I’ve had to have a bit of a break away from the computer so I could compose my thoughts, as I’m frankly fuming.
We had loads of the play and created lots of chances, but still lost it quite straightforwardly.
I keep seeing it written that our defence is good, but I’m sorry, I just don’t see it in the slightest.
It’s not like they were called into action that much, but when they were, did they ever convince you?
They certainly didn’t me and more than once it was a good thing Martinez was alert and came off his line early.
I can’t pick one defender out in particular, but we just seem majorly lacking as a unit.
Pushing up as high as we did doesn’t help matters, but it’s almost like we totally forget that defending is part of the game.
Brighton hadn’t shown any hint of a threat before they scored and that says everything to me.
There was quite a lot that went on in the game, with Lamptey, who looked quite useful, getting sent off and Maupay, who probably winds players up as well as anyone I’ve seen for years not getting sent off, to Targett petulantly fouling and also lucky to not not go off. It was a bit of a shame really, as I didn’t feel it was a nasty game.
But the big one has to be the Penalty that wasn’t. Or was, depending on how you saw it.
I’ll tell you now, I saw it live and thought it wasn’t a penalty.
In fact, in a game where Trez looked like he couldn’t hit a cow’s backside with a banjo, I was going to give him move of the game if we’d have been given it.
I saw it replayed about ten times. And it still isn’t a penalty for me.
That’s going to be contentious to say the least, but it’s how I saw it.
Yes, there was contact. No doubt about it.
But I can’t get away from the fact that I thought Trez set himself up for it.
Watch his foot and he’s planted the front of it, to pull himself forward after he’d already lost control of the ball.
And it’s that last bit that does it for me.
I know. They get given all the time. But I think when they do, they’re 100% wrong.
I don’t see how you can be fouled when you’ve lost control of the ball.
If there’s intent, fair enough, that’s a penalty. But otherwise, if you haven’t deprived the player of a chance, no way.
I know the argument is that there was contact.
But I’d just say look at that as a Brighton fan and how would you have felt?
Again, I can see the argument being “I know what you mean, but there was contact and that’s enough”.
To which I’d say it’s a contact sport, simple.
Or is it?
Regardless, I very much suspect I’ll be in the minority, mostly because that’s just how it’s been for years. It still doesn’t make it right for me, even if we know the usual suspects will always get that type of call.
Anyway, it’s not that big a deal to me really.
Brighton did enough to win and our defence didn’t do enough when required.
I can pick flies with individual performances, but there was no-one particularly bad and many things can maybe be excused by tiredness.
Ultimately though, Brighton took their chances and we didn’t.
And that says it all.
I’m still fuming though.
I know we don’t have a right to beat anyone.
But when you beat Liverpool, Arsenal and Leicester, these results just look so, so stupid.
Oh well.
West Ham away next, where we’ll hopefully do better.
