A special edition of Latest TV, featuring the Gull Mouth podcast crew who review a truly historic year for Brighton and Hove Albion. Presented by Mark Dunford with Sam Morton, Richie Mills and Ian Hart.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:02 [Music]
00:04 (dramatic music)
00:06 (dramatic music)
00:09 (dramatic music)
00:12 (dramatic music)
00:15 (dramatic music)
00:23 (dramatic music)
00:31 (dramatic music)
00:34 (dramatic music)
00:37 - Hello, welcome to another episode
00:45 of Goal Malfaction podcast,
00:46 where we take a look at all the latest goings on
00:48 at Brighton and Hove Albion, Crawley Town
00:50 and Sporting Sussex.
00:51 But this week we're focusing purely on Brighton.
00:54 I'm Mark Dunford and I'm this week joined
00:56 by Brighton and Hove Albion writers,
00:58 Sam Morton and Richie Mills,
01:00 and columnist, lifelong Brighton fan
01:02 and all round legend, Ian Hart.
01:04 The Seagulls have so far enjoyed a dream debut
01:06 European campaign, topping their Europa League group
01:10 ahead of European heavyweights, Marseille, Ajax
01:12 and AEK Athens.
01:14 I don't think we can call them heavyweights,
01:15 but Albion secured top spot courtesy
01:19 of a late Gael Pedro strike against Marseille
01:21 to send Roberto de Zerbe's charges into the last 16.
01:24 Well, look back at a memorable Europa League campaign
01:27 so far for Brighton and reflect on all the latest
01:29 Albion action in the Premier League.
01:32 You can read all the stories we are talking about
01:34 with videos and pictures online at
01:35 sussexworld.co.uk/sport.
01:39 Check out other great videos on Shots TV
01:41 and Freeview channel 276.
01:43 And you may also be watching this on latest TV.
01:46 So thank you for tuning in if you are watching it
01:48 on latest TV.
01:50 So, Gael Pedro's 88th minute strike saw Brighton beat
01:53 Marseille 1-0 in front of a raucous Amex crowd
01:56 to leapfrog their French opponents
01:58 and finish first in Group B.
01:59 You were there, Sam.
02:00 Can you sum that game up for us?
02:03 It was incredible, really.
02:05 It was one of the games of the season for Brighton.
02:08 It was a strange one because obviously they were already
02:10 qualified going into it.
02:11 They knew that they were already through to the next round
02:15 of the Europa League, but the game basically decided
02:18 whether they would go into a knockout round
02:20 or a playoff round or straight through to the round of 16.
02:24 And they knew that Marseille only needed a point.
02:28 So the onus was on Brighton to get the three points,
02:31 to go back to the top of the group.
02:33 And they definitely were the better team
02:35 in that they had all the possession, most of the chances,
02:38 but they were made to wait until right at the end of the game
02:40 when Gael Pedro scored.
02:42 It was a superb goal, really, really good finish.
02:45 And it was fantastic.
02:46 Yeah, it was a great finish, wasn't it?
02:48 Yeah, it was fantastic.
02:49 And it just, the crowd went absolutely crazy.
02:51 I've never seen a reaction like it at the Amex.
02:53 I think it was really up there with one of the all-time
02:56 moments, I think, in the Amex.
02:57 And fans have definitely compared it
02:59 with some of the best moments.
03:00 And I think that is the best one since Alexis McAllister's
03:03 last second penalty against Man United last season,
03:06 I think in the eighth minute of injury time.
03:09 So it was an excellent moment,
03:11 it put Brighton to the top of the group.
03:13 And it's so important when you think the number of games
03:15 that Brighton have had this season
03:17 and the injuries they've had,
03:18 I think just to be able to play two fewer games
03:21 in the new year, it's just a real bonus.
03:24 And to go straight through to the round of 16
03:26 is incredible and just a new chapter
03:29 in the crazy story of Brighton in the last few years.
