Nick Szczepanik's press verdict: Tottenham Hotspur

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The view from the media after Sunday night's game away to Spurs.

Nick Szczepanik

2020-11-02T14:56:00Z

Yves Bissouma is the focus of this Saturday's programme.

Gareth Bale’s first goal since returning to Tottenham and a succession of controversial VAR decisions might have dominated the reports of Albion’s 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane. But there was also plenty of praise for the performance of Graham Potter’s men.

And some writers spotted that Spurs’ early penalty should probably have been a free kick to Albion as Harry Kane ‘made a back’ for Adam Lallana. James Gheerbrant of The Times was one.

He wrote, “Among Kane’s varied repertoire of skills he is a prolific buyer of fouls, and this has become his signature dark art: inserting himself underneath a jumping opponent and hoisting them skyward — a situation which, probably wrongly, is customarily refereed in favour of the non-jumping player.

“He was looking for a free kick, but a review by the VAR determined that the incident had occurred on the line of the box and a penalty was duly awarded. Kane committed Sánchez the wrong way and Spurs had an early lead. But this was a penalty of dubious origin and it was noticeable that as the match wore on Brighton’s players refused to jump with Kane and drew Graham Scott’s attention to his habit.”

In the Daily Telegraph, Matt Law wrote that “at that point you would have bet on Spurs extending their lead before the break.

“But Brighton responded brilliantly and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty of their own by VAR in the 23rd minute. Matt Doherty looked to have pulled Leandro Trossard back, but Tottenham got off the hook.

“From that moment on, Scott looked for VAR to make up his mind for him and the time he took before awarding Brighton’s second-half equaliser suggested he simply did not want to have to put his own neck on the line.

“’I’m confused by everything to be honest about our equaliser,’ said Brighton manager Graham Potter. ‘When you watch it live it could have been a foul, he didn't see it, and I'm confused by our penalty shout as well to be honest. That's VAR for you.’

“Brighton’s players left the pitch for half-time unhappy with both VAR decisions and, shortly after the restart, Joel Veltman screamed at Heung-min Son after the South Korean went down in the area and Scott ignored the appeals of Kane when he went down.”

For John Cross of the Mirror, this was “a crazy game in which all the talk will be about VAR and the joy that it is slapping out of the game. It felt like every decision went to a video referee based at the now mythical Stockley Park. It has become a joke.

“The first one came after just 12 minutes. Brighton tried to clear the ball from their penalty box, Kane was clever in the way he used his body to draw a foul from Adam Lallana who was jumping for the ball.

“Referee Graham Scott gave a free kick as it looked outside but went to VAR and the video ref Jon Moss ruled Kane’s leg was on the line of the box and therefore was a penalty. Up stepped Kane to convert it.

“Then, after 23 minutes, you felt VAR would rule in Brighton’s favour as Matt Doherty pulled back Leandro Trossard as he tried to get on the end of a cross.

“To Brighton’s amazement, the VAR gave nothing and Scott just gave a goal kick. Brighton boss Graham Potter put his head in his hands, the visiting players - led by Pascal Gross - were still arguing at half time as they felt so aggrieved.”

The Brighton & Hove Albion boss admits his side weren't at their best after suffering a 3-1 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Emirates FA Cup.

In The Sun, former Albion programme columnist Paul Jiggins wrote of Albion’s penalty appeal that “yes, it would have been soft - but no softer than the countless others we have during the technology’s farcical introduction by those in charge of our game.

“Then if that was not enough, Tariq Lamptey’s 56th minute equaliser for Brighton was allowed to stand by ref Graham Scott even after he had been encouraged by Moss to go to the pitchside monitor to watch again Solly March’s sliding challenge on Pierre-Emile Hojberg - which looked like a foul - much, much earlier in the build-up.

“But Scott showed either his confidence or arrogance - you decide - by becoming the first Prem ref not to overrule a decision by VAR after going to the monitor.

“The debates about whether it was the correct call or not will continue for days to come, but in truth the alleged foul, despite being pivotal, took place so early in the move and many seconds before the ball hit the net, that you wonder if the officials should be allowed to go back so far to review a decision.

