Hammers And Seagulls Draw Again

Fabian Hürzeler remains without a single December win since being appointed as Brighton and Hove Albion Head-Coach after the Seagulls drew 2-2 with West Ham United in Stratford on Tuesday night.

Nuno Espírito Santo made one change to the side that suffered the late defeat by Fulham three days earlier, as Callum Wilson was preferred to Crysencio Summerville, who dropped to the bench. Airidas Golambeckis, Mohamadou Kanté, George Earthy and Ezra Mayers all retained their places in the matchday squad.

It was fair to say that Hürzeler’s side certainly had the best of the early play. That being said, the home side went in front after just ten minutes. Jarrod Bowen gave the majority inside the stadium something to cheer when he was picked out by Lucas Paquetá and the Hammers’ captain got the better of Jan Paul van Hecke and coolly put the ball past Bart Verbruggen.

The home side were still applying pressure and youngster Oliver Scarles almost put Saturday’s costly mistake against the Cottagers behind him by extending his team’s advantage minutes later, as he made the evening more uncomfortable for Jan Paul van Hecke but he unfortunately sent his attempt wide.

Minutes later Wilson, who was making his first start since the trip to AFC Bournemouth on November 22, tried his luck but he was kept at bay by Ferdi Kadıoğlu, who blocked the striker’s shot.

Momentum started to shift in favour of the visitors again and when Max Kilman fouled Yankuba Minteh in the area, referee Michael Salisbury had no hesitation in awarding Brighton a penalty. Danny Welbeck stepped up and sent Irons goalkeeper Alphonse Areola the wrong way.

Having gone behind early, the Seagulls could have be in front on thirty four minutes as they were awarded another penalty when Paquetá hauled Lewis Dunk to the floor. Given the way the home side’s luck has been going this season, when Welbeck stepped up again you could be forgiven for fearing the worst but, he inexplicably failed to beat the Frenchman with his effort hitting the crossbar.

Before the first-half had even ended, there were calls for the East Londoners to be given a penalty when Wilson’s shot hit the arm of visiting captain Lewis Dunk. Considering that neither side have had a penalty awarded to them since August, it was remarkable that three were given in the same game.

Before the penalty was taken, Espírito Santo was forced to make his first change because Jean-Clair Todibo had picked up an injury. This meant that Konstantinos Mavropanos took his place.

Paquetá took it upon himself to try to beat Verbruggen and he duly did, meaning when the first-half ended, Espírito Santo was halfway to winning only a third game in charge.

The visitors were the better of the two sides when the action restarted and almost immediately after the whistle had blown, James Milner had a go at goal but thankfully, he missed the target.

The crowd were screaming for another spot-kick to be awarded but on this occasion, Salisbury was unmoved. Seconds after however, Brighton levelled the scores again. The frailties that the East Londoners had over corners seem to have been eradicated since Espírito Santo’s arrival at the club but they had problems here, as Areola elected to catch rather than punch the ball but misjudged the flight of it completely, meaning Joël Veltman was on hand to turn it past the helpless goalkeeper.

In the reverse fixture earlier this month, Bowen forced Verbruggen into a stunning second-half save and the Dutchman showed his reflexes again here to keep out the winger.

Hürzeler had earlier introduced Karou Mitoma for Maxim De Cuyper and it took him time to get involved in the action. By this point, both teams were searching for a potential winner but neither could find it. There were then chances being fashioned at either end but not being finished off.

The Hammers Head-Coach made several substitutions with seven minutes of normal time still to play, as Tomáš Souček, Mohamadou Kanté, Mayers and Summerville all entered the fray to take the places of Soungoutou Magassa, Paquetá, Wilson and Kyle Walker-Peters. At the same time, Hürzeler threw on Charalampos Kostoulas for Welbeck.

Shortly after they both came on, Kanté and Mayers combined to good effect but, the latter had his eventual shot blocked.

After that move had broken down, Brighton had further chances to take all three points but fortunately, Yasin Ayari fired wide, while the away end also saw an effort cleared off the line in the dying embers of the contest.

The Hammers may have missed out on maximum points here but they face another two crucial games in the next week, starting with a trip to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

Before then though, clubs can start spending money again, as the January transfer window opens tomorrow. If any movement occurs in or out of Stratford prior to that crucial game in the Black Country, then this site will provide the latest details.