Where Brighton stand ahead of the return of the Premier League
After a six-week break for the World Cup, Brighton returns to the bread and butter of Premier League football on Boxing Day with a trip to Southampton.
It feels like an eternity since that unseasonably sunny day at the Amex on Sunday, 13th November, when Albion’s three-game winning sequence was brought to an end by Aston Villa, and their timewasting tactics focused largely around the gamesmanship of Emiliano Martinez.
Martinez, of course, is now a World Cup winner. So too, the Seagulls’ own Alexis Mac Allister. Suppose you are struggling to remember how the 2022-23 campaign was going before Mac Allister, Lionel Messi, and Argentina triumphed in Qatar. In that case, this little round-up will hopefully refresh the memory and get you back into the swing of things ahead of an afternoon at St Mary’s.
Alexis Mac Allister was enjoying the best season of his career
The whole world has now been introduced to the talents of Mac Allister through his exploits in Qatar. None of it was new news to Brighton fans as the midfielder has been outstanding all season so far.
The summer of the sale of Yves Bissouma to Aston Villa saw Mac Allister redeployed in a deeper role than the number 10 position he was originally signed to fill as long ago as January 2019. The results spoke for themselves. If there were no VAR in football, Mac Allister would have become the first Brighton player to score a Premier League hat-trick, but was thwarted by the Premier League’s reliance on technology. He had a spectacular goal from a distance chalked off by Stockley Park in September’s 5-2 win over Leicester, instead having to settle for a mere brace against the Foxes.
That double forms part of a goals haul of five for the season before the halfway stage, already equaling his total from the previous campaign.
No date has yet been set for Mac Allister to return to Premier League action following his World Cup exploits and the deserved partying in Buenos Aires.
When he does come back, Albion fans would be well-advised to enjoy his talents whilst we can. It seems certain that the biggest clubs on the planet will be lining up huge offers for a player whose value and reputation have soared over the past month.
Pervis Estupinan and Kaoru Mitoma were just starting to shine
Two other Brighton players who impressed at the World Cup were Pervis Esupinan for Ecuador and Kaoru Mitoma for Japan.
Both were summer arrivals at the Amex and had to patiently wait for regular first team opportunities, especially in the case of Mitoma, who did not make his full Premier League debut until the end of October.
This, of course, is nothing unusual. The Albion have enjoyed great success slowly introducing new arrivals over the past five seasons instead of chucking them in at the deep end, so why change a successful formula?
There is so much excitement surrounding the pair because they offer something different to the pass-pass-pass possession obsession that the Albion have shown since 2019.
Mitoma’s first thought is not a sideways ball but to run at opponents. When he does so, he strikes fear into defenders, as seen in the 3-2 win at the Wolves.
The flying Japanese winger was involved in all three goals, including scoring one and caused home defender Nelson Semedo to be sent off on the stroke of halftime.
Estupinan, likewise, is a dazzling attacking force. It feels like Brighton have only just begun to scratch the surface of their abilities. Roberto De Zerbi releasing both in tandem down the left flank will cause fireworks in the second half of the season.
Prepare yourself for more DeZerbiBall
One aspect of the 2022-23 season so far nobody could possibly forget is Graham Potter walking out on the Albion for Chelsea.
Followed by taking his entire first team coaching staff with him. Followed by the head of recruitment. Followed by, if the rumours are to be believed, everyone else from Moises Caicedo to Leandro Trossard to Robert Sanchez to Mac Allister to Gully to the tea lady at the training ground.
Many pundits expected Potter’s departure and asset stripping of anything not nailed down at the Amex to result in Brighton falling away from their unlikely challenge for a top-seven spot.
The Albion, though, appear to have landed on their feet with the appointment of De Zerbi. The charismatic Italian has already formed a strong bond with Seagulls supporters and managed to instigate a change in playing style despite having to deal with the fallout of Potter’s abandonment and an opening month of fixtures including Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester City and Chelsea.
With delicious irony, it was that match against Potter’s new employers when it all came together. Chelsea had no answer to the short passes and quick, incisive attacking football of DeZerbiBall.
Potter was duly humiliated via a 4-1 defeat and left bristling with the contempt he could not hide in his post-match press conference. That thin skin will be Potter’s undoing at Chelsea if he is not careful.
De Zerbi has now had an additional four weeks uninterrupted by competitive football to work with the Albion squad who did not go to Qatar. The players will be better trained and more aware of what the new head coach wants from them.
Given performance levels and results prior to the winter break when they were still getting used to DeZerbiBall were already impressive, that is a thrilling proposition.
De Zerbi wants you to dream of Europe
Not only has the football changed in style from De Zerbi to Potter, but so has the mindset. Glow Up Graham was always keen to talk up whoever Brighton were playing; it was as if he wanted Albion fans to be grateful for him masterminding a 0-0 home draw with Norwich City and simply keeping the club in the Premier League.
Within his first two months in charge, De Zerbi has already told supporters that Brighton are a big club and that they should not be afraid to dream of Europe.
He is as aspirational as his side are entertaining and enthusiasm that is unlike anything we have seen since the days of Gus Poyet is infectious.
Still, it would be some achievement for Brighton to qualify for the Europa League or Europa Conference come May. The disruption and upheaval caused by Potter’s departure would have put paid to most club’s ambitions of a top-seven finish.
However, the Albion are different from most clubs. They have consistently defied the odds over the past 25 years. To make it to Europe in the same season that their entire coaching team – and potentially several star players – were pillaged by another Premier League club would be their greatest achievement.
Strap yourselves in for a rollercoaster for six months.
