The days have gone when almost every football reporter based in the capital was a secret (and sometimes not-so-secret) West Ham fan.
Last night the London Stadium’s press box welcomed supporters of Charlton Athletic, Grimsby Town, Manchester United and Southampton among others. But somehow it was the tribulations of the home side and their manager, David Moyes, which seemed to dominate the reports of Albion’s first shutout of the season.
To read some tales of West Ham woe was to believe that only one of the two sides had been unable to field a number of its best players. But others set the record straight, such as Sam Wallace of the Daily Telegraph.
“The injury list is long and the winter busy, although Brighton still tried patiently to play their way through one of the most successful counter-attacking teams currently operating in the Premier League,” he wrote.
“[Roberto] De Zerbi has nine first-team injuries and absentees. On his bench were three 19-year-old academy boys and one 20-year-old.
“There were chances – a fine ball to the back post by James Milner, operating as a left wing-back in De Zerbi’s 3-4-2-1 formation, that Pascal Gross headed goalwards and saw saved. Joao Pedro slipped his way past Edson Alvarez, Dinos Mavropanos and Angelo Ogbonna before hitting a shot that scarcely did justice to the lovely run that preceded it.”
Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian saw “two tired, injury-hit teams trying their best and giving their all without ever really suggesting they had the wit or energy to score a goal.
“West Ham’s refusal to give up a point could not disguise the fact Brighton dealt better with their injuries and created the better chances on a night when Roberto De Zerbi’s forwards were repeatedly thwarted by Alphonse Areola.
“De Zerbi had a similar view after watching his side claim their first clean sheet of the season. The question facing both of these clubs is whether they have enough depth to sustain their challenges for European football. Still, while Moyes had seven out, Brighton had nine absentees.
“The visitors arranged themselves in a fluid 3-4-3 system but they lacked a spark with Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra and Ansu Fati unavailable on the flanks. But Brighton were slicker. They pushed at the start of the second half, Billy Gilmour running midfield, and Danny Welbeck tested Areola. Then João Pedro dribbled in from the left, a stunning solo goal on the cards until he shot straight at West Ham’s goalkeeper. It became a real test of West Ham’s defensive steel.”
Adrian Kajumba of The Daily Mail wrote that Hammers fans “had witnessed their side finish a clear second best to Brighton, missing the chance to make it a perfect Christmas period by increasing the gap between them and the Seagulls and also reducing the one to the top four.
“A long-awaited clean sheet was something salvaged from this low-key, low quality affair - perhaps another reason for the full-time reaction - for Brighton, ending a club-record 23 league game wait for one for De Zerbi's side.
“But if that suggests New Year, new Brighton, their failings in front of goal were a familiar story for De Zerbi who was on his knees late on after yet another chance went begging.
“He has bemoaned games which his Brighton side have dominated but failed to win of late, at one stage claiming a big team and manager would have converted such performances into victories. Add this one to the list.
“Joao Pedro failed to finish his hard work after dribbling and feinting his way past three West Ham defenders but firing straight at Areola.
“On came Evan Ferguson who was next to go close for Brighton, firstly after fashioning some space with some clever footwork before firing wide and secondly with an attempted clever back-heel that was blocked by the alert Angelo Ogbonna.
“Pascal Gross and Jakub Moder were the next to miss chances from close range before Adam Lallana also extended Areola, who did as much as anyone to earn resilient West Ham a point.”
Ivan Speck, writing in The i paper, was largely unimpressed by the whole thing: “It was somehow appropriate that the final Premier League fixture of the festive period should turn out to be a turkey,” he wrote. “It had been 441 days since Brighton’s last Premier League stalemate, but Roberto De Zerbi’s side did at least spend the second period virtually encamped in the West Ham half.”
Ditto Jack Rosser of The Sun: “Whichever Sky Sports bigwig opted to whack the darts on ahead of this deserves a raise. The Premier League would not have been happy to see their greatest cheerleader opt for the Ally Pally action on their Main Event channel last night, but no one could blame them as West Ham and Brighton served up a display which suggested they were all thoroughly fed up with festive football.
“It was a night where, with illness, injury and suspension abounding, both managers would have shaken on a draw beforehand and moved on - the point taking Brighton above Manchester United.
“Brighton were crafting the better chances and Areola again did well to deny Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro shortly after the restart. While Moyes had little to turn to on his bench to sharpen things up, De Zerbi could send on teenager Evan Ferguson, who flashed one just wide moments after coming on.
“But West Ham held firm, just – Jakub Moder blasting a late chance over at the far post before Areola again saved from Adam Lallana. De Zerbi dropped to his knees in response, looking like someone ready for a short break after a hectic few weeks.”