Football match reports usually open by focusing on a player or a manager or a contentious decision or a wonder goal. But several of the Sunday papers led their reports of Albion’s 1-0 victory away to Brentford with chairman Tony Bloom.
The club owner joined fans in the away end as is his custom on visits to the west London club, and quite a few writers obviously knew the story.
John Brewin of The Observer, for example, whose intro began: “Somewhere up among the away fans was Tony Bloom, Brighton’s owner. The cheap seats proved a happy choice. There was bedlam in the top corner of the stadium after Leandro Trossard scored a 90th-minute winner to snatch a rather fortunate but doubtless enjoyable win.”
Sam Dalling of the Sunday Telegraph wrote that “this was likely an uncomfortable watch from his vantage point with the away fans until tricky Belgian Trossard struck. It was a rare moment of quality in an afternoon otherwise lacking.”
Daniel Matthews, of the Mail on Sunday, wrote that “ensconced in shade, hidden in plain sight among the Brighton support, chairman Tony Bloom was suddenly engulfed by bedlam and a flurry of limbs. Down below, in the visitors’ dugout, Graham Potter’s emotions were slightly more in check.
“Perhaps because he has been on the rough end of many afternoons like this as Brighton boss. He has felt the sort of puncture that sucked the air out of three corners of this ground as the clock ticked into minute 90. His side has learnt the lesson of not taking chances more harshly than most.
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“On Saturday, though, it was Brighton’s turn to twist the knife – and end Brentford’s unbeaten start in the top flight.”
James continued: “Potter pointed to the resilience his side showed to stay in a match when they were second best for long periods. So he should.
“They made that hard work count at the death, when substitute Alexis Mac Allister drove towards the Brentford area and fed Leandro Trossard, who curled home the game’s only goal. That is now 11 Premier League clean sheets in 2021 – only Chelsea and Manchester City can match that.”
“Earlier Bloom had posed for selfies, he had been serenaded. He resisted invitations to sing them a song, preferring to analyse the early returns on his latest investment – the debut of £15million left back Marc Cucurella. The Spain international was part of a backline that stood firm amid a flurry of first-half chances.”
The Evening Standard, detailed those openings in a report by George Sessions of the Press association on their website. “The Brentford fans, who had been treated to a memorable opening-night home win over Arsenal, were almost on their feet celebrating inside 10 minutes when Ivan Toney tried his luck from 40 yards, but his chipped effort sailed just over the crossbar, much to the relief of away goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
“The Bees’ front duo were causing plenty of problems and a wonderful touch by Toney from Raya’s long-range pass saw him get away down the left before he cut back for his strike partner.
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“Frenchman Mbeumo curled over, however, and did the same again 60 seconds later at the midway point of the first period after an exquisite dummy by Toney, who seemed buoyed by his first top-flight goal at Aston Villa.”
Michael Emons of BBC Online took up the story: “In a second half largely lacking quality, the better chances continued to fall to the hosts but Shandon Baptiste, making his first Premier League start, wasted another opportunity.
“Brentford deserved at least a point, but their fans went home disappointed when Trossard collected the ball from substitute Alexis Mac Allister, dribbled along the 18-yard box and unleashed a fine strike for the winning goal.
“The only downside for Brighton was a first-half injury to centre-back Adam Webster who sustained a muscle injury when making a clearance and had to be replaced.”
In the Sunday Times, Jon West pointed out that “Brighton now boast three wins out of four league outings so far – it took them until January to taste as many Premier League victories last season.
“Marc Cucurella, Brighton’s £15.4m deadline day signing from Getafe, was given an instant introduction to English football in the shape of an arm in the face that floored him after just seven minutes. Surprisingly, that belonged to fellow Spaniard Sergi Canos and the Brentford man, one of the smallest on the pitch, was booked.”
After listing the series of half-chances created by Brentford, West added: “Brighton had been slowly but surely becoming more of a goal threat and Trossard broke the deadlock in the final minute with a fine low finish beyond Raya’s reach.
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“Jakub Moder, who had helped Poland come back against England in midweek, fed fellow replacement Alexis Mac Allister, whose square ball in front of a crowded box allowed Trossard to make a sideways run himself that ended with a shot curled beyond two challengers and into the bottom corner.”
Anthony Chapman of The Sun on Sunday called the goal “the one moment of sheer quality to clinch victory for Brighton.
“Brentford and the Seagulls looked destined to be heading for a goalless stalemate in a game of missed chances. But with just 30 seconds left of normal time, Alexis Mac Allister exchanged passes with Jakub Moder before feeding Trossard on the edge of the box.
“And the Belgian ace – with a crowd of defenders around him – managed to squeeze a brilliant shot inside David Raya’s right post. It inflicted Brentford’s first Premier League defeat and sees the Seagulls sitting pretty with three wins from their first four games.
“The Bees had edged it on chances but Brighton went closest when Danny Welbeck forced keeper David Raya into a brilliant first-half save.”
Back to Sam Dalling for a final word: “For Brighton – whose best start to a Premier League campaign continues – it was slim pickings before the goal. But having drawn more games than any team in the division since the start of the 2019/20 season, three victories from four suggests the corner is being turned.”
https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/news/2252609/media-review-brentford
