Brighton 1 Aston Villa 1
There is a misconception in football that we fans know much less than players, managers, coaches and pundits.
This dull game – if it did nothing else – disproved this. On the bus to the Amex – the least car-friendly stadium in the world – I met a supporter I knew. He commented on Villa’s lack of forward power but said you must always watch Jack Grealish.
Brighton dominated the first half and concluded it one-up with a good strike from Leandro Trossard.
Midway in the second half my neighbour commented “Something has to be done. This game is slipping away from us.”
Villa were dominating midfield and exerting more and more pressure.
Sure enough Jack Grealish was found in acres of room and thumped home the equaliser.
Afterwards Graham Potter blamed the team for leaving him unmarked but most of us blamed him for not making significant changes beforehand.
The problem with Brighton’s squad is is its sameness. Both forwards – Neil Maupay and Aaran Connolly – are small and quick. The three midfielders (Aaron Mooy,Davy Propper and Dale Stephens) work hard but none of them have a defence-splitting pass or contribute many goals.
Only Trossard has that touch of originality.
In the car home, as my neighbour gives me a lift, the general view is Brighton will stay up on the basis there are 3 worse – but relegation one day is inevitable. Would it be so bad?
The view was that instead of clamouring for 40 points and avoiding relegation, Brighton would be up top of the Championship and playing promotion battles.
One benefit of the Premiership is the opportunity to assess players like Villa’s Tyrone Mings. He is a good defender at club level but never an international – but Jack Grealish is.
My only worry is his uncontrolled temperament and an international referee may be less tolerant of him.
On the subject of uncontrolled temperament, it all kicked off in the final minutes between Neil Maupay and Ezra Konsa – former teammates at Brentford – when the former mocked the latter’s hair do.
They had to be separated but were still at each other’s throats after the final whistle At least someone had some passion – most of us were relieved to hear the final whistle.
This display was typical of Chris Hughton and at the moment Graham Potter is fortunate to be earning plaudits for attractive play but points-wise he has less than Hughton did at this stage last season.
