Brighton & Hove Albion (home) 05.02.2022

Colours : – 

Worn with jade green shorts

With the transfer window business done, the Spurs team was not that different from the games prior to the window.  Son and Romero returned which strengthened the side and Brighton’s team was at full strength too, apart from having to include Adam Lallana.  So, the game kicked off on a chill Saturday night thanks to ITV 4 choosing the game to be covered on the most obscure of all ITV channels, but despite that, the stadium was pretty full and there was a decent atmosphere.

The Seagulls started more aggressively in the first few minutes, giving Son, Kane and Lucas Moura not time on the ball and “letting them know that they were there”, which Stuart Twattwell let go.  When it was a tackle from a Spurs player, it was deemed to be a foul, so they were swinging crosses into the box, but either Hugo Lloris was able to claim them or our central defenders headed them away.   The first attacking moment for Tottenham came courtesy of the Brighton keeper, who manager to slice his clearance straight up in the air to Harry Kane two yards away form him in the penalty area.  Kane must have been taken a bit by surprise as he tried to volley the ball, which was just behind him and only succeeded in getting it straight back at Robert Sanchez.

However, Harry didn’t have to wait too long for his next chance.  Playing badly out from the back, Webster presented the ball straight to Heung-Min Son.  He played it inside to Pierre Hojbjerg and he moved it on to Kane, who took it to a couple of yards outside the area and bent a shot into the keeper’s top left hand corner around Dunk, who was standing in front of Harry, without making a challenge.  It was a gift ball to Son, but after that it was clinical by Tottenham.

While Brighton made weak attempts to attack, Kane and Son worked the ball well between them in our own half, with Harry trying to release Emerson Royal on the right, but Solly March tracked him back to shepherd the ball back to his keeper.  Harry Winks had an effort that the keeper took easily above his head after Son and Moura had created the chance for him, but a replica of the earlier move, with Winks playing the ball to his right, from a central position, to Emerson, who had run from five yards outside our own half.  The Brazilian set off on a run down the right, again with March for company and got to within a couple of yards of the dead-ball line at the Brighton end from where he crossed the ball.  It could have been a shot, but it was from a very narrow angle and it took a flick off March’s foot as he tried to make a weak effort to cut it out, but only managed to loop the ball up in the air as it travelled across the box, over the keeper and into the net at the far post.  It was much like Aurier’s goal against the same side at Wembley, although that was mis-hit and not deflected.  We all hoped it was going to be credited to Emerson, but the news that it was an own goal was no doubt more disappointing for him.

After Reguilon’s cross had been cleared, Winks had another effort, but this time he couldn’t keep it down and it soared into the Paxton Road end and then Brighton moved forward for March to shoot, but a deflection took the pace off the ball and Hugo took it well at his near post.  Son nodded Kane’s chipped cross from the right to the far post wide, but was offside anyway and then, following a free-kick that saw Kane scoop the ball over the Brighton defence for the Korean, but his ball across hit Royal ahead of the near post and it went off for a goal-kick. 

When Brighton did threaten the three centre-halves of Romero, Sanchez and Davies were there to tidy things up efficiently, but when the visiting side did get a chance, Bissouma’s pass into Maupay in the box saw the striker turn on it and from around the penalty area, slice the ball well wide of the goal to his left.  Spurs hit back with Kane pulling a diving save from Sanchez to his low shot, then Moder drove a shot too high when the ball was laid back for him by Maupay from just outside the area.

Going in to the break 2-0 ahead, the next goal in the game might have proved decisive.  At 3-0 for Spurs, it would be game over.  At 2-1, Brighton might feel they could take the initiative.  A change for the visitors at the break wasn’t an attacking one, with Veltman replacing the disappointing Lallana, but the manager did change the system and Brighton did look a little more solid after the restart.

Reguilon and Moder exchanged shots at each end, with the Spurs left wing-back having his shot blocked, while the Pole once more couldn’t keep his down.  Bissouma fired in a shot from the edge of the box that took a deflection off Romero’s attempted block, causing Hugo to change direction in mid-dive to go to his left to push the ball out as it look like it had wrong-footed him.  It was a fine reaction save and our captain is making some very important stops this season.  He also made sure that Lamptey couldn’t reach a ball into the right side of the box, with the Seagulls fans spitting feathers as they thought it should have been a corner.  They really are an angry lot !

