Hurzeler has Brighton on course for return to Europe

With the November round of internationals about to get under way, it is probably a good point to stop replaying the highlights of Brighton 2-1 Manchester City and take a quick reality check of what the Albion might achieve this season.

Sure, Fabian Hurzeler has overseen victory over the four-consecutive Premier League trophy winners and 2023 Champions League victors.

But come on, if we cannot beat Ipswich Town at home, we are going down, right?

Before you pull up that keyboard in righteous anger, I am kidding. What a first third of the Premier League season we’ve had.

Brighton sit on 19 points after 11 games, compared to 16 at the same stage in the past two seasons. In 2022-23, that start turned into a sixth place finish and qualification for Europe.

In 2023-24, it led to 11th spot in the table although with mitigating circumstances as the Europa League and injuries took their toll.

By any measure, Hurzeler has made an incredible start. One which not many people outside of Sussex would have predicted when Tony Bloom opted to make the German the Youngest Permamenet Manager in Premier League history.

In 11 matches so far, the Albion have come from two goals behind to beat Spurs. Been agonisingly close to a result at Liverpool after a brilliant first half performance.

Recovered from a goal down to inflict upon City four defeats in a row for the first time in over 15 years.

Won away against Newcastle United for a rare positive result at St James’ Park. Beaten Manchester United at home.

Admittedly, that is almost guaranteed these days based on our Premier League record against United. But it will always be sweet, both when witnessing it live and then seeing highlights reels of United fans like Mark Goldbridge watching along.

Even that draw with Nottingham Forest looks a decent result in retrospect. Hugely frustrating and infuriating at the time because of home points dropped and injury to Joao Pedro, it came with Forest on a seemingly unstoppable rise up the table under Nuno Espirito Santo. Or at least until their 3-1 defeat to Newcastle at the City Ground, anyway.

Let us not forget the opening day demolition of Everton on our final visit to Goodison Park. Not that incredible performance at Arsenal.

Gunners fans are probably still whingeing about Joel Veltman’s shithousery in the notorious curry house disappointment episode. Sorry, Rice is off.

There could be no complaints about the 4-2 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Cole Palmer was absolutely on fire and the Albion did well to at least keep the damage to goal difference to a minimum.

The result against Wolves was by any measure the most disappointing this season so far. To throw away a two goal lead in the last five minutes against a side struggling to get out of the relegation zone is not something that can be glossed over. Without that last-gasp collapse, we would be in the top four and just two points behind Manchester City.

Wolves are not a bad side and may well recover in the remaining two thirds of the season, but it was a sharp lesson to the Albion that will hopefully stick in minds going forward.

Those two points dropped aside, we have fallen to only two defeats so far in the league this season. Three overall when you include the League Cup. Two of those defeats have therefore come against on-form leaders Liverpool.

I am not quite optimistic enough to see us win the title this year. But I would far rather see Liverpool win it than City, hopefully headed for a massive points penalty for dozens of FFP violations.

Alexis Mac Allister deserves a Premier League winners medal to go with his World Cup one for the class and respect he continues to show towards the Albion.

Defensively Brighton have conceded 10 goals so far compared to 14 and 18 at this stage in the past two seasons respectively. A credit to Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Igor Julio and Lewis Dunk amongst others.

When comparing to previous seasons, it is natural to consider what happened from January onwards in the last campaign. But the enormous transfer spending spree of the summer will hopefully have insulated against a repeat.

Ironically, many of the new signings have been injured already. Matt O’Riley, Mats Weiffer, Yankuba Minteh to name three, on top of lengthy absences for last season’s top scorer Pedro, reliable veteran James Milner, the recovering Solly March and others.

Despite being without so many key players, results have evidently not suffered. This suggests the squad this time around is big enough and resilient enough to cope.

Danny Welbeck is having a career-best season, Carlos Baleba looks potentially better than Moises Caicedo and Georginio Rutter has shown why we paid a record fee for his services – particularly for his part in the turnaround against Spurs.

A welcome return to the scoresheet for Evan Ferguson against Wolves only underlines the strength in depth we have in forward areas. And that is even before considering wide players like Kaoru Mitoma and Simon Adingra, or number 10s like Julio Enciso.

Ferdi Kadioglu and O’Riley have shown over the past two games why they may be inspired signings capable of scoring goals. Brajan Gruda looks excellent too.

Minteh is undoubtedly a player of immense potential but inconsistent as you would expect for such a young player. Yasin Ayari has improved a lot and had some world-class involvements at Anfield.

Paraguayan international Diego Gomez joins our already strong midfield from Inter Miami in January; perhaps a good time to be getting out of the US?

The list of talent out on loan meanwhile is mind boggling. Look at what Facundo Buonanotte is doing at Leicester City.

So all in all, sitting in the top six with more points under our belt at this point than in either of our seasons under Roberto De Zerbi is a very, very good place to be for the Albion to be.

Hurzeler might be new to top tier coaching, but he is getting better and better with each game through what was meant to be a baptism of fire given the Albion’s tough fixtures to open the season.

The arrival of fellow countryman Daniel Niedzkowski as assistant head coach in the New Year is potentially as good a signing as any player.

Niedzkowski is not the only addition strengthening Hurzerler’s backroom team. Club legend Bobby Zamora has also joined as a striker consultant.

The Premier League is arguably tougher, more unpredictable and more open than ever this season. Even that draw with Ipswich looks better after their three point haul at Spurs over the weekend.

In true Brighton style. we should probably expect a 3-0 humbling at the hands of bottom placed Southampton when football returns to the Amex at the end of the month. With half the squad limping out on crutches afterwards for good measure.

Right here, right now though, Brighton are right where they want to be.

Warren Morgan @WarrenBHAFC