03:33 Absolutely. Post-match,
03:34 Gael Pedro said scoring the winner was the best moment
03:37 of his life, while RDZ admitted the Marseille result
03:41 was the best moment in his time at the Seagulls.
03:43 Where does this performance rank among Albion's
03:45 and RDZ's best at Brighton, Richie?
03:49 Well, I think it's got to be right up there.
03:51 I think from sort of, you know, first minute to last,
03:53 I think there are games where Brighton
03:55 have probably played better during Deservey's tenure.
03:59 The one that kind of stands out for me was Brighton's
04:02 3-0 win against Arsenal last season at the Emirates.
04:06 Just sort of crushed their faltering
04:08 Premier League title hopes.
04:09 But yeah, I mean, in terms of just coming up with the goods
04:14 when they really needed it,
04:16 Sao Pedro, you know, 30 million is not cheap,
04:22 but he's definitely making it seem as if it's
04:24 a very good worthwhile purchase.
04:26 They, yeah, I think they weren't sort of
04:30 clicking in all areas.
04:32 I think, you know, Matoma's still maybe not quite at his best.
04:35 Idingra, although he's sort of getting into good position,
04:40 sometimes his final ball wasn't quite there.
04:42 Pascal Gros is still playing fantastically well.
04:45 Although he didn't obviously miss a bit of a big chance
04:49 on the weekend ball, come to that I'm sure.
04:52 And obviously Brighton's got lots of injuries,
04:55 but I think if you sort of weigh up all the fact
04:58 that they're playing, you know, midweek weekend,
05:00 midweek weekend, they've got a lot of injuries.
05:03 This is sort of uncharted territory for them.
05:05 If you sort of put that all into the mix,
05:08 then it is definitely one of the sort of the most,
05:11 I guess, standout wins from his tenure.
05:15 And, you know, with the fact that they have got
05:19 sort of a front-best squad, and I think this weekend
05:21 he was deserving jokes that he might have to play
05:24 Jason Steeler right back after Joel Veltman's injury.
05:27 For them not to have to do another two legs
05:32 against a Champions League time, you know, team.
05:35 - So important.
05:36 - That's a big, big, sorry, boost.
05:38 So yeah, I think better performances,
05:41 but a really monumental result.
05:43 - Yeah, absolutely.
05:44 Now, Harty, you've been in Dreamland, haven't you?
05:47 I think you've attended all the games,
05:48 Greek stage games, haven't you?
05:50 What has the experience been?
05:52 Sorry?
05:54 - Hello? Yeah, no.
05:56 - Yeah, what has the experience been like
05:58 as a Brighton fan and what have been your highlights
06:00 of a memorable campaign so far?
06:02 - Well, it's been superb.
06:05 Just want to pick you up.
06:06 You said AEK, you wouldn't call them European giants.
06:09 They were the only people that beat us in, you know,
06:12 in the group.
06:13 - Yeah, but they're not giants, though, are they?
06:15 - When you think it's the greatest,
06:18 one of the greatest, gotta be one of the greatest
06:21 comebacks in European club football.
06:23 You know, 110 minutes into our European campaign,
06:27 we'd lost at home to AEK
06:29 and we're two-nil down against Marseille.
06:31 To come back from that, from the group,
06:34 is absolutely dreamland.
06:36 - Yeah.
06:38 - I've had a few, I've had quite a mixed bag on my travels.
06:43 I famously missed the first 35 minutes in Marseille
06:48 'cause our flight got delayed.
06:51 I got headbutted in Amsterdam and tear gassed in Athens.
06:54 So I'm looking at the drawers,
06:55 see what's gonna happen to me next.
06:57 The thing that got me about Thursday,
07:03 yeah, it was, and you know, 50 years,
07:08 it was one of the great nights.
07:11 And just before we came on here,
07:13 you gents were talking about theatre trips
07:17 and going up to see "Back to the Future"
07:18 and "Book of Mormon" and whatever, "Jersey Boys."
