A warm welcome back to the Amex for this evening’s game against Brentford.
First of all, I trust you all had a pleasant Christmas Day. Obviously these are difficult times for everyone, with the ongoing COVID situation, but hopefully you were able to spend some time with loved ones.
It’s been a testing couple of weeks for all clubs, as the Omicron variant of COVID takes hold throughout the country. Our game at Manchester United last Saturday was cancelled as a result, likewise our home fixture against Tottenham on 12 December. Our opponents this evening also had their game at Southampton postponed last weekend.
While those cancellations were not ideal from a scheduling point of view, we were heading into both fixtures with a number of player absentees for a variety of reasons, and while our own postponement request was denied, we welcomed the eight-day break which I hope will see us in a better position in terms of numbers heading into tonight’s match against Brentford and another very busy period of games.
Thomas Frank’s side have adjusted well to the demands of the Premier League and they certainly gave us a tough game at their new stadium earlier in the season. They play with real purpose, always on the front foot, which makes them difficult opponents, particularly on the counter-attack. We are well aware of the threat they will pose this evening.
From our point of view, we’ll be looking to bounce back from the frustrations of the Wolves defeat here before Christmas. It was a difficult evening, given the challenges brought on by injury, illness and suspension, but I thought we were the better team in the first half. We then conceded a poor goal before half-time and just didn’t have the cutting edge needed to get back into the game.
It’s no secret now that we requested a postponement ahead of the game, given the personnel we had unavailable. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t fault the players’ commitment. There were players out there who, in an ideal scenario, would have been rested or not asked to play for the length of time they were; which manifested in Joel Veltman’s injury. That was extremely frustrating, given how late it was in the game.
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We share the fans’ frustrations during what is proving to be a difficult period of the season in terms of results, but it’s important we all stick together as we look to get back to winning ways. We know what this side is capable of producing, and with your support and backing from the stands let’s get behind the players for these three important games over the next eight days.
Finally, as we enjoy the game tonight and the continuing Christmas festivities when we get home, please spare a thought for the many homeless people who are on the streets throughout Brighton and Hove, Sussex and around the country. It should also be noted that in the space of one 90-minute game, 25 households will become homeless, and many of them will be families with children.
Having spent time on the city’s streets recently with Bruno and Billy Reid, as part of the Big Sleep Out, I can appreciate exactly what these people are going through, especially at this time of year in sub-zero temperatures. I’m therefore delighted the club is supporting Shelter’s #NOHOMEKIT campaign tonight. To get involved or to donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/NoHomeKit
Enjoy the game, stay safe and thank you for adhering to the necessary COVID protocols at the stadium.