[Albion] Fabian Hurzeler: IN or OUT

[AstroSloth]

Could some of the Hurzeler in fans try and explain to me, a Hurzeler out fan, why I should back him other than the nonsense injury excuse and first season guff? I’m talking tactically, on the pitch, what has he done this season that gives you faith defensively and going forward? Cos as a football tactics nerd myself, I don’t see anything.

I was Potter in and a massive fan all the time he was here cos I could see what he was doing on the pitch, we had a clear structure, we were solid, we had a plan and patterns of play that made sense and created chances. I loved De Zerbi at first, from the start you could see what he was doing, it was brilliant. He had to go in the end because he is a bit of a twat and became toxic, but tactically he was brilliant.

Other managers like Iraola I love and did when he was in Spain, because tactically he is brilliant again. Even when Bournemouth struggled at the start, you could see what he was building from pretty much their first game and it didn’t take him long to make his mark on the team at all.

We’re now nearly a full season into Hurzeler and I see nothing to cling onto for the future. The results we have had have generally been due to individual brilliance and if we hadn’t had Baleba this season, I dread to think where we would be. We have actually played well for a very small amount of time this season and not had one complete match other than away to an appalling Southampton. So please, enlighten this doubter about what Hurzeler is building on the pitch that means we should back him because I just a talented squad of players badly coached at the moment.

If you're a massive tactics/stats nerd, can you tell us how many times we've had the same starting 11 game to game?

You say "nonsense injuries excuse", we've had the most days missed through injuries in the league this season.

If anything it's a failure in squad building that has led us to this point.

We were crying out for a full back and CB in the summer but just kept buying attackers.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

RDZ pissed me off by this stage last season but FH is now looking just plain clueless. RDZ, for all his faults, is in a different league as a motivational manager to the dullard we have now

Not in the second half of last season was he a motivational manager. After we got dumped out of Europe last season RDZ gave up and clearly did not motivate the team.

 

[jcdenton08]

He's turned world-class players into shit. Gt rid now.

Which world class players are these? I don’t think we have any world class players. We have some very good players (Mitoma, Van Hecke) and some very promising but raw players (Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh). I think there is a very unrealistic overrating of our squad in some quarters. World class players are the best of the best in the world. We don’t have any of those.

 

[birthofanorange]

I have to chuckle at those who choose to bin-off a manager after a single season, where we are still likely to finish in the top 10, still within a fleeting glimpse of Europe, a raft of injuries to key players, an FA Cup quarter final lost on penalties and still above Palace.
Of course we want more, but it's hardly the disastrous picture that some of you seem so willing to paint.
I get it: He's not the charismatic manager we had previously, but give the guy another full season. If it fails, then fine, but even then, I bet we're nowhere near the bottom and to me that's still pretty damn good.
Fab IN (for next season).

 

[Arkwright]

Just back from Brentford, I just don't see that we have got and style or pattern to our play.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Missed most of the season: Kadioglu, Lamptey, Veltman, March, Milner

Missed multiple games multiple times: Webster, Dunk, Rutter, Gruda, O'Riley, Welbeck, Minteh, Mitoma, Estupinan, Ayari, Hinshelwood, Pedro, Wieffer

One Injury/Missed the odd game: Van Hecke, Baleba, Verbruggen, Adingra, Steele

So which key player has really been injury free?

These our leading appearance makers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C._season#Appearances_and_goals

Mitoma, Bart, Beleba, JPVH at the top of list with at least 35 appearances . Going into the season they would probably have been towards the top of list of players most would want available.

But I can’t go into battle with you again Astrosloth. It takes it out of me

 

[Mike Small]

I voted out. There's been no real connection with the fans and it doesn't look like the players are having him. 10th is not too bad and we've had injuries but it hasn't been great and there have been too many galling performances. I wonder how the season will end.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

If you're a massive tactics/stats nerd, can you tell us how many times we've had the same starting 11 game to game?

You say "nonsense injuries excuse", we've had the most days missed through injuries in the league this season.

If anything it's a failure in squad building that has led us to this point.

We were crying out for a full back and CB in the summer but just kept buying attackers.

So the answer then is no, you can’t tell me what he’s building on the pitch. It’s all the injuries fault. Which is nonsense because he’s had a strong squad to pick from every game this season. Today for example, that was pretty much a first 11 out there with the possible exceptions of Veltman and Georginio but then there were quite a few games this season when he chose not to start Georginio so even that’s debateable.

 

[AstroSloth]

These our leading appearance makers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024–25_Brighton_%26_Hove_Albion_F.C._season#Appearances_and_goals

Mitoma, Bart, Beleba, JPVH at the top of list with at least 35 appearances . Going into the season they would probably have been towards the top of list of players most would want available.

But I can’t go into battle with you again Astrosloth. It takes it out of me

All have been at least partially injured.

I would also say going into the season only Bart and Mitoma would be right at the top. Dunk, Estupinan, Pedro would probably be towards the top.

I won't turn it into a battle, just think we've been screwed by injuries a lot.

Hurzeler isn't perfect, but some people are far too reactionary after a loss.

 

[AstroSloth]

So the answer then is no, you can’t tell me what he’s building on the pitch. It’s all the injuries fault. Which is nonsense because he’s had a strong squad to pick from every game this season. Today for example, that was pretty much a first 11 out there with the possible exceptions of Veltman and Georginio but then there were quite a few games this season when he chose not to start Georginio so even that’s debateable.

His systems have relied on pressing high to win the ball when we lose it, focussing on an organised press.

That has been very evident to see.

Building from the back he likes to have the CBs on the ball to draw in the press to then play it into the midfield before getting it wide to our fullbacks, rather than De Zerbi having the Strikers come deep Hurzeler pushes the midfield higher and the full backs wider.

