The 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in February was almost a perfect template of Brighton’s 2020/21 season so far – lots of high-quality chances created, none scored.
Alexis Mac Allister, Joel Veltman and Dan Burn all missed straightforward opportunities to find the net, and all told the Seagulls fired in 26 efforts at the Villains’ goal – their highest tally ever in a Premier League goal.
For those who enjoy advanced statistics, Brighton recorded an Expected Goals count of 2.44 in that particular game, and that’s not the first time they have trounced their opponents in terms of creating chances – indeed, if you order the Premier League table by ‘xG for’ it’s noticeable that the Seagulls sit eighth.
So why does Graham Potter find himself in a relegation scrap? After all, Brighton have the ninth-best defensive record and are creating plenty of chances, so shouldn’t they be enjoying the environs of mid-table comfort by now?
Clearly, there is scope for improvement, and if that can be found then Brighton will make for a value proposition in the traditional ‘moneyline’ betting odds and in the outright markets – next season, could they be aiming for a top-half finish if they solve their goalscoring problem? You might just see that in the various EPL betting tips, but only if Potter finds a striker capable of putting the ball in the net regularly.
Both Neal Maupay and Leandro Trossard shape up nicely without looking likely to be prolific, and there is a clear vacancy for a classic number nine in a side that will present plenty of opportunities for them to score. So who could Brighton sign in the summer to enhance their chances of success?
Ivan Toney
If Brentford have another wobble at the business end of the Championship season and fail to secure promotion, Ivan Toney will surely become hot property.
After a prolific spell at Peterborough, he has made the step up to the second tier with 23 goals in just 29 games at the time of writing, and that shows that his particular knack of being in the right place at the right time will travel with him.
At 24 he fits the age profile of a Potter signing, and his predatory instincts in the penalty area would surely provide all of the firepower to go with the ammunition supplied by Brighton’s creators. If he can, Potter should really try to sign Toney in the summer.
Sasa Kalajdzic
Despite being more of a substitute than a starting figure, Sasa Kalajdzic has scored nine Bundesliga goals this term for Stuttgart from just 1024 minutes – roughly one a game, averaged out.
Indeed, since he has been given the nod up front from that start he has netted five in three outings in February – the fairly obvious insinuation is that the Austrian knows where the net is.
Standing 6ft 5in, Kalajdzic is a big old unit as well, and so he could be used as a hold-up merchant and as a target for crosses from Tariq Lamptey and co. Such a frontman would allow Potter to be versatile in his tactical approach.
Andrea Belotti
Given that his Torino side are battling relegation, it’s not crazy to suggest that Andrea Belotti would be open to a move to the south coast of England.
And what a coup it would be. The 27-year-old is an Italian international, and so far this term he has scored eleven Serie A goals from an xG of 8.92 – that suggests he is a clinical finisher.
Over the course of the past three seasons, Belotti has notched 42 goals in 93 Serie A games – his credentials are proven, and he would be a serious signing for Brighton as they look to leave their relegation battler tag behind.
The options, then, are there if Brighton want to prove thier mettle next season.
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