Post-match report for our last game: Sheff Utd, Saturday, 22nd February 2020
PREMIER LEAGUE: Sheffield United v Brighton - 22/2/20, P27.
ALBION HOLD ON AND ARE CRAWLING TOWARDS A BASIC LEVEL
VENUE: Bramall Lane, Sheffield - fourteenth away match of twenty-seven fixtures to date.
RESULT: 1-1 ~ Maupay . (h-t 1-1) . SHAPE: 5-3-2
REF: was not overstretched during a fairly routine Saturday officiating up in the grim north.
PRE-KICKOFF: Brighton fans knew limitations of this current squad, especially on the road.
Each game promised something different, given continuous alterations to varied formations & personnel week by week. Today was yet another example in which to find that proverbial magic bullet.
GATE: 31,888 . WEATHER: inclement and breezy afternoon.
GRAHAM POTTER made changes for this contest following the winter break and some overenthusiastic squad bonding in warmer climes on the continent.
Webster was added to defenders, while Bissouma replaced injured Stephens. Maupay joined Murray up front but March, Gross & Trossard were now merely substitutes.
TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 21 Schelotto, 15 Webster, 4 Duffy, 5 Dunk, 30 Burn
. . . . . . 18 Mooy, 8 Bissouma, 24 Propper
. . . . . . . . . . 17 Murray, 7 Maupay
BENCH: 27 Button, 30 Bernardo (93), 13 Gross, 11 Trossard (75), 16 Jahanbakhsh, 20 March, 44 Connolly (75).
GOALS: 26 - 1-0. From a short corner routine the defended ball next fell to an attacker who blasted home a fierce shot.
30 - 1-1. At a set play the delivery from Mooy was headed back across the area where MAUPAY struck with mobility.
INCIDENTS: Schelotto appeals in Blades area but VAR quickly dismissed any penalty shout.
Dunk is hammered by a late challenge. VAR refute any illegality.
YELLOWS: Bissouma rashly collects an unnecessary early card. Propper manhandled an opponent.
SUBS: 75 - Murray and Schelotto came off for Connolly and Trossard, so Albion went over to 433.
93 - Bernardo replaced Maupay, thus bolstering midfield right at the death.
SYNOPSIS: a slow start by visitors allowed domestic momentum to pressure the man-loaded defence who conceded several free kicks. Play developed in scrappy fashion, where Albion could not gain enough periods of possession.
A very quick response to going a goal behind restored parity and thereby balance before the home unit could take overall control. Nip and tuck resumed prior to the interval. Travellers had maintained a solid shape when on the back foot.
After turnaround BHA again absorbed threats & forays from locals without offering too much in reverse direction. On entering the final phase hosts were mostly winning second balls and pushing up for a possible winner.
Appearance of subs should have opened things up for do or die, kill or fall as the clock ticked down to final whistle. In the event, locals late flourish failed to materialise victory.
MoM - Dunk, led with determination.
NUMBERS: poss 67%-33%, on target 3-2, off target 11-6, corners 12-2, fouls 3-6, yellows 0-2, subs 3-3.
CONSEQUENCES: a hard fought point was almost worth its weight in gold that would be granted to PL survivors at end of another fraught campaign.
FS
MORE READING: via Stats page tabs - Squad, History & Travel, Archive for PL facts & figs and Clubs records.
