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Thorn in my off-sideBrighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United in the WSL at The Peoples Pension Stadium |
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Where are we and what's going on?
The Seagulls host the Red Devils on a sunny day in Sussex. It was pouring with rain earlier so the pitch will be a bit wet. No sprinklers required today. Hope it’s not too soft for a bit of nifty footwork. We were here to watch the Seagulls beat Southampton just before the international break. The break provided a few bits of news. The good news is that Baggers got a late call up when Hannah dropped out. She didn’t play but it’s fantastic news that she got the call at last. The bad news is that Michelle was injured in the Australia game. It’s her ACL 🤯 so that’s her season over. We’re really gutted 😭 for her as everything was just starting to come together and she was building a reputation as an England supersub.
Our new Lioness, Baggers, is on the bench again today. Chiamaka is in the goal. In front of her are Moeka and Caitlin. Wide of them are Charlie and Marisa. In the middle are “Captain” Maisie and Jelena. Up front are Fran and Carla with Kiko and Rosa on the wings.
The Red Devils have got a formidable line up. Now boasting 3 ex-seagulls as they have signed Zigioti from Bayern Munich. They also signed Fridolina Rolfo in Barca’s big summer clearout. And swapped Jess Park and a few quid for Grace Clinton. A bargain that. They don’t quite have the Gunners array of international stars on the bench but they do have Rachel Williams who is a late goal specialist. If we attack these the way we went at Arsenal then who knows what can happen. We are going to beat them one day.
We’re 7th in the league, just behind newcomers and big spenders, London City. The Samba band 🥁🪘🪇, now newly branded as the “Gulls Aloud”, have had a good warm up in the fan zone. Hope that they make a good noise during the match. They might need to drown out the Toone army although there are a lot less red shirts in the home end than previously. Let’s hope we get plenty to make a noise about, It’s our remembrance game so the managers lay wreaths . The last post 🎺 is played. And we’re off. Let’s go Brighton, let’s go.📣
Off we go…
It starts with some good passing and moving from both sides. Brighton fans making a noise and getting behind the team, There is some really good build up play from Fran, whose running brings in Maisie and Jelena in to it. Fran’s shot is blocked, it drops to Maisie who hits it over the bar. There is an interesting battle developing on the right wing with Kiko and Anna Sandberg. It’s already a little feisty. Park makes a good run and takes a shot from range. It’s tame and easily collected.
Brighton are pressing high and Utd are sitting in and waiting to break. At the 9th minute, we sing a song for our No. 9, Michelle Agyemang to show her she’s not forgotten. Some good Reds build up see the ball with Ziggi but her shot is deflected. Brighton get their first corner on 14. 🎵Let’s go Brighton, let’s go🎵. It eventually goes out for a goal kick despite the ball not going out. Utd seem to be making the decisions now.
Brighton are still pressing with Kiko and Fran linking up well on the right. They need to keep the ball but don’t and Jess Park goes storming up the pitch. It needs a good block. Carla gets her first real possession but it’s well defended by Sandberg. It’s a really energetic game but there are few real chances. Terri shoots just wide after Parks run and cross. The Reds are starting to get the better of the Seagulls with some half chances coming. Seagulls are wasting the ball when they get it.
There is more good play from Kiko and Fran down the right but there are no real chances coming from it. Utd are creating better chances but can’t finish theirs either. 🎵Come on Brighton🎵.
Brighton are playing from back to front. We hear from the Utd fans for the first time as they heckle Chiamaka with “You’re s**t ahhh”. Cankovic is on target from the edge of the box but it’s straight at the keeper. Play stops as Riviere goes down. Is she injured? It looks like it but she plays on. Mallard hits over from outside the box. Way over and into the car park.
🎵Maisie Symonds, she’ one of our own🎵 is having a good game. Brighton are getting to the final third then trying to find the perfect pass. Fran and Carla combine well after a Utd attack breaks down. Rosa makes the wrong choice and blasts over when better options were available for once. Utd break with Toone forcing the best save yet from Chiamaka. She drops it but recovers before it gets poached by the opposition.
It’s very transitional now, lots of end to end play. There is plenty of energy in attack both ways but little quality at either end. The Kiko-Sandberg scrap is on-going. The deadlock is apparently broken when Terri scores from the middle of the box. It’s off-side but given anyway. 0-1. Not fair. We’re into the 3 added minutes. Kiko and Rosa break but again there is no finish. Toone gets a chance with the last kick of the half. We’re behind at the break but it feels very harsh.
