A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

SkyBET Championship

5th October 2013

Brighton and Hove Albion (1)1
Crofts 31

Nottingham Forest (0)3
Lansbury 46 and 62(pen)
Henderson 60

Attendance: 27,755

League Position: 14th

On paper this was a Championship mismatch and so, eventually, it proved to be.

In the red corner Nottingham Forest with one of biggest player budgets in the Division. How they achieved this, without a Premiership parachute payment, and within the Financial Fair Play rules and given their level of support is something of a mystery. Answers please on a postcard to the Football League.

In the blue corner the Albion, whose challenge of remaining within the FFP rules is being compounded by injuries, many of them long term, to a quarter of the first team squad. 

By the end Forest's expensively acquired team of pace

Gully seeks comfort from a pumpkin spice latte

and power laced with Premiership experience saw them safely home but until the visitors' second goal in the 62nd minute the Albion were well in this game and could count themselves slightly unfortunate not to be ahead. 

The Albion edged the first half with LuaLua a constant threat as he drew regular fouls and bookings from Forest defenders. An early cross caused panic in the penalty area and a shot flew narrowly over. When the Albion played long balls down the wings for Buckley and LuaLua the Forest defenders struggled to cope and the opening goal came via this route. A long ball to Buckley down the left, played back to Ward whose cross was knocked across the area by Barnes for Crofts to stoop low to head his third of the season. 

Forest were reduced mainly to shots from distance which Kuszczak dealt with easily enough although there were plenty of reminders of their class and experience mainly from Reid and Lansbury.

As the 2nd half got underway the Albion just about had control of the game and it was for Forest to cope with the challenges and frustrations of chasing it.  It was vital the Albion did not concede early on and that was exactly what they did. A corner, perhaps needlessly given away, was headed powerfully home by the unmarked Lansbury as he pulled away from the defenders. 

For the next 10 minutes the Albion reduced the sometimes ponderous Forest defence to panic as they pressed for a 2nd goal. Barnes again won the ball in the air and from his header a Crofts' shot was deflected on to the post by Darlow. The ball was eventually scrambled away from in front of the goal. If that had gone in this could have been a  very different game.

Almost immediatley Forest broke away down their left and from a cross Henderson

drove the ball powerfully wide of Kuszczak.  Two minutes later Forest sealed victory when a Greer tackle gave Cox the opportunity to go down too easily and Lansbury buried the spot kick.

There was no way back for the Albion as the extent of the Forest squad became apparent as they brought on substitutes and defended in depth. The home team were reduced to long range shots but two efforts from Crofts and one from David Lopez did not really bother Darlow. LuaLua could have had a penalty when he appeared to be brought down in the area.

LuaLua continued to remain a threat and Forest continued to bring him down. Something which Chelsea loanee Chalobah did once too often and was dismissed by Mr. Pawson who has plenty of experience of dismissing players at the Amex.

The game petered out as the Albion ran out of steam and ideas and the 10-man Forest declined to attack. The game was summed up by the substitute strikers - Forest brought on Greg Halford and the Albion George Barker.

Forever the optimist, this could have been a very different game if the Albion could have called on Ulloa and CMS to put pressure on a sometimes uncertain defence, Orlandi's creativity and deadball skills and Bridcutt to counter Lansbury in midfield but, of course, they watched on in various states of repair. 

Another international break could not have come early

enough as it gives opportunity for the wounded to repair further and perhaps a loan striker to be secured.

As for Forest the only threat to their march to the play offs (or better) could be a side depleted by suspensions - yesterday they picked up 5 bookings and a sending off. But given the depth of their squad it may hardly matter.

REFEREE WATCH: To Mr. Pawson's credit he defended LuaLua from the persistent fouling much to the annoyance of the Forest bench. Quick to award a penalty when Cox went down and booked Darlow as punishment for the whole Forest team's time wasting towards the end.

MANAGER WATCH: This time Oscar turned out in splendid chinos and a finely cut blazer and remained unruffled as the whole Forest bench invaded his technical area finger pointing about the number of times LuaLua was tumbled to the turf.  Davies has clearly been eating too many Nottingham pies and his Holloway style celebration with the visiting fans at the end was way over the top. Perhaps it is evidence of how much pressure he is under to succeed given all that money he has been given?

ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: LuaLua received the sponsor's award (for the second game runnning) but I shall give it to ANDREW CROFTS. Given he is playing with an injury he was one of the Albion's most influential players. He was behind most of what was good. His head went in with the flying boots for the goal and he was desperately unlucky not to add a second.  He kept going until the end and I reckon had more shots than the rest of the team put together.

A VIEW FROM WEST STAND LOWER

SkyBET CHAMPIONSHIP

1st October 2013

Brighton and Hove Albion (0)1
Andrews 89

Sheffield Wednesday (1)1
Fryatt 43

Attendance: 25,725

League Position: 12th

What is it that I hear in the far distance? Could it be the beating drums of discontent?

