MY ACCOUNT
In his most prolific season, Brighton winger Solly March suffered a huge moment of disappointment last Sunday.
The 28-year-old blazed his spot-kick over the bar in the penalty shootout against Manchester United in the Seagulls’ FA Cup semi-final.
It was a miss that saw Roberto De Zerbi’s side lose 7-6, after a goalless match at Wembley in which the South Coast club were arguably the better team.
Ahead of Brighton’s Premier League contest at Nottingham Forest this evening, we examine March’s campaign and whether he can overcome this bitter blow.
Double disappointment
March’s penalty miss against United was the second time that he has suffered this unfortunate fate this season.
Back in December, he struck a shootout penalty over the bar in the Carabao Cup fourth round against Charlton, after a goalless draw in regular time.
Considering that experience, it was perhaps no surprise that March was down as Brighton’s seventh penalty taker at Wembley.
Yet in between those penalty misses, the former England U-21s international has been in the best form of his career.
Before the disappointment against the Addicks, March had not scored a goal all season and had only assisted twice.
Now he has eight goals and eight assists across all competitions, with the vast majority of those goal involvements coming in the Premier League.
Goal glut
Having already bounced back from missing one crucial penalty with a great run of form, there is nothing to suggest that March will not be able to repeat the trick.
Once considered a player without much end product, he has thrived under De Zerbi.
March was mainly used as a left wing-back during Graham Potter’s time at the club. Since the Italian took charge, he has been regularly utilising the Sussex native on the right of the attack.
In his previous nine seasons since making his Brighton debut in 2013, the former Lewes player only scored a total of 14 goals.
Under De Zerbi and with the security of having a regular position, March looks likely to hit double figures for the first time in his career.
Manager influence
March has spoken about the difference that De Zerbi has made to both his career and the team as a whole, since the manager took over from Potter.
He said: “The dressing room is different, it’s more animated. It’s a good thing. It gets the players going, it gets the crowd going. It’s benefitting us.
“He tells me he trusts me and believes in me to deliver more. It’s benefitting me a lot.”
March has also gone on record regarding the disappointment of missing that penalty against Charlton and his past profligacy.
He said: “It plays on your mind for a few days but you’ve just got to get back out on the training pitch and practise and play again.
“Maybe in the past, I’ve thought about it too much. I’m just going out there and trying to correct it.
“Everyone can miss a chance. He [De Zerbi] says get your head up and just do what we know you can do. That helps as well.”
This new attitude bodes well for his chances of making a quick recovery from his penalty woes. March might never be a spot-kick king, but he is finally delivering for Brighton.
