Albion 3-0 Spurs, 05.10.19
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Published on 06-10-2019 17:00
Just wow. An unbelievable assured performance, and what a brilliant result. After weeks and weeks of promising performances, looking the better team but unable to take maximum points, this was a long time coming. At last a win at home, and in some style too.
To add to the pleasure of such a spellbinding display, the Spurs fans were unreservedly irate - the N17 MASSIV already traumatised from a 2-7 midweek spanking from Bayern Munich, but now BRIGHTON fam. How we losing to (#teamslike)Brighton blud? Another untouchable top-six titan joins the list of having been schooled by an Albion team who wanted it more. And actually, we completely outplayed them too.
Team news in ahead of the early kick-off, and a few returning faces: Solly March back on the bench after a minor injury issue, Balogun too. The big news though, a first league start for Aaron Connolly - the young starlet having impressed from the bench, particularly against Burnley and Newcastle. Perfect then to give him his full debut against more lowly opposition.
Underway, and a bizarre start to the game. Potter sent his team out in a 4-2-2-2, with Mooy and Groß taking up the two wide number 10 positions. This worked to immediate effect as Albion built from the back, and Pascal does well to find the half-space and float out wide. A trademark Groß Cruyff turn, and a frankly pathetic gesture of defensive interest from Lamela gave the German time to deliver a cross. With Maupay and Connolly lurking, Pascal sent the ball in - overhit, argh.
Lloris backpedals to deal with it. Or not. The France National captain drops the ball under no pressure and crashes backward into the goal, leaving the ball bouncing invitingly on the goal line. Bleach blonde Maupay reacts first and nods it over, and no one can quite believe it. Did he collide with the post? Did he slip? Has the spirit of Peter Ward appeared on the pitch to mentor young Connolly, Yoda style, and given the goalkeeper a cheeky nudge? Has that ACTUALLY just happened?
Lloris is still down, clearly in agony. A replay pops up on the Amex screens, and the ground watches with intrigue - before swiftly averting their eyes in horror. That looked a really nasty one, wishing poor Hugo a speedy recovery.
An enforced change in goal for Spurs, and we restart the game following lengthy delay. The dynamic of the game could well change now, after Brighton’s quickest Premier League goal to date. Wrong, the flow of the game is totally unaltered. If anything, the Albion blossom in confidence and begin to tighten their grip on proceedings.
Intelligent triangles down the right-hand-side, Montoya looking every bit the classy full-back we’ve wanted since Bruno joined the coaching team. Alzate is humiliating his midfield counterparts, they just can’t get the ball off him. An observation, and maybe a little harsh on the returning Yves, but I can’t help think that Alzate is performing at the level we all wish Bissouma would.
Groß again finds room between the lines, and releases Connolly in behind. The youngster races onto the ball, matched by the powerful Sissoko - today filling it at right-back - and feels the Spurs man collide into him. John Moss is uninterested, Connolly insistent that he was fouled. Clumsy from Sissoko, but probably not quite enough for the referee to point to the spot. One thing is for certain; VAR was never going to intervene. On viewing the replays, the contact was outside the box anyway. More enterprising play from the Albion though.
A special mention for another enthralling Aaron - Mooy was absolutely superb. The Australian flexing his technical prowess with an outrageous piece of control as Ryan sprays the ball a little wide. Under close attention from £55 million Ndombele, he turns expertly and sends the ball down the line into the path of Maupay. Oozes class, and testament to him for delivering such a high level of performance with Pröpper still out. We didn’t miss Davy at all - and that’s no mean feat.
Again Mooy links up well down the left with the marauding Dan Burn, who sends in an inviting low cross. Connolly is alive in the box and gets across his marker with a delightful back flick towards goal. Saved, no! Wait-GOALLLLL!!! A brilliant poacher's effort, and Albion are in absolute dreamland.