“Mourinho and Spurs will feel justice was done - although you had to feel for Brighton boss Graham Potter and debutant keeper Robert Sanchez.

“The Spaniard, signed by the Seagulls from Levante as a 15-year-old, was handed his first senior start for the South Coast club as regular first choice Maty Ryan was given 'a breather' on the bench.

“And Sanchez thought he had earned his struggling side a precious point with a brilliant save from his own defender Joel Veltman who inadvertently fired the rebound back to his own goal after Erik Lamela’s shot had cannoned off a post shortly before Bale’s winner.

“As for Brighton, they have mustered only one top flight win this term and they have not won away at Spurs since Michael Robinson scored the only goal in an old Division One clash at White Hart Lane on October 24, 1981.

“The No1 song in the UK charts that day was a version of Lesley Gore’s Sixties classic It’s My Party by Dave Stewart and Barbara Gaskin. Well nobody would have blamed Potter for crying - if he wanted to - after this.”

Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail wrote that “Jose Mourinho - for all the doubts - continues to have the Midas Touch. And, of course, he has Bale.

“But the win certainly came the hard way; dogged Brighton made sure of that.

“Fair play to Potter’s men, their response to falling behind was excellent. Tariq Lamptey, not for the first time this season was impressive, while Adam Webster was proving a calming influence at the back.

“Once again VAR was at the centre of the action as Lamptey rifled home Pascal Gross’ clever pass to equalise.

“But there was a dubious challenge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Solly March in the build-up. Tottenham were sure it would be ruled out, Brighton were adamant it should stand.

“The replays appeared to suggest March had got a slight touch on the ball, but he certainly slid in from behind Hojbjerg.

“Not even VAR wanted to take responsibility for this one, leaving it squarely down to Scott to use the touchline screen for the final ruling.

“The referee trudged over. We waited and waited some more before Scott eventually awarded the goal.

“By the look on the forlorn official’s face you couldn’t say he was totally convinced.

“Hojbjerg’s head was in his hands. Kane protested. But it didn't matter, Brighton were level and there was nothing Spurs could do about it.

“But credit to Mourinho. Bale will take the spotlight and of course he should.

“But it was Mourinho’s intervention that changed this encounter. His team were staring down the barrel of further dropped points at home.

“Instead, his team were registering their first home Premier League win of the season.”

Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian was another to compliment the Albion on their response to going behind. “A walloping appeared to be on the cards. Instead, Brighton started to play. Lamptey began to see more of the ball, surging forward from right-back, earning praise from his teammates as he forced Reguilón to drop deeper.

“Brighton were an intriguing proposition: well drilled, technically proficient, tactically flexible. But for a while it seemed that Tottenham would be able to keep them at arm’s length, especially as Leandro Trossard was stationed on his own up front due to the absence of Neal Maupay.

“Yet there were warnings for Mourinho’s players. Midway through the first half Ben White, catching the eye in midfield for Brighton after moving out of central defence, slid a clever pass into the area and Trossard tumbled after being tugged by Matt Doherty. Graham Potter, whose side have won once in seven games, was amazed that Brighton were not given a penalty after another review.

“Brighton refused to become downhearted. The equaliser came when Pascal Gross released Lamptey, who rolled a deft finish beyond Hugo Lloris. This time the technology worked in Brighton’s favour.”

“Mourinho had seen enough, bringing Bale on for Lamela. After 73 minutes Bale delivered, heading in a cross from another Madrid old boy, Reguilon. Tottenham, relieved, finally had a home win.”

In the i, Chief Sports Correspondent Kevin Garside evoked one of the game's great stars and his most famous goal in his description of Albion's leveller. "Brighton were as combative and bright as ever, Tariq Lamptey excelling again at right back.

Chelsea must think Reece James to be the next Carlos Alberto to let this fellow move house. Lamptey obviously thinks otherwise, judging by the excellent impression he gave of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning captain to draw his team level."