Written by Matt Stevenson
Here’s the xG from the Brighton game. It frustratingly shows how much we restricted Brighton to hardly any chances for all but the closing minutes of the first half. We hadn’t had many chances but Christie’s pressing deflected the ball from the keeper to Solanke and with Verbruggen in no-man’s land Solanke put it wide of him to make it 1-0 (rated 1 in 4). The largely uneventful first half would have been what AFCB wanted and at 44 minutes the xG was Brighton 0.07 and AFCB 0.39. However, pushing into added-on time in the first half, Brighton had a flurry of small chances and a cross from the left skimmed of Kerkez’s head and over Neto to make it 1-1. Like many, I think the keeper should have cleared everything out, maybe he called but wasn’t heard. At half-time, it was Brighton 0.31 and AFCB 0.39. At half-time Brighton brought on Mitoma, a very good player, and Fati on loan from Barcelona and within the first minute of the second half, it was 2-1. From our kick-off we were hesitant, and Billing’s attempted pass was cut out, from then on it was a good move from Brighton leaving Mitoma with a relatively easy chance (rated 3 in 5). Two goals conceded within a few minutes of playing time from a comfortable position was a blow to AFCB and the game went quiet for 30 minutes, with the only chance being Fati’s miscue when he had a good chance (1 in 3). The result looked settled in the 76th minute when Mitoma stole in between the centre-backs to head home (rated 54%). AFCB managed two more good chances with a Solanke effort cleared off the line (rated (3 in 5) and Brooks’ shot charged down well (1 in 3) but the game ended 3-1. The final xG was Brighton 2.15 and AFCB 1.59. Opta had it down as Brighton 1.85 and AFCB 1.14.
We had 25 touches in the opposition’s penalty area with 5 players having 3 or more touches.
Our players tried to take on a man 26 times, being successful 16 times. Tavernier excelled with 4 success from 5 attempts and Semenyo had 3 from 3., Solanke was less successful with 0 from 3.
We had 12 attempts (3 big for Brooks and two for Solanke) noting that chances can be provided after saves, deflections or a defensive error and not created. We hit the target 3 times. Brighton had 13 attempts, 3 big, and hit the target 4 times.
AFCB won 24 out of 31 tackles with Philip winning most 4 (from 6), Aarons winning 3 from 3, and Kerkez and Zarbanyi 3 from 4.
According to Opta AFCB made no mistakes leading to chances (and thus goals).
We committed 17 fouls, with Kerkez and Senesi having three each. As the Argentine came on in the 82nd minute, this was a high rate of foul. Kerkez was our most fouled player (3 times)
AFCB had an xGc of 1.85 and let in 3, so did worse than expected although Kerkez’s own goal would have not registered for Brighton.