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
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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
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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
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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.
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