Will December define Brighton’s Premier League season?
Fabian Hürzeler couldn’t have wished for a better start as Brighton boss since his arrival. The team are playing attractive football and have become one of the clubs that are hardest to beat in his first six months or so in the job.
To make matters even better, he has got a fine tune out of some of the players that perhaps many wouldn’t have thought would have had the impact that they have had, with Danny Welbeck being an evident example.
We all know how much quality he possesses, but he’s been outstanding since the 31-year-old (who is three years younger than the forward) took over the helm following Roberto De Zerbi’s departure.
Of course, his age was a huge talking point when he first arrived. However, he appears to have made it just a number, as he is outdoing many of his peers.
Indeed, with the way that the Seagulls have been playing, they’ve become an attractive betting proposition for bettors who cast a Sportsbet with platforms like Betway.
However, with December set to be a hectic month, will the good times continue to roll on the south coast?
December is a challenging time in football
December can be one of the most challenging times in football, as it sees the beginning of the festive season for Premier League clubs.
It tests the true resolve of each club, putting additional strain on the bodies of players, as they are required to play in a large number of games across the month.
In some instances, they can play as many games as they would across two months because of the way that the schedule is.
For Brighton, it’ll be a tough period. Hürzeler will be doing his best to prepare his teams for it, but it’s going to be unlike anything he experienced during his time as manager of FC St. Pauli.
During his time with the club in the 2. Bundesliga, they would play once a week in December until Christmas, before going on a break.
He won’t experience anything like that this year in England, as the games will continue to come thick and fast. For December, he and his side will have to navigate six matches in total, with one of them being a derby game. The fixtures that they have are:
- Fulham (away) – Thursday 5th December
- Leicester City (away) – Sunday 8th December
- Crystal Palace (home) – Sunday 15th December
- West Ham United (away) – Saturday 21st December
- Brentford (home) – Friday 27 December
- Aston Villa (away) – Monday 30 December
They are tough games as they will feature opposition that will all still likely be fighting for something throughout December.
While it can present a number of betting opportunities on Betway for fans who have been left impressed by what Hürzeler has achieved with his Brighton team, it can truly test how far the Seagulls have come.
January will see the schedule ease, and recruitment can take place if needs are identified as the transfer window opens.
However, Brighton will be hoping to come through the festive period unscathed and in a better position than they already are.
If they struggle, it can be a momentum killer and leave their aims and aspirations in tatters. Poor form, injuries and suspensions can be damaging at this point of the campaign.
Nonetheless, most will agree that Hürzeler has had an exceptional start to life at the AMEX so far and the team are higher than where they initially felt they might be as we head into the final month of 2024.
