Brighton 0-0 Ipswich: Albion find no way through parked Tractors
It should not take us long to sum up what happened in Brighton 0-0 Ipswich. The visitors parked their tractors in front of their goal and the Albion were unable to find a way through, meaning it finished scoreless on a sunny September afternoon at the Amex.
This was the first time Fabian Hurzeler had faced an ultra-defensive minded team in the Premier League. Graham Potter struggled with such opponents. Roberto De Zerbi struggled against such opponents.
The youngest permanent manager in Premier League history was asked in his pre-Ipswich press conference about the Albion’s well-known issues overcoming teams who sit back and defend their way to a result.
“We try to bring a new environment, another culture. Every coach thinks differently. Of course I know this topic but I won’t make it big in the locker room or in meetings because it is a new season. It is a new style of play, a new situation,” said Hurzeler.
Except it ended up being the same old situation. 68 percent possession. 21 shots. Six on target. Nine corners. Brighton 0-0 Ipswich.
Three of those six shots on target drew outstanding saves from Arijanet Muric. You may remember him as the goalkeeper for Burnley last season who let a back pass slip under his foot to gift the Albion an own goal and a 1-1 at Turf Moor.
It was the only goal Brighton scored in the whole of April and saw Muric voted WAB Brighton Player of the Month with 57.06 percent of the vote.
Muric was clearly determined to prove himself not a total calamity in Brighton 0-0- Ipswich. The outstanding Carlos Baleba tested the Tractor Boys number one with a powerful low volley. Muric plunged down to his left and showed a remarkably strong hand to keep the ball.
Now I am not saying things fell into something of a lull after that, but one person near me in the West Upper could be seen on their phone doing a Tesco click and collect order.
But as the half wore on, the Albion began to grow into it more. Saves two and three from Muric came in the same phase of play, although Kaoru Mitoma should have done much better with his opportunity.
£40 million man Georginio Rutter was denied by Muric first. The loose ball fell to Mitoma, who had what appeared an entire open goal to aim at. The Japanese Bullet Train put his effort straight at the recovering Muric.
A brilliant save from a poor finish compounded when Mitoma had another bite of the cherry, only to react a little too slowly as he steered the second rebound wide.
The second half saw Muric much less busy as Brighton failed to get a meaningful effort on target. Danny Welbeck came closest, curling a free kick inches wide from 25 yards out.
Having seen Welbeck almost score, the natural reaction was to let Lewis Dunk take the next free kick in an almost identical position.
Does Dunk have it written in his contract that he must take at least one free kick a game? What else can possibly explain the Albion captain being allowed to shoot from promising positions on the basis he once scored five years ago and only because Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was looking the other way?
With grim predictability, Dunk smashed his effort straight into the wall. Other chances came for Rutter and substitute Evan Ferguson, both dragged wide from outside the box.
“Remember that Fulham game? This has a repeat written all over it,” said a bloke behind me. “Yep we’re going to lose this 1-0, aren’t we?” responded the chap next to him.
And lose it 1-0 Brighton almost did. In a rare moment of positivity from the Tractor Boys, Liam Delap decided to run and run and run with the ball.
He carried it almost the whole length of the pitch, like when Vicente famously went around the entire Derby County team before smashing a shot against the crossbar from 30 yards in 2012.
Rather than the bar, Delap rattled the far post from what initially appeared an impossibly tight angle. Ed Sheeran watching from the West Stand would have been given shivers if it went in.
Remarkably given Ipswich players spent what felt like several hours lying down injured, only three minutes additional time were added at the end.
Although in fairness to the officials, they could have added on 300 minutes and Brighton would still not have found a way through.
The highlights on the official Albion website lasting only two minutes and one second tell you everything you need to know about Brighton 0-0 Ipswich.
One of those days. The Curse of the Manager of the Month Award rearing its head. A lack of cutting edge caused by Joao Pedro missing the game with a minor knock.
Whatever you put it down to, Hurzeler now knows he needs to find a way to help Brighton overcome defensive tactics. Something which neither Glow Up nor De Zerbi managed satisfactorily.
The unbeaten start goes on for the Albion. But it could be even better.
