Brighton & xG Albion – What do Potter and the team need to improve to prevent becoming dangerously repetitive?
First of all, how nice was it to be back in the Amex for the Getafe friendly? I haven’t sat in my own seat since 29th February 2020 (the 1-0 defeat to that lot up the road) and regardless of anything else, it was nice to feel like football was returning to normal.
On the pitch however, there were distinct similarities to my last game in the North Stand. The professed ‘Kings of xG’ struck that day and again on Saturday evening, lots of the ball, all the build up and no finishing touch.
Anyone and everyone on Twitter who uses the hashtag #BHAFC will tell you how this can be fixed (*cough* buy a striker *cough*), but is it really that simple? And is there something that can be done with the current squad to fix the glaringly obvious problem the Albion suffer from? I think possibly.
In a world where strikers are the most highly sought after, highest paid and most difficult assets to pry away from almost any club, Albion are never going to break the bank and budget for a £150 million Harry Kane or a Sergio Aguero – not unless Uncle Tony suddenly gets incredibly lucky on one of his race horses anyway.
So the transfer policy is to go for uncut gems abroad for cheap and hope they come good. Thus far, they haven’t. The onus then falls to Graham Potter and his coaching staff to get the best out of what he already has. So maybe, as Potter and his team embark on their third season in Sussex, an addition to his team is what is needed instead of just adding players.
Potter’s main coaching team of Billy Reid, Bjorn Hamberg, Bruno and Ben Roberts are all very astute at what they do and have made this team, solid and attractive to watch, but they all have something in common. Their expertise is defence.
They have brought the best out of all of Albion’s main defensive players. Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, formerly Ben White, and Dan Burn have all flourished under the current set up and it was highlighted by Albion’s excellent defensive record since the turn of the year. So it makes me wonder, is there not a vacancy for a coach, with experience in the game, who specialises in that fine art of goals coring?
For me, it’s hard to see how getting a coach of Bruno’s calibre and experience in to work with Maupay, Connolly et al would fail to have the desired effect.
I can think of a certain former striker who would be ideal for the job if he decides a career in the media is not all it’s cracked up to be. Perhaps this could be the better, and cheaper, way of solving the Seagulls’ goal shy habit?
There are obviously smaller, less crucial things that the Albion need to improve on – conceding from set pieces, again. A real positive of pre season has been how sharp and fit Adam Lallana looks (cue him getting kicked in the 4th minute at Burnley and he’s not seen again for eight weeks).
He is a class above when fully fit and could be the player to make the difference between another year looking over our shoulders and mid table mediocrity at the very least if we don’t get that elusive new front man.
All in all, with a week to go to until the start of season five in Brighton and Hove Albion’s Premier League adventure, questions remain unanswered, challenges will be faced but no doubt we’re in for yet another eventful year. After all, it’s never dull watching the Albion is it?
