The Annual Ritual Seaside Slaughter: Can West Ham Finally Stem The Brighton Tide?

For as long as I can remember, groups of young men have travelled down from London to Brighton on a bank holiday weekend to receive a good kicking. In the old days it was mods against rockers, today it is Hammers versus Seagulls.

West Ham’s Brighton hoodoo is a Premier League oddity which has been overseen by three different managers at each club. The 12 encounters since the Seagulls won promotion to the Premier League show a symmetrical 3-6-3 pattern – three defeats, followed by six draws, followed by the latest run of three defeats. Since David Moyes return to West Ham, he has taken only four points from seven games against the south coast club.

Reports from the West Ham training ground this week picked up a burst of unusual activity with full match highlights of last season’s Brighton versus Everton encounter being broadcast on 24/7 repeat. Nothing would represent the holy grail of Moyesball better than a 5-1 away victory with 22% possession. A repeat of that for West Ham today would surely be Manager of the Month material.

To be fair, the season has started in an unexpected positive vein for Moyes team. They have already surpassed the number of points I had anticipated from the opening six games, even if there has been no discernible improvement in the style of play on show. Four points and four goals from two games is not to be sneezed at. But, the stats for possession and completed passes continue to lag well behind all other teams in the league (or at least those who had completed two games after last weekend’s round of matches).

Moyes may well take the view that the ends justify the means. His caution may have cost two points at Bournemouth but probably won three in the derby victory over Chelsea – a win which generated far more prestige than beating the Cherries would.

Still, it is early days and great things are still possible from the transfer window – if the club finally gets it act together. The current scientific classification for a slow-moving phenomenon is now officially standardised as tortoise, slug, tectonic plates, West Ham player recruitment. However, exciting names continue to be linked with increasing intensity as the window enters its final week. There is an apparent high degree of confidence that Mohammed Kudus will be the next recruit to pass through the London Stadium doors. It would be a cracking signing if it comes off.

Tim Steidten has really started to make his mark in the role of Technical Director although the tension between Premier League experience (Maguire, Lingard) and exciting potential (Kudus, Ekitike) will still be rumbling along below the surface. Steidten has emerged as a transfer man of action and I have this image of snatch squad stalking the backstreets of Europe. A sack over the head of his potential target, bundled into van, whisked off to a disused war-time airfield and flown to an abandoned warehouse in Bow until contracts are signed. Guy Ritchie could do a decent job with that.

Today’s opponents, Brighton, are the gold standard of unearthing a production line of precocious talent at minimal cost. Hard to believe that 25 years ago they almost dropped out of the football league. Under the management of Graham Potter and then Roberto De Zerbi they have demonstrated an excellent balance between organisation and freedom of expression on the pitch that Hammer’s fans have been unable to enjoy. De Zerbi having added goals to supplement the Seagulls fondness for possession.

On paper, the Brighton team looks much weakened from the side who finished in sixth place last season. The loss of Mac Allister and Caicedo for big money and the end of Colwill’s loan must have been disruptive. Yet they have started the new campaign at a canter and currently lead the table with a 100% record and eight goals from two games played.

But as well as a willingness to put trust in young talent, the Seagulls also have a core of older unsung heroes in the from of Solly March, Lewis Dunk and Pascal Gross. Today, they may even have the 67-year-old James Milner wheeled out at right back.

Key to Brighton’s rise has been the ability to buy low and sell on at a profit to unsuspecting big spending opponents. Players who have looked sublime in the blue and white stripes invariably becoming substandard when pulling on their Chelsea strips. It’s almost as if the shirts have supernatural, magical powers capable of enchanting buyers with more money than sense. None of Maupay, Bissouma, Trossard, and especially Cucurella have rocked once away from Brighton. Will the same fate befall Mac Allister and Caicedo?

Since last weekend’s win over Chelsea, the Hammers have added Konstantinos Mavropanos to their ranks. A minor injury, however, means we must wait a while longer to enjoy a taste of Athens – West Ham’s first ever Greek player. With Nayef Aguerd serving a one match suspension, I expect Angelo Ogbonna to be the only change from the eleven that started on Sunday.

Even Lucas Paqueta didn’t see Aguerd’s second yellow card coming, and all is now quiet on any potential move for the flamboyant Brazilian, pending the upcoming FA enquiry. The Daily Mail have really got the bit between their teeth over the betting scandal story, even going as far as sending their fearless reporters to Paqueta Island to investigate. It is a little-known fact that Paqueta is the first Premier League player to have his own island since Gareth Barry.

So, what can we expect from today’s game? A further dose of the extreme and excessive caution that we saw from West Ham last week would be no surprise. But Brighton will not fall into the same trap as Chelsea did of relying solely on crosses to launch attacks. Their trademark is to pass and dribble through the middle. While the Hammer’s defence are comfortable making clearances and heading the ball away all afternoon, they are less adept at dealing with pacy runners. The encouraging news is that Julio Enciso may have to sit out the game due to injury, but that still leaves the fleet footed Kaoru Mitoma to put the West Ham rearguard to the sword.

If the Hammers are to finally put an end to the Brighton jinx they will need all the resilience and determination on show last week. Play like they did in the second half for ninety minutes and there is a chance of stealing a point or more – perhaps courtesy of a JWP special. On the other hand, a typical slow and tentative opening half could prove fatal, allowing the hosts to put the game to bed by the interval. COYI!