Graham Potter has paid tribute to Gareth Bale’s match-winning qualities, after Tottenham Hotspur’s prodigal son scored the decisive goal in Sunday’s 2-1 triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion, while speaking to the club’s official website.
If you are looking for one game capable of summing up everything that is right and wrong about Potter’s Brighton side, look no further.
Like against Chelsea, like against Manchester United, the Seagulls dominated a bona fide Premier League giant, running rings around Spurs’ expensively-assembled midfield with those pretty passing triangles that have become Potter’s trademark.
But you don’t get any points for style.
The Seagulls need substance and, while they failed to make their possession count at one end, an underperforming Tottenham side nicked the win at the other with Bale stooping to head home his first Spurs goal since May 2013.
“Up until their second goal I thought we were really pushing them. But that’s the Premier League, they bring on Gareth Bale and he can make the difference,” Potter said after a match-winning 20 minute cameo from the former Real Madrid superstar.
“We deserved at least a point – we played well in big periods of the game, we pushed Tottenham all the way.
“I am really disappointed with the result, but there are a lot of positives in terms of our performance, the effort and the quality we showed on the pitch. The fine margins that you need don’t always go your way.”
While Brighton are struggling to match their performances with the results they deserve, the opposite can be said of Tottenham.
After labouring to a 1-0 win at Burnley on Monday, Jose Mourinho’s side were far from their best once again yesterday with Heung Min Son, Harry Kane and co on the periphery.
But what is it they say about teams who win without playing well? Something about a ‘Hallmark of champions’, perhaps?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
