Stalwarts Dunk and Gross remain the key to Brighton success
The look on Sean Dyche’s face when Pascal Gross expertly placed a cross onto the head of Lewis Dunk to power in a 95th minute equaliser for Brighton against Everton said it all.
We all know how good Dyche is at setting up his team for a game against the Albion. At the Amex on Saturday, it seemed for a while like it would work, yet again.
The Toffees got their goal on their break with 17 minutes remaining. When Billy Gilmour was then sent off, Dyche looked to be leaving Brighton delighted once more. But then the two Seagulls stalwarts combined to earn a deserved point.
For all the one hundred million pound players and World Cup winners we have enjoyed watching play for the Albion in recent times, it is Dunk and Gross who are the reason Brighton are where they are right now.
This is a relatively young Albion squad and those players just at the start of their career can learn so much from the experience of Dunk and Gross. Experience which stepped up at the last minute to make sure the Toffees came unstuck.
The comeback was a fantastic way for me personally to return to the Amex for the first time since December after being away as a part-time Seagull Down Under.
I was not silly enough to think that playing Everton would end in a similar result to my last home game, the 4-2 win over Spurs.
We know there are no easy games in the Premier League. In fact, with the form the Albion have against Dyche teams, a draw and the manner it arrived almost felt like a win.
Brighton fans should therefore not be disheartened. Many players are still only just returning from injury and will need time to get their eye in again. I already cannot wait to witness Julio Enciso shooting from 30 yards in the not-too-distant future.
There had been Albion action the day before the game with Mr Paul Barber OBE out in Nyon, Switzerland for the Europa League round of 16 draw.
And what a draw it was. AS Roma v Brighton & Hove Albion. Who would have even thought that possible a few years ago?
Those of you who will be heading out to Rome to watch the game live are in for an amazing experience. I so wish one day I may be able to make it to a European away match, either this season or next.
Because the current campaign will not be the last of the Albion abroad. It was reported that Mr Tony Bloom has ambitious plans to establish Brighton in Europe and as we know, Mr Bloom’s plans and targets are usually met.
The players have been experiencing their own taste of Italy before the Roma game, we were told, by having dinner with Roberto De Zerbi.
Ansu Fati and Pervis Estupinan had both been to the head coach’s house in midweek, where he cooked them pasta. What an amazing gesture from De Zerbi and a great way for staff to get to know each other informally.
Matchday began for me on Saturday morning when I tried to find my stuff, ready to set off for the Amex. A mixture of winter sun and showers was something of a difference to our time in New Zealand and Australia, where we were blessed with 25°C temperatures.
With the car park ticket all in hand, we were off. The smell of hot dogs and pies were calling. Once in my seat and starting to soak up the atmosphere, I plugged in my earphones and tuned to BBC Radio Sussex.
Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall were talking about what they would do on their Wednesday night in Rome before the game at Stadio Olimpico.
They said they hope to visit the Spanish Steps and other sites. I hope they pop into see the Pope and ask him to pray for the Albion.
They will be okay at the Vatican… the Pope supports San Lorenzo from his hometown of Buenos Aires, rather than Roma.
When the time came for the teams to enter the pitch, it was the chance for us all to congratulate Simon Adingra on his outstanding efforts in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Adingra helped Ivory Coast win the tournament, including assisting both the goals in their 2-1 final win over Nigeria.
He stepped out of the tunnel alone at the Amex to rapturous applause from Brighton and Everton fans, whilst Toffees players like James Tarkowski could be seen clapping Adingra in the tunnel. The only people not clapping were the Everton substitutes. Quite unprofessional and lacking in class, I thought.
Dunk must have lost the toss as just like in the 5-1 defeat to the Toffees last season, Everton turned Brighton around and made the Albion play towards the North Stand in the first half.
The same tactic worked pretty well back in May, when the visitors took the lead in less than 60 seconds. This time it did not have the same effect as Brighton started the game strongly.
It was not long before Danny Welbeck received a pass through the middle to race away. With two Everton defenders flanking him, Welbeck managed to keep the ball and nudge it past Jordan Pickford running 30 yards from his goal.
Unfortunately, Welbeck’s effort rolled just to the left of the post. Still, a lively beginning for an Albion team in determined mood to build on last week’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United.
That first chance was followed quickly by another for Welbeck. A pass from Facundo Buonanotte was met by a Welbeck hit deflected just wide.
From the resulting corner, Dunk rose highest from those in the bus queue but could only put his header straight down Pickford’s throat on this occasion.
Soon it was the turn of Adingra to start showing the form that helped him become an African champion. He was a fraction over the bar from a shot from the right which forced Pickford into a flying dive.
A rare Everton attack came from one of their long balls forward towards the far left. A cross into the box had me fearing the worst. Thankfully, it just missed the head of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The half time whistle sounded with the scores level. I thought to myself during the interval that the longer this stayed 0-0, the more likely the Albion were to lose the game.
This was not because Brighton were playing badly. Some of the passing had been crisp and precise. But when the Albion do not take their chances, they tend to get punished. Especially when Dyche is in the away dugout.
My twitchiness only increased when Everton almost scored via Abdoulaye Doucoure. It took an amazing header off the line from Tariq Lamptey to save the day. Doucoure could not believe it had not gone in whilst I needed an immediate blood pressure check.
De Zerbi began changing things up on the hour mark. Lamptey went off for Joel Veltman and Fati replaced Welbeck, who had taken a tough knock in the first half. Hopefully, that has not caused a bad injury.
Then in the 73rd minute, the moment I had been fearing arrived. Pickford sent a long free kick from deep inside the Everton half into Brighton’s box, Jarrad Branthwaite got it under control and fired a shot into the top corner.
Things soon went from bad to worse when Gilmour was shown the first red card of his career on 81 minutes for a tackle which left his foot trailing on the ankle of Amadou Onana.
Brighton were now down to 10 men and with 81 of the 90 minutes played. Things looked bleak. However, this Albion squad never give up and if anything, they played their best stuff with the odds against them after Gilmour was sent off.
The Seagulls had shots on goal and Everton were desperately hanging on. The 90th minute arrived and the fourth official showed nine added minutes, giving the Amex crowd a boost. Dyche later asked in his post-match interview where all that added time came from?
As the phrase goes, “All good things come to those who are patient.” And as ever, it was patient Pascal who worked some magic to help Brighton to an equaliser.
Gross did a couple of his Cruyff Turns and crossed a corker into the box. Up went Dunk and his rocket of a header was into the further possible point from Pickford.
Brighton had done it and just in the nick of time. Bart Verbruggen summed it up, running around triumphantly in the highlights on the Albion website.
The best players, leaders and captains all deliver when it matters most. We saw that the following day, when Virgil van Dijk did similar to win Liverpool the Carabao Cup with a 118th minute header past Chelsea.
There are not many better feelings in football than a last minute goal. Taking an important point in the circumstances should give the squad a real boost going into the FA Cup fifth round against Wolves.
What odds on Gross and Dunk being the ones who help take Brighton a step closer to Wembley via victory at Molineux?
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
Seagulls Best Ever Season Volume 2 charts Brighton’s record breaking 2022-23 campaign through the eyes of Tony Noble, an East Stand Upper season ticket holder at the American Express Stadium. It is available from Waterstones, WHSmith, Amazon Bookstore and all good bookshops as well as the Albion Superstore at the Amex and via this link.
