Post Match report for the Newcastle game - Saturday, 27th April 2019
PREMIER LEAGUE; Brighton v Newcastle
ALBION A CARICATURE OF SOCCER STARS WITH TOON
VENUE; the Amex, Falmer - eighteenth home match of 36 fixtures.
RESULT; 1-1 ~ Gross . (h-t 0-1) . SHAPE; 4-4-2 . REF; considered a stickler for rules but officiated within tolerances.
PREAMBLE; this really was the BIG one - following a goalless run over the previous seven games extending to eleven hours or so. All positive talk and spin put out by club & squad would count for nothing with supporters unless victory or at worst a stalemate backstop was gained at end of today.
Nothing else would be remembered subsequently but what the statistical record retained for posterity.
Concourses erupted with cheers when the Fulham v Cardiff result is confirmed on tv screens half an hour before kickoff.
GATE; 30,587 . WEATHER; dry, sunny periods but cool & windy.
CHRIS HUGHTON had Knockaert available after suspension. Otherwise, apart from hamstrung Propper, could select from a full if under-performing group.
He had rotated personnel for those two make-weight contests during past week on the road but was now anticipated to go with experienced players regarded as capable of implementing winning instructions.
TEAM; . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 2 Bruno, $ Duffy, 5 Dunk, 30 Bernardo
. 13 Gross, 6 Stephens, 7 Kayal, 19 Izquierdo
. . . . . . 10 Andone . . . . 17 Murray
BENCH; 27 Button, 3 Bong, 33 Burn, 8 Bissopuma (49), 9 Locadia, 20 March (45), 11 Knockaert (66).
GOALS; 0-1 - 18. a cross found the striker unmarked at the far post and he set it up for his free buddy to smash home.
1-1 - 75. Good work by Knockaert & Bruno down the right flank saw Murray head the centre back across the area for onrushing GROSS using his head to beat the keeper.
INCIDENTS; in an even contest for stats, visitors were more positive with counter attacks, while hosts eventually created enough opportunities in open play and from set pieces.
YELLOWS; 11 - Andone raised a foot. 78 - Bissouma got in a tangle.
SUBS; 45 - Andone gets hooked for March in second alteration to shape. 49 - Kayal was feeling a leg and Bissouma replaces in m-f. 66 - Izquierdo comes off for Knockaert and so wingers swap sides.
ANALYSIS; opening forays via the revised 442 set-up burnt out quickly and opposition took control of midfield and made the play. Albion know what coming from behind means but once conceding yet again appeared out of ideas & application to not only stay in the game but actually provide chances to score an equaliser by the interval.
However Hughton reverted to 4411 for the second period and another imposed substitution made extra necessary impact in a game of two halves. The final change also added impetus to forward motion and the leveller duly delivered from purposeful movement
On the plus side, Seagulls looked a better outfit when not pressed into static overload outside the area but when finding space to attack inside the box. Conversely repeating patterns of losing, miss-kicking and just watching the ball are still cause for concern.
Lack of pace in the team is not the only issue because required accuracy of passing during slower build up still inevitably breaks down too often with the final ball.
MoM - March, wriggled the attack up field and onto the front foot.
1ST FAN; +after an hour the momentum changes and the crowd lifts and overall mood was more optimistic. For once it was the away section who had to chew their lips until the end+
2ND FAN; +booing at halftime was justified but fair play to the team, with subs on they gave a much better account of a Prem side able to compete at least+
3RD FAN; +next Saturday also becomes important to us, even though we are not playing until Sunday. We just hope it does not have to go to the wire+
FS