07:21 Now, any theatre goer,
07:23 would they leave 10 minutes before the end?
07:27 But why do I see people leaving the Albion at 86 minutes,
07:33 even earlier than that?
07:35 You know, and then now they've missed out.
07:39 They must be absolutely devastated
07:41 'cause they have missed out.
07:43 I've got to put my hands up.
07:45 I have only left early once.
07:47 In 50 years, at an Albion home game,
07:51 we were playing Sudbury in the FA Cup replay in 1996.
07:56 And we were nil-nil,
07:58 and we could still be playing now
08:01 and we wouldn't have scored.
08:03 And I knew, 'cause my wife was out working
08:05 and I had a babysitter who had exams,
08:08 I knew I was wasting my time
08:10 and that of the time of my babysitter.
08:13 So I left at 90 minutes before extra time
08:16 and we lost on penalties.
08:17 But I was watching people on,
08:21 you know, a Thursday night, leaving at nil-nil.
08:26 Yeah, we rode our luck,
08:27 they hit the woodwork a couple of times,
08:29 but we know the footballing gods smile on the Albion
08:32 when it really matters.
08:34 I knew that goal was coming.
08:35 I think, Pedro, I don't want to do Evan Ferguson
08:42 a disservice now,
08:43 but we can wax lyrical about him as much as we want.
08:50 Pedro is the better player
08:54 and will always be the better player.
08:56 In three years' time, when there's a World Cup in America,
08:59 Canada, Mexico, wherever else they're going,
09:02 the Republic of Ireland might be there
09:05 and Ferguson might be up front for the Republic of Ireland.
09:09 He probably will be up front for them,
09:11 whether they're there or not.
09:13 Pedro will be the number nine for Brazil,
09:15 one of the best teams in the world.
09:19 That's how good this boy is.
09:21 Luther Blissett told Paul Cameron and the boys
09:25 at the club last summer,
09:27 "You don't realise what you've got for your money.
09:30 "You have got a world-class player in the making."
09:34 And so Pedro really, really excited me.
09:36 So, you know, when he jumped into the crowd,
09:38 that's the stuff of dreams.
09:42 You know, I know the stewards
09:43 and the health and safety executive going mad, aren't they?
09:47 Did he get booked?
09:48 'Cause I was still on a high.
09:50 - Yeah, yeah, he got booked.
09:52 Yeah, he did. - He did get booked.
09:53 But why is he getting booked?
09:55 We just won a European group.
09:58 He's just scored a wonder goal at home.
10:00 He's just given us the greatest ending to a group stage.
10:05 Let me get a card.
10:07 Absolutely mad, but it has been a great experience.
10:12 Probably the squad isn't quite big enough
10:17 to cope with all these injuries.
10:20 We've had this European hangover, haven't we?
10:24 That we, I don't think, have we not won a game after Europe?
10:29 Have we not won a game after Europe?
10:31 - You beat Sheffield United, didn't they?
10:32 Was that the one that they did?
10:34 - No, we didn't beat Sheffield United.
10:37 - Oh, shut up then.
10:38 - We drew one hook mark.
10:38 This is the whole point.
10:39 We, you know, we've drawn points against Fulham,
10:43 Sheffield United, and we've drawn Burnley.
10:46 Now, that wasn't after Europe, to be fair.
10:48 So, I just think, look, we've got to go with the positives.
10:53 We're now seeded.
10:56 I don't actually fear any team in this competition
11:01 because with the manager that we've got
11:03 and the players we've got, when they're fit
11:05 and on their day, I think we can beat anyone.
11:08 (upbeat music)
11:10 Imagine us winning a European competition.
11:21 Crazy, isn't it?
11:23 - It'd be incredible.
11:24 It'd be absolutely incredible.
11:25 On that point, obviously, you've avoided the playoff.
