Brighton and Hove Albion 22-23: A season to remember

[Yagami]

People - rightly - praise the players and the manager, but their recruitment team is something else. They've clearly prioritised finding players who have specific attributes that mean they're press resistant, and are great at finding them. To me, it doesn't look like they've just got lucky with a gem here and there. They've consistently identified players of this ilk and brought them in. They have more of them than us!

They still have Sarmiento to come back who I've seen a bit of for their u23s in previous years and he looks like he'll be more of the same.

 

[SoCross]

That boy Enciso also looks a lovely player in the making. Almost always on the half turn.

 

[UTAretro]

Just leaving the ground. Thought we were absolutely superb in that second half. Outstanding to a man. Perfect subs, tactical masterclass from RDZ. Very proud of how we bounced back from a dreadful freak performance on Monday night. Delighted.

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Brighton dominate the ball against every PL opponent bar City. The transformation is nuts. Potter got them playing coherent, solid, progressive football but De Zerbi has put them on steroids. The ball retention and circulation is of a very high standard while using players like Steele, Veltman, March, Gross, Welbeck, Webster and Dunk. It’s amazing.

I haven’t seen a team be upgraded in style of play within a season this strongly in a long time.

 

[GoonerBear]

Just leaving the ground. Thought we were absolutely superb in that second half. Outstanding to a man. Perfect subs, tactical masterclass from RDZ. Very proud of how we bounced back from a dreadful freak performance on Monday night. Delighted.

Just wanted to come on and give you some props mate. A lot of the talk will be about is bottling it, and we certainly didn't help ourselves on the goals, but you guys played really well regardless and deserved the win. Think that was probably the best performance from an away side at The Emirates all season, maybe City apart.

Can you sell us Caceido now please.

 

[KD6-3.7]

Watching Brighton and seeing how comfortable they are at playing out from the back is so depressing as a United fan.

 

[tenpoless]

A 3-0 loss to Brighton at home.
Emiratestanbul.

 

[432JuanMata]

A 3-0 loss to Brighton at home.
Emiratestanbul.

Didn’t we lose twice to Brighton too ? What is their record against the top 6 this season I would imagine it is really good

 

[UTAretro]

Just wanted to come on and give you some props mate. A lot of the talk will be about is bottling it, and we certainly didn't help ourselves on the goals, but you guys played really well regardless and deserved the win. Think that was probably the best performance from an away side at The Emirates all season, maybe City apart.

Can you sell us Caceido now please.

Cheers for the props. Appreciate the kind words.
Caicedo… he’s off to the highest bidder mate!

 

[DOTA]

Didn’t we lose twice to Brighton too ? What is their record against the top 6 this season I would imagine it is really good

I make it 14 points from 8 matches. Won 4, drawn 2, lost 2. City at home and Newcastle away still to play.

 

[The Corinthian]

They’re a class team. The fact that they can drop Sanchez and replace him with Steele…and Steele himself can learn to play this style of football is something else…and that’s with Sanchez being a modern keeper!

It’s depressing also because we’re stuck with de Gea who is a fecking dinosaur.

 

[Chairman Steve]

Watching Brighton and seeing how comfortable they are at playing out from the back is so depressing as a United fan.

I’d like to think we’re not going to be far away from that with ETH in charge and with new owners who aren’t just in it for the dividends, want to do the bare minimum and pray for miracles. They hired Ashworth who has since left them for Newcastle. We didn’t do feck all in that time because Woodward is a fecking idiot who fancied himself as Fiorentino Perez.

 

[tentan]

They play the best football in the world

 

[Dominos]

Brighton dominate the ball against every PL opponent bar City. The transformation is nuts. Potter got them playing coherent, solid, progressive football but De Zerbi has put them on steroids. The ball retention and circulation is of a very high standard while using players like Steele, Veltman, March, Gross, Welbeck, Webster and Dunk. It’s amazing.

I haven’t seen a team be upgraded in style of play within a season this strongly in a long time.

I'll be honest this is why I'm a bit disappointed with our overall play style this season. You would think we have enough decent players to retain the ball far better than we do, I thought a progressive coach would have us looking like one of the better footballing sides in the league even if we're not challenging for the title.

It almost makes no sense for Brighton to be this good. To pass Arsenal off the park like that on their own patch is crazy.

 

[lex talionis]

I’m blown away by what Brighton have put on display this season. Immense respect is due to senior management to the bsvk office staff job due a job extremely well done.

 

[bosnian_red]

I'll be honest this is why I'm a bit disappointed with our overall play style this season. You would think we have enough decent players to retain the ball far better than we do, I thought a progressive coach would have us looking like one of the better footballing sides in the league even if we're not challenging for the title.

It almost makes no sense for Brighton to be this good. To pass Arsenal off the park like that on their own patch is crazy.

They have a high technical floor to their team even if their players aren't necessarily anything crazy. They are all comfortable with the ball at their feet, receiving on the turn, etc. Also a factor that is impossible to ignore - they've played 15-20 games fewer this season, and have been coached in this fashion for a few years (with full weeks in between). We just had a full week off for the first time since September and had a fully dominant and comfortable win. It makes a difference.

