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[Albion] Hürzeler’s (Brighton) Tactics



Dec 29, 2011
8,204
Seven games in and I'm not 100% sure what we're trying to do.

By this point with RDZ the intent was at least clear. And he didn't have a pre-season.
I don't think there is a distinct 'style'. More: lots of little styles across different phases of play. Similar to a Rafa Benítez approach at Liverpool.

We've just been spoilt by having RDZ (and to an extent, Potter) who had very distinctive styles, but often struggled to deviate from the set style when it wasn't working.
 




Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,288
Withdean area
I don't think there is a distinct 'style'. More: lots of little styles across different phases of play. Similar to a Rafa Benítez approach at Liverpool.

We've just been spoilt by having RDZ (and to an extent, Potter) who had very distinctive styles, but often struggled to deviate from the set style when it wasn't working.

NSC tells us that tactical master Potter had plan A, B, C etc. Able to adeptly change mid games.
 














Marshy

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2003
19,955
FRUIT OF THE BLOOM
The high line is a very in thing at the moment in football, get used to it, as it will not change.

the same as RDZ refused to change with his football at all times and slower build up play.

Its just a different defensive set up to worry about.

We don't have the control of games we used to have, but equally even with all that posession we often didnt go anywhere with it

Fab actually has a better mix of tactics in his set up. We can still dominate for large spells but get it foward a lot quicker when on.
 




Uncle C

Well-known member
Jul 6, 2004
11,711
Bishops Stortford
Aside from bringing Baleba further back. I would put Ferdi as right wing back. Thats two speed merchants to handle the balls over the top.
 


Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,288
Withdean area
The high line is a very in thing at the moment in football, get used to it, as it will not change.

the same as RDZ refused to change with his football at all times and slower build up play.

Its just a different defensive set up to worry about.

We don't have the control of games we used to have, but equally even with all that posession we often didnt go anywhere with it

Fab actually has a better mix of tactics in his set up. We can still dominate for large spells but get it foward a lot quicker when on.

I agree. However I think FH will be irked by way we’re allowing teams through on the counter, he didn’t appear happy with the second half against Wolves. We played well yesterday but needed three goals to win, would’ve been 4 if Forest had tucked away one of their clean breaks.

Others playing similar systems are relying on pacy defenders/CM’ers to cover the counter.
 
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JBizzle

Well-known member
Apr 18, 2010
6,230
Seaford
We need to fix the high line and lack of pace thing.
As @Marshy said, the high line is here to stay.

You "fix" the high line buy bringing in pace, which is why we were after that CB in the summer from PSV. As much as I love Dunk, his pace is gone and for all JPVH's many strengths, he's neither slow nor particularly fast...
 




Coldwaltham Seagull

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2024
133
Wasn't too much to complain about or wrong with the tactics for me yesterday- a fair result in the end. The second goal JPVH got caught in no mans land trying to win the ball high up the pitch which let us exposed but nothing 'tactically' wrong, sometimes players just make errors and in the case of defenders/keepers that often leads to goals.

Strange game in the sense I felt Forest were better first half and yet we came in leading at half time, we were better second half and they got the goal.
 


sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
4,080
Fabian has been playing Baleba in a more forward position. I think we need Baleba to be playing a more defensive midfield role to give us the ability to have someone to cover these breaks. He is clearly the player with the most speed and physical attributes to play this role.
The issue is the two 8s being so far away from the DM player. Teams are surrounding the 6 at all times, making it difficult to play through them as they’re isolated, and meaning they have players to counter the moment there’s a turnover. The 8s are positioned so high they can’t react.
 


Han Solo

Well-known member
May 25, 2024
2,455
We're not going to buy defenders quicker than Jota and their other attacking players. The solution to the second goal yesterday isn't "buy Usain Bolt", it's "don't ruin the offside trap", which Veltman unfortunately did yesterday.
 




Super Sub

Well-known member
Aug 13, 2016
273
I like that we are looking to take a positive, attack minded and fully committed approach to the attacking side of our game but I do wonder if it is a little counter-productive.
Having now watched a few FH games I wonder if perhaps we may be a little too attack minded... Things seem awfully crowded when we attack. Players are having to play very short passes in very small spaces a lot of the time and sometimes they are getting in each others way.
Perhaps not committing quite so may forward would allow a little more space for the attackers to operate whilst giving us a little more protection against the counter attack too.
 


Milano

Well-known member
Aug 15, 2012
3,926
Sussex but not by the sea
We're not going to buy defenders quicker than Jota and their other attacking players. The solution to the second goal yesterday isn't "buy Usain Bolt", it's "don't ruin the offside trap", which Veltman unfortunately did yesterday.
More than once yesterday, he did it the 1st half too and we got away with it. It wasn't a game for Veltman yesterday. Arsenal away? Yes definitley. A game where we will be looking to take the game to the oppo and therefore look to push our defence up, not really, because he doesn't offer much offensively and is also a bit slow.
 


Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
8,624
We're not going to buy defenders quicker than Jota and their other attacking players. The solution to the second goal yesterday isn't "buy Usain Bolt", it's "don't ruin the offside trap", which Veltman unfortunately did yesterday.
Well yes.

NSC seems to be under the impression that we should have gone to the transfer market, to buy two centre backs who have all the ball playing, header winning and physical attributes of Dunk and JPVH, but can also reel in Salah in a 30 yard foot race

I bet our recruitment team would be all ears for suggestions as to the personnel we should have been in for.
 


sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
4,080
I like that we are looking to take a positive, attack minded and fully committed approach to the attacking side of our game but I do wonder if it is a little counter-productive.
Having now watched a few FH games I wonder if perhaps we may be a little too attack minded... Things seem awfully crowded when we attack. Players are having to play very short passes in very small spaces a lot of the time and sometimes they are getting in each others way.
Perhaps not committing quite so may forward would allow a little more space for the attackers to operate whilst giving us a little more protection against the counter attack too.
This is absolutely the case. Not all the time, of course, but the weekend was a good example of players needing to manage the game by understanding when to drop deeper.
 




sagaman

Well-known member
Dec 25, 2005
1,165
Brighton
Thought it was ludicrous to buy so many wingers, ACMs in window but only Ferdi in defence.

We could easily have lost the matches against Man U, Arsenal and Notts Forest due to our lack of pace at the back coupled with our high line.

Shearer did a good analysis of this on Match of the Day
 


martin tyler

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2013
5,967
High lines take time to master. It has to be perfect Everytime. One player takes the wrong step you will likely be punished. But it also needs pressure in the ball at the right time. There was far to much time and space further forward for there midfielder to play that pass. Again takes time to get right.

In terms of shape and tactics to me seems to be trying to get players into areas where they are most effective. On the left it’s clear we try and isolate Mitoma v the full back as much as possible. The Rutter/pedro player has a tireless task of trying to create overloads wide. 2/3 times Rutter ran from the right did t get the overload it was recycled and he popped up on the left trying to make one. There is a lot going on tactically it’s not as obvious as potter or RDZ but has multiple parts to how we play.

We have been lucky at time but we are 7 unbeaten scored 15 goals in all competitions and conceded 6 so it’s not all bad
 


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