11:29 You go straight into the last 16
11:30 and there's the likes of Rangers,
11:31 Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen, Billa Real.
11:34 They all top their respective groups,
11:36 but you've got the likes of AC Milan and Benfica
11:38 dropping down from the Champions League.
11:41 - Yeah.
11:41 - It's not until February, the draw, is it?
11:43 So, who would you fancy in the next round?
11:46 Where do you want to go?
11:48 - Bearing in mind my misfortune on the road so far
11:50 with my aforementioned incidents,
11:54 I don't want to go to Galatasaray
11:56 because I'm not sure I'd come back.
11:58 But no, look, let's do a Milan,
12:02 let's do Benfica.
12:05 I did say that I wouldn't mind,
12:08 and you have to be careful when you say this,
12:09 going to Young Boys or Salzburg
12:12 or something like that.
12:14 Something a bit refined,
12:17 castles and cathedrals, something.
12:19 Because we have been,
12:21 the old Velvet Bag has thrown us up three places
12:25 that in places,
12:27 the cities that we've visited have been welcoming.
12:30 Parts of Amsterdam, very welcoming.
12:33 But we've also had three sets of supporters
12:35 that were somewhat robust.
12:38 And that's the nicest way of putting it.
12:41 - Very diplomatic, yeah.
12:42 - I don't, you know, when they bussed us back from Marseille,
12:47 every stop we came to,
12:48 every set of traffic lights or junction,
12:52 there was a Marseille local, in inverted commas,
12:56 threatening to slit my throat,
12:58 which I thought was very consistent, wasn't it?
13:00 Because there wasn't a traffic stop
13:02 and that didn't happen there.
13:03 But look, it is what it is.
13:07 If we want to win it, we have to draw,
13:10 we have to play who we draw.
13:12 We can't play anybody from our own country
13:15 till the last eight, can we?
13:16 - I think that's right.
13:18 Yeah, that's right.
13:19 - And, but being that,
13:20 because both West Ham and Liverpool and Rangers
13:22 are all seeded anyway.
13:24 I think it's good with the seeding
13:26 that we have the home leg second.
13:29 But look, let's just embrace it.
13:33 Let's just enjoy it.
13:35 How does it work?
13:35 'Cause you boys are a lot younger than me
13:37 and you're well-read.
13:39 If we sign anybody in the transfer window,
13:42 if they haven't played in Europe,
13:45 they can play, can't they?
13:47 - Who wants to answer that?
13:50 - I think so.
13:51 Yeah, I think unless they've already played,
13:53 they won't be cut-side.
13:54 - Yeah, no, no, so, no, but that's in all competitions.
13:57 So if they played in the conference,
13:59 either the Champions League or our Cup Conference,
14:02 they're all cut-side.
14:03 - I believe you can register players again in January.
14:07 So for example, Jakob Moder's not in,
14:09 wasn't in the European squads
14:11 for the first half of the season.
14:14 But I think in January,
14:15 you can sort of refresh your 25-man Premier League squad
14:18 and the other Cup competitions.
14:20 So there could be a bit of a, you know, a rejig.
14:22 - Well, if that's so, then Uncle Tony
14:26 has a Christmas list to you.
14:28 Can you go and sign Conor Gallagher, please?
14:30 'Cause he's not cut-side.
14:34 - No, fair enough, yeah.
14:35 - Ooh.
14:36 - Ooh.
14:37 - My uncle used to work with his auntie on British Airways
14:39 and he's mates with Billy Gilmore
14:41 and he loves the South Coast.
14:43 So it's all synergy and it's all working into one.
14:46 Conor, come and join us.
14:48 We'll forget the Palace loan thing.
14:50 We will never speak of that again, but come and join us.
14:55 - Richie, what do you think of that?
14:57 - What?
14:58 (laughing)
15:00 I don't know if there's gonna be,
15:02 I think enough, more time might need to have passed
15:06 for there to be that synergy that you talk of.
