Post Match report for the Watford game - Saturday, 21st August 2021
PREMIER LEAGUE 21/22: Brighton V Watford - 21 /8/21, P2.
* * * * * ALBION SEE VICTORY FLAGS WAVED * * * * *
RESULT: 2-0 ~ Duffy, Maupay . (h-t 2-0) . . . . SHAPE: 4-3-3
VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - first home match of two fixtures to date . Sat 5:30pm k-o.
PRE-MATCH: Brighton fans with a covid pass and also other mobile ticket holders dutifully lined up to gain entry for the first time for a long time. Like when going back to days of your old school, the whistle blowing readjusted focus of attention.
WEATHER: warm & cloudy . . . GATE: 29,485 . . PITCH: perfect . . REF: did not make it too simple.
GRAHAM POTTER had said words to the effect that it would be unusual to have a regular first eleven through the season.
On this occasion he selected an attacking eleven of players expected to go forwards.
INJURED: 2 Lamptrey, 16 Scherpen, 18 Welbeck, 33 Burn, 34 Veltman . . . SQUAD: 6 Karbownik, 21 Andone, 22 Tau.
TEAM . . . . . . . . 1 Sanchez
. 4 Webster, 24 Duffy, 5 Dunk, 20 March
. 14 Lallana, 8 Bissouma, 10 Mac Allister
. . . 13 Gross, 9 Maupay, 11 Trossard
BENCH: 23 Steele, 17 Alzate, 19 Zeqiri, 25 Caicedo, 28 Roberts, 30 Richards.
7 Connolly (46), 12 Mwepu (72), 15 Moder (80).
GOALS: 1-0 - 10 . a corner by Gross was met in the air by DUFFY and the ball hit underside of the bar then crossed the line.
2-0 - 41 . a throw out by the keeper was intercepted by Bissouma who set up MAUPAY one-on-one to miss-foot the hapless custodian.
OCCURRENCES: halfway through the first period Bissouma blasted a f-k against the wall. Ref blew for infringement.
Just before halftime Maupay got chopped by a body check and required attention.
Connolly, on for the injured Frenchman, fired wide soon after the restart.
After the hour mark with visitors in the driving seat, Ref disallowed them reducing the deficit.
Ref allowed the away outfit strong physical challenges, whilst appearing to penalise hosts otherwise professional competitiveness.
About fifteen minutes from final whistle both Gross and Mac Allister alternately attempted to beat the keeper at each post.
YELLOWS: 61 - Duffy . 64 - Webster . 74 - Mwepu . 88 - March
SUBS: 46 - Connolly for Maupay . 72 - Mwepu for Trossard . 80 - Moder for Lallana.
FIRST HALF: locals opened up like a sports car from off the line and went ahead before opponents were really in the game.
Taking an opportunistic second chance created a buffer and reason to manage this contest further toward keeping a clean sheet.
SECOND HALF: travellers began to impose their fluid style and used plenty of movement from both flanks.
Albion formed up squarely to deal with anything outside the box and doubled up on attackers who actually penetrated our area.
Hornets were held at arms length, although our counter attacks seemed more an exercise in possession than cut & thrust delivering a killer blow.
FUNDAMENTALS: poss 57%-43%, on target 3-1, off target 10-9, corners 7-2,
fouls 11-6, yellows 4-0, subs 3-3, shape 433-4141 . . . . . . gd3 pt6 po2
FS
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