Match Review: Brighton 2-1 Nantes
Imagine spending close to £60m in a single transfer window on proven international players to improve your squad all over the pitch. And then having to start the campaign with your fifth choice striker from the previous season leading the line.
That’s a potential scenario facing Brighton and Hove Albion next week at Watford. We’ve got our popular Twitter thread of “1 like = 1 ridiculous thing from #BHAFC recent history” that gets added to every now and again.
Well, this could be the most Brighton ever. Having one of the biggest and best transfer windows in the clubs history, yet not signing an adequate striker so Tomer Hemed leads the line in the opening game of the season.
Glenn Murray coming off injured after only 16 minutes of the Albion’s final pre season friendly against Nantes was a worrying sign. Even more worrying was Chris Hughton saying afterwards he “expects” Murray to be fit for next week. We’ve heard the Albion “expect” a lot of things before when it comes to injuries. Sam Baldock was “expected” back in a few days in March 2017. He missed the next six weeks. Dale Stephens was “expected” to be fit by the weekend last season. He was out for a month.
Murray’s injury is compounded by the fact that new signing Florin Andone is also out. So is Jurgen Locadia who appeared to snap his enthusiasm after fluffing his fourth chance of the afternoon at AFC Wimbledon three weeks ago. All that could mean Hemed starting a league game for the first time since January at Vicarage Road.
If there is one small crumb of comfort, it’s that Hemed has been in good form in pre-season. He scored the opener against Nantes to add to his goals against St Gallen and Crawley Town. It was a classic Hemed finish really against the Ligue 1 visitors as he glided into the box to knock home an Anthony Knockaert delivery after Knockaert had been sent away by Bruno’s perfectly weighted pass.
Lots of people have pondered how Chris Hughton will accommodate Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Knockaert in the same team but on Knockaert’s showing here, Jahanbakhsh isn’t getting in. The little French Magician sparkled all evening, deservedly taking the man of the match award with genuine competition for his spot in the team so far bringing out the best in him. He was also sporting a new bleached blonde hair style, following in the footsteps of other great names from the Albion’s past such as Phil Stant, Robbie Pethick and Oliver Norwood who all dyed their hair Brighton players.
The Albion’s second goal came five minutes after half time and it owed a lot to some fantastically comical defending from Abdoulaye Toure. Toure was caught dawdling on the ball by Pascal Gross on the right and after winning the ball and a quick exchange of passes with Hemed, the Albion’s reigning Player of the Year beat Ciprian Tatarusanu in the Nantes goal to make it 2-0.
Nantes captain Valentin Rongier pulled one back late on but the Albion never really looked in danger of not winning the game. Indeed, the biggest talking points afterwards surrounded Knockaert’s hair and how the new home shirt can look so good from the front and so terrible from the back.
It was also interesting to note that, if this is to be Hughton’s starting XI next week against Watford, only Bernardo of the new faces will start the season in the side. For all that money spent so far, Hughton is putting his faith in the old guard for now.
Let’s just hope that includes Murray.