Connolly wheels away and launches into a knee slide in front of the South-West corner. He’s earnt that, the little Irishman - how many goals do you have to score week in, week out for the U21s before you get let loose in the first team? As another natural goal scorer put it “It does not matter what league you are in, the goalposts don't move." It really wouldn’t surprise me to see Connolly push on to become prolific as our Glenn has been over the years - he’s got everything he needs.
A poisonous combination of long and short passes was leaving Tottenham weak and without answer, they just couldn’t cope. Stephens and Alzate both so comfortable on the ball, inviting a half-hearted press which the Albion could play through with ease. Mooy and Groß both picking up intelligent positions, the two up front willing runners in behind. Football can seem really simple sometimes, can’t it?
The crowd too, in good voice, serenading the players to tribute to such an authoritative display. Connolly wins a header, directing it into the path of Maupay...the Frenchman takes a touch, then finds Groß. The German surrounded, with not much on, calmly wriggles through two Spurs men and then strikes at goal, the ball justttt whistling wide. We are running the show, magnificent scenes.
I could describe twenty instances of Albion’s hunger and speed of thought, just from the first half alone. Spurs were being out-fought and bypassed with ease, as the home side pressed with ferocious intensity. Alzate picks off the ball as Tottenham try to escape their own half, and Mooy collects the loose ball. The loanee then ghosts past Ndombele (He’s mentioned a lot in this report, and never in a positive way. He summed Spurs up entirely).
It’s worked into Maupay, who feeds Montoya. He cuts inside, and allows Groß to overlap him, then threads him the ball. Slick play from the Seagulls once again, culminating in a smart pick-out from Pascal, Connolly sliding the ball wide of the post. So close to a second goal already for the Irishman, Potter has agony etched on his face. He knows his side should be out of sight already.
On 44 minutes, a rare attack from Tottenham on the counter. Montoya’s clever backheel found Connolly, who’s blocked effort fell for Spurs to race away. It’s worked up to Son, then to Harry Kane, then across to Lamela...Albion flooding back in numbers. Caught out for the first time all game, Lamela is allowed to strike at goal - but Dunk blocks his effort. Brilliant work to sense the danger, that was past Ryan.
A teary Ndombele thwacks the ball into the advertising boards as he can’t reach Son’s wayward pass in added time in the first half...what a terrible shame. Echoes of “Can we play you every week” as the ball is returned to Ryan, quite marvellous. This is why we love football, really. Gus Poyet’s biggest satisfaction as a football manager? “Seeing the team play my way”. I’m sure Graham would echo that sentiment.
The last action before HT, almost an own goal as Maupay lashes the ball across and it deflects off a timid Tottenham leg. No conviction in the away side’s actions, their confidence is completely shot. They couldn’t wait to scamper inside after being utterly outplayed. I’m certain wished the whistle would never come.
No sooner had Spurs trudges into the dressing room, they were sent back out swiftly. A change at half time too - Winks on for the frustrated figure of Ndombele.
Play restarts, and an incident rather brushed over post-match: Connolly hits the deck after contact with Dier. Potter is incensed, pointing at the tangled figure of Connolly on the turf convinced of misconduct. Viewing the replays, there’s definitely a case there - his elbow is raised completely unnecessarily. Very surprised VAR didn’t interrogate the incident further. Actually, not especially surprised.
At long last, the first real danger from the away side, as the ball finds its way through to Davies, who tries to slide it across goal...danger well averted by the impressive Webster. Then Spurs come again and try and get Son in behind with a testing ball over the top - flicked calmly back to Ryan by Webster again. Duffy may have quite a battle on his hands to get back in the team.
Lovely build-up as Big Dan Burn finds himself on the edge of the box. Burn effortlessly cuts inside with all the pomp and authority of Beckenbauer in his prime, and swings his right leg at it, it’s blocked, and Spurs hack it away.
