Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Albion lost their sixth match on the spin and failed to score at home for the fourth match in succession.
In fact, since beating Watford on Saturday 12 February Albion have lost six, conceded 13 and scored one.
Yes, the overall performance was reasonable. Yes, the team kept possession well. But so many opportunities were squandered through not being direct or decisive enough.
Tottenham had the chance to go ahead early on as England captain Harry Kane beat Albion keeper Robert Sanchez to a through ball but somehow skewed his shot wide of an open goal.
Albion had some great advanced possession and, similarly to the Liverpool match, were finding themselves in good areas of the pitch but were again being too intricate and allowing Spurs to counter-attack.
Albion had a shout for a penalty on the half hour but neither referee Robert Jones nor VAR were interested.
Spurs went ahead after good approach play from Sergio Reguilon and Son Hueng-min set up Cristian Romero. His shot appeared to take a slight deflection but wrong-footed Sanchez and Spurs were 1-0 ahead.
Albion had half chances through Neal Maupay and an effort charged down by Eric Dier from Alexis Mac Allister. But the last chance of the half came from a Shane Duffy mistake. His header fell to Dejan Kulusevski but the onrushing Sanchez saved well.
So many Albion players are becoming ineffectual. Marc Cucurella and Solly March seem like shadows of their former selves. Yves Bissouma also looks off the pace and occasionally disinterested.
Graham Potter will almost certainly reflect that the Seagulls put in a superb effort but why he failed to make any half-time substitutions is more than puzzling.
Not only did March and Bissouma both appear under par but Maupay seemed shot-shy and was on a yellow card.
Albion made what is becoming a traditional start to the second half, with lots of possession but no cutting edge, no sharpness up front and taking far too long to get a shot in.
From one attack the Seagulls appeared to have a good shout for a penalty again after Dier appeared to handle but the referee disagreed. VAR didn’t intervene. Rodrigo Bentancur found Kane with an exquisite pass and suddenly Spurs were 2-0 in front.
Albion had various half chances to reduce the deficit. Danny Welbeck replaced Bissouma but Albion, just as so many times previously, were just unable to get into a shooting position.
The Seagulls’ most significant problems are that they can’t score and they can’t stop conceding.
Spurs, through Kane, who lost out on a one-on-one with Sanchez, then through Kulusevski, who fired wide from close range, had a few chances to extend the lead late on.
Albion’s last and most significant effort came from a cross shot from Cucurella but his effort flashed past the post.
Albion are still 11 points clear of both Watford and Everton in 17th and 18th places and, it appears, have already amassed enough points to stay in the Premier League.
The worrying aspect is how quickly a team below the Albion, almost unnoticed, could gain points.
The Seagulls are still 100/1 against relegation.
Albion don’t play again until Norwich on Saturday 2 April at the Amex. But for many, going to the Amex to watch Albion is becoming a chore.
Chris Hughton was sacked in 2019 as Albion’s final end-of-season run nearly cost them their Premier League status and fans were not enjoying the experience. Let’s hope the Seagulls beat Norwich.
