It was a record-breaking season for ninth-placed Albion with plenty of highs and a few lows.
Here, BRIAN OWEN presents his pick of 2021-22.
Favourite game
Easy to over-think this one. You can go over so many great memories but it keeps coming back to the biggest top-flight win in Albion’s history.
The 4-0 against Manchester United could have been more (at both ends, in fairness to Robert Sanchez).
A memorable home occasion was overdue and the Seagulls put that right in style.
Come to that, the final home game versus West Ham, securing a top-half finish, gradually developed into something special.
Away from home, a personal favourite was the 1-0 win in the sunshine against a Tottenham team high on confidence.
To put that Easter Saturday success into context, it was Spurs’ one blemish as they won six of their last seven home games, scoring 20 goals and conceding four in the process. Comeback draws and purposeful performances at Liverpool and Chelsea were also very uplifting.
Those five tell you what a great season it was away from home.
But there are games not even mentioned in that handful which would have been No.1 in other years.
Favourite goal
It came at Anfield but it WASN’T the official goal of the season by Enock Mwepu (although that WAS probably the best finish of the season). I loved that move from keeper Robert Sanchez, through Marc Cucurella which had Virgil Van Dijk chasing shadows as Leandro Trossard let the ball run and took a perfect pass by Adam Lallana before wrong-footing first Andy Robertson, then Alisson with the finish beneath the gaze of a silenced Kop.
Favourite performance
For half a game apiece, at Liverpool and Chelsea. For 90 minutes, total control away to Wolves. The North London double is right up there. But you keep coming back to Manchester United’s third defeat at the Amex.
Favourite pass
Joel Veltman's beautifully controlled - and quite dainty, actually - sidefoot volley into the path of Neal Maupay at Selhurst Park was a fantastic assist which hardly anyone noticed at the time amid the bedlam.
Most under-rated performance
The recovery at Leicester, a very unhappy hunting ground, to secure a draw and create more than enough to grab the win. All this against disruption caused by first Graham Potter, then Billy Reid being laid low by Covid – or maybe that was not disruption which, in its own way, speaks volumes for the set-up in place. Bjorn and Bruno helped ensure Albion did not meet their Waterloo at the King Power this time.
Most painful debut
The whack across the nose taken by Marc Cucurella early on at Brentford has been well documented. As Cucurella later revealed, Lewis Dunk went straight over and told him: "Welcome to the Premier League!" What is not often mentioned is that the blow was dealt not by some British bruiser but by Sergi Canos, who comes from about three hours down the Mediterannean coast from Cucu's own home town of Alella. With fellow countrymen like that, who needs enemies?
Biggest disappointment
Easy to say Burnley at home but that just felt like one of those days when nothing went right and was surprisingly easy to shrug off. We expected a reaction a week later when Aston Villa visited and, while the performance was a little better, Villa still took the points fairly comfortably once they managed to turn up.
Biggest surprise
Alexis Mac Allister stepping up to take a second penalty at Wolves after his first hit the post. The Argentinean was obviously not familiar with the work of his compatriot Martin Palermo, who once missed THREE in a Copa America match against Colombia. Fair play to him, Mac Allister crashed home the second to put Albion in credit for the season from the spot – just – with four converted out of seven.
Best away support
The Albion following usually sounds good but acoustics vary from ground to ground. The loudest I heard was probably at Stamford Bridge. Our press seats are almost on the touchline and from there you could tell exactly what the Seagulls hordes would have sounded like to the players on the pitch as they urged them forward to get something from the game.
Quote of the season
Graham Potter asked about his “Seeeeaagguuuuullsss!!!” chant after the Manchester United game.
“I couldn’t get back to my car. That was the only way so I had no choice, essentially! I am actually an all-right person, you know Brian? I have got a bit of emotion and am quite good company out of this (press conference) situation, I’d like to think!”
Social media post of the season
Danny Welbeck chose a photo of himself and Tariq Lamptey in suits and ties at Awards Night and wrote: “Good report at parents evening. Happy meal on the way home for my liccle one.”
The senior striker obviously enjoyed the ‘father figure’ role.
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