Battling Brighton succumb to late goal

Brighton once again concede late as they suffer a 1-0 defeat at Villa Park. 

The early stages followed a familiar pattern; Brighton enjoyed plenty of possession but lacked a cutting edge. Villa were quite happy to concede possession, preferring instead to catch Brighton in possession and counter with pace. An issue that has consistently plagued Hurzeler’s side.

The biggest talking point of the half was probably a substitution. Carlos Baleba clattered into a Villa midfielder after just 2 minutes, with the referee issuing the Cameroon international a swift yellow card. Moments later Baleba was once again clumsily late with a challenge, sparking outrage both on the pitch and in the stands. Thankfully on this occasion the referee decided to keep his cards in his pocket, with Baleba lucky to escape unscathed. 

Hurzeler waited another 15 minutes before ultimately deciding he just couldn’t risk his side being reduced to 10 and called for veteran midfield enforcer James Milner to replace the struggling Baleba. As Milner entered the pitch for his 654th top-flight appearance (equalling Gareth Barry’s record in the process) Baleba cut a forlorn figure as the camera showed the young midfielder slumped in his seat with his shirt pulled over his face. It’s been a frustrating season for Carlos, with the once indispensable midfielder struggling to replicate the form that saw Manchester United covet the midfielder in recent transfer windows.

In truth that was the only talking point of the first half. The actual football match was a very cagey affair with no real openings for either side. As the half-time whistle went, you could start to feel the frustration eke out from the home stands with the Villa faithful eager to secure 3 points in their quest for Champions League football.

The second half saw Albion start brightly, with Mitoma and Gomez getting into dangerous positions, but again any real quality was lacking in vital moments. 

Brighton's best moment came as the south coast side worked the ball well deep inside the Aston Villa half, the ball eventually reaching Ferdi on the edge of the box. The right-footed left back cut inside and unleashed a fearsome strike which rattled the crossbar. Brighton were on top and were looking very dangerous. 

Both managers decided to ring the changes, with Emery turning to Barkley, Abraham, Alyson & the newly returned Bailey, with Brighton reaching for Minteh, Babis and the Worthing-born Harry Howell. An indication, perhaps, that both managers were not content with a point.

Brighton continued to enjoy the better of proceedings and again came close to opening the scoring. A tame shot by Pascal Gross was inexplicably spilt by goalkeeper Emi Martinez, with the ball falling agonisingly close to the onrushing Gomez. 

But the changes ultimately paid dividends for the Villa boss. With the Midlands side enjoying their best spell of the half, the decisive moment arrived. The ball was crossed into the Brighton box towards Tammy Abraham, with the lanky forward trying to control the ball to get a shot off. Boscagli intervened (perhaps too aggressively?), with the ball going out for a corner. 

Prior to the corner there was a brief VAR check to add to the tension, but the referee quickly dismissed the home side's cries. Just before the corner was due to be taken, Tyrone Mings went over to the taker and whispered something in their ear. The ball was then swung in towards the waiting Mings, who headed the ball into Hinshelwood, with the ball eventually nestling into the net. It was something more akin to something you’d see in the NFL with the players huddling together before a play, but the outcome was undoubtedly effective. 

After the goal, Brighton never really troubled Villa, with the game eventually petering out. It was an important win for Aston Villa in their battle for Champions League football, and it's a defeat that further adds to the pressure mounting on the Brighton boss. In truth it was a solid Brighton away performance, but football is ultimately a results business.

The overriding emotion at the end of the game was one of defiance. Some players gave their shirts out to the fans whilst others beat their chests in a show of unity. It was a rallying cry orchestrated by the senior players, with Dunk and Steele taking centre stage. 

Whilst the defeat left Brighton with just one league win in their last 13 attempts, they still enjoy a reasonable buffer in regard to the relegation places. Forest thankfully fluffed their lines at home to Wolves, whilst West Ham conceded a late equaliser the previous night. Although 7 points doesn’t feel insurmountable, it does provide Brighton with a more than reasonable cushion. Realistically the south coast side need to find 3 wins from their 12 remaining league fixtures. With games against Burnley, Forest & Wolves on the horizon, that does seem to be highly plausible.

The league campaign will have to take a backseat as Brighton turn their attention to Saturday's FA Cup clash against Liverpool. The players will be staying up north to help with recovery but also to boost morale and togetherness within the camp. I’m expecting to see the usual amount of changes for a cup game, but one thing I hope won't change is to once again see a Brighton side determined to put up a fight. The scenes after the game certainly suggest they are prepared to roll their sleeves to do just that. 

The Seagulls may have lost late tonight, but they won a few fans over with their battling performance. Let’s hope it sets the tone for the remainder of the season. 

Final score - Aston Villa 1 - 0 Brighton