15:08 I'm not sure if that'll go down too well.
15:10 - He got a lot of abuse on you last week, didn't he?
15:12 Out of Stratford Bridge, when he got sent off.
15:15 I think the Brighton fans definitely gave him an earful.
15:18 So yeah, it'd be interesting.
15:20 - Well, look, time is a great healer.
15:23 He's a quality player, isn't he?
15:25 - Yes, yeah.
15:27 - In all seriousness, with this squad,
15:30 and we've learned the lessons of the Thursday, Sunday,
15:33 although sometimes it's about taking your chances.
15:35 So the injuries have hurt us.
15:38 We need two quality sides in the transfer window.
15:42 A statement of intent.
15:44 'Cause we've now got, we're not gonna,
15:46 I'm gonna upset a lot of people.
15:48 We're not gonna win the Premier League this year.
15:50 I think that's gone.
15:51 But we still have now two competitions in the FA Cup
15:55 and the Europa League that we could win
15:58 if the squad is strong enough and stays injury-free.
16:02 So I think with that in mind,
16:05 two big signings, a statement of intent.
16:08 And Richie, I've got to take issue with you.
16:12 Football fans, a bit like Goldfish,
16:15 sometimes they have long memories, sometimes they don't.
16:18 If he comes in for us and hits the ground running
16:21 and links up with wee Billy Gilmore,
16:24 who is turning out to be a quality player,
16:27 people will forget.
16:29 We forgot when Glenn had his abattical at Seloa's Park,
16:32 didn't we?
16:33 You know, one of our heroes.
16:35 Banging in, banging in.
16:36 - I think he had a bit of money in the bank though,
16:38 beforehand.
16:39 He'd sort of earned his stripes.
16:42 - Yeah, yeah.
16:44 - But yeah, it's a fair point.
16:46 - It'll be interesting.
16:47 - Just out of interest, Richie,
16:49 and I won't hold you to it,
16:51 if we could have two quality signings,
16:54 can you see anybody out there that would fit into our team?
16:59 You know how it works?
17:01 - It's a good question.
17:04 I'm not going to avoid the question,
17:06 but I am going to say that...
17:08 - This is like Michelle Moe.
17:09 (laughing)
17:12 - Deservely has basically said that the starting 11
17:15 isn't as good as it was last season,
17:17 because they lost Caicedo and Macazda in Colwell.
17:21 And I do feel that generally the midfield is an area
17:24 that in last season was sort of dominating teams.
17:27 - Yeah.
17:28 - That sort of pivot of Macazda and Caicedo
17:30 was just so potent.
17:32 And I feel they've lost that edge.
17:34 So I do feel that if they can, I completely agree.
17:37 I do feel that if they can sign a real enforcer in midfield
17:42 and maybe a bit more of a creative attacking midfielder
17:45 just to help unlock defences sometimes
17:47 when they put every man behind the ball.
17:51 - Sort of like a Conor Gallagher type, yeah?
17:53 Is that what you're saying?
17:53 (laughing)
17:55 - Yeah, I think they need to build a midfield
17:57 around Billy Gilmore though.
17:58 Billy Gilmore's been exceptional.
18:00 He's only getting better and better every game.
18:02 That game against Marseille,
18:04 he was by far the best I've ever seen him.
18:06 He was probably a 10 out of 10 performance from him, really.
18:10 He was exceptional.
18:11 He claimed two nutmegs, about four tackles in the box.
18:13 Yeah, he's brilliant.
18:15 - Absolutely.
18:16 And he's the unsung hero.
18:19 He's the unsung hero of it all.
18:21 But it's about blending in.
18:22 It's about your surroundings.
18:24 Where does he live?
18:25 Worthy.
18:26 That's all we need to say.
18:27 He's a worthy boy.
18:28 (laughing)
18:30 - Excellent.
18:30 Right, we went off topic a little bit there,
18:31 but yeah, good discussion.
