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David Hautzig's Match Report

Brighton 1, West Ham 1. Just Take It.

Before the season began, I was a guest presenter on Moore Than Just A Podcast with Sean and Nigel. We discussed the opening fixtures, and as I looked at them it wasn’t Manchester City that scared me. Nor was it Manchester United in a few weeks. It was the fixtures in between that brought on my normal levels of fear. It’s the matches agains the likes of Brighton, Watford, Norwich, and Villa that we have historically fell well below expectations. My mood started to spiral downwards as I envisioned a total of like two points going to Old Trafford. Add to that the news that our two most prolific signings were injured, I sipped my coffee in dread. In the end, it was a result I could live with.

The opening minute gave us a possible warning of what the day could bring. Brighton won a free kick seconds after the start, and the delivery into the box went over the smaller West Ham defense and found Burn. His free header went over the bar, and the offside flag went up. But the danger was there for all Hammers to see. Set pieces could equal disaster.

In the opening ten minutes or so, you could see the kind of quick passing game Pellegrini has asked his players to implement. And it is pleasant on the eye. But there still is a void in the final third. That’s where the passing seems to break down. The optimist says that when that part of our game is polished we will be a force. The pessimist….HI!….sees a lot of danger in losing the ball with too many men forward.

A lot was made about the left back position during the window. With Cresswell and Masuaku the choices on hand, it seemed to boil down to either a decent defender who is poor going forward, or a weak defender who is better on the wing. The weak defender in this case handed Brighton a chance to open the scoring in the 22nd minute when a truly awful clearance was easily intercepted by Gross. His hard shot was palmed over the bar by Fabianski for a corner. The ensuing set piece found the head of Duffy, but Fabianski made the save. Moments later Rice gave the ball away in midfield, which led to a good strike by March that Fabianski did well to save.

The sloppy play by West Ham finally led to what in every other year would have been an opening goal by Trossard. The goal was a direct result of Masuaku looking completely lost in the West Ham eighteen yard box and Trossard losing him. But VAR showed Burn to be clearly offside on the initial free kick that started the whole play. No goal. Nigel texted our group that it still took too long. For the record, I like VAR and I’m 100% happy it’s in the game. I’ll wait a few seconds to get decisions right.

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After a reasonably bright start, West Ham started to unravel as the first half plowed on. Long balls lost, runs into the abyss, sloppy defending. Brighton had possession and moved the ball around the West Ham area, a sight Brighton fans likely enjoy after years of Chris Hughton. Masuaku conceded a corner in the 40th minute, and with such a height advantage in the box it required Fabianski to take charge and punch the ball away.

Late in the first half Snodgrass made a forceful run down the right and got to the byline. His low cross was deflected out to Rice at the top of the box. He tried to one time it but missed horribly and skied it to Marwood, a coffee place and bar near the train station.

Like that place. So a shameless plug inserted here.

Halftime
Brighton 0
West Ham 0

The second half brought one substitute, with Wilshere giving way to Antonio. For all the talk about our choices in midfield, the center of the pitch was pretty awful from the Claret and Blue in the first half. Not that any part of the pitch was positive, mind you. And it didn’t look any better as the second half began. The idea of a draw felt soothing because a win looked impossible.

Another West Ham giveaway on the left side sent Brighton in on an attack with numbers in the 56th minute. Dunk laid the ball off beautifully for Trossard alone in front of the West Ham goal. A touch and it’s in. But the moment got the better of him and he skied it over the bar. Yet another let off for The Hammers.

In the 60th minute I sent a text to our group chat saying that it was time to see what the Ajeti kid could do. I pressed send on my iPhone, and immediately my football app dinged showing me a goal by West Ham. The app was a few seconds ahead of my stream. I looked up to see Lanzini break through the Brighton midfield and lay a perfectly weighted ball for Chicharito who put it past Ryan.

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Brighton 0
West Ham 1

Brighton answered the disappointment well, with good attempts from both Dunk and Trossard. In the 65th minute, Brighton got what they deserved based on the run of play when Murray bullied Diop off the ball. Ogbonna got turned completely around and lost Trossard, who drilled a shot past Fabianski for the equalizer.

Brighton 1
West Ham 1

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I have an idea. Anytime Antonio attempts a long shot like he did in the 71st minute he has to pay a fine. For the life of me I cannot recall ONE that was EVER close to being on target. A minute later Maupay was teed up in front of Fabianski for what should have been a second Brighton goal, but the one time rumored West Ham transfer target put the ball high over the crossbar. So I guess it’s a malady that affects more than just our guys.

In the 75th minute, Yarmolenko sent a ball forward that Antonio chased along with Dunk. Dunk looked to get a piece of Antonio’s leg, sending the West Ham winger to the turf. VAR looked at it while play continued and deemed the no call the right decision. Moments later Propper had an open header in the West Ham box and should have scored but bounced it right to Fabianski.

In the 86th minute, Lanzini made a truly stunning 60 plus yard run. Weaving through more Brighton players than one could count, he eventually passed to Snodgrass in the box. A good low shot by the Scot forced an impressive save from Ryan.

West Ham’s defensive frailty was on display again in the 90th minute when Ogbonna gave away a cheap corner when a simple clearance should have been well within his capacity. Thankfully the Hammers back line took care of it. A minute later Antonio won a corner out of absolutely nothing, and then almost scored from a ball played back into the box after the delivery was cleared.

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Final Score
Brighton 1
West Ham 1

At the final whistle, I thought about Sam Allardyce. OK, not really. I just wanted to get a rise out of some of you. But one artifact from his reign, at least in my circle of West Ham friends, are the arguments over a draw. Respect it, loathe it, somewhere in between. George from Moore Than Just A Podcast immediately said “take that”. My best mate Jon was not as impressed, saying he did not respect that point. Mr. Reasonable himself, Nigel, pointed out it was our first point ever at Brighton in the EPL. Considering our record not only there but in August overall I’ll go with Nigel and George. We were poor for much of the opening half, but much improved in the second. Brighton were the better side, which in and of itself should be annoying on paper, and will feel the three points were there to be had.

I’ll sleep well knowing they didn’t pry it away from us.

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