The Media Review: Watford

Compliments are always welcome, even backhanded ones. So Albion should probably feel positive about many of the reports of the 2-0 win at Watford in Sunday’s papers, although Graham Potter’s men featured largely as the supporting cast to a tale of the struggles of Roy Hodgson’s new club.

Why? It means that Albion being in the top half of the Premier League table is the new normal, no longer seen as anything remarkable or worthy of comment. The fact that players in blue and white stripes passed the ball well, dominated possession and seldom looked like conceding a goal is taken as a given by the national football writers. 

Ian Winrow, writing in The Sunday Times, was an exception in noting that “Webster’s scrambled effort eight minutes from time capped a victory that consolidated Brighton & Hove Albion’s top-half standing. Graham Potter’s side are on the fringe of the fight for a European spot.”

Most reporters concentrated on the fact that the popular Hodgson has yet to see the Hornets score a goal in his three games in charge, which have yielded only a single point. Arindam Rej of the Sunday Telegraph barely mentioned the Albion, although in fairness to a friend of this column, it should be noted that he was given hardly any space in which to do so. 

The majority, though, appreciated the quality of Neal Maupay’s opening goal. Regular Albion-watcher Tom Barclay, writing in the Sun on Sunday, thought that “Brighton eased to victory. Neal Maupay’s stunner and a late killer blow from Adam Webster wrapped up the points for the Seagulls.

“It was a fixture low on quality with Watford low on confidence and Brighton’s passing game dropping below its usual standards.

“Still, Potter’s men had by far the better chances and captain Lewis Dunk probably should have done better when his free header from a corner sailed over the bar.

“The game looked to be heading for a stalemate going into the break before Maupay broke the deadlock with a world-class finish with a minute to go.

“Tariq Lamptey sent in a speculative cross which the French striker struck sweetly, first-time, and sent it spiralling into the far corner.

“It was Maupay’s eighth league goal of the season - his ninth in all competitions - for what has been a fruitful campaign for the often-criticised forward.”

Lewis Steele of the Mail on Sunday also thought that Albion were slightly below par, writing that “Brighton rocked up to Vicarage Road and eased past Watford without being at their best, with a goal in either half from Neal Maupay and Adam Webster.

“'Sacked in the morning,' chanted the travelling Seagulls fans to Hodgson. It was intended as a joke but, as daft as it sounds, the former Crystal Palace boss is already under seismic pressure at a circus-like club that have already sacked two managers this season.

“Brighton put in a business-like performance but this took them to seven unbeaten in the league.

“Fresh from a midweek rest with no game, Brighton players scrambled around the pitch and fought for every ball with intensity, in contrast to Watford who looked disinterested and tired.

“Maupay scored his ninth goal of the season on the stroke of half-time and, after that, only one result ever seemed likely.

“But what a finish it was. Wing-back Tariq Lamptey's ball dropped slightly behind Maupay but the Frenchman adjusted his body shape and hooked the ball into the top corner past Ben Foster.

“'It was a very good finish from Maupay,' said Potter. 'It was technically a fantastic execution.' It was also his 26th Premier League goal, equalling Glenn Murray's club record.”

Ironically, a Watford fan, Simon Burnton of The Observer, seemed to enjoy the Albion display more than most. He wrote that “Watford’s new manager bounce, such as it was, lasted about 15 minutes, came at the start of the second half with the side already a goal down and their danger had long since been defused by the time Adam Webster ended the contest from close range in the 82nd minute.

“A defensive set-up that might have been designed to frustrate his side’s opponents but instead encouraged them. Despite the crowd of central players Brighton seemed able to find pockets of space and because of it their two wing-backs enjoyed plenty of it in wide areas.

“Danny Welbeck started on his return to the club he represented with little success two seasons ago, playing slightly ahead of Maupay in attack, and the former Arsenal forward’s movement, sucking defenders towards the goal, at least partially explains the amount of space Maupay enjoyed when picked out by Tariq Lamptey’s cross shortly before half-time. He did not seem to strike his half-volley cleanly, but that only helped the ball to spin and dip perfectly into the far corner.

“Ben Foster had by then saved from Maupay and Jakub Moder, Pascal Gross had sent a free header wide, and at the interval Brighton had enjoyed 72% of possession and all three shots on target.

“The arrival at half-time of Ismaila Sarr, who had returned from Senegal’s extended Afcon victory celebrations on Friday, and Imran Louza had an instant, positive effect on the home side. This period culminated in the 63rd minute when the ball dropped to Emmanuel Dennis outside the left-hand corner of the penalty area and he brought it down, beat three men, cut inside Lewis Dunk and lashed a shot into the meat of the crossbar.

“Within a minute Graham Potter had made two changes of his own, and with the arrivals of Yves Bissouma and Alexis Mac Allister the game swung again. Watford were once again looking ragged when, at the end of the finest move of the half, Joel Veltman crossed and Moder’s half-volley was deflected wide. From the resulting corner the ball dropped to Webster, rebounded back to him off Femenia, and was emphatically shinned in from three yards.”

Free from concern about print deadlines, which still require most reports of 3pm Saturday kickoffs to be filed about an hour after the final whistle, the websites were able to sit back and consider the ramifications of another three points on the road.  

Alex Bysouth of the BBC wrote that “Potter insists his side are not thinking about Europe but if the Seagulls continue their current form they will soon be in contention - they are in fact only seven points adrift of West Ham in fourth, with a game in hand to come.

“The visitors dominated possession at Vicarage Road but it took a moment of magic from Maupay to open the scoring, curling a looping effort into the far corner.

“Brighton have only lost four Premier League fixtures so far this campaign - a record only bettered by Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea - and are enjoying their longest unbeaten streak in the top flight.

“Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster made a smart stop from a Marc Cucurella drive and Jakub Moder saw an effort deflect wide before Webster pounced to wrap up the victory, with Watford failing to clear a corner.”

An unbylined piece on the Sky Sports website picked out an Albion player for praise. “Maupay may have grabbed the headlines for his stunning strike, but it was his team-mate Lamptey who impressed most at Vicarage Road.

“From the first minute the full-back's intent was obvious. His pace and tenacity down the right-hand side caused Watford problems throughout, with his pin-point cross to find Maupay for the opening goal the highlight of a commanding performance.”

And as usual, this eulogy involved an attempt to sell an Albion player to another club: “There is a reason why Lamptey has been linked with a move away from Brighton. The former Chelsea youngster quickly became a fans' favourite after signing for the club two years ago, and his admirers already extend far beyond the Amex.

“Tottenham were interested in signing the 21-year-old last summer but with his Brighton contract not expiring until 2025, the south coast club have some much-needed leverage if any of the Premier League's 'big six' come calling again.

“But despite a yellow card for a reckless tackle late in the second half, he was instrumental in almost every promising Brighton attack and, if he can consistently perform at this level, Potter will do well to keep hold of him.”