Post-match report for our last game: Crystal Palace, Sunday, 18th October 2020

PREMIER LEAGUE 20/21: Palace v Brighton - 18/10/20, P5.


ALBION DO NOT FIRE BLANKS IN DERBY DRAW AT THE DEATH

RESULT: 1-1 ~ Mac Allister . (h-t 1-0) . SHAPE: 5-3-2.


VENUE: Selhurst Park, London SE25 - third away match of five fixtures to date. Contest played behind closed doors as per current coronavirus restrictions.
BUILD UP: Palace boss Roy Hodgson was domicile in Sweden when Eagles v Seagulls rivalry took off between local managers with household names that made headlines many moons ago. Fans of later generations continue this unlikely ultra competitiveness, albeit remotely today.
If elite plans for reducing to 18 Prem members ever get to a vote we might wish for all the friends we can get.
WEATHER: mild autumnal afternoon . PITCH: long & dry but watered at interval.

GRAHAM POTTER looked at his post-transfer deadline squad list to see there had been one addition since that pause for international business, fun and games. In the event Wellbeck would be available next week. Meanwhile GP shuffled the pack with current match-day regulars.

TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 2 Lamptey, 4 Webster, 5 Dunk, 33 Burn, 20 March
. . . . . . . 8 Bissouma, 3 White, 14 Lallana
. . . . . . . . . . 9 Maupay, 11 Trossard

BENCH: 23 Steele, 30 Bernardo, 34 Veltman, 10 Mac Allister (78), 13 Gross (82), 17 Alzate, 7 Connolly (78).


GOALS: 1-0 - 19. The home team take the lead from the spot after travellers dominated opening exchanges.
1-1 - 90. A mistake at the back by Palace eventually falls via Connolly for MAC ALLISTER to blast the ball in.


INCIDENTS: 17 - one of hosts attackers goes down theatrically in the box. 53 - locals net again, VAR says o/s.
68 - VAR check after another clash in a niggly contest. 77 - VAR check for possible Albion pen.

YELLOWS: 18 - Ryan, time-wasting pre-penalty. 42 - Bissouma, took one for the team.
RED: 93 - Dunk, rush of blood... straight red!

SUBS: 78 - Connolly & Mac Allister for Trossard & Lallana. 82 - Gross for Burn.


SYNOPSIS: Seagulls flew from word go and registered plenty of possession and a few off targets. But visitors fell behind to a soft penalty where an ongoing flaw of defending crosses was exposed once more.
Subsequently this derby appeared in a different vein with Albion habitually chasing the game again. Locals sat on their advantage defensively, merely happy to counter attack as & when opportunities arose.
It was becoming a familiar tale of BHA flattering to deceive.
Travellers began the second period brightly enough, although around the hour mark were labouring to find an equaliser.
Potter made changes for the final quarter, first with a double substitution. BHA was recycling a pattern of play which had not produced the goods when facing a banked rearguard from frontal assault.
In a delayed start to the Prem season, Albion cannot get past previous platitudes of failing to convert sufficient goal-scoring opportunities against mediocre sides.

NUMBERS: poss 34%-66%, on target 1-3, off target 1-16, corners 2-5, fouls 13-12, yellows 3-2, red 0-1, subs 2-3.

FS


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