18:33 Quickly, Sam, who would you like to see him get
18:36 in the next round?
18:37 - I think AC Milan would be a great one.
18:40 - AC Milan or Roma, one of those two.
18:42 - Oh, get Mourinho.
18:44 Love it.
18:45 Yeah, absolutely.
18:46 And Richie?
18:47 - I remember, I think I've seen online
18:50 some Brighton fans dreading the prospect
18:52 of Gaya Tassaray and Wilfred Sahar knocking them out.
18:55 (laughing)
18:57 - That'd be annoying.
18:58 - On the flip side, it would be funny
18:59 to maybe get one back on him.
19:01 But yeah, I think sort of the,
19:03 going to like the San Siro, that would be pretty epic.
19:07 - Yeah, absolutely.
19:09 Cool.
19:09 Before Brighton's heroics at Marseille,
19:11 they were held to a one-all draw
19:12 by a relegation friend, Burnley,
19:14 thanks in no small part to a sensational goalkeeper
19:17 and performance from Clarence keeper, James Trafford.
19:20 Sam, what was that game like?
19:22 It seems like a long time ago now.
19:24 - It does, yeah.
19:25 It was a frustrating game.
19:26 I think it's one of those where Brighton have,
19:29 kind of deja vu, really.
19:30 They've had it against Fulham, Sheffield United, Burnley.
19:33 I think it's one of those games
19:36 where they're expected to win.
19:37 So they've come in on the back of a European game
19:41 and they've not been firing on all cylinders.
19:44 And I think against Burnley,
19:45 I suppose it was slightly different
19:46 because they had lots of shots on goal,
19:48 but James Trafford, as you say, was exceptional
19:51 and was saving everything.
19:53 And then Burnley took the lead for a deflected strike.
19:56 And you kind of feel worse at that point.
19:57 It's just history repeating itself
19:59 and Brighton not putting the chances away
20:02 and really just taking the game away from Burnley
20:06 when they had the chances.
20:08 But thankfully they did get a point
20:09 and Simon Odinga scored a cracking header
20:12 from a Pascal Gros cross, which was an excellent cross.
20:15 And it was a really nice goal.
20:17 And I think definitely the least Brighton deserved
20:20 from the game, really.
20:21 It was frustrating that they didn't get the win,
20:24 but as long as they didn't lose
20:26 and they kept that run going of scoring,
20:29 obviously it was eventually ended at Arsenal,
20:32 but they managed to score another Premier League game
20:34 and kept that run going.
20:38 I think De Servi did say at the end of the game
20:39 that they're not going to be a top team
20:41 until they win these types of games.
20:43 And he's not going to be a top manager
20:44 until they win these types of games.
20:45 And obviously it was probably said in the heat of the moment,
20:48 but you can kind of see where he's coming from, really.
20:51 I think Brighton, they need to find that balance, I guess.
20:55 And it's difficult with all the injuries they've got
20:57 and they're never able to play one solid team
21:00 week in, week out.
21:01 And that's just something completely out of their hands.
21:04 But I think, yeah, as time goes on
21:06 and they get more used to playing in the European games,
21:09 you'd hope that it's not going to be a one-off,
21:10 that you'd hope they get used to it
21:12 and they'd be able to follow that up
21:14 with a good performance in the league as well.
21:17 - So thanks guys.
21:18 Thanks for joining us.
21:19 You can catch up with all the sports news,
21:21 everything we've covered and talked about today
21:23 at sussexworld.co.uk.
21:25 You can watch more excellent videos
21:27 on shotstv.com and Freeview channel 276.
21:30 And yeah, you can also see us on,
21:32 if you're watching us on latest TV,
21:34 lots of extra stuff on latest TV.
21:36 (upbeat music)
21:39 (upbeat music)
21:41 (upbeat music)
21:44 (upbeat music)
21:47 (upbeat music)
21:49 [BLANK_AUDIO]