For over three and a half seasons Albion fans have been educated in the Gus Poyet style of play. Phrases such as "taking care of the ball", "denying the opposition possession", "no 50/50 play" and "passing around the pitch" can still only be recalled accompanied by Gus's accent. What

Gully's international break travels: Gully checks out Toronto FC shirts

the Albion served up last night was a far cry from Poyet's creed although largely with the same players.

The game will be best recalled for over-hit passes, under-hit passes, intercepted passes and passes to nobody in particular. The more the game progressed the more the players resorted to the big no-no of Gus's day - the long ball. It was 90 minutes of ping pong with Wednesday joyfully joining in. Hardly the spectacle expected by those groomed in Gus's methods. It was all hustle and bustle and what little craft there was came down the wings.

In the first half the Albion fielded four of their Latin contingent so some ole play was expected but it was more oh dear than ole as poor control let down players at vital moments.

As so often at home the Albion should have been out of sight before Wednesday had their first sight of goal. A fine pass from Bruno put David Lopez clean through on Kirkland but he was unable to control the ball and, shortly after, an equally fine defence splitting pass, this time from Greer, found Ulloa with only the goalie to beat but he likewise failed to control the ball.  Elsewhere in the first half LuaLua had a good shout for a penalty waved away, Crofts tested Kirkland from distance and Greer powered a header into Kirkland's arms.

Just prior to Greer's header Wednesday took the lead with their second visit to the Albion penalty area. Kusczcak did not get his first touch until the 12th minute, he then had a routine header to save before picking the ball out of the net. A long ball down the Albion's left should have been seen out of play but Helan was allowed to put over a cross the defence was not expecting, for Fryatt to tap the ball in from close range for his first goal in a very long time.

Just prior to the goal there had been an outbreak of handbags in the Wednesday penalty area with Keith Andrews claiming he was the sinned-against party. Following a

Gully's international break travels: Gully reflects when 

 

Canadians played ice hockey in Brighton

lot of verbals from Kirkland and arm waving the referee booked Andrews and Semedo. The break in play disturbed Albion's concentration which might have been the aim in the first place.

The second half started promisingly before disaster struck with Ulloa going down in a crumpled heap. He was stretched off with a feared fractured ankle. The Albion's squad sheet shows 4 strikers but 3 now have long term injuries and the 4th, Barnes, is always more likely to get booked than score a goal.

To the team's credit they kept going although it was not always pretty. Led by Agustein, too many players were trying for the pass of the century rather than doing the simple thing. Players passed when they should have run with ball and ran with the ball when they should have passed. The sense of frustration was added to by Wednesday's blatant time wasting and back-chatting to the referee which eventually saw Kirkland booked. 

As Wednesday closed in on their first win of the season they defended more desperately and the Albion attacked likewise. The Albion had few chances to show for all the effort. An Agustein drive from distance deflected fortunately into the welcoming arms of Kirkland. Barnes should really have converted when he steered wide a pull-back from Agustein and Andrews was desperately unlucky as a LuaLua cross found its way to him on the edge of the area only for the midfielder to shave the post with Kirkland an anxious spectator.

As added time approach and the win bonus began appearing in the Wednesday players' eyes the Albion equalised. Crofts got away down the right, his centre was headed back across for the goal by Ward for Andrews to gleefully turn in off a defender. Andrews does not score often from open play so his delight was understandable. 

Waved on by Garcia the Albion had the will to go for a winner in the added 5 minutes but not the legs so a draw it finished.

The positives - the back 5 were sound and rarely troubled and Crofts and Andrews were behind most of what was good. LuaLua and Buckley threatened on occasions. The negatives - see above.

The Albion now have a major striker crisis with Ulloa out for goodness knows how long. Barnes, for all his determination, is neither

Gully's international break travels: Looking for a Blue Jays win

a regular scorer or a lone striker. Difficult though it may be, a striker on loan is a major priority. It should really be 2 but that is probably impossible.  

So now on to the daunting proposition of Nottingham Forest. Playing a team near the top may perversely aid Albion's cause rather than one desperate for a point at any cost from near the bottom. There might  be some feeling in this game given the investments Forest have been able to make despite the FFP rules.

MAGIC MOMENT: Bruno's superb defence splitting pass early on which deserved a goal rather than David Lopez's miscontrol.

REFEREE WATCH: Mr. Stroud, who has a habit of producing lots of cards, just managed to keep a lid on things when tempers became ragged but struggled at times to cope with Wednesday's time wasting.

MANAGER WATCH: As Autumn is upon us Oscar is now sporting a finely cut grey pullover to compliment his equally fine suit but still maintained the tie free look. He prowled about a lot apparently deep in meditation. In contrast Dave Jones is not a prowler. He remains seated, for the most part, on his chair rather than in it and appeared to be posing for the predatory photographers wanting the first snap of the second Championship manager to bite the dust this season.

ALTERNATIVE MAN OF THE MATCH: The sponsors award went to LuaLua but my nomination is KEITH ANDREWS. A case of a cool head when everybody else was losing theirs. He was behind any class that was on show and took his goal well.