Post-match analysis: The Brighton blueprint for throwing away good opportunities

Brighton have lost 17 points from winning positions this season.
Brighton after conceding to Leicester at the weekendBrighton after conceding to Leicester at the weekend
Brighton after conceding to Leicester at the weekend

That was a textbook Brighton performance, unfortunately. Played very well in parts but not for the full 90 minutes. Leicester are a strong side but this was a good chance to take advantage of their injury-hit squad.

It all feels like Deja vu: throwing away leads, conceding soft goals, collapses in concentration and ultimately coming away thinking Albion could have taken a lot more from the game.

Here's the formula for a typical Brighton performance:

Score single goal

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Brighton have scored a solitary goal in 13 out of 27 Premier League games this season - it's not enough. It is very predictable. If you concede first to Brighton, like Leicester did, then you know there's nothing to worry about because Albion will not capitalise.

As we've been saying all season, a lot of chances created but very few being converted.

Not kill game off

Brighton have been a goal up for 426 Premier League minutes this season, and in that time they have only scored a second goal once. On the other hand, Albion have conceded nine goals while being one goal ahead.

Brighton's biggest strength also feels like their biggest weakness: playing pretty football. The team, for me, comes across as too pretty, too nice, lacking in a ruthless edge that wins you games.

Too pretty to win ugly? A bit of a naivety about them.

A ruthless, cutting edge mentality is needed.

Make error leading to goal

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Any good play and performance from Brighton will be undone by giving a way a silly goal or two.

The commentators were saying Robert Sanchez had been faultless since coming in, and he has. But the commentator's curse came calling when the Spanish keeper uncharacteristically flapped at a corner and handed Leicester a goal - after he looked so assured and commanding all game.

Unfortunately for Sanchez, when keepers make mistakes they usually lead to goals.

It's his first error in between the sticks, so it's one of them, but he'll be kicking himself. He was brought in because Maty Ryan was making those types of costly errors.

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Dunk also should have done better to cut out Tielemans through ball. I was surprised he didn't concede a penalty, too, after an unnecessary challenge on Vardy.

It's becoming a theme this season to gift soft goals to the opposition, let them back in the game and then collapse.

Miss good chances

Lallana missed a couple of efforts which he maybe could have done better with. Burn should have thrown himself at the ball in the last minutes when he was behind Soyuncu at the far post.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but Albion very often waste some very good chances. Brighton are underperforming their xG by 15 goals, that is huge.

A better striker is needed.

Rinse and repeat

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Brighton have lost 17 points from winning positions this season. These collapses and bottle jobs are very much part of this side.

However, 12 draws in the league says to me there is a foundation to build on to turn those draws into victory next season.

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