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TARGET! Brighton 1-1 Aston Villa (Mc Allister 1)
And it cost them a goal within a minute! They got into all sorts of play from the back in midweek, notably with Robin Olsen’s mistake, but this time Robert Sanchez plays through the middle to Luiz, putting him under pressure, McAllister runs through with a tackle . he would have approved himself, then the keeper winks, sweeping into the far corner! Updated at 14.05 GMT 1 minute Villa are actually playing with this 4-2-2-2. 1 minute As the late, great Ron Pickering liked to say, “We’re leaving!” Time to remember those who gave their lives in war. Alexis Mac Allister just drank from a bottle and then ate all the liquid dangerously close to his shirt. More news as I get it Anyway, our players are with us! E-MAIL! “I agree that it has never been easier to be a brilliant footballer,” says Kári Tulinius, “but there is an argument that brilliance thrives in adversity, not in times of abundance. That, say, the total football of the 70s or the rioplatense style of the 1920s trumps today’s game. I personally think that brilliance is too rare to draw conclusions about what helps and what hinders, but I will admit to an instinctive sympathy for Harry Lime’s point of view.’ I’m just saying that there are more good players now than ever before, not that they or the game are better. And what I love about Harry Lime is that Graham Greene wrote the book so he could make the movie. Here’s Anthony Soprano in a similar vein. I think Steven Gerrard’s big failure at Villa was the failure to settle on a formation and line-up. Obviously there are vicissitudes of form and fitness, but the wrong team picked every week will be better than a different team picked every week. Emery will need time to prepare his squad and how best to develop those in it, but he won’t be constantly second-guessing himself, I don’t think. A word to the wise: if you ever have the pleasure of pouring sulfuric acid down a hole – and let me tell you, the burst of hissing and humming as it does its job is something – don’t expect to admire craftsmanship unless you you want to feel like you can’t swallow anymore, while you experience the fatigue of a thousand years. Brighton, meanwhile, will want their wide players to nail Villa’s full-backs, and overall this looks like a battle between a possession team and a power team. The home side will look to hold the ball and examine, while the visitors will rely on turnovers to create most of their chances. I felt this before I saw Villa in midweek, but looking at their team tonight, my fear for them is that they don’t have enough space to feed Ings. That’s one of several reasons I’m surprised there’s no Bailey – Cash and Digne will need to cover a lot of ground – but, on the other hand, it should be pretty hard to penetrate centrally. Google also reckons Villa will play 4-2-3-1 rather than 4-2-2-2. My best guess is that players enter the playing field and run around, visiting different parts of it in the process. Google reckon Brighton will have Welbeck up front and Trossard on the left, which is possible. My guess though is the other way around because Welbeck isn’t a good finisher, he’s more dangerous on the outside and Trossard does well as a number nine. I see both sides though because Welbeck has the touch and physicality to play in the play offs. Feel free to send your melodic Ibiza classics why not? Updated at 13:25 GMT Is it just me or is it impossible to see R. Sanchez in the Brighton net, dismiss the game, put it on and go out dancing? Ta-ra! Villa, meanwhile, make three changes, with Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Danny Ings replacing Leander Dendoncker, Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins. Watkins isn’t in the squad so he’s probably unavailable – Ings is a very good replacement – and I’m sure Emery was planning to get Kamara once he felt fit enough. I’m surprised Bailey isn’t starting, but I’m sure we’ll see him off the bench. So what does this all mean? Brighton are without Adam Webster, so Levi Colwill, on loan from Chelsea, comes on for his first start in this league, while Kaoru Mitoma also misses out. replaced by Daniel Welbeck. Both missing persons are ill. Welbeck, though, played well at Arsenal in midweek and is a smart mover with a great touch. Although he has struggled with injury, he, perhaps more than anyone else, has suffered for Alex Ferguson’s departure, and given how little he has played, he should have plenty to offer. As for Colwill, he’s destined to be very handy, so I’m looking forward to getting a proper look at him.
Let’s have some teams!
Brighton & Hove Albion (a versatile 4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gross, Colwill, Dunk, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister’; March, Lallana, Welbeck, Trossard. Subs: Steele, Lampty, Enciso, Udav, Gilmour, Veltman, Terns, Van-Hecke, Ferguson. Aston Villa (a strange 4-2-2-2): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne? Luiz, Kamara; Ramsey, McGinn; Buendia, Ings. Subs: Olsen, Sanson, Chambers, Augustinson, Young, Bednarek, Dendonker, Bailey, Archer. Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Ashton-Under-Lyne) Updated at 13.09 GMT
Preamble
There have never been as many brilliant footballers in the world as there are now, so it follows that there have never been as many brilliant footballers in England’s top flight as there are now. Given the financial dominance of the Premier League, what, on the face of it, makes no sense actually makes perfect sense: a game between Brighton, seventh in the table, and Aston Villa, 15th in the table, should it is the absolute best. Brighton is a perfect example of what can be achieved with the simple, judicious application of a billionaire’s wealth. They appoint quality staff across the club to milk whatever upside there is, then buy low and sell high – easy, right? Well, not really – making that kind of money is extremely difficult. But more seriously, picking the right coach is also extremely difficult, as is coaching well, scouting and planning well. And they come into this game with a decent winning record, a mix of first and second choice, having beaten Arsenal at Littlewoods in midweek to back up wins over Wolves and Chelsea ahead of them. Which means Roberto di Zerbi – another ideal managerial appointment – settled in beautifully. His players understand the fast, attacking football it demands and do it very well. The villa is a slightly different affair. They also have the benefit of a billionaire owner – football is the winner! – but the disposition of these funds was more haphazard. So far. While there is something wrong with a manager leaving a club he led to the semi-finals of the Europa League and Champions League for one in the bottom half of the Prem, Unai Emery is a good manager who is already showing the ability to build a team. from the collection of outstanding individuals assembled by Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard. More specifically – and where he differs from his tinkering predecessors – he has the confidence and patience to pick a formation, train players to play it and stick with it. In last weekend’s 3-1 win over Manchester United, his side were electrifying in the first quarter, their opponent’s mistakes were spotted casually and then attacked relentlessly, and although a near-second line-up was beaten in midweek, there was still plenty which they liked for the Villa. business in attack. Well, stick with me, because this should be a lot of fun. Start: 2 p.m. GMT Updated at 13:46 GMT
