[Albion] Hürzeler’s (Brighton) Tactics

[Mancgull]

We have looked very open. However, St Pauli didn’t concede many goals and won a fair few games 1-0.
De Zerbi’s record in Italy was one where Sassuolo scored and conceded many.
I think the jury is rightfully out at present re Fabian on the defensive front.

 

[Han Solo]

We have looked very open. However, St Pauli didn’t concede many goals and won a fair few games 1-0.
De Zerbi’s record in Italy was one where Sassuolo scored and conceded many.
I think the jury is rightfully out at present re Fabian on the defensive front.

Indeed.
Judging from both the football and the resuts in St Pauli, Hurzeler is a more defensive minded coach than both De Zerbi and Potter, although could be a matter of the players he had.

Can't imagine he is too satisfied with the defensive performance but hopefully things will look better in a couple of weeks. Estupinan, Dunk and Verbruggen not being available of course has some impact as well.

 

[maltaseagull]

Looking at the Strengths of Gomez and Wieffer on WhoScored.com and it seems that we are looking to toughen up in CM.

View attachment 186224View attachment 186226

Add Baleba to that and it's starting to look like we're building an engine room that will try to win the ball and hit one of our two dozen wingers.

With five subs available it would be fun to regularly sub both wingers at HT. Just endlessly releasing fresh wasps to torture the opposing defence.

I still have concerns about our defence, which was totally outpaced in Japan.

Still , winning 5-3 is great fun!

 

[Seagull58]

Our forward line looks now like what RDZ wanted with overloads of pacy attacking players taking on defenders causing havoc around the opposition box when attacking.
The pressing in the first half yesterday was excellent. If you score 4 goals a game and the opposition score a couple you win the game.
We surely can’t start the season with Steele Mitoma didn’t look impressed when he conceded that first goal .

The first Verdy goal went straight through Steels like he was a mirage. We really can't have him in goal if we're going to play an attacking system that concedes regular chances to the opposition.

 

[Braggfan]

Players who dont play (like Rushworth in this case) are often believed to be better than those who play. Bit like how every signing is always praised because the idea of it is nice. But in most cases, the players turn out to be human, making mistakes and whatnot - not really as good as in fantasy. Rushworth made a bunch of mistakes in Swansea that would have had people on their knees begging for Steele, Bart or Sanchez. And sometimes Bart will make mistakes that make people scream for another keeper.

Bart is probably one of the least good current starting goalies in the PL. But you kind of need the context imho. The best goalies are usually in their thirties or a little younger, and they've all received several hundred hours of first team football and likely thousands of more training hours than Bart has to date. Considering his youth and inexperience and that he is already "ok" in the strongest league... don't see why he wouldn't be one of the best in three or four years.

Like a lot our recruitment, our plan with Bart is to develop him. The commentary during the Euro's suggested the reason we rotated keepers last year, was so that as a young keeper if he made a mistake it wouldn't dent his confidence or development. He could rotate in and out and acclimatise to the premier league. When you think he's 21, he played for Holland in a major tournament and reached the semis. He's done very well for himself so far.

On a side note, during the Euro's I was banging on to anyone who'd listen about how frustrating Pickford is, because he can only punt the ball long and gives away possession continually. It also means that if we do win possession back, its up field with everyone out of position. The players struggle because we don't build their attacks like they do week in week out, players aren't where they're supposed to be.

If you compare that to how the Albion play, where we build our attacks from the back, keeping possession. Then its clearly important that we have a keeper who is comfortable passing out from the back. We've obviously invested in Bart for this reason. He's not just a good young keeper, but he can play our style. The better he gets at it, his value will sky rocket.

 

[Braggfan]

The first Verdy goal went straight through Steels like he was a mirage. We really can't have him in goal if we're going to play an attacking system that concedes regular chances to the opposition.

Everyone keeps saying this about Steele, but personally I was more disappointed with the defence putting him in that situation.

