The World Cup has put Brighton on the footballing map
As the most controversial, unpredictable and unseasonal World Cup Finals entered the knockout stages, Brighton fans could be forgiven for thinking they had hit the mulled wine too hard and too soon.
Not only have more Albion players travelled to Qatar than Liverpool players, but Seagulls representatives have topped the player ratings and filled out the BBC Team of the Tournament for the group stages.
Three of those stand out individuals – Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Kaoru Mitoma – cost the Albion a mere £14 million in total. In the Michelin-starred world of the Premier League elite, that is Tesco meal deal prices.
They are now names known to the football world, not least for Mitoma’s supernatural ability to get to the byline and create an assist in apparent defiance of the rules of physics. If the ball hasn’t fully crossed the line, it’s still in play!
Pervis Estupinan was still a fresh face at the Amex before the tournament. Now he’s an internationally rated talent, and along with Caicedo and Sarmiento tipped to be part of a young Ecuador team that could be serious contenders in four years time.
It is good that the three of them can decompress and learn from their shared experience together at the same club.
Ecuador’s World Cup adventure, and that of Leandro Trossard and Tariq Lamptey, ended at the group stage. Thankfully, all seem to have been spared any injuries that would threaten their return after Christmas.
Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez could, at the time of writing, still return with World Cup winners medals.
Their hopes will be boosted by some of the big name favourites suffering early elimination. If Germany’s coach Hansi Flick had only picked Pascal Gross…
All of which leads many Brighton fans to expect the worst come the January transfer window, with Albion players having put themselves in the shop window like never before.
Liverpool and Real Mardrid are rumoured to want Caicedo. Sanchez and Trossard are believed to be the next departures on the conveyor belt to Stamford Bridge.
When I posed that question to Andy Naylor on The Athletic website, he said: “Never say never, but I’d be very surprised if Trossard or any other key players go in January.” I think we all hope he is right.
Albion’s season needs no further disruption. There was the first and unexpected extended break due to the rail strikes and death of the Queen, which coincided with the departure of Graham Potter and much of the backroom staff.
Then there was the tragic, devastating retirement of Enock Mwepu. All that will have hit the squad hard.
The thrilling start to the tenure of Roberto De Zerbi was then put on pause for the World Cup. Losing more key players would be more disruptive still.
Billy Gilmour and Evan Ferguson may depart on loan, as potentially could Deniz Undav who is not getting the game time expected after joining Brighton from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer.
Of course, there could be further additions to the squad. Fabrizio Romano, who claims to have an inside track on the transfer market, has linked us with 19 year old Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana. He’s scored 15 goals with three assists in 24 games this season for Norwegian club Molde.
There has been speculation too over Sassuolo player Davide Frattesi, who De Zerbi allegedly said he underrated when he was coach there. Frattesi though is believed to want to stay in Italy.
Another player De Zerbi is familiar with is Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukrainian defender Mykola Matviyenko, also thought to be in the sights of acting recruitment chief Sam Jewell.
Those not involved in the World Cup are not far away from it, on warm-weather training and playing a friendly against Aston Villa in Dubai.
Then there is the Carabao Cup trip to Charlton Athletic to help get up to speed for two contrasting Premier League games after Christmas.
First a Boxing Day visit to second-from-bottom Southampton, now coached by Albion alumni Nathan Jones. Then a New Year’s Eve clash at the Amex with Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Brighton have already beaten the Gunners twice in 2022. An overall record of five wins, three draws and three defeats against Arsenal since promotion to the Premier League means we are certainly one of the league leaders’ bogey teams.
It has been both a World Cup and a Premier League season of upsets, controversy, drama and delays, with the Albion and their players right there in the thick of it. And it’s only halfway through…
Warren Morgan @WarrenBHAFC
