Post Match report for the Norwich game - Saturday, 2nd November 2019

PREMIER LEAGUE: Brighton v Norwich - 2/11/19, P11

ALBION SINGING IN THE RAIN VERSUS CANARIES


VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - sixth home match of eleven fixtures to date.
RESULT: 2-0 ~ Trossard, Duffy . (h-t 0-0) . SHAPE: 4-4-2 .
REF: let it flow if possible in very blustery wet weather.

PRE-KICKOFF: for a second Saturday running Brighton fans turned up during inclement conditions. Talk on concourses was about rugby shocks abroad, local bonfire night celebrations, December tactical voting, Boxing Day in London and New Year back here.
GATE: 30,539 . WEATHER: rain & gales . PITCH: surface water.


GRAHAM POTTER had another opportunity to select his first settled side. He elected not to tinker, bar putting previously suspended Mooy among substitutes.

TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 22 Montoya, 15 Webster, 5 Dunk, 33 Burn
. . 13 Gross, 6 Stephens, 24 Propper, 46 Alzate
. . . . . . . . . . . 7 Maupay, 44 Connolly

BENCH: 27 Button, 4 Duffy (34), Schelotto (86), 18 Mooy, 20 March, 11 Trossard (59), 17 Murray.


GOALS: 1-0 - 68. Montoya advanced deep down right flank and clipped a fast low centre across. TROSSARD had run past the near post and flicked a half volley from a difficult angle.
2-0 - 84. from a set piece taken by Trossard the ball went over a mass of advancing players. DUFFY was first to the bounce to steer it low wide of goalies block.

INCIDENTS: 34 - Webster was left prone on the grass in the home area when defending offensive action. He duly got stretchered off.
Just prior to the break a prolonged melee in visitors area came to nought and stalemate continued. VAR screened a message about checking for a possible red card. Ref allowed more play to extend until injury time expired.

YELLOWS: none. Opposition sustained one card. Considering pitch conditions, this was a sporting contest.

SUBS: 36 - Duffy on for injured Webster. 59 - Trossard inserted while Gross withdrawn.
86 - Schelotto replaced Connolly.
Potter waited for the psychological moment to inject direct methods of attack at pace and to stretch defenders.


ANALYSIS: the opening was fast and furious and chances came and went from lively looking Seagulls. Going into the interval goalless was not for want of trying to net but somehow finishing went awry.
After coffee and a chat, Albion tried to be more measured during the second period but things slowed when going up field as the clock wound down.
Potter introduced Trossard in a bid to up the ante for the remaining half hour or so. Within ten minutes deadlock got broken and assured rest of the game would further open out.
That two subs scored and the regular front two could not, was good for the whole team but much less satisfying for attacking individuals. Defenders kept a well-washed clean sheet, Ryan had an easy ninety minutes, plus stats showed locals superiority factually - as alluded to visually.
Both goals scored were probably among those regarded as difficult, compared to many missed from straightforward opportunities.
MoM - Dunk, surely as good as any English Prem centre-back.


HOME FAN: almost a routine victory against a side whom defended in depth and stayed in the game as long as possible before trusting luck might go for them.

AWAY FAN: we were lucky to get nil. Goals are hard to come by at this level and our shape does not offer much of a threat going forward right where it counts.

NEUTRAL VIEW: enough overall entertainment on an otherwise stormy afternoon. If City had scored rather than hitting the bar things may have ended closer. But teams caught in the drop zone tend to lose, repeating a cycle like that catch 22.

FS