 

[King Kendrick]

I'll be honest this is why I'm a bit disappointed with our overall play style this season. You would think we have enough decent players to retain the ball far better than we do, I thought a progressive coach would have us looking like one of the better footballing sides in the league even if we're not challenging for the title.

It almost makes no sense for Brighton to be this good. To pass Arsenal off the park like that on their own patch is crazy.

But we don’t though? The technical ability of at least 2 of our back 5 in any game is abysmal, Case is prone to panicking when pressed and Eriksen and Bruno both arent exactly secure in possession themselves. This isn’t to defend ETH, but I think we’d see relatively the same struggles maintaining possession with this squad, as currently constructed, with any other manager in charge. Brighton’s baseline technical ability and press resistance throughout the entire squad is on a completely different level to ours.

 

[tenpoless]

Every time Mitoma has the ball, 90% of the time he does something good with it... even his trickery has a purpose and not just there for showboating. I'm impressed, looks like one of those players who has enough intelligence to do well at a top team.

Send Wout Weghorst to his dribbling university.

 

[Dr Foo]

The way they are able to keep playing their style of football no matter who they play is impressive. I am not used to seeing a team play through a press all the time from the back like them, especially against the top 6 - so conditioned watching us boot the ball up once under pressure (bar Martinez, Shaw). And then they have so many technical players up front (actually across their team), balanced with physical ones too.

 

[Milo2035]

They reminds me of Leicester in their prime. Suddenly a "small" club came of out nowhere with amazing players (Kante, Mahrez, Vardy vs Alexis, Mitoma, Caceido etc...) . Of course Leicester played counter attacking football while BHA is possession-based. But they are both well-run with an amazing scout team, miles ahead of United for sure.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

They have a high technical floor to their team even if their players aren't necessarily anything crazy. They are all comfortable with the ball at their feet, receiving on the turn, etc. Also a factor that is impossible to ignore - they've played 15-20 games fewer this season, and have been coached in this fashion for a few years (with full weeks in between). We just had a full week off for the first time since September and had a fully dominant and comfortable win. It makes a difference.

That’s why I feel every signing we make should be suitable to possession play. There’s no easy way to turn a counter attack team to a dominant front foot possession heavy (or hybrid) one but the only way is to ensure every signing is made with that vision in mind even if it takes a good few years. Hopefully our desperation to take shortcuts to the top doesn’t cost us once again.

 

[Ted Lasso]

How much of this team stays at Brighton come next season?

 

[DRJosh]

We should raid Brighton's scouting department

 

[That_Bloke]

Magnificent team, eye catching football and a club run terrifically well.

Long may it continue.

 

[bosnian_red]

How much of this team stays at Brighton come next season?

Probably most of them. Caicedo extended in January and would demand over 80m which nobody will pay right now. Enciso is young and will stay, Mitoma is a LW which isn't in high demand as everyone has multiple quality LW's, Evan Ferguson just extended... Colwill might be extended on loan, Mac Allister will probably leave, but the rest I can't see leaving.

The only ones who would be genuine massive losses to them IMO would be Caicedo, Ferguson (strikers are impossible to find) and Mitoma. Reckon they'll replace Mac Allister without too much hassle.

 

[Sky1981]

I’d like to think we’re not going to be far away from that with ETH in charge and with new owners who aren’t just in it for the dividends, want to do the bare minimum and pray for miracles. They hired Ashworth who has since left them for Newcastle. We didn’t do feck all in that time because Woodward is a fecking idiot who fancied himself as Fiorentino Perez.

Playing like Brighton is not about money. It's about having a manager with vision.

We could swap our teams and they'll play like Brighton and we continue to play like us. Disjointed and broken

 

[bosnian_red]

Playing like Brighton is not about money. It's about having a manager with vision.

We could swap our teams and they'll play like Brighton and we continue to play like us. Disjointed and broken

Add 15-20 games to their schedule (and give them a goalkeeper who can't play out from the back) and they would be disjointed and broken too. There are quite a few things impacting how a team plays. Easier to train your natural system when your whole season isn't just built off recovery sessions.

 

[Devil You Know]

This video shows how Brighton do it. Basically, when they play out of the back, they do so with a numerical overload by keeping their midfielders deep in their own half. This gives them greater passing options in defence and extra space higher up the pitch. Then, by the time the ball gets into midfield, it almost feels like they're counter-attacking with every defensive transition.

It's a system that relies on pace up front. There's no reason we couldn't do something similar with Garnacho and Rashford.

 

[tenpoless]

Playing like Brighton is not about money. It's about having a manager with vision.

We could swap our teams and they'll play like Brighton and we continue to play like us. Disjointed and broken

Ten Hag had AJAX playing good football. But once he came here it's not necessarily the case anymore. You can't compare Brighton/AJAX to United and managers often adapt to expectations being put to them. Whereas in smaller clubs or clubs with less exposure, they can be more free in how they do things. One thing for certain is having players that fit the system they want to implement helps tremendously. Put Fred in that Brighton team and he will still play Kamikaze football.

