When Brighton stepped out onto the Stadio Olimpico turf in their all-white Europa League kit to face AS Roma, it was a fantastic spectacle and an unbelievable moment.
It is just amazing to think how far the Albion have come. And although losing 4-0 was not a good result, nor was it the total disaster which some have made it out to be.
The extended highlights on the Brighton website are all of two minutes and six seconds long. Well, we don’t like to watch the lads lose now, do we?
But what you can see when watching the back is how the game could easily have swung the Albion’s way if key moments had gone out way.
I am not talking about shots that end up at the back of the stand by the pie seller, as Warren Aspinall puts it. But the two which Brighton were unfortunate enough to see strike the woodwork.
For example, if Simon Adingra’s cross is turned in for an own goal rather than hitting the post, Brighton lead and it becomes a different game.
If Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar doesn’t make two saves from great Danny Welbeck headers, then the Albion have more to cling onto going back to the Amex for the second leg.
You could of course argue the other way and that a couple of gold-standard saves from Jason Steele prevented the tie being even further out of reach.
But Brighton at points could have led 1-0 against Roma or been level 2-2. Such are the fine margins in European football that the Albion how must win the replay by five goals.
You may say, Tony, that isn’t possible. And it probably isn’t. However, you never know what is around the corner in football.
An early goal at the Amex shortly after the pre-game fireworks get the atmosphere boiling and who Roma will have something to think about.
The other to remember when critiquing the defeat in Italy is that Brighton have been pushed to their very limits with games coming thick and fast this season.
A fully fit squad of the Albion’s size would just about cope with it. As we know, Brighton have been far from fully fit. We cannot expect consistent top performances when that is the case.
I am sure that the club will learn plenty of lessons from this first season in the Europa League. I believe our strongest XI is good enough to reach the final in Dublin. Now we know that greater squad depth is requited to compete in Europe.
BBC Radio Sussex kept us up-to-date throughout Thursday with bulletins and live links from Johnny Cantor and Warren in Rome.
They were apparently doing some pre-game sightseeing. Tony Bloom was said to have been joining Albion fans for selfies near the Pantheon. Some Brighton supporters even tried to catch The Pope at the Vatican. Would he pray for a Seagulls win?
We also had the announcement 90 minutes before kick off in Roma that planning permission has been approved for the new Albion Fan Zone, to be built next to the Amex Stadium.
This is really good news as we will all benefit from such a venue as a location fans can use before and after the game.
Brighton had certainly sought out the best experts possible. Mr Roger Wade was interviewed on this week’s Albion Unlimited podcast, having been the brains behind BOXPARK Wembley and other fan zones around the world.
I just hope it does not take too long to build; I am not as young as I once was and would quite like to enjoy an improved pre-game experience in years to come!
It was not all good news, however. One Brighton fan who works tirelessly with his Seagulls Travel team each week to get supporters to matches was unlucky as he missed the game.
Travelling to Rome via Amsterdam, he reported on social media that his flights were changed and he therefore had to return to the UK early on Thursday evening without seeing the match.
The saddest moment was obviously the fact that a small group of Albion faithful were attacked in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Two of the group were stabbed by hooded thugs and hospitalised. Luckily, their injuries were not severe enough to prevent them making it to the Stadio Olimpico aided by crutches.
There was still a reminder that there are more important things in life than football with reports of a tragedy at the Benfica versus Rangers game of a Rangers fan dying after the game.
I am sure football fans everywhere understand how tragic it must be for his friends and family, knowing he set off for game but did not return home. The poor lad was only 25-years-old too. All our thoughts are with his close ones at this time.
As for Roma 4-0 Brighton itself, I chose to view the pictures live on TNT at the same time as listening to Johnny and Warren through an earpiece.
TNT did at least have a pundit in the studio who knew about the Albion, Steve Sidwell joining Michael Owen. Neither of them gave Brighton the kiss of death, instead talking about what a tough task the Seagulls faced because of how well Roma had been playing lately under their new manager.
Their new manager of course is Robert De Zerbi’s great friend, Daniel De Rossi. Maybe Brighton would have come away from Rome victorious if the Special One Jose Mourinho was still in charge?
After the game, I phoned into the BBC Sussex Final Whistle to speak to Warren. He quite rightly said it would be nice if we could beat Roma at home two or three nil. It would sure the Albion’s determination to fight back. But no players should be risked now the Premier League table is the most important job on the agenda.
How right he was. Time to show the Romans what us Sussex folk are really made of.
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
Seagulls Best Ever Season Volume 2 charts Brighton’s record breaking 2022-23 campaign through the eyes of Tony Noble, an East Stand Upper season ticket holder at the American Express Stadium. It is available from Waterstones, WHSmith, Amazon Bookstore and all good bookshops as well as the Albion Superstore at the Amex and via this link.