A string of free-kicks broke up any flow in the game and when Veltman brought down Son after he broke past him on the halfway line, the yellow card was finally discovered deep in Twattwell’s pocket.  Son was coming into the game more in the second half and when Kane was sent away, he picked out our number 7 to his left, but the finish lacked a little conviction.  It was an attempted curler that went straight into Sanchez’s hands.  That was on the hour and three minutes later, Bissouma picked up the ball on the left hand corner of our box, ran inside to his right and lined up another shot, this time the deflection confounded Lloris and left him stranded as the ball flew past him.  It had come off Hojbjerg’s back as he tried to get in the way of it, but neither he nor the keeper could be blamed for it.

So, it was game on as far as the Brighton fans were concerned.  Well, for three minutes that was.  In an almost action replay of his famous Burnley goal, Son burst into an amazing turn of pace from the halfway line, bursting  between a couple of defenders, who couldn’t live with him.  Getting into the box, the defenders were concerned about conceding a penalty, Dunk rushed in and fell flat on his face, knocking the ball against Webster, who had a great game for Spurs, who knocked the ball past his own keeper leaving Harry Kane the opportunity to bundle the ball over the line from very close range, just beating Webster to the final touch.  It was fantastic speed from Son and Keystone Kops defending by Brighton that left them two goals behind again.

It was all going on, as just a minute after Kane’s goal, a straight ball through the Tottenham defence put Maupay in the clear and as he got inside the box, it looked as though he tried to chip Hugo, but it landed in the Spurs keeper’s stomach.  Worst chip ever !  Ex-Woolwich striker Welbeck came on and at least he didn’t have to go off after a minute like his last appearance against Spurs.  He had a really good chance when a deep cross from the right found him at the far post, but it bounced off his shins for a goal-kick, being unable to control the ball.

Sergio Reguilon’s eyes lit up when the ball was played into his run coming in from the left and Sanchez somehow managed to unconvincingly scramble the ball around the post for a corner.  Kane smashed one over the top and then Welbeck got on the end of a cross into the box and headed down to Hugo’s right, but the Frenchman dived full length to keep it out and then pounced on the loose ball before Caicedo.

Conte decided to give debuts to Kulusevski and Bentancur off the bench.  Dejan looked a little hesitant to run at opponents, but he seems to have the skill to do it and laid a late chance on for another sub – Bergwijn, but he leaned back and skied his shot way into the South Stand from 12 yards out after Dunk had played the ball straight to Kulusevski in trying (unsuccessfully) to play out from the back.  Bentancur on the other hand showed a calmness and poise that screams “class”.  With his first couple of touches was in his own penalty box, surrounded by Brighton players and moving the ball from foot to foot, he passed it out to a white shirt and then with his hands pushing down on either side of his body, he seemed to be telling everyone that they shouldn’t worry about him playing like that.  It was a little more worrying seeing Davinson Sanchez doing drag-backs and 360s in defensive positions, but he had a good game today, as did Davies and Romero alongside the Colombian.  Romero’s return is most welcome as his channelled aggression and comfort on the ball is another major plus for us.  

Hugo provided a safe pair of hands at the back, being unable to do anything about their goal and the midfield all worked hard to stop Brighton moving forward and to spring attacks when they had done so.  A special mention for Emerson Royal, who had a particularly effective game tonight.  Sonny looked like he was getting back to his best by the end and the two new recruits will no doubt be able to show us even more of what they can do once they have integrated a little more.

There were a couple of unnecessary things that happened during the proceedings.  When Kane celebrated his second goal by going over in front of the fans in the South-West corner of the stadium, someone in the South Stand appeared to throw a bottle at the players.  A bit weird seeing as how these were supposed to be our own supporters.  Then after the final whistle, the now commonplace pitch invaders made their appearance.  It’s probably not helped when Bergwijn gives them a shirt, as it will only encourage more of them, but it getting a bit tedious and I suppose, in the end, the club will get fined for not stopping them getting onto the pitch.

Middlesbrough await at the Riverside in the next round and another strong performance like this will be required.

Burton Bradstock

Tottenham’s third goal gave them the record as the highest scoring club in the history of the FA Cup with 906 goals, taking over from Kettering by one goal.