DON’T BISS US GOODBYE
Brighton hope brilliant Yves won’t listen to offers and stays by the sea
BRIGHTON fans swapped ‘Tequila’ for ‘Bissouma’ to toast their best-ever start to a Premier League season.
The masterful Mali midfielder danced around Watford for 90 minutes then jigged across the pitch, as the returning Seagulls supporters roared out their version of The Champs’ Mexican spirit-flavoured 1950s hit.
It was the sort of moment that makes you check if it is a grand farewell gesture, especially when it’s a player linked with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and most notably Arsenal.
Sorry Gunners fans, this did not look like a last dance at the Amex for Yves Bissouma, more the restart of something. It was certainly a moment that pleased Seagulls boss Graham Potter.
He said: “It was nice after a win. He played well and the fans enjoyed his performance.
“That is what it is about. That connection between the players and the supporters.”
These are uncharted heights for Brighton fans, though Potter was not about to get carried away by two wins. His side put in plenty of similarly dominant displays last season only to be let down by poor finishing.
That could not be said about their two goals in a dominant first-half performance.
The rejuvenated Shane Duffy thumped home a header from Pascal Gross’ 10th-minute corner for the opener.
Then on 41 minutes, Bissouma (above) intercepted William Troost-ekong’s illjudged pass from the back to send Neal Maupay clear to score his second goal in two games.
Potter added: “Last year the performances were really good, but we didn’t get the points and everyone wants to know why. But sometimes it is just football and that is how it is.
“We kept going, kept trying to develop the ideas and the boys have improved, the team has improved. We know we are just at the start of what we are trying to do but it is a good start.”
Much of that is down to Adam Lallana. If Bissouma is the Tequila slammer, then Lallana is the chaser, or at least that is what he reduced a punch-drunk Watford to doing.
Only Duffy and Adam Webster completed more successful passes than the former England midfielder’s 64 as he toyed with the visitors’ press. But at 33, Lallana is at a stage where his minutes will have to be managed.
Potter added: “Adam was really good, really disciplined with a really good understanding of what we are trying to do.
“We will make a decision over the next few days on how we use him this week. He has the capacity to help us from the start and can also help us as a sub because he has such an influence.”
Watford skipper Tom Cleverley admitted they struggled to lay a glove on Brighton in the first half.
The Hornets threw bodies forward after the break and Ismaila Sarr and Cleverley had chances to make a game of it.
Cleverley said: “A lot of teams are starting to play three at the back. It is something we can learn from. There is every chance Spurs will play that way next week, and we need a reaction from the first minute not the 46th.”