This is something massively impacted by our injuries, our first choice full backs have spent most of the season injured, their back ups also injured.

In the attack it's harder to coach a side. De Zerbi did well early on because he beat the press in such a way that it created false counter attacks, the defence wasn't set. This got found out quickly and we suffered because of it in the second season which has continued into this season.

Today wasn't a full strength line up though was it?

RB, CB, CM, and a forward all aren't first choice.

Georginho was eased into the team, then became important, got injured so was eased back in, became crucial then got injured again.

 

[DJ NOBO]

All have been at least partially injured.

I would also say going into the season only Bart and Mitoma would be right at the top. Dunk, Estupinan, Pedro would probably be towards the top.

I won't turn it into a battle, just think we've been screwed by injuries a lot.

Hurzeler isn't perfect, but some people are far too reactionary after a loss.

Undoubtably we’ve been screwed by injuries.
But he has had close to full seasons out of several key players (key imo anyway) .
I also think it’s telling that he hasn’t had to dip into the under 23s for first team players. Usually one international has been replaced by another.
The league position isn’t terrible but I can’t help feeling we would be doing better with a more accomplished manager.

 

[jcdenton08]

Undoubtably we’ve been screwed by injuries.
But he has had close to full seasons out of several key players (key imo anyway) .
I also think it’s telling that he hasn’t had to dip into the under 23s for first team players. Usually one international has been replaced by another.
The league position isn’t terrible but I can’t help feeling we would be doing better with a more accomplished manager.

Often the issue has been having to disrupt a consistent side with constant changes due to the sheer frequency of injuries. It’s very hard to have a settled back line, for instance, where we’ve gone through 5 right backs this season (Lamptey, Veltman, Kadioglu, Hinshelwood, Wieffer) or 6 if you include the minutes Webster filled in there.

Of those six, 4 are presently injured and one has had ongoing injury issues throughout the season.

The constant changing of the side has done nothing for our consistency. One player gets back, another gets injured.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Which world class players are these? I don’t think we have any world class players. We have some very good players (Mitoma, Van Hecke) and some very promising but raw players (Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh). I think there is a very unrealistic overrating of our squad in some quarters. World class players are the best of the best in the world. We don’t have any of those.

We've got the Brazil number 9. Brighton and Hove Albion have the Brazil number 9. Possibly one of the best left wingers in world football as well

They don't even feature in your analysis.

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Long term he might end up having a good career but he's overseen a team completely give up having been on the brink of the Champions League. Feels like he's lost the dressing room again and the team's body language stinks.

 

[zefarelly]

There’s the rub, there seems to be no leadership on or off the pitch

The problem in spades . . . . Possibly that there's a leadership 'issue' behind closed doors, over riding formal leadership . . . . Who knows. ?

 

[jcdenton08]

We've got the Brazil number 9. Brighton and Hove Albion have the Brazil number 9. Possibly one of the best left wingers in world football as well

They don't even feature in your analysis.

Brazil in Crisis: The Devastating Stat That Exposes Their Decline Over the Last Three Years

Once the undisputed kings of world football, Brazil's national team is now enduring one of its most turbulent periods in recent memory.

www.beinsports.com

As always, the test to who is a world class footballer is thus: who is he up against. Brighton beat the worst Ajax side in living memory twice. Ajax were once world class. Beating them when they’re poor doesn’t make Brighton world class, as great as it was.

If Ronaldo, Pelé, Adriano or Romario were available for selection, Pedro wouldn’t be Brazil’s number 9.

The best left wingers in the world? Vicinius Jr, Raphinha, Leao, Kvaratshelia, Diaz all have far, far better numbers than Mitoma, playing for top teams, on mega wages, winning trophies.

World class is such an overused term. People confuse “very good player” with world class.

 

[peterward]

As of now, I’d take him and his passion in a heartbeat. A week ago I’d have said “too soon”

No chance though as he is in with a decent chance of Champion’s League whilst we are going to end the season with a whimper rather than a bang.

Oh I dont know.

CL is obvs a big deal, and here's hoping he does it. But then you could possibly argue he's already taken Strasbourg to about the maximum achievable level.
Not much chance of deposing PSG anytime soon, not much chance Strasbourg winning the CL etc.

Would be a perfect time to leave and be deemed a huge success. That would also be a lot more success and a higher level than our current manager got the job on

The pull of the premier league, for a young black English manager, would be pretty strong regardless of the club. If Brighton came calling, I genuinley reckon he'd find it hard to say No.

He knows and loves our club, he wore our badge with pride and he should know our fans love him too.

He's also a thoroughly decent human being.

If it does end up with FH OUT (it wont imho), I'd be Rosenior IN

 

[Ethelwulf]

Long term he might end up having a good career but he's overseen a team completely give up having been on the brink of the Champions League. Feels like he's lost the dressing room again and the team's body language stinks.

Watch welbecks interview says all we need to know

 

[London Irish]

Often the issue has been having to disrupt a consistent side with constant changes due to the sheer frequency of injuries. It’s very hard to have a settled back line, for instance, where we’ve gone through 5 right backs this season (Lamptey, Veltman, Kadioglu, Hinshelwood, Wieffer) or 6 if you include the minutes Webster filled in there.

Of those six, 4 are presently injured and one has had ongoing injury issues throughout the season.

The constant changing of the side has done nothing for our consistency. One player gets back, another gets injured.

Hinsh was available today - it was entirely the manager’s choice to create right back number 5

 

[jcdenton08]

Hinsh was available today - it was entirely the manager’s choice to create right back number 5

Hinshelwood was our best midfielder today