Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 34.
Team analysis - Brighton & Hove Albion
Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton have developed into a tactically sophisticated side who can provide the league's very best with a stern examination, home and away.
They will ask questions of Manchester United both in and out of possession on Thursday, as they look to avenge last month’s FA Cup semi-final defeat.
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Shape-wise, Erik ten Hag’s side will have a clear idea of what to expect from their opponents.
De Zerbi's Brighton no longer flit from one formation to another like they did during Graham Potter’s time in charge.
While they remain fluid in their positioning, a 4-2-3-1 shape now forms the basis of their structure as a team, and they have enough confidence in themselves to stick with that system no matter who they face.
Suffocating rival teams
De Zerbi has arguably moulded Brighton into the Premier League’s best pressing side.
They have fashioned 53 shots from high turnovers, just two shy of top dogs Arsenal, having played three matches fewer.
Most shot-ending high turnovers 22/23
| Club | Total | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 55 | 34 |
| Brighton | 53 | 31 |
| Man Utd | 49 | 32 |
| Wolves | 48 | 34 |
| Leicester | 48 | 34 |
De Zerbi wants his players to effectively press man-to-man, laying traps for an opponent to make a mistake under pressure, or to go longer with a hopeful pass.
Brighton regularly send one of their two central midfielders forward to engage the man on the ball.
When this happens, you will often see their right-back squeeze into central midfield, as shown in the image below from last weekend's 6-0 home win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Brighton can also take a more conventional approach by holding their two central midfielders in position, but when this happens they always go touch-tight when rivals are playing out from the back.
When three forward players ahead of them occupy defenders at the same time, this can be extremely effective.
From both the example above and the ones below, the Seagulls won turnovers that created a chance against Wolves.
Only two Premier League sides start their open-play sequences further away from their own goal than Brighton, at an average of 43.8 metres.
They also rank second for Passes per Defensive Action (PPDA), allowing only 10.3 passes to be made by opponents before the Seagulls make an intervention.
Confident at beating the press
At the other end of the pitch, De Zerbi’s Brighton are also remarkably press-resistant.
The Italian likes his goalkeeper or centre-back to stand on the ball to entice opponents on to them, with a view to popping a pass into a retreating central midfielder.
From there the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, Pascal Gross or Billy Gilmour are comfortable laying the ball off to a spare man inside their own box, before the team look to progress up field.
Goalkeeper Jason Steele and captain Lewis Dunk are excellent at making progressive passes into a midfielder. In fact, Dunk has executed more forward passes than any other Premier League player this season.
When Man Utd close him down, he will not be fazed before making his pass.
Most forward passes by outfield players 22/23
| Player | Forward passes |
|---|---|
| Lewis Dunk | 883 |
| Kieran Trippier | 827 |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | 781 |
| Robin Koch | 754 |
| Gabriel | 753 |
Brighton’s tactic of luring teams forward sometimes allows them to launch an attack with one purposeful long pass.
Kaoru Mitoma scored from a Steele assist in the 3-3 draw against Brentford, and it is a ploy the Seagulls use regularly to release front men against a defence that may have left themselves light on numbers by pressing high.
What a pass from Steeley and what a finish from Kaoru! 💫 @BrightonTools 🎥 pic.twitter.com/nvu9N8Y3fF
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) April 2, 2023
Brighton’s push for a top-six finish is proof enough that De Zerbi’s approach has been successful.
While their record against top-half sides could be much better (P13 W2 D3 L8), the stats tell us they are one of the league's most effective teams.
Manchester City are the only side to have faced fewer shots in open play, and outside of set-pieces the Seagulls are also the third-highest scorers in the Premier League.
Best stats in open play 22/23
| Fewest shots faced | Most goals scored | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Man City | 170 | Man City | 62 |
| Brighton | 211 | Arsenal | 62 |
| Arsenal | 225 | Brighton | 48 |
| Liverpool | 245 | Newcastle | 45 |
| Newcastle | 250 | Liverpool | 45 |
As we saw in the FA Cup semi-final, as Brighton drew 0-0 with Man Utd before losing on penalties, De Zerbi’s underdogs are a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the pitch and in central midfield.
They will believe they have what it takes to claim a positive result against Ten Hag’s star-studded side.