Spurs trying to build something close to an attack, and the snidey Lamela is fouled by Stephens. Inexplicably, the Argentine gets the Albion man booker by er, *checks notes* booting the ball at him from a yard away. Not sure what John Moss expected Stephens to do.
On 60 minutes, Aaron Connolly finds space in his favoured left-hand channel, and takes the opportunity to run at Alderweireld. The Belgian backpedals and has to concede the corner, nice work from Connolly yet again. We’ve got a real prospect on our hands, haven’t we?
Mooy does good work to win a free-kick, using his body well before allowing Sissoko to wrestle him a little too enthusiastically. Groß to deliver, Mooy with a little dummy run to draw the goalkeeper into a step to his left...Pascal shapes to cross, then whips the ball wickedly over the wall at the near post. The ball thunders against the crossbar and away to safety - a quality effort from our irrepressible playmaker. Need that killer third goal.
And boy, do we get it. What a FANTASTIC effort.
Dunk takes the ball out of defence, waiting for Tottenham pressure that doesn’t come. The captain sends a delicious curing pass directly into the path of Connolly, severing our opponent’s spine in two with ease. A repeat scenario as Connolly is freed down the left, and has no hesitation tearing at the Tottenham defence. The Irishman jinks inside, and absolutely buries it in the bottom right-hand corner. A brilliant, brilliant goal. So much confidence, and so much ability too. Connolly takes his plaudits in front of the North, and kisses the badge. What a sight that is. Brighton and Hove Albion THREE (3), Tottenham Hotspur NIL. Surely our best and most complete performance in the Premier League to date.
The Amex is in party mood now, a first home win of the season and in who knows how long surely sealed. Eriksen has to console Alderweireld, the Belgian international left red-faced by Aaron’s teasing run. I have to highlight Dunk’s exquisite pass further - just WHAT was Southgate thinking leaving Lewis out in favour of Keane and Mings? Dan Ashworth needs to get on the phone and let him know how big an error that is.
A bit of a let-off as the ball breaks for Son two yards out, but the Korean misses his kick completely. Yes Spurs have been woeful, but the level of our performance should not be understated. We’ve held our nerve, didn’t shy away from the game after going ahead so early to such a gift of a goal - it would have been understandable if we’d opted to play with more caution and look to protect our lead.
Spurs waste another chance for good measure, as Kane cuts inside past Burn and blazes over from inside the box. Don’t worry Harry - I’m sure Aaron will give you some tips if you ask nicely.
With just over 10 minutes remaining, Bissouma enters proceedings, and it’s Aaron Connolly to make way. A dream full debut from one of our biggest prospects - who fully deserves to make a name for himself on the big stage.
The last 10 minutes were immeasurably enjoyable. Albion strolling around in cruise control, working the ball with ease. Webster strolling forward, and making it to the Tottenham box. Alzate now featuring wide on the left, interchanging with Burn and Mooy for fun. Maupay lays off for Groß to test Gazzaniga - his effort straight down the middle.
Another highlight - Dunk’s wonderful wrestling tackle on Harry Kane as the England captain got so frustrated at hardly having a kick all game, he took it out on Lewis in a most unusual way.
We know he’s brilliant and all Harry but really? Can only assume he knows the lad has got to be in the England squad, and as Gareth won’t pick him, decided to take it upon himself to obtain his DNA and clone him. Enrol the kid in a top-six academy and he’s sure to be called up.
2 more late changes for the Albion as Bong replaces the impressive Alzate, and Murray is on for Stephens. The final few seconds tick by, mostly spent down the Spurs right-hand side, with Bong looking decidedly unsure of what to do with the ball when he received it. He’d fit in well at Spurs.
John Moss brings the schooling to a close, to a triumphant roar. Pochettino dejected, Potter quietly elated with his team’s exceptional display. The Albion players take their plaudits and depart, a quite perfect way to sign off before the international break. Potter’s philosophy really looks to be paying off, this perhaps a landmark result as our wonderful Premier League journey continues.
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