Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United: Dahoud and Da Misses cost Albion

The 2023-24 season was always going to be challenging for the Albion. Just how challenging was laid bare as Brighton drew 1-1 with bottom of the table Sheffield United at the Amex, making it six Premier League games without a victory.

Playing in the Europa League has caused injuries to stack up whilst Roberto De Zerbi deploying heavy rotation means an unsettled side with certain individuals struggling to find form.

Whilst the outside world talks about the Brighton bubble bursting or De Zerbi being found out, do us Albion fans really care?

Almost every team who qualifies for Europe for the first time suffers a drop off domestically the following season.

Most Seagulls supporters predicted in the summer this would be the case, even if Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo had remained.

Brighton drawing 1-1 with Sheffield United seems like a fair price to pay in exchange for nights like beating four-time European champions Ajax in their own back yard.

If sixth place last season and trips to Marseille and Athens means finishing 12th this time around, then give me that over back-to-back ninth places.

Not that De Zerbi sees it that way. His post-match comments about not liking 80 percent of referees in England have been interpreted in some parts as a sign that the pressure of the longest winless run of his time in charge at the Amex is getting to him.

De Zerbi might expect a hefty fine and has no doubt done little to help the Albion’s cause with officials, as amusing as his meltdown worthy of Gus Poyet was. Oh, and he was also booked during the game for his troubles.

In any case, the major decision which referee John Brooks had to make in Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United he got right.

From the West Stand Upper, the 69th minute challenge Mahmoud Dahoud put in on Ben Osborn did not look that bad. There was even a fair amount of shock and outrage when Mr Brooks reached for a red card without any hesitation.

That shows the benefit Mr Brooks had in being five metres from the incident rather than 200 metres away and miles up in the air.

It was a terrible, brainless challenge from Dahoud. If a Blades player had stamped down on one of our player’s legs, we would all be screaming blue murder. The only outcome could be a straight red.

The cost of Dahoud’s moment of madness was initially felt within four minutes as Sheffield United equalised. The repercussions of course will stretch further, over matches against Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Brentford as Dahoud serves a three match ban.

With the squad already stretched to breaking point, a pointless and unnecessary sending off was the last thing Brighton needed.

Dahoud was not the only problem in Brighton 1-1 Sheffield United… Da Misses were too. The Albion could have been out of sight by the time Dahoud lost his marbles had they put away a couple of the numerous opportunities created before the red card.

Brighton made the perfect start when Simon Adingra opened the scoring in mesmerising fashion inside of five minutes. The Ivorian winger was switched from his usual right berth over to the left with Kaoru Mitoma rested.

Any relief the Blades defence felt at not having to face Mitoma from the start was ruined when Adingra glided past three visiting players on a mazy run from the flank.

After making it into the box, Adingra fed Facundo Buonanotte. The Argentine forward produced a lovely flick to send the ball back to Adingra, who applied the finish beyond Wes Foderingham.

It was pretty much all one way traffic for the next 40 minutes of the first half. Foderingham saved well from Ansu Fati and Billy Gilmour. Adam Webster headed wide and Buonanotte fired into the side netting after weaving around a couple of yellow shirts.

De Zerbi clearly knew his side needed at least one more goal and introduced Mitoma and Joao Pedro at the break. The changes though seemed to unsettle the Albion, who looked nowhere near as good going forward in the second half.

Mitoma spent most of his afternoon running down blind alleys and Pedro’s most notable contribution was to go down and roll around on the floor like he had been shot.

When it became clear Mr Brook’s was not going to stop play after a couple of minutes of frankly cringeworthy theatrics, Pedro made a miracle recovery.

Brighton wanted a penalty when a Dahoud cross was blocked by the arm of Jayden Bogle. VAR took a look and despite Lewis Dunk having conceded at least two spot kicks in similar fashion over the past 12 months, Mr Brooks was not even sent to the monitor for a look.

Even though it would have been a soft penalty against Sheffield United, the lack of consistency in what does and does not constitute a handball is baffling.

Mitoma had a near post effort saved by the legs of Foderingham and the United goalkeeper then denied Dahoud shortly before the midfielder left for his early bath.

That put a spring in the step of the Blades. Brighton meanwhile looked like the side bottom of the table who had taken just four points all season, losing all sense of shape and cohesion.

De Zerbi’s decision making in reaction to the red card did not help. Off went Gilmour to be replaced by Carlos Baleba, meaning the Albion had gone from two relatively experienced operators in the crucial midfield engine room in the Scottish international and Dahoud to the talented but very raw Baleba.

It did not take long for Sheffield United to make the most of the extra space now available in the middle. Adingra was dispossessed, the Blades worked the ball out to Bogle and his low cross was turned into his own net by Webster.

Just like in the 1-1 draw with Fulham a fortnight earlier, Brighton had been punished for not taking their chances.

But whereas the Cottagers had been content to time waste their way to a point after equalising, Sheffield United sensed the Albion were there for the taking.

The visitors enjoyed a period of domination after the scores were levelled and had Bogle not dragged wide with only Steele to beat, things could have got even worse for Brighton.

It felt at that point like only one team were going to go on and win… and it was not the Albion. Eventually though, Brighton regained a seminice of composure without ever really testing Foderingham again.

The closest the Seagulls came was when Baleba found himself charging through, only to be brought down by Luke Thomas.

Baleba ended up sliding into the area although the original wiping out took place right on the edge of the box. Needless to say with the Albion’s ability from set pieces, the subsequent free kick came to nothing.

A frustrating afternoon no doubt, but there are still positives. Two weeks off for the international break, a chance to try and clear up the injury list and the Albion remain two points off sixth spot despite not winning a Premier League game since the end of September.

And if none of that cheers you up, just think of Amsterdam and smile.