Post Match report for the Watford game - Saturday, 2nd February 2019
PREMIER LEAGUE; Brighton v Watford
ALBION WITH A POINT TO PROVE CAPABILITIES
VENUE; the Amex, Falmer - twelfth home match of 25 fixtures to date.
RESULT; 0-0 . SHAPE; 4-3-3 . REF; let it flow during most rough & tumble.
PROLOGUE; Brighton fans assembled at the community stadium, following a winless January in the Prem, optimistically checking the recent closed transfer window listings.
Starved of domestic goals during 2019 in all competitions, locals required at least one to be scored to raise a cheer and lift spirits after another disappointing defeat from hapless regular selections in midweek on the road.
GATE; 30,414 . WEATHER; cold, breezy but dry with sunny periods.
CHRIS HUGHTON had fielded much of his fit & available PL squad to turn out a side for each of the goalless FA Cup tie here last week and aforesaid league debacle in London. With these below par displays in mind he thoughtfully elected to do nothing significant.
Stephens pulled up short in warm up and so Bissouma started.
TEAM; . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 22 Montoya, 4 Duffy, 5 Dunk, 3 Bong
. . . . 13 Gross, 24 Propper, 8 Bissouma
. . . . 20 March, 17 Murray, 9 Locadia
BENCH; 27 Button, 14 Balogun, 33 Burn, 7 Kayal, 11 Knockaert, 10 Andone (72), 16 Jahanbakhsh.
GOALS; none. The Amex famine continues this year.
INCIDENTS; there were numerous occasions that offered excitement in the final third.
68 - at a set piece the accurate dead-ball cross by Gross was headed over by Murray with Duffy in close attendance.
80 & 81 - in quick succession, while Albion piled on late pressure, Duffy was prominent with two athletic attempts to break deadlock.
YELLOWS; 33 - Propper was booked for pulling the travelling striker back at a fast counter attack.
SUBS; 72 - Andone replaced Murray and injected pace up front during a frantic last quarter of kick & rush, do or die, death or glory with pedal to the metal.
ANALYSIS; Hornets keeper kept them in the game and the longer it stayed goalless, the more likely-hood this contest would not open out to home advantage. The performance was offensive, as opposed to that useful defensive display against Liverpool here last time, but was equally competent for different reasons.
Albion has a deliberate method of approach play which gets the ball into opponents area and plentiful delivery today did create sufficient chances to alter stalemate. Stats suggest that apart from Murray other players do find it difficult to convert opportunities and so it proved once again.
The positives were in keeping a clean sheet, a high level of competitive quality and good discipline across the pitch.
MoM - March, was a winger with intention to run his marker, as from days of yore.
1ST FAN; +the team responded to self-inflicted problems heaped on us away in midweek. There was plenty of effort and application, although lady luck did not show up+.
2ND FAN; +Ryan was a spectator mostly and used feet more than hands as part of a extra strong rearguard. Pity it was less effective football up the other end+
3RD FAN; +at end of the day we just needed a deflection, in-off attempt or blunder by Watford defenders to get us on the scoreboard. By law of averages a goal was assumed odds on+
FS
