Before the game, both managers would have thought three points is a realistic outcome for their team. Similarly, at the final whistle, both managers might have felt that with a bit of fine-tuning at both ends of the field, they could have walked away with three points. However, for this Premier League clash, the points share was equal to the scoreline 1-1.
Watford opened the scoring on 19 minutes, capitalising on an intercepted pass, Abdoulaye Doucouré drove to the edge of the Seagulls box to finish hard and low into the side netting down to the goalkeepers left. Fifty minutes had eloped before Brighton & Hove Albion fired back with a response, and it was in this period of the game we got a real sense of the character and quality of Graham Potters side. Brighton & Hove Albion showed mental toughness to be patient and persistent in their build-up play as they were hunting for the games next goal for so long. Something we knew of Brighton & Hove Albion from earlier games this season they are not a side to rip up the game plan when they are chasing, a goal, rather they hold firm to their identity, persist and on this occasion, they found the breakthrough.
Iranian midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh delivered a low cross into the Hornets box after a fast break-in transition, before Watford had time to get defensively organised. Subsequently, in attempting to clear the ball while still facing his goalkeeper, Watford left-back Adrian Mariappa turned the ball into his net on 78 minutes to make it 1-1. Similar to the Seagulls boss, Nigel Pearson showed moments after conceding that he knew his team gifted the opposition a goal with a basic defensive error.
In the tactical analysis below, we tell the story of the game from a tactical standpoint.
While the analysis delves deeper into the tactics deployed by both managers, with support of key statistics and data, we also highlight where the game might have been won or lost.
Lineup
Brighton & Hove Albion: 4-2-3-1
Potter makes four changes to the side that drew away to West Ham Utd last week, three of the changes within the back four. Martín Montoya, Adam Webster and Bernardo all make way for Dan Burn, Shane Duffy and Mattias Schelotto who makes only his second start of the season. While in midfield Dale Stephens is withdrawn for Solly March, although not a direct swap, march moves out wide while Aaron Mooy pairs with Davy Pröpper in midfield.
Watford: 4-4-1-1
Pearson makes but one change to the side that suffered the dramatic late comeback to Everton last week. The central-midfield pairing of Nathanial Chalobah and Etienne Capoueis split to allow 24-year-old English midfielder Will Hughes to step in, in place of Chalobah in midfield.
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