Weather for ducks, not Seagulls: Photos from Brighton 0-0 Arsenal
There are days when, as Albion supporters, you are particularly glad that the Amex Stadium exists. Brighton 0-0 Arsenal was one of those as driving rain and a 50mph wind made for terrible football spectating conditions, as our fan’s photos from the game show.
The worst weather of the Amex Era so far? Some might nominate Everton at home in 2019 for that, but at least the rain that day was not accompanied by a hurricane.
Imagine for a second if this game had taken place at Withdean. Those brave enough to attend would not have dried out until Christmas Eve because of the lack of roof at the Theatre of Trees.
It took an equally brave soul to get their phone out and photograph the action against Arsenal. So bad was the rain that a water damaged mobile was a real prospect, as some supporters found out when their tickets did not work. One young chap even reported having to write his phone off because it ended up getting so wet.
Somewhat surprisingly then, we have cobbled together the best part of 50 photos of Brighton 0-0 Arsenal. Despite the grim conditions, there is something quite atmospheric about watching football in the pissing rain under floodlights, especially when it is a game as entertaining as the Albion put on against the Gunners.
Brighton had to weather an early storm as Arsenal started on top, but once they had seen off the opening 10 minutes there was only one team in it really.
The Albion racked up 21 shots over the 90 minutes and should have won. Shane Duffy and Dan Burn were the biggest culprits when it came to missed chances, the former put his free header straight at Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and the latter placing his wildly off target.
Ben White showed his quality – not that any Albion fan needed reminding of it – with one incredible intervention to turn an Adam Lallana volleyed cross behind for a corner when Leandro Trossard looked set to pounce. At the other end, Robert Sanchez had only one save of note to make from Emile Smith Rowe.
At the full time whistle, this felt like two points dropped. To be disappointed with only drawing against a European Super League elite club like Arsenal shows how far Brighton have come this season alone.
To have remained relatively dry during the 90 minutes – or at least those in the West and East Upper did where the swirling wind could not deposit any rain – was a reminder of the progress of the past decade.
These really are the best of times to be an Albion fan. Long may it continue.
If you have any photos you would like included our Brighton 0-0 Arsenal gallery, please e-mail them to wearebrighton@hotmail.co.uk or tweet them to us @wearebrighton
