Brighton & Hove Albion 2023-24 Season Review: February

Brighton thrashed Crystal Palace 4-1 and scored five times at Sheffield United in February before the 2023-24 season went rapidly downhill, culminating in the departure of Roberto De Zerbi at the end of the campaign.

Not many would have predicted De Zerbi leaving just three months after delivering such a famous win over Palace. Nor did it seem possible the Eagles would finish the season above Brighton in the Premier League table.

Yet both those things transpired as fatigue caught up with the Albion. Brighton lost two vital forwards to long-term injury. De Zerbi became disillusioned.

And the embarrassment heaped on Palace at the Amex that day led Roy Hodgson to resign with the Eagles making the very shrewd appointment of Oliver Glasner.

Woeful Palace humiliated by rampant Albion

I actually felt sorry for Hodgson. He should have been at home, putting his feet up on a Saturday like most 76-year-old blokes.

Instead, he cut a lonely figure stood on the touchline as the Amex serenaded him with a second half chorus of “Roy Hodgson, we want you to stay.”

Hodgson was 10-years-old the last time Brighton put four goals past Palace. It was 1957. A hat-trick for Dave Sexton and one from Albert Mundy did the damage.

Lewis Dunk set the Class of 2024 on their way when heading home a Pascal Gross corner inside of three minutes. Dunk gleefully celebrated in front of an away end packed with 3,000 people who despise him. Not that it was packed for long.

Two goals in as many minutes just past the half hour mark sewed up victory for the Albion. Tariq Lamptey crossed from the left and Jack Hinshelwood produced a looping header into the opposite corner.

Buonanotte made it 3-0 just 60 seconds later. Gross won possession back straight from kick off and combined with Pedro, setting up Facundo Buonanotte for a curling effort into the top corner.

The self-proclaimed best supporters in the world began streaming out of the Amex at that point. Who could blame them with the game lost in 32 minutes and The Masked Singer starting at 6.20pm? Better to watch a dancing cabbage singing a Spice Girls song than Crystal Palace.

Brighton noticeably took their foot off the gas in the second half. Palace subsequently pulled one back on 71 when Jean-Philippe Mateta put a Daniel Munoz cross beyond Bart Verbruggen.

Some wondered whether this was the start of a typical Albion fuck up. Surely not even Brighton could blow a 3-0 lead at home to their arch rivals?

Pedro provided the answer when scoring the fourth five minutes from full time. An outrageous flick from substitute Danny Welbeck put the Brazilian in and he produced a superb finish with the outside of his right boot.

Pedro headed towards the North Stand, producing a celebration assured of a place in the history of the Brighton versus Palace rivalry.

One…two…three…four… Pedro counted down with his fingers, before making a cutthroat gesture to indicate Palace had been killed.

And they had. By the full time whistle, the away end was half empty. Those Palace supporters who did remain to the bitter end began fighting and arguing with their own players, whilst the Amex held a celebratory disco.

Glorious.

No Pedro or De Zerbi in defeat at Spurs

The first of those two damaging February injury blows came before Brighton travelled to Spurs and 2023-24 top scorer Pedro was ruled out.

He was not the only absentee at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. De Zerbi himself had returned to Italy for an emergency dental procedure, meaning suave and sophisticated assistant boss Andrea Maldera was in charge.

One fantastic rumour which followed was De Zerbi had actually undergone a hair transplant. Watching Brighton from the West Upper over the remainder of the 2023-24 season and I would have to admit De Zerbi did look a little less thin-on-top from February onwards.

Whilst De Zerbi dealt with toothache (or combed his new hair) in his native country, Brighton suffered late heartbreak as Brennan Johnson stuck a 96th minute winner to give Spurs a 2-1 victory.

Pascal Gross gave the Albion a first half lead from the penalty spot after Micky van der Ven kicked Welbeck to the ground.

Spurs equalised on the hour mark in extremely fortuitous circumstances. Dunk slid in to attempt clearing a Pape Matar Sarr cross, succeeding only in putting the ball straight against the Albion post.

That returned possession straight to Sarr, who was left with the simple task of guiding it into the now unguarded net. Jason Steele lay prone on the ground having dived full stretch thinking Dunk’s own goal attempt might creep in.

Things looked ominous when Tottenham threw on Son Heung-min in immediate response to levelling. Brighton though got back on top, thanks mainly to Kaoru Mitoma enjoying a fine game on his return from Asian Cup duty.

