Analysis: Pressing and more direct style define Hurzeler's Brighton

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who have been decisive over the opening 11 Matchweeks of the 2024/25 season.

Team analysis - Brighton & Hove Albion

Losing just twice, despite facing seven of the current top 10, Fabian Hurzeler should be praised for his impressive start as head coach of Brighton.

Brushing off that difficult schedule by attacking each fixture with a positive mindset, the Seagulls have scored in all but one match so far.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have all lost to the young German’s side, who are building a reputation for tremendous resilience.

Despite going behind against City, Spurs, Arsenal and high-flying Nottingham Forest, Brighton are yet to be beaten after conceding the opening goal.

Best records when opp. score first 24/25

Hurzeler has replicated Roberto De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1 formation at times this season, but in recent weeks he has shifted the shape to a bolder 4-4-2, using Georginio Rutter up front alongside Danny Welbeck.

When they operate close to one another, the duo’s link play has been excellent, with former Leeds United star Rutter slipping Welbeck in for goals against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as you can see below.

Rutter's assist for Welbeck v Newcastle

Rutter's assist for Welbeck v Wolves

With Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson also now fit and available, Hurzeler has a wealth of combinations to choose from.

Focus on pressing

Hurzeler’s side still pass out from the back and through the thirds with real quality and comfort.

Several of their 19 goals have stemmed from attacks that began inside their own half.

But Hurzeler is less fixated than his predecessor on having control of the match via long spells of sustained possession.

Brighton’s average possession has dropped from 60.22 per cent to 53.40 per cent because of that instruction.

Last season, only Man City strung more sequences of 10 or more passes together in open play than Brighton (19 per match), but as it stands, eight rival sides have produced more than their 10.7 per 90 minutes.

Most 10+ passing sequences 24/25

The focus remains on looking after the ball properly, but Brighton’s style of attack is less patient.

If there is an opportunity to make a risky forward pass, Hurzeler encourages it, while he has also made them harder to play against.

While they do not press relentlessly, they are rated as the third-best pressing team in the Premier League this season.

Spurs and AFC Bournemouth are the only two sides who apply more pressures and counter pressures – and this style was especially effective in their outstanding second-half display against Man City.

These numbers (above) are way in advance of what we saw from them in 2023/24 under De Zerbi, when the Seagulls were ranked 10th and 11th respectively in these two categories.

High line exposed

The data tells us Brighton’s form may not be sustainable unless they make improvements, as they are outperforming their Expected Goals (xG) at both ends of the pitch.

From a defensive standpoint, their high line has certainly been exposed more often than they would have liked.

Man City sliced through them to score from a turnover in their recent 2-1 win against the champions, and these two examples against Arsenal and Forest below also typify some of the issues they have faced.

Squeezing up high, Brighton's defence can be caught square, with space for opponents to run into.

Amad and Brennan Johnson also scored against Brighton when running in beyond a high back four.

Counter concerns

Hurzeler is a coach that wants to throw bodies forward, and on occasion they can get caught with too many ahead of the ball.

They have conceded four goals from fast breaks, more than any other side, while they have also faced the second-highest number of shots (14) from those situations.

Liverpool recently broke on them to grab a come-from-behind winner via Mohamed Salah at Anfield, and Brighton were also punished in similar fashion by a late stoppage-time equaliser from Wolves.

Wasting an excellent 4v1 opportunity, Wolves intercepted the ball before countering at speed against a Brighton side short on defensive cover, with Matheus Cunha scoring in dramatic fashion from a 5v4 overload.

Lessons must be learned around Brighton’s positioning and game management.

So far so good

Eyebrows were raised at Brighton recruiting a 31-year-old head coach, but Hurzeler has started his tenure excellently.

His sharp tactical mind has impressed and that is reflected by the four goals scored from his substitutes.

He inherited a deep squad packed with emerging and existing talent, and the ex-St Pauli boss has given most of them a chance to shine.

Using 28 players so far, a joint-high along with Wolves, Hurzeler is still busy working out his best combinations.

Brighton’s boldness is both a strength and a weakness, but having navigated a testing period very well, scoring lots of goals, hopes are high they can push for a top-six finish.

Next: Tactical trends of the 2024/25 season so far

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