Post-match report for our last game: Bournemouth, Sunday, 24th September 2023
PREMIER LEAGUE 23/24: Brighton V Bournemouth - 24/9/23 P6
* * * * * SUNDAY LUNCH AND CHERRIES TO DEVOUR * * * * *
RESULT: 3-1 ~ og, Mitoma 2 . (h-t 0-1)
VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - fourth home match of 6 fixtures to date . Sun 2:00pm.
BEFORE KICKOFF: it was back to basics following domestic exploits for our initial entertaining of Europa League opposition only a few days ago.
But things had not gone according to expectation and a positive response was required.
WEATHER: sunny . GATE: 31,617 . ATMOSPHERE: only sing when we are winning.
ROBERTO de ZERBI had gotten over European emotional reactions revealed on the south coast of England.
RdZ consulted his rotation plan, injury list and training ground reports to file a current team-sheet.
INJURED: 6 Milner 10 Enciso 13 Gross 15 Moder
SQUAD: 29 van Hecke 38 McGill 41 Hinshelwood 43 Samuels
STARTING SHAPE: 4-2-3-1
TEAM . . . . . . . . 1 Verbruggen
. 34 Veltman 4 Webster 5 Dunk 30 Estupinan
. 24 Adingra 11 Gilmour 8 Dahoud 40 Buonanotte
. . . . . 28 Ferguson . . . . . 18 Welbeck
SUBS: 22 Mitoma (45), 31 Fati (45), 9 Pedro (63), 20 Baleba (74), 2 Lamptey (87)
BENCH: 23 Steele (gk) 3 Julio 7 March 14 Lallana
GOALS:
0-1 - 25 . VERBRUGGEN took one touch too many, visitors sprung the trap and scored into an open goalmouth.
1-1 - 45 . GILMOUR slung over a high deep cross out left that would have landed in the keepers gloves but for a colleague.
2-1 - 46 . MITOMA used pace to work a 1-2 via Fati and at speed netted as the keeper squatted to block.
3-1 - 77 . MITOMA headed in following a centre by Estupinan after a marauding run down left flank.
YELLOWS: Veltman, Dunk, Gilmour
CHANGES: 45 Mitoma & Fati for Buonanotte & Ferguson . 63 Pedro for Welbeck
74 Baleba for Dahoud . 87 Lamptey for Adingra
FIRST HALF: visitors took the lead from hosts mistake, where repeatedly playing low balls out from the keeper to our no.9 was consistently failing to turn possession from defence into direct attack via route one.
Then a similarly soft degree of fortune for locals restored parity.
SECOND HALF: two subs appeared on turnaround and Seagulls forays forward now amounted to use of flanks with crosses into the box.
It bore immediate results that inverted previous advantage held by plucky travellers.
It was then a question of how long before the game was finally put to bed.
IN THE END: no clean sheet once more but outscoring opposition gets 3 points no matter what the game-plan is, why it essentially does not work, or how to change tactics, or even where visitors counter elements are cause for concern.
NUMBERS: poss 62%-38%, on target 4-4, off target 9-8, corners 4-4,
fouls 12-17, yellows 3-3, subs 5-5, shape 4231-4231 . . . . . gd10 pt15 po3
FS
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