Forest and Brighton form after 7-0 shows football is funny old game
On my lazy Sunday afternoon, I watched Newcastle pop four goals past Nottingham Forest on their way to victory at St James’ Park.
Forest of course themselves scored seven against the Albion at the beginning of February. Since then, Brighton have won three games out of three. The Tricky Trees have drawn against Exeter City in the FA Cup and lost to Fulham and Newcastle.
Brighton have closed the gap to Forest in third from 13 points to seven. The Albion are back in European contention, something which seemed unlikely three weeks ago after the 7-0 at the City Ground. Football is a funny old game.
The latest three points for Brighton came against Southampton, who sit 20th in the Premier League table. Or should I say bottom?
Bottom sounds rude. So I will say 20th. And boy, did the Saints look like a side who were 20th. You can only beat what is in front of you though and Brighton did that in smashing style.
As Warren Aspinall said on numerous occasions during the BBC Radio Sussex commentary alongside Johnny Cantor, the Albion should have scored many more than the four they managed. Three goals should have gone in inside the opening 20 minutes.
Is that harsh on the players? I think they will know only too well that converting more of the chances they get will be key to making it back into European football. Other opponents will not give up as many opportunities as Southampton did.
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak was at St Mary’s. Southampton seem likely to be relegated, just like Mr Sunak. At least he apparently stayed until the end, unlike hundreds of his fellow Saints fans who started to leave midway through the second half.
Georginio Rutter, Joao Pedro, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankubu Minteh proved a formidable front four. Rutter almost beat Aaron Ramsdale early on before a Carlos Baleba free kick deflected just over the bar.
Next it was the turn of Mitoma to turn a ball just the wrong side of the far post from a Yasin Ayari cross. Rutter then played in Minteh, who slipped and lost control with only Ramsdale to beat.
The breakthrough eventually came via Joao Pedro. He broke through the middle superbly and scooped the ball over Ramsdale to open the scoring.
It was an impeccably timed dink. So cool, calm and never in doubt. Watch it back and the way Pedro controls the situation makes it look like it is taking place in slow motion.
Brighton had to survive a scare a few minutes into the second half when Cameron Archer put the ball past Bart Verbruggen. However, the linesman swiftly put his flag up to rule the goal out for offside.
Around 10 minutes later and great unselfish play from the Albion resulted in a second goal. Rutter and Minteh worked in tandem brilliantly. Minteh squared and Rutter had a simple tap in.
Not-so-good from Minteh was the miss he produced not long after. He did all the hard work, making the Southampton defenders and Ramsdale look silly before miscuing his finish with an open goal to aim at. A real boo-boo.
Brighton though soon had their third. Pedro flicked the ball into the path of Mitoma. He was away like a Japanese Bullet Train pulling out of Tokyo Railway Station.
Nobody in red and white stripes had a hope of catching Mitoma. Just like Pedro in the first half, he chipped over Ramsdale for another terrific finish.
The Albion leading 3-0 surely meant the three points were in the bag. Now it was a case of how many more goals could Brighton find. Goal difference could be crucial come the end of the season and ours obviously took a bit of battering by Forest.
Baleba should had added another when breaking through on one of his exciting charges forward. But it was another opportunity not converted.
A fourth did arrive when a fine corner by Brajan Gruda came into the box from the left. It found the feet of Jack Hinshelwood, who made no mistake in burying the chance.
That was the end of the scoring. The teams above Brighton now must be wary of the Seagulls steaming back into the top six picture. Including Bournemouth, who are the next visitors to the Amex.
The Cherries like to attack, so we could be in for an absolute goalfest under the lights where a home victory would move Brighton level on points with the sixth placed visitors.
Who would have predicted that in the aftermath of losing 7-0 to Forest?
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
