didn’t halt Spurs.
Chris Hughton brought his Brighton & Hove Albion side to Wembley with the aim to defend the home team into a stalemate like so many others, thankfully it didn’t pay of for him.
Hughton played quite a bit for Spurs over 13 years, nearly 400 games and won a few cups in that time and as a manager he’s frustrated the club a couple of times. With Norwich a few seasons back he got a pair of 1-1 draws against André Villas-Boas’ side, points dropped by Spurs that would help cost them a top four spot, missed by 1 point.
So it was no great surprise that he brought his newly promoted side, who have started the campaign reasonably well but are still only three points off the relegation zone, to Wembley to defend and they did and it looked like it was going to be one of those standard frustrating games for Spurs.
All the ball, all the chances or half chances. Watching on from the touchline, Hughton looking not much different from his playing days, hair just greyer, certainly doesn’t look to have piled the pounds on, saw his players get just enough in front of every shot to block out each attempt.
Right up until five minutes before the half, when a foul on Aurier caused his cross from wide right to loop into the net for the opener.
Brighton players complaining that the lino was flagging, well yes for the foul that caused the goal, ref was playing advantage and for once Spurs got that advantage. Your bloke doesn’t foul Serge, goal ain’t scored.
Makes a change Spurs not getting the shitty end of a decision, though they did a little later when Rose was booked. Yes it was a foul but Winks was lying on the ground after taking a knee to the head. Refs are supposed to stop the game with head injuries. Luckily Rose wasn’t to pay a further price but Winks never really looked the same after.
Second half was much like the first, chances came, chances went. Though Brighton actually ventured into the Spurs half, a couple of chances but both straight at Hugo, who had very little to really do. How many times has Kane gone close now with a free-kick? He did so again here, through the keeper’s hands onto the post.
The finisher came three minutes from time when Son stooped to back head Eriksen’s free-kick. Again the Korean on the score-sheet, in a game where he was at the heart of most things. Never stopped moving.
They’re winning at Wembley now – even with Sissoko in the side – no Alli starting for the first time in ages, which was probably for the best, while Lamela started his first in ages, which was good. The Argentinian looks sharp but there are times he starts to dither at the end of runs and doesn’t play someone else in when he should still.
So it’s Citeh next and well, they were the highfliers last season going unbeaten until they met Spurs, yes that was at the Lane but you never know…