‘From the sublime to the ridiculous’ is an often overused cliche, but I can’t think of a better phrase to sum up the Albion’s game against Leicester at the King Power stadium yesterday. Whilst some away fans were sat still, stuck in traffic on various motorways, their team was on an absolute rollercoaster ride that eventually saw them bring the three points back to the South Coast.

Embed from Getty Images

The opening ten minutes was an exercise in futility as Brighton looked like they couldn’t string two passes together, never mind an attack. Possession was given back to Leicester time and time again in dangerous areas and the ‘Brighton way’ of playing out from the back looked like sure-fire self-destruction.

As the half continued though they grew into the game and seemed to find a better balance between progression and immediacy. Veatriki Sarri had two chances to put Brighton into the lead, one powered over the bar when it looked easier to score, and the second a good piece of awareness and skill which produced a good save from Leicester goalkeeper Lize Kop. The Albion also had a modicum of success from dead ball situations, Vicky Losada drew another good save from Kop with a low driven shot, and Jorelyn Carabali hit a rocket from miles out which Kop safely touched over the bar.

Going into the break then, Brighton had certainly created the better chances, but Leicester had edged the balance of play and certainly seemed more comfortable in possession. It felt like goals were coming, by hook or by crook, and boy did they.

In the 54th minute Yuka Momiki drove forward into space outside the Albion box. She switched the ball out to the right where Jutta Rantala was totally unmarked and the Finnish international made no mistake placing the ball high into the roof of the net from an acute angle. The defending was questionable, both in the lack of press that allowed Momiki to break through, and the fact a player as dangerous as Rantala was left completely free in the penalty area.

Embed from Getty Images

The next goal was going to be absolutely crucial then, and in the most fortuitous of ways it was Brighton who got it. From a Poppy Pattinson corner, a poor attempted clearance by the City defender sliced the ball high and back towards her own six-yard box. Both Madison Haley and Kop rose to get the ball with the goalkeeper only successful in palming the ball onto Haley and into the net (62′). It was a slightly bizarre situation, if it had been against us I probably would have cried foul on the keeper, but hey we’ll take them however they come right now. Also, their first goal in the reverse fixture was handball so swings and roundabouts.

Unusual as it was, it seemed to galvanise the Albion, and just six minutes later they scored again. A poor pass out from the back from Kop fell straight to Julia Zigiotti Olme on the halfway line. She immediately picked out Katie Robinson with a pinpoint through ball that the Leicester defence just weren’t alive to. Robinson rounded Kop, who was still off her line, and cooly slotted home. This was vintage Robbo, getting in behind and showing her pace and composure to put Brighton ahead. Just goes to show, the direct route can sometimes be the best route if you have the right on-field connections.

True to form though, in the lead and with time on the clock, the Seagulls couldn’t simply see it out. In the 84th minute, Saori Takarada this time was given too much space and she picked out Lena Petermann who had spun in behind Carabali and Pattinson. You can’t give a player of her quality such a golden opportunity and it was no surprise that she slid the ball past Sophie Baggaley with aplomb from close range. Another lead squandered, another goal down that right hand side, yet more questions for Mikey Harris to address in the Albion defence.

Far from capitulate though, Brighton looked bang up for it from the restart, some might even say p*ssed off. Just a minute later Elisabeth Terland took control mid-way into the Leicester half. A pass across the field found Robinson who was able to clip a cross into the box. With real quality and vision, Haley was able to cushion a volley back into the path of Terland, who struck her own volley hard and low into the bottom corner of the net. Have some of that!

Embed from Getty Images

Five minutes plus stoppage time to go, we can see that out right? Right? With mere seconds of the game remaining, somehow Rantala found herself in far too much space again on the right-hand side of the Albion box and her shot looked for all the world to be the equaliser until Baggaley pulled off an incredible reaction stop that ricocheted the ball into the ground and then over the crossbar. Baggers once again our ‘save-iour’.

This was such a strange performance to analyse as it truly showed the Jekyll and Hyde nature of this Brighton team. Even Mikey Harris afterwards said that he didn’t “enjoy” the game and that it was too “chaotic” at times. Despite that, the Albion did come back from two setbacks that at other times this season might have killed us off. That resilience must be pleasing to see, even if the original downfall is so often our own doing.

Notes

• Baggers was absolutely immense today once again, her saves were absolutely as vital to the win as the goals scored at the other end.
• I think we’re starting to see the best of Robbo again, she was consistently going at their defence, getting in behind and just generally a constant threat, particularly second half. Her goal was taken with composure and she was flagged offside on another excellent finish that perhaps VAR would have taken another look at.
• I’ve yet to see Li Mengwen have a bad game for the Albion this season and I’d be pushing for her to start at right back more regularly. She’s not necessarily the flashiest of players, but consistency and reliability are two underrated traits in this league.
• The left-hand side of our defence got exposed several times which led to both goals and almost their third. Obviously the pairing of Carabali and Pattinson was a new one and that has to play a factor, but teams have exposed that left-hand side with regularity this season. It might just be me, but I still think Pattinson would make a fine left-midfielder with someone behind her at full-back. With Carabali, I just think it’s time, experience and not getting too caught up in chasing the ball versus covering the player.
• I thought it was interesting in his post-match interview that Harris used the phrase ‘finishers’ instead of substitutes. To the best of my knowledge this is a baseball influence – when the starting pitcher gets tired, or starts giving up runs – you bring in a relief pitcher, or if it’s late in the game a ‘closer’ to finish the opposition off. It’s an interesting concept, but whether it can be realistically applied to football, I’m yet to be convinced.
• The more I see of Madison Haley the more I see an NWSL 7th overall pick. I think even if you’re not playing two forwards, like we did against Manchester City, then arguably she should be given an opportunity in the linking role that Tatiana Pinto currently occupies. Either way, we should be trying to get our best players on the pitch and she’s certainly versatile enough to fill one of the more advanced roles.
• No Pauline Bremer in the squad, but no injury news from the press conference – which could just have been Mikey keeping things under his hat. Hopefully whatever kept her out is only minor because she brings a wealth of experience to the team.

Episode 5 of the SheGulls Podcast records tonight (Tues) and will be released on Wednesday – where you can hear more on this game, the upcoming match away at West Ham, and lots more!