners that inspired this excellent and spectacular list (even if I do say so myself).

Quick, inventive and untiring, it is no wonder that Lamptey has already been linked with some of the biggest clubs in the world (Arsenal and Bayern Munich to name but a few). He also seems like an all-round nice guy and definitely fits the bill for this young and exciting VI.

Left Central-Midfielder: Solly March

I said that picking between Tierney and Dunk was the hardest, but this was probably the only other that gave me a really hard time of things. My choice was between March and Bissouma. They are pretty hard to separate, but in the end I decided that, while Bissouma is the bigger goal threat and more consistent, March is better when it comes to singlehandedly turning the odds in a team's favor (even if everyone else is playing really badly) and just that fact that he catches my eye more than Bissouma. 

The match that really decided it was Brighton's 2-3 loss to Manchester United, in which March was brilliant, even scoring the equalizing goal in the 5th minute of added time before Manchester United were awarded a dodgy penalty after the final whistle (watched the whole game with my uncle, a rabid Man United fan. Even he admitted that the penalty was sketchy, but I hardly heard him because he'd screamed himself hoarse at Ole after he subbed Pogba for the predictably-bad Fred).

Central-Defensive Midfielder: Thomas Partey 

The second-easiest African (and second-easiest player) to pick, Partey is an obvious choice. Brilliant both on and off the ball, Partey has the ability to win the ball on the half-way line before dribbling straight through the defense and making use of a simple lay-off to earn a brilliant assist, and has shown this on many occasions. 

Slick and classy, Partey would probably make a Africa VI consisting of players from all around the continent, which is high praise, what with Africa being easily one of the top three (and possibly even the best) footballing continent in the world.

Right Central-Midfielder: Emile Smith Rowe 

Another explosive young talent, attack-minded midfielder Emile Smith Rowe is one of the biggest contributors to Arsenal's recent success and late bid for Europe. He fits in perfectly with the rest of the players in this team. 

Hard-working and quick, Smith Rowe is ideal for a counter-attacking team, and out slightly to the right will be yet another contributor to this team's dominance in wide areas, even if he plays in a slightly less advanced position than he is used to.

Right Wing-Back: Bukayo Saka

While he has played predominantly on the wing rather than in a wing-back position, I think in this high-pressing and exciting team there will be little change to his position. I am a big fan of Saka, and for some reason I have always wanted to see him play with Lamptey. 

This weird idea is one possible way that this could happen (come on Stanley Kroenke and Tony Bloom... please? Just please!) so I am really happy to be able to play them in positions where they can develop the telepathic communication of Trent and Robbo and tear the league to pieces. And as a bonus, as both of them seem nice , the partnership won't even be broken by a fight or controversy!

Left Striker: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

I mean, who else was it gonna be. The easiest pick in the team, even when not on form he is still a devastating prospect for defenders, and is also a leader and the oldest player in the team (you have to have someone over 30 who is probably past their peak. 

The best ever Gabonese player, and by a long way, Aubameyang is a graceful and clinical forward who gets a job done, and was really a no-brainer. Nothing more really needs to be said. Next!

Right Striker: Leandro Trossard 

Becoming one of the oldest players in the team (26 being elderly compared to the average age of 24) Trossard's inclusion over Saka (who plays at RWB) and Connolly, Pepe, Maupay and Welbeck (who failed to make the Starting Eleven) means that the two strikers are both actually accustomed to playing on the left wing. Now that is hipster football for you Graham Potter. 

But I do think that Leandro Trossard will be a good inclusion, and the team needs someone who can actually score off the quick counter-attacks that this team will surely produce (Aubameyang, in his comparatively old age, would probably rather spend the rest of his life wearing nothing but an age five pink tutu and sparkly tiara than try getting forward as quickly as Lamptey, March, Smith Rowe and Saka).

Bench and Manager(s):

Manager(s): Mikel Arteta & Graham Potter (just to make the team even hipster-er) 

Bench:

Mat Ryan (winning out over Sánchez because he is currently contracted to both clubs and therefore is counted as being twice as good because I got bored)

Lewis Dunk

Dan Burn

Yves Bissouma 

Adam Lallana

Nicolas Pépé

Aaron Connolly

Sorry for the huge gap in posting. I was (and am) extremely busy due to my teachers deciding that giving me about an hour of homework per weekday and two per weekend day for no apparent reason. It may also have something to do with my seven extra murals (not a lie), but I'm just gonna blame it on the teachers. Big announcement in the one or two few weeks, so remember to keep updated and share my blog with all your 3 friends (joke). Hope you all have a good day, and I will attempt to get one or two posts out per weekend to keep you from becoming bored out your skulls without my excellent and well-researched content. Noah [‘ᴥ’]