The Media Review: Brentford

Saturday’s high-scoring draw with Brentford was not the first 3-3 thriller between these clubs in which Albion came from behind to level with a late goal.  

But because it was played in the Premier League, it attracted far more attention than that memorable Griffin Park encounter in Albion’s 2016-17 promotion season when Solly March, Shane Duffy and Tomer Hemed got the goals.

Not surprisingly, the writers in the press box claimed to have loved it, even though late equalisers notoriously play havoc with carefully-crafted intros. 

“What a firecracker,” wrote John Aizlewood in The Sunday Telegraph. “Back in August, this hardly had the making of a tussle between challengers for Europe, but both Brighton and Brentford have grown accustomed to their place. Seventh-place Brighton and eighth place Brentford remain separated only by six goals.

“Alexis Mac Allister’s 90th-minute penalty ensured a breathless game finished three goals apiece, but frolics came before theat. Brighton were behind three times, and they levelled three times in a game they dominated. Brentford should have won, could have won, but, all things considered, a draw was about right.

“Brighton … were out of the traps like especially frisky greyhounds and only a fabulous Ethan Pinnock tackle foiled Kaoru Mitoma who bore down on goal after Danny Welbeck had dummied Pervis Estupinan’s through ball. That was merely the opening salvo of what would turn out to be a breathless first half.

“Brentford had barely had a kick, but when they did, they scored when Mathias Jensen collected a throw-in and curled in a cross. Captain Pontus Jansson, making his first start since October, sneaked in ahead of Lewis Dunk to power a firm header past Steele.

“Brighton were admirably undeterred and they were soon level. Steele walloped a ball forwards from his own penalty are. Aaron Hickey misjudged it. Mitoma nipped in behind him and gleefully lobbed over the onrushing David Raya.

“Time to pause for thought and breath? Not for Brentford and they were ahead again within a minute when Jansson headed Joel Veltman’s sloppy throw-in back into the danger zone. Bryan Mbeumo flicked it on to the lurking Ivan Toney, who twisted and fired past Steele.

“With defending bordering on farcical, there would be a fourth goal before the half-hour was up. Solly March jinked around Jensen and crossed deep where Jansson and Hickey allowed Welbeck to leap between them and head his third league goal of the year past Raya.”

Simon Mail took up the story in The Observer. “The pace did not calm down dramatically for the rest of the half and Brentford were reliant on Raya to push Mac Allister’s shot to safety just before the break,” he wrote. “March also came close but his low strike was saved, with Brentford grateful for the half-time whistle.

“Any suggestion of a more subdued second half was quickly snuffed out with Brentford reclaiming the lead for the third time. Mbeumo floated in a pinpoint free-kick and Pinnock was the unlikely finisher with the defender volleying the ball into the net from close range.

“The hosts rallied again and Moises Caicédo lashed a fierce strike from distance which Raya needed to tip over the bar. Brentford were again indebted to the excellent Raya with the sought-after Spaniard denying March with a sharp save to his left.

“In the 90th minute, the substitute Deniz Undav’s shot was blocked by Hickey’s hand and Michael Oliver awarded a penalty. Mac Allister stepped up and the Argentina World Cup winner sent Raya the wrong way to earn a deserved draw for Brighton to end this thrilling contest.”

Earlier, he had described the match as “an enthralling encounter between two teams vying for European qualification for the first time. Both teams are punching above their weight and destined to provide endless entertainment for their supporters during the run-in, on the evidence of this wild ride littered with attacking endeavour and defensive mishaps.”

In The Sun on Sunday, Mike Donovan surveyed a smorgasbord of footballing delights, writing, “Would we be in for a match which would be a feast for the eyes, prepared by in-demand bosses and players?

“Well it was more fast food fare than haute cuisine and greasy spoon. But no one inside the Amex can claim it was not a diet of thrills and spills. Brighton were bright early doors and the electric pace of Mitoma was evident in the opening minutes when he broke onto a through-ball from Pervis Estupinan but the winger's low ten-yard drive was blocked.”

Kieran Gill in The Mail on Sunday reported, “This battle between the Premier League’s ‘Moneyballers’ was enthralling to the very end, when Alexis Mac Allister’s 90th-minute VAR-awarded penalty ensured each team took a point.

“Bloom and Benham will study what this means for their respective clubs’ chances of qualifying for Europe. Yet you don’t need to be a mathematician to work out that Brighton and Brentford remain very much in the mix, sitting sixth and seventh respectively, ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea.

“The first half was a whirlwind. Brentford led. Brighton equalised. Then Brentford led again. Then Brighton equalised again. All within 28 minutes as all sense of defensive duty deserted the teams.

“Brentford took the lead a third time in the second half, Ethan Pinnock scoring from a set-piece. Yet Brighton denied them the win, with a handball by Aaron Hickey proving costly as Mac Allister dispatched his penalty.

“After all that chaos, it wasn’t only the players who needed a lie down. The supporters were likewise knackered, but they can still live in hope of an unexpected European adventure next season.”

“Brentford started with a back three, a set-up which Thomas Frank tends to save for the Premier League’s strongest sides. This season, they have traded their usual 4-3-3 for 3-5-2 against Arsenal and Manchester City, for example.

“Brighton could take Brentford’s latest change of tack as a compliment and within four minutes, Kaoru Mitoma was denied a certain goal by a sliding block from Pinnock.”

Gregor Robertson also deployed the ‘b’ word in The Sunday Times, writing of “a breathless afternoon at the Amex, during which Brighton and Brentford shared six goals, showcased all the tactical nous that has taken them to the brink of maiden European adventures and still, somehow, left disappointed.

“Brighton and Brentford’s savvy, data-led recruitment of players and head coaches – along with their vibrant club cultures – continue to put most of their rivals to shame, yet for all their shared characteristics, this was a clash of styles, of cat and mouse and fast transitions.

“Brighton had 33 shots – a league high this season – but for all their bravery in possession they conceded two goals from throw-ins, one of them their own, and a set piece, which left Roberto De Zerbi seething.” 

On the BBC website, Sam Drury wrote that, “Brighton had to be patient in the second half and, while they were eventually rewarded with a last-gasp equaliser, they will be frustrated not to have taken all three points.

“They caused problems for the Brentford defence from the first whistle with Mitoma - either with the ball at his feet or running in behind - a constant threat.

“The Japanese attacker scored his 10th goal of the season to draw Brighton level at 1-1, but his strike was sandwiched between two slack pieces of Seagulls defending.

“Brighton drew level again before the break, but De Zerbi must have warned his side to cut out the defensive lapses during his half-time team talk. However, less than four minutes into the second half, Pinnock was able to stroll in to finish without challenge from another Brentford set piece.

“Perhaps it goes to show how impressive Brighton have been this season that, even after a late leveller against another team battling to qualify for Europe, there will still be disappointment.

“Going forward they remain as exciting as ever and a Champions League place is still within reach, but they will need to eradicate sloppy defending to achieve that dream.”