Mitoma set up Ansu Fati for an effort which shaved the outside of the post. He then put in Buonanotte, who stupidly went for goal rather than slipping a sideways pass to the unmarked Lamptey.

It was the Albion’s commitment in going for the win which ultimately proved their downfall. Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke were miles up the pitch, leaving Richarlison to led a break of four Spurs players against Joel Veltman, Carlos Baleba and Pervis Estupinan.

Brighton were unable to handle the overload. Richarlison slipped the ball left to Son Heung-min. Son played a low, hard cross to the back post and Johnson arrived unmarked to fire home with virtually the last kick of the game.

Five star Brighton thrash Sheffield United

The February trip to Sheffield United was the first time since December where Brighton were able to name Mitoma and Simon Adingra in the same starting XI… and it also happened to be the last time of the 2023-24 campaign.

Mitoma ended up with a season ending back injury afterwards. De Zerbi later admitted the problem existed before the game at Bramall Lane.

Which begged the question why Mitoma played for 76 minutes? Had the Albion just overworked arguably their most important attacker to the point he broke down?

The difference Mitoma and Adingra in tandem make to Brighton was evidenced by the manner in which the Blades were dismantled 5-0.

Mitoma was central to the story as early as the 13th minute. Deciding already he could not handle the Japanese Bullet Train, Mason Holgate committed attempted murder on Mitoma to earn a straight red card.

From that point on, there was only going to be one winner. Seven minutes after Holgate tried to end the career of Mitoma and Brighton took the lead. Dunk headed a Gross corner back across goal where Buonanotte was on hand to turn the ball in.

Goal two arrived four minutes later. Gross arched over one of his beautiful trademark crosses to the back post. Mitoma saw his volley kept out by Wes Foderingham, only for Welbeck to lash home the rebound.

Jack Robinson put a Mitoma cross past Foderingham for a comical own goal on 75 minutes, followed by Adingra bagging a late brace. With those two goals, Adingra ensured Brighton set a new club record for biggest top flight away win.

It rounded off a fine week for Adingra, who six days earlier had set up two goals in a man-of-the-match performance to help Ivory Coast win AFCON.

Albion almost get Dyched again

Brighton hosted Everton in their final Premier League game of February and unlike in virtually every other season over the past decade, 2023-24 saw them avoid a Dyching at the Amex.

It was mighty close though. The Toffees led 10-man Albion 1-0 as late as the 95th minute. Sean Dyche looked like he was going to leave Sussex with yet another three points for his collection thanks to Jarrad Braithwaite’s opener on 73 minutes.

When Billy Gilmour then picked up a straight red card for a wild lunge, it appeared curtains. Even more problematic than losing to Everton was Gilmour being suspended for three games. De Zerbi was already tearing his (new?) hair out at a lack of midfielders. Now he would be without another.

But then Dunk headed a Gross cross into the one top corner Jordan Pickford could not reach. Brighton had finally found a way past the outstanding Everton goalkeeper to salvage a draw.

Dumped out the FA Cup by Wolves

February ended with Brighton looking to make further progress in the 2023-24 FA Cup. The fifth round draw sent the Albion to Wolves. The winners would host Coventry City in the quarter finals.

Wembley for a second semi in as many seasons seemed to be within touching distance. Brighton though failed to show up at Molineux, going down to a 1-0 defeat in which they did not manage a meaningful shot on target.

This was best summed up by Jason Steele having the highest xG of any Albion player. As in, the goalkeeper Jason Steele.

Pushed up for a corner in the final seconds, Steele found the ball dropping at his feet. He was perfectly placed six yards out with only Jose Sa in the Wolves goal to beat.

Steele could only poke the opportunity wide of the post. The opportunity earned him an xG of 0.26. Better than Fati, Adingra, Buonanotte and substitutes Welbeck and Julio Enciso.

On what proved to be a difficult night for Steele, he also happened to be at fault for the Wolves goal at the other end after just two minutes.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde crossed into the box. Steele let a routine catch through his hands. Mario Lemina gleefully accepted the gift by volleying home.

With that, the Seagulls saw their FA Cup adventure ended. As February gave way to March, the 2023-24 now seemed to rely heavily on Brighton overcoming Roma in the last 16 of the Europa League…

February 2024 record: P5 W2 D1 L2 F11 A5
Results: 4-1 v Crystal Palace (H), 1-2 v Spurs (A), 5-0 v Sheffield United (A), 1-1 v Everton (H), 0-1 v Wolves (A)
League position at the end of the month: 7th
WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month: Pascal Gross