 

[Han Solo]

Everyone keeps saying this about Steele, but personally I was more disappointed with the defence putting him in that situation.

Both can be true. It was poor defending but he should save the shot.

 

[Braggfan]

Both can be true. It was poor defending but he should save the shot.

Yeah he should have done better. But he was put in a bad position by the defence.

 

[Bakero]

This analysis of our second game in Japan goes some way to explaining why I was at a loss as to our formation in possession:

 

[Justice]

Yeah he should have done better. But he was put in a bad position by the defence.

Steeles stats says it all really. Not good enough for a side with top ten ambition.

 

[Seagull58]

Yeah he should have done better. But he was put in a bad position by the defence.

That's why goalkeepers are there.

 

[Pliny the Gull]

Everton will be the ACID test. How to combat Dyche's anti-football? If we can crack that one, then the season's looking very bright indeed

Good post, I agree. I am not a micro analyst, but the last couple of seasons at any level, or competition, I feel the tide is turning.
So much focus on possession football, technical ability, clinical passing outside the box.
A lot of teams now IMO realise, passing through high press teams is very difficult.
I fear this season, the return of long ball (try it 20 times and you will get a return) is coming back.
Defensive CBs and box to box WBs, will be the key players next season.
UTA

 

[Braggfan]

That's why goalkeepers are there.

Very insightful

 

[Seagull58]

Very insightful

Goalkeepers are there to stop goal attempts that defenders don't stop, right?

 

[Easy 10]

Very insightful

In fairness, Steele went into full Graham Smith hologram mode for that Verdy equaliser on Sunday. We've seen it before.

 

[nickjhs]

But if your argument is that someone who hasn’t previously managed in the PL shouldn’t be given a manager’s job in the PL, then we’re doomed to Big Sam forever.

would rule out both Potter (who I would argue had less experience) and RDZ

I inwardly flinch every time our new coach says “guys”

I couldn't agree more, hopefully TB will pull him aside and say, we thought Potters teeth sucking was bad, for the love of dog please stop with the "guys"

As to how it will go, I am very positive. Fortunately both opponents showed up glaring issues with the defence which will be fixed, if not Div 2 here we come. I love that there is no faffing about and it would appear that FH is prepared to take on a defensive team right down the middle. Above all we are so bloody fortunate to have the ownership and management that we have, because of this I doubt very much that things will go pear shaped.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

This analysis of our second game in Japan goes some way to explaining why I was at a loss as to our formation in possession:

The key paragraph in that good analysis is this - "We just don’t have the full picture yet. Verbruggen, Dunk, Igor, Estupiñán, Baleba, Wieffer, Groß, Hinshelwood, March, and João Pedro were not involved in the friendly vs. Tokyo Verdy." Of those, the majority are in defensive positions where we have less cover - I think we can expect Verbruggen, Dunk, Baleba and Wieffer to all start at Everton (as well as Pedro & possibly Hinsh)... that's a lot of defensive talent to come in, and height.

Further forward, Pedro would probably start in place of Osman, but otherwise I think we've seen the attacking players who will play against Everton on the pitch in Japan.

 

[Mancgull]

The key paragraph in that good analysis is this - "We just don’t have the full picture yet. Verbruggen, Dunk, Igor, Estupiñán, Baleba, Wieffer, Groß, Hinshelwood, March, and João Pedro were not involved in the friendly vs. Tokyo Verdy." Of those, the majority are in defensive positions where we have less cover - I think we can expect Verbruggen, Dunk, Baleba and Wieffer to all start at Everton (as well as Pedro & possibly Hinsh)... that's a lot of defensive talent to come in, and height.

Further forward, Pedro would probably start in place of Osman, but otherwise I think we've seen the attacking players who will play against Everton on the pitch in Japan.

I believe that Verbruggen is likely to miss the first two league games due to injury?

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I believe that Verbruggen is likely to miss the first two league games due to injury?

Good point well made! The rest of my post stands!

 

[Hiheidi]