‘One team on the pitch,’ Roberto De Zerbi Made HIs Stance Clear on the Draw and Red card that ‘Changed the Game’.
Roberto De Zerbi thought there was ‘just one team on the pitch’ until a red card in the second half transformed the game. After a stamp on Ben Osborn 21 minutes from time, Mahmoud Dahoud got red.
It gave the visitors the boost they needed to claw their way back into the game after falling down to Simon Adingra’s sixth-minute strike. The visitors were grateful to Wes Foderingham for keeping them in the game, but once Dahoud was sent off, Sheffield United seized the opportunity and battled their way back.
Five minutes later, Auston Trusty and Gustavo Hamer combined to bring Jayden Bogle in, and his drilled cross was converted by Adam Webster. The visitors kept pushing, and Bogle had another chance to win but pulled his shot wide.
In the end, it was a nice point to take into the international break, and it lifted United off the bottom of the table. Manager Paul Heckingbottom commended his players for their character and poise, whilst his opposite number De Zerbi felt the game should have been over and was dissatisfied with how his side lost their way following the red card.
“There wasn’t a game until the red card, only one team on the pitch,” he remarked. Brighton may win the game by a score of two to three.
“The game altered after the red card. But it was 11 v 11, there was only one squad on the field, and we played a fantastic game. We need to examine that game. We can say different things after the red card, but with one less player, we lost order and our flair.
“They [Sheffield United] played well, but I thought we played very well until the red card and deserved to win with more goals.” It’s a new game after the red card.”
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In a stinging attack on the caliber of refereeing, Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi rages that he dislikes ’80 PERCENT’ of Premier League refs, insisting that he is ‘unable to grasp’ confusion over decision-making.
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Roberto De Zerbi raged he does not like ’80 per cent of Premier League referees’ after his 10-man Brighton side were held to a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United.
Simon Adingra had fired the home team into the lead at the Amex Stadium after a solo run before Mahmoud Dahoud’s red card changed the complexion of the game.
The sending-off came after midfielder Dahoud stamped on Ben Osborn’s ankle, opening the door for the Blades to draw level following Adam Webster’s own goal.
De Zerbi, who is now on his longest league winless streak, was booked for his touchline protests and took aim at the officials after the game.
While not opposing John Brooks’ decision to fire Dahoud, De Zerbi stated: ‘I am honest and transparent… I dislike about 80% of English referees.
While not disagreeing with John Brooks’ decision to dismiss Dahoud, De Zerbi said: ‘I am honest and clear… I don’t like 80 per cent of English referees.
‘That isn’t a new opinion. I don’t like them. I don’t like their behaviour on the pitch.
‘England is the only country where when there is VAR, you are not sure that the decision is right.
‘In other countries, you have to be sure 100 per cent that the decision taken is right. In England, no, and I am not able to understand.’
VAR Chris Kavanagh agreed with Brooks’ verdict and the red card was upheld, though De Zerbi’s overriding gripe was with his side’s response after the blow.
‘We are spending time in an unlucky period,’ De Zerbi added. ‘I think we have lost four points; two against Fulham and two today.
‘After the red card, I didn’t like the team.
‘There wasn’t a game until the red card. There was only one team on the pitch. We could have won the game two or three nil, but after the red card the game changed.
‘After the red card we can say other things but the situation with one player less, we lost order and our style.’
The result lifted the visitors off the bottom of the table but boss Paul Heckingbottom has described the milestone as ‘irrelevant’ at this early stage of the season.
‘It is irrelevant – maybe getting off the bottom is important because people keep mentioning it but I’m not bothered. Not yet,’ Heckingbottom said.
‘What is pleasing is how we’ve played against a good team.
‘It is always about the points. I can give lots of reasons why we haven’t picked up more points this season but until you get them they are just excuses.’
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