The Media Review: Bournemouth

Albion were fortunate against Bournemouth when the Cherries’ generous defence presented Roberto De Zerbi’s side with an own-goal equaliser in first-half added time.

But in a sense they were also lucky when The Mirror decided to send Mike Walters to file one of his famously colourful match reports from the Amex press box. 

Perhaps inspired by the full English breakfast provided in the media room before the early-ish kick-off, Wally cooked up a tasty intro. “Kaoru Mitoma was dish of the day as Brighton served up sushi for Sunday lunch and climbed to third in the Premier League,” he wrote.

“One man's raw fish and rice is another man's roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, but supersub Mitoma's sudden impact from the bench was the difference in Albion's third degree.

“The Japanese winger scored within 15 seconds of throwing off his superhero's cape at the interval as Jekyll-and-Hyde Brighton recovered to make it five wins from six in the league.

“After a Greek tragedy on their European debut in the Thursday Night Smorgasbord Cup, for 45 minutes they were heading for a bleak sabbath.

“Seagulls messiah Roberto De Zerbi made nine changes – that's 22 in the last three games – and they played like strangers.

“If RDZ has learned anything from his first Thursday-Sunday cycle, it should be that rotation is for tumble dryers, not football managers.

“As soon as De Zerbi's most destructive forward, Mitoma, entered the fray in a south coast 'derby' – don't let the 100 miles between Falmer and Boscombe spoil the fallacy - Bournemouth couldn't handle him.”

Rob Maul of The Sun linked Albion’s slow start on Sunday to the rigours of Europa League participation, writing, “Welcome to the Thursday-Sunday Club, Brighton – with VIP access going to Kaoru Mitoma following a sizzling second-half cameo.

“Two goals from the livewire Japanese winger – including one just 15 SECONDS into the second half – continued Brighton’s best-ever start to a Premier League season.

“For the first time in their history, the Seagulls have won five of their opening six matches in top-flight football. It is a result that also provides enormous relief to manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has expressed his stress at having to juggle domestic duties with an inaugural continental campaign.

“Many clubs have struggled in recent years combining European football on a Thursday night, particularly when there are flights involved, and then Prem combat on the Sabbath.

“But this win over hard-working Bournemouth sees Brighton maintain their excellent beginning, bumping them up to third spot in the table.”

The Daily Telegraph also referred to the short turnaround time between matches, “Brighton avoided falling into the Thursday-Sunday trap yesterday after coming from a goal down to beat Bournemouth, The Seagulls move up to third in the Premier League, but only after a triumph of will as much as their usual skill against visitors who arrived at the Amex Stadium with a gameplan that almost worked. 

“The Seagulls, who had lost at home to AEK Athens on their Europa League debut on Thursday, were well off the pace as the Cherries refused to allow them to get into their normal passing groove.

“Bournemouth had Brighton’s number for the first 46 minutes. Instead of allowing themselves to be drawn forward and then played through, they sat back and closed down the passing lanes that Brighton try to exploit.

“The Seagulls’ methods are no secret to opponents any more, and they can expect plenty more coaches to devise tactics that frustrate them. Then they will need the skills of individuals, or the sort of freak error from an opponent that brought them level two minutes into added time in the first half. Billy Gilmour’s cross from the left was flighted dangerously towards the six-yard box but Bournemouth failed to communicate and Kerkez’s attempt to head clear only flicked the ball past goalkeeper Neto.”

In The Daily Mail, Paul Brown wrote that “Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi found the perfect cure for a European hangover just when he needed it most. The Seagulls went ahead just 15 seconds after the break following an inspired double substitution from De Zerbi. He sent on Kaoru Mitoma and Ansu Fati and the pair combined for the Japan star to put them in front. And when Mitoma later grabbed his second of the game, De Zerbi jumped for joy and fist-pumped in celebration. Dunk cleared off his own line during a goalmouth scramble shortly afterwards but there was no way back for Bournemouth.”

The i thought that “Brighton are known throughout Europe these days for the quality of their football, but according to their head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, it was character that enabled them to bounce back yesterday after their midweek Europa League defeat by AEK Athens.

“This comeback victory over a hard-working Bournemouth was their fifth win in six Premier League matches, representing their best start to a top-flight season, and took them up to third place. However, it was a result they had to grind out after looking lost in the first half.

“’We played one of the worst games in my time,’ De Zerbi said. ‘We are not used yet to playing three games a week but this season we will play every week three games. I’m pushing my players to adapt to a different season. And for this I’m really pleased. Because we won with character and passion, not with style or quality of play. And football is showing character. It’s a very important part of football, maybe the most important’.”

Ben Bloom of The Guardian was impressed by the head coach’s refusal to be carried away by the result. “Another win to fire Brighton to the heady heights of third in the Premier League table and three more goals to cement their place as the division’s free-scoring entertainers, but it takes more than that to appease such a demanding character as Roberto De Zerbi,” he wrote.

“Another manager might well have seen reason to show leniency towards his players. Coming just three days after their historic European debut against AEK Athens, it was perhaps no surprise that a much-changed Brighton side looked bereft of ideas for some time in this encounter, struggling to threaten a Bournemouth team whose promising performances have largely belied their lowly position in the league.

“That the half-time substitute Kaoru Mitoma’s double secured a fifth victory in six matches means it is not inconceivable Brighton’s sights could be set even higher than Europe’s second-tier competition come the end of the season – a remarkable position, even at this embryonic stage of the campaign, given their high-profile departures during the summer. But for De Zerbi, there is only improvement to seek.”