Post Match report for the Tottenham game - Thursday, 26th December 2019
PREMIER LEAGUE: Spurs v Brighton - 26/12/19, P19.
ALBION LEFT WITHOUT ON BOXING DAY INDULGENCE
VENUE: Hotspur Stadium, Tottenham, London N17 - tenth away match of nineteen fixtures to date.
RESULT: 2-1 ~ Webster . (h-t 0-1) . SHAPE: 4-3-3
REF: enjoyed his Xmas duties and waved a few cards to boot.
PRE-KICKOFF: Brighton fans went early into London on Boxing Day for a lunchtime kickoff up the Lane. It seemed unlikely that any footy presents would be received to help their side get a first festive point here today, although was supposedly the season of goodwill after all.
GATE: 56,308 . WEATHER: rain.
GRAHAM POTTER talked a good pre-match as usual but knew psychological moments during the forthcoming contest would be the real game changers.
He rang the changes anyway like bells at Xmas. Dunk was ill so Duffy stepped in. Schelotto, Bernardo, Alzate & Connolly also started.
TEAM . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 21 Schelotto, 4 Duffy, 15 Webster, 33 Burn
. . . . . 46 Alzate, 6 Stephens, 30 Bernardo
. . . . . . . 13 Gross, 44 Connolly, 18 Mooy
BENCH: 27 Button, 22 Montoya, 24 Propper, 8 Bissouma (83), 11 Trossard (76), 17 Murray, 7 Maupay (68).
GOALS: 37 - 0-1. Schelotto was brought down. From the set piece delivered by Gross, WEBSTER heads home powerfully.
53 - 1-1. Following a rebounding clearance, Ryan initially parries the shot but is beaten by the second attempt.
72 - 2-1. Quality told in build up and execution when pin-point action leaves Ryan a mere spectator at a lobbed volley.
INCIDENTS: 24 - the big England striker nets for hosts but is ruled offside, confirmed by VAR.
YELLOWS: Burn fouled his man, Gross similarly.
SUBS: 68 - Connolly made way for Maupay. 76 - Trossard replaced Bernardo. 83 - Bissouma came on for Schelotto.
SYNOPSIS: the first forty-five minutes ended with Seagulls leading and in a useful place to get something from the game. The revised starting eleven had equipped themselves well enough to keep a clean sheet and offer something going forward. Game management and a ninety minute performance would be necessary.
After the interval hosts anticipated revival took effect and once level, carried a threat from sheer quality of their squad.
On balance the thin lines between securing a point by using appropriate personnel & means or suffering loss through inadequate measures in ebb & flow once again fell into the category of near but as yet so far.
MoM - Ryan acquitted himself well.
NUMBERS: poss 54%-46%, on target 5-5, off target 6-6, corners 9-2, fouls 10-9, yellows 4-2, subs 3-3.
FS