 

[Water Melon]

Well fecking done to Brighton. A properly run club, punching well above their weight with a terrific recruitement team.

 

[Waynne]

This video shows how Brighton do it. Basically, when they play out of the back, they do so with a numerical overload by keeping their midfielders deep in their own half. This gives them greater passing options in defence and extra space higher up the pitch. Then, by the time the ball gets into midfield, it almost feels like they're counter-attacking with every defensive transition.

It's a system that relies on pace up front. There's no reason we couldn't do something similar with Garnacho and Rashford.

I must admit i don't watch Brighton but this sequence 4:24 is crazy. Bypassing that press with ease. Seriously impressive.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[The Boy]

They play the best football in the world

It's funny reading this, I remember 26 years ago watching us play our last game at the Goldstone against Doncaster where we had to win to have any chance of staying in the professional leagues, we won 1-0 with ten men from a very scrappy Stuart Storer goal and Hereford lost their game, meaning they ended up going down and we stayed up by the skin of our teeth.

I would never have believed that a quarter of century later people would be talking about us like this, it's been a long road!

 

[Shipperley]

It's funny reading this, I remember 26 years ago watching us play our last game at the Goldstone against Doncaster where we had to win to have any chance of staying in the professional leagues, we won 1-0 with ten men from a very scrappy Stuart Storer goal and Hereford lost their game, meaning they ended up going down and we stayed up by the skin of our teeth.

I would never have believed that a quarter of century later people would be talking about us like this, it's been a long road!

I miss those days

 

[AndySmith1990]

I have huge respect for clubs like Brighton and the way they operate. It's the complete opposite to the appalling way we've been run for years and it makes me quite envious. Southampton were another club I admired. It's a shame they inevitably get their team pillaged and are unable to ever break into the top 4. I hope Brighton demand obscene amounts of money for their players, or flat our reject any offers. It'd be nice to see them improve next season as they play some wonderful football

 

[The Boy]

I miss those days

I worked with a Palace fan at the time, he brought in a flyer that had been put on all the seats at Selhurst Park calling on Palace fans to support Archer and Bellotti as they were doing such a "great job" at Brighton as they sold off the ground and ripped off the club.

I do not miss those days at all!

 

[GoonerBear]

Probably most of them. Caicedo extended in January and would demand over 80m which nobody will pay right now. Enciso is young and will stay, Mitoma is a LW which isn't in high demand as everyone has multiple quality LW's, Evan Ferguson just extended... Colwill might be extended on loan, Mac Allister will probably leave, but the rest I can't see leaving.

The only ones who would be genuine massive losses to them IMO would be Caicedo, Ferguson (strikers are impossible to find) and Mitoma. Reckon they'll replace Mac Allister without too much hassle.

I wouldn't be so sure on that 1. De Zebri specifically name checked Caceido and Mac Allister as players they might lose in the summer.

“For sure we will lose some players, maybe Caicedo and Mac Allister,” De Zerbi told Sky Sports.

“We have to be ready to bring in more good players and for the others; Mitoma, Estupinan, I think for them the best solution is to stay with us.

“I don’t know if they are ready to play in the big teams. You have to arrive ready in the head. We can offer them the possibility to progress and to improve.”

 

[Nickelodeon]

What a brilliant performance by Brighton yesterday. As hard as it is to say it, we (United) can just aspire to produce an away performance like that against a big team. While a lot their players and scouting department get plaudits and rightly so, but there's something amazing about a manager getting the best out of their players. And the prime example is Jason Steele. The confidence he had to soak all the pressure and invite Arsenal's offensive press towards him was unbelievable to see. He's been a reserve goalkeeper all his life and suddenly he's playing as if he's an established ball playing keeper for peak Barcelona. Brilliant management. Obviously its going to be difficult to retain over the course of next season, especially with European football as well but what a wonderfully run club and I hope they don't fade away when De Zerbi inevitably moves on.

 

[moodyred]

Watching Brighton and seeing how comfortable they are at playing out from the back is so depressing as a United fan.

Actually we looked alot more comfortable playing out when we had martinez at the back. We really miss him. We are not far off if we can get another proper CD.

 

[ShinjiNinja26]

Congrats to Brighton on having an excellent season. Also I’m sure I can safely say every football fan took pleasure in watching you dispatching Arsenal with ease on their on turf.

 

[Hammondo]

This video shows how Brighton do it. Basically, when they play out of the back, they do so with a numerical overload by keeping their midfielders deep in their own half. This gives them greater passing options in defence and extra space higher up the pitch. Then, by the time the ball gets into midfield, it almost feels like they're counter-attacking with every defensive transition.

It's a system that relies on pace up front. There's no reason we couldn't do something similar with Garnacho and Rashford.

Great video, I dream of us playing like that.