Post Match report for the Liverpool game - Wednesday, 8th July 2020

PREMIER LEAGUE restarted: Brighton v Liverpool - 8/7/20, P34.
(Postponed 18/4/20 - Prem suspended. Rescheduled game played behind closed doors).

ALBION TAKE A QUICK DIVE AGAINST SOARING TITLE WINNERS


RESULT: 1-3 ~ Trossard . (h-t 1-2) . SHAPE: 4-3-3


VENUE: the Amex, Falmer - seventeenth home match of thirty-four fixtures to date.
PRE-KICKOFF: stay at home Brighton fans, whether shielding or otherwise, were relieved to realise those bottom three clubs were still well adrift of Albion ongoing into final stages of that pandemic delayed run in.
Such health & sport calamities meant that hosting this terms champions unfortunately prevented normal human exchanges, lacked open air verbal excitement and so muted any stadium celebration.
WEATHER: cool & cloudy with drizzle on an evening in July.

GRAHAM POTTER made metaphorical comments about fixing the aeroplane whilst up in midair. His immediate task was attempting to avoid low level Seagulls from forced landing or disastrous crash & burn.
The revamped work-sheet showed Stephens, Gross and Mac Allister to start following local hangar duty changes.


TEAM . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 2 Lamptey, 15 Webster, 5 Dunk, 33 Burn
. . . . 13 Gross, 6 Stephens, 24 Propper
. 10 Mac Allister, 7 Maupay, 11 Trossard

BENCH: 27 Button, 22 Montoya, 30 Bernardo, 4 Duffy, 16 Jahanbakhsh, 17 Murray.
Connolly (71), Mooy (71), Bissouma (71).


GOALS: 6 - a shocking mistake in opening moments allows an easy goal-scoring opportunity which Reds accept.
8 - after being caught in possession deep in the first third, hosts present another gift to rampaging champions.
45 - a move down the right saw Lamptey provide an assist for TROSSARD to get one back by halftime.
76 - quality players will make and take goals and difference in class was apparent as Albion conceded yet again.


INCIDENTS: Mac Allister receives an early cut as he is bloodied versus top of the table players.

YELLOWS: Lamptey.

SUBS: 71 - Connolly, Mooy & Bissouma for Mac Allister, Gross & Propper.
Potter left alterations until Reds exposed their enhanced hand of strong cards. Substitutions were mainly ineffective.


ANALYSIS: just prior to kickoff the type of performance counted for much more than the likely result. In the event Brighton were two down before they even knew how things might begin to shape up. After that it was an exercise in damage limitation.
Albion got over initial trepidation and put a few moves together, although visitors had eased into cruise control. Locals came forward but were chasing the game in trademark ponderous fashion. At the interval status quo saw reduced deficit.
During the second period Seagulls plugged away whilst aware of essential defensive duties against very fast counters.
Potter appreciated coaching his current squad is synonymous with aerial work in progress and once fire-fighting is done he can replace components to get Seagulls airborne again and flying higher from start of the next campaign.
MoM - Lamptey, lots of effort.

NUMBERS: poss 44%-56%, on target 2-8, off target 10-11, corners 6-10, fouls 7-15, yellows 1-4, subs 3-5 (5/9).

CONSEQUENCES: in fading light at dusk, after going through motions to merely complete an unwinnable contest, collateral damage was readily expected, duly sustained and off field wounds sutured & bandaged without dash for intensive care.

FS


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