Post Match report for the Sheff Utd game - Saturday, 21st December 2019

PREMIER LEAGUE: Brighton v Sheffield United - 21/12/19, P18.

ALBION BLUNTED WHEN ATTACKING BLADES


VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - ninth home match of eighteen fixtures to date.
RESULT: 0-1 . (h-t 0-1) . SHAPE: 4-3-3 .
REF: pretty much a straightforward afternoon.

PRE-KICKOFF: Christmas was coming and Brighton fans were in good mood despite travel problems continuing throughout Sussex due to flooding from local rivers overflowing.
A win against ex-Championship opponents from days of yore was almost expected. What could possibly go wrong?
GATE: 30,505 . WEATHER: forecast rain duly arrived.


GRAHAM POTTER brought Stephens back in from suspension but otherwise went with what is becoming considered the best starting eleven.
Connolly returned to the bench after injury.

TEAM . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 22 Montoya, 15 Webster, 5 Dunk, 33 Burn
. . . . 18 Mooy, 6 Stephens, 24 Propper
. . . . 11 Trossard, 7 Maupay, 13 Gross

BENCH: 27 Button, 30 Bernardo, 4 Duffy, 8 Bissouma (56), 46 Alzate, 17 Murray (45), 44 Connolly (45).


GOALS: 23 - 0-1. A mistake by Webster in rearguard gets punished by their striker when the final ball clips inside a post.


INCIDENTS; 9 - Albion concede from a corner when Ryan is stranded and defence is at sixes & sevens. VAR chalk off the score because of handball during netting.
19 - VAR confirms lino was correct when hosts bulge the onion bag but prior to striking from an offside position.
47 - Seagulls make yet another error, presenting travellers with an easy conversion which is missed.
55 - VAR saves the day with an o/s decision after United find the net again following a second howler by Ryan.

YELLOWS: Bissouma for simulation.

SUBS: Potter had to make early changes and did so at halftime bringing on Connolly & Murray for start of the second period, Trossard & Gross making way.
Ten minutes later Bissouma replaced Montoya. Albion reshaped 343.


ANALYSIS: visitors set off on the front foot and locals played right into their hands with developing inertia, lacklustre motion, weak methodology, poor passing and a giveaway goal to boot. To say least it was a disappointing first half performance in many respects.
Everything was played in front of travellers lines, making for easy defending. All that pre-match media hype was looking slightly patronising, given this dismal and unacceptable first forty-five minutes.
Substitutions made from beginning of the second period put Murray at point and pace down channels just wide of him.
The clock ticked while Seagulls huffed & puffed in trying to push up against solid rearguard action, who merely sat back, soaked up flaccid attacks and looked for any opportunist counter attack. These tactics proved effective as Albion constantly floundered.
Pattern of play continued with one way traffic but without demonstrably troubling oppositions goalie.
Some might put it down to a just a bad day at the office but in truth BHA came up short against a well drilled outfit.
Potter would not be pleased but at end of the same day his ongoing learning curve is still long, partly down to revealing inexperience against an old pro.
MoM - Connolly, tried to make a difference almost solo.

NUMBERS: poss 69%-31%, on target 2-2, off target 7-5, corners 4-3, fouls 6-11, yellows 1-3, subs 3-3.

FS