Brighton 0-0 Brentford: Julio Enciso misfires in stalemate at the Amex
Mark Flekken's outstanding performance and a struggling Julio Enciso contributed to Brighton's inability to secure a win, leaving them with six games without a Premier League victory. They were held to a scoreless draw by a Brentford team dealing with injuries at the Amex Stadium.
In his first league start with Fabian Hurzeler as coach, Enciso hit the post shortly after the game began. He managed to take eight shots in the first half, which was largely controlled by the home team. Meanwhile, Yoane Wissa had a goal disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee due to a narrow offside call.
Brentford's primary goalkeeper, Flekken, who has recorded the highest number of saves among all goalkeepers in the Premier League this season, put on a stellar performance to maintain a clean sheet. This was particularly impressive as he was substituted due to a groin injury just nine minutes before halftime.
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Thomas Frank expressed his disappointment that Brighton's Joao Pedro wasn't shown a red card with 15 minutes remaining. This was in response to Pedro's reckless swing of his elbow at Yehor Yarmoliuk, even though he didn't make contact.
Should Joao Pedro have been sent off?
According to former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, speaking on Amazon Prime, the rules of the game state that it is considered a foul if a player hits or tries to hit an opponent.
Since there was no actual contact, he can't be dismissed from the game for that incident. So the question is whether he was trying to hit the opponent. The more I analyze it, it seems like a strange move, especially since he swung his arm while looking towards Andy Madley. He keeps his arm tucked in close, and it seems more like he's making a point to the referee rather than aiming to strike.
Andy Madley finds himself in a favorable situation. While he shouldn't have received a red card for the actual contact, he could have faced expulsion for trying to make contact. In my view, it seems more like a mere gesture rather than a true attempt to hit.
In my opinion, Joao Pedro is signaling to the referee, but if he truly intended to be aggressive, he would have thrown his arm out to make contact.
"I believe it was a red card," remarked the Brentford coach. "You can't just flail your arm like that. Whether it made contact or not, it deserves a red card."
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It became even more challenging for the Bees when Ben Mee, who was limping, had to be substituted with just 12 minutes remaining. This brought their total of injured players to 11, and losing a center-back was the last thing Frank needed.
Fabian Hurzeler updated the Brighton lineup after their 1-1 draw with West Ham, bringing in Julio Enciso and Matt O'Riley to replace Georginio Rutter and Mats Wieffer.
Brentford only made a single adjustment, with Mads Roerslev coming in for Kristoffer Ajer.
The visitors managed to break their losing streak of three consecutive league games, securing only their second away point of the season. Meanwhile, Brighton’s search for a win in the Premier League continues; their last victory dates back to November 23, when they were sitting in fifth place—now they find themselves five spots lower.
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Bees Prove They're Resilient Despite Injuries
Rich Morgan from Sky Sports provides an analysis:
Brentford's manager Thomas Frank felt a mix of frustration and pride following his team's scoreless tie at the hazy Amex Stadium on Friday night.
Frustrated by the loss of two more crucial defenders, he now has a total of 11 injured players on his team.
"After the match, he remarked, 'Losing our goalkeeper and now Ben Mee means we have a total of 11 players unavailable, which is just great.'"
"The visitors felt a sense of pride as they managed to earn a tough draw, marking only their second point away from home in the league this season. 'Great mindset. The players are prepared to step up and make a difference.'"
Brentford's expanding roster of injuries
"Now, Frank’s main task is to figure out how to put 11 healthy players on the pitch as the second-place team, Arsenal, comes to Gtech on New Year's Day."
Enciso Shines In Long-Awaited League Start
Insight from Rich Morgan at Sky Sports:
Remarkably, Julio Enciso's most recent goal in the Premier League for Brighton was his impressive long-distance shot against Manchester City in May 2023, which earned the goal of the season award that year.
The Paraguayan striker spent a large part of last season sidelined due to a knee injury, allowing him to play only 12 matches in the top division. As a result, his appearance in the league opener against Brentford at the Amex on Friday marked his first start under coach Fabian Hurzeler.
The 20-year-old nearly achieved the perfect return to form by hitting the post early in the game. It was one of eight shots he took before halftime, but unfortunately, that was as close as he got to scoring all night, as his later attempts grew increasingly frantic.
It’s no surprise that Enciso was substituted with just 12 minutes left to play, as he struggled during the second half. However, if Hurzeler and his coaching staff can help him regain his form, he could become an important part of Brighton’s attack as they aim for a European spot in the latter part of the season.
Insights From The Managers
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler addressed Amazon Prime:
We're feeling quite let down, and the vibe is far from positive. This one’s on us, and we have to figure out how to secure victories in these matches.
"It's all about teamwork and discovering the best solutions. Maintaining a positive attitude is key. We generated plenty of opportunities, and they aimed to score. There were some strong moments, but overall, it wasn't our best performance over the full match. In this line of work, achieving results is essential."
"The six most recent matches were all pretty alike, and we feel we should have gotten better results."
Regarding the potential red card for Joao Pedro: "I personally don't think it was a red card. Have you played the game? You do your best to break free."
Brentford manager Thomas Frank discussing with Amazon Prime:
"We never focus on just securing a single point in any match. It's important to consider the context. They're a strong team, and the game had two distinct halves."
"We were in control of the game, but we just couldn't find a way to set up one or two more opportunities."
