Sheffield Utd 1 Brighton 0
There was little to play for in last night’s game as Sheffield United were already relegated and Brighton all but mathematically safe from it.
The Blades deserved their first half lead, a messy goal fired home by David McGoldrick after some poor defending by the Seagulls. Brighton laid siege to the home side’s goal in the second half but the only “goal” by Modar was chalked off by VAR.
Although Brighton are not yet safe I can speculate on the team next season.
It looks like our best player Yves Bissouma will be sold. Clubs like Brighton have difficulty in hanging onto their best players.
Selling clubs like Leicester and Southampton have an excellent recruitment set up and invest sale proceeds wisely. We must do the same.
Bissouma is a fluid midfielder with superb dribbling skills, a good pass and on occasion a rasping shot.
You never know though how he would adapt to a big club, to not playing every week and the expectations placed on him.
Last season Spurs bought Docherty from Wolves and previously Ryan Sessegnon but neither made an impact. Jota Liverpool signed from Wolves and Mahrez, who Manchester City signed from Leicester, did work out well.
Brighton at the moment are weak in two areas.
They have no pace on the flanks with Jakub Modar and Pascal Gross in unaccustomed roles as the side midfielders in a 3-4-3.
Solly March is sorely missed through injury and hopefully will be fit next season.
Adam Lallana is not getting any younger so if Bissouma does go then the midfield will need strengthening.
Up front we simply do not score enough goals. Neil Maupay missed an absolute sitter. You can rely on him to be petulant but not to score goals.
In defence we might lose Ben White too but in keeper Roberto Sanchez, who has now played for Spain, the indomitable Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster and Joel Veltman we have a well organised unit.
Finally I must mention an absorbing day at windy Hove between Sussex CCC and Yorkshire.
I was tuned all day to a first rate BBC commentary by Adrian Harmes and Jonathan Dawlish from the Sussex and Yorkshire camps respectively.
They knew their cricket and kept up an engaging sideshow as well as reporting on the game.
I did not know the answer to the question of the last two Sussex bowlers to open the bowling for England, should Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer do so.
You have to go back to the 1920s and Maurice Tate and Arthur Gilligan.
Sussex need 99 runs to win today with 6 wickets down. Skipper Ben Brown is at the crease but the batters have gone.
I would have loved to be there and frankly see no reason why Sussex should be deprived of revenue and supporters of their cricket.