There is a change at the restart as Maelys comes on, replacing Rosa so Marisa will play further forward. Minami moves across to play left back.
Brighton are straight on the attack with Maisie and Fran. It’s a good move but without much support, Fran chips/crosses to no-one. Kiko and Sandberg have started round 2 of their territorial dispute. A cross from Maya threatens to go into her own net and it panics Chiamaka. Brighton are starting to look very hesitant in defence. The energy seems to have gone out of the game a bit except for Kiko who looks to have won Round 3 with Sandberg. Brighton's dithering at the back continues and it’s making us all nervous.
Toone’s run and cutback finds Jess Park. 0-2 on 58. It was coming. The Reds make 3 changes with Hannah Blundell coming on for her first appearance since having a baby. Also arriving is ex-Barca star Fridolina Rolfo and youngster Simi Awujo. Off are Toone, Malard and Riviere. Swings and roundabouts with that lot.
And Brighton haven’t learned. Still dithering around at the back. Getting pressed and losing possession. Dario decides to change things up and Rachel replaces Carla. She goes to the right wing and Kiko moves across to play centrally. The change seems to work and Kiko soon breaks but hits the post. Not just hits it, we can hear how hard she hit it. Left the post ringing.
The Brighton tempo is up now and they are pressing higher. Some precise passing (thats’ a first today) from Jelena and Marisa releases Fran. She hits a great shot into the bottom left corner on 68. We have a goal back. 1-2 ⚽. Need to keep this up.
Rolfo hits a good shot and it’s deflected wide off Minami. Goal kick apparently. Ha Ha. Sums up the officiating this half. Is that lino watching the ball at all?
It gets scrappy as Brighton press from an equaliser. Kiko is playing centrally now so she won’t miss Sangberg who is replaced by Gabby George. Ziggi is replaced by Naaslund. It allows them to dominate for a while.
The Seagulls next change is to replace Caitlin with Nadine. Marisa moves to full back and Minami moves back to central defence again.
Utd come close to extending their lead as Terri's header is tipped over the bar by Chiamaka. She catches the corner. Brighton are pushing for an equaliser as the clock runs into the last 5. It’s close as Kiko heads just over. Brighton are caught up the pitch and Utd break. The Seagulls defence is out of shape and out of breath getting back. Naaslund fires home from the edge of the box on 90.
There are 5 added minutes. 🎵Come on Brighton🎵. It’s still end to end. At last, a long curling cross from Marisa catches out Maya. Kiko capitalises and chips the stranded keeper ⚽. 2-3. Just need one more 🙏. Brighton are pushing for the equaliser. The ball just won’t quite drop right. The band is still going strong 🎵Come on Brighton🎵. It doesn’t happen and it’s a 2-3 loss at the whistle. Close game that.
We think it’s all over..
That was a great game. It’s not the scoreline that we wanted or deserved. We really believed that we could level it at the end. The performance was patchy at times with the insistence on playing out from the the back verging on suicidal at times. Especially with so many changes in the back line. We just invited the press and the 2nd Utd goal was inevitable. By the time it came to their 3rd, Charlie was exhausted, having played full back in the 1st half and centre half in the 2nd. Perhaps a bit more squad depth would mean a bit less moving players around during the game. Does seem to disrupt things as they take time to adjust. We had plenty of possession but could do with a little bit more risk taking in front of the opposition goal. We seem happy to take risks in front of our own goal.
The Samba band made a good noise. In contrast with the Man U fans who had nothing other than heckling Chiamaka like 12 year olds. The Toone Army notable by their absence. That’s surprising as it’s not far from their preferred habitat in Surrey. It’s another performance against the Reds that doesn’t get the result it deserves. We’re done here and looking forward to a trip with Swindle with the SWA.
And some other stuff
POTM: Fran 🏅 was as energetic as ever and really driving the team. She was involved in everything and that partnership with Kiko is really starting to work. Frantastic.
The officials had their heads turned by one of the big 4 playing on Sky. It’s boring now that you know what’s coming and it’s as poor as expected from the PGMufcOL.
The Scran’O’meter loves the chips here. 10/10. The Latte 7/10 and doughnuts 8/10 were good too. Yum. Thanks. Scooter seemed to enjoy his sausage and awarded it 10/10.
See you soon.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| The Last Post |
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| Sunshine in Sussex |
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| A cuddle with Sally |
