MAU PAYS A BIG PENALTY
Spot-kick miss proves costly
GRAHAM POTTER is backing striker Neal Maupay to bounce back despite a woeful penalty miss that saw Brighton fail to beat rock-bottom Norwich.
Maupay’s skied spot-kick was one of 31 shots on goal as the Seagulls dominated the Canaries but, in a familiar story, they failed to hit the net as the game ended goalless.
It’s a result that does neither team any favours with Norwich increasingly looking doomed and Albion’s hopes of a top-half finish fading fast.
But Potter was relieved that home fans didn’t take out their frustrations on misfiring Maupay, even singing the Frenchman’s name when he was substituted late on.
“I thought the reaction of the fans to him was fantastic, so a huge thank you to them for that,” he said.
“Neal gave everything in the game but it just was not his day.
“He’s had these experiences before, against Leeds for instance, and then the following game he’s scored. So he’ll bounce back.
“The supporters recognise a lot of the good things that he does – and the good things he’s done for us in the past.”
This was a result which typified Brighton’s season and underlined Norwich’s lack of quality, too, because although they defended heroically – with goalkeeper Tim Krul and captain Grant Hanley outstanding – they were unambitious and toothless in attack.
Boss Dean Smith said: “It wasn’t a great game. We have a group of good footballers who are making poor decisions on the ball.
“But we’ve ended a sequence of bad results, so it’s a building block for us. We know we’re running out of games.
We’ve got to give ourselves a chance of winning games and be brighter.”
In truth the Canaries look certs for relegation and although the Seagulls, sitting 13th and 12 points clear of the drop zone, are well out of it for now, nerves are starting to jangle a little at the Amex too.
Especially as they have Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City away in their next three games.
They also forced 11 corners in what was a total barrage, but to no avail.
Two flashpoints summed up the home side’s woes.
The first was a sumptuous breakaway move, driven by Maupay and which included a delightful backheel flick from Solly March.
But when the ball eventually came back for Maupay to shoot he miskicked – as did Danny Welbeck when the ball fell to him. Wonderful build-up play, awful finishing.
The second was a penalty, ‘earned’ when Sam Byram inexplicably patted on a cross as if he was playing volleyball. This was the chance for Brighton to finally score – only for Maupay to balloon it over the bar. You could have written it all before kick-off.
After the break Krul denied Joel Veltman with a superb save and then March, Leandro Trossard, Lewis Dunk, Alexis Mac Allister and Maupay all missed chances.
The Canaries even had one chance on the break to win it, but Milot Rashica lacked composure when unmarked in front of goal and made a hash of it.
That just about summed up the afternoon.