BadFish
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- Oct 19, 2003
- 19,718
Is he still? He just had a birthday.
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[Albion] Fabian Hürzeler - A fab thread on our manager and his tactics
- Thread starter singing4seagulls
- Start date
Machiavelli
Well-known member
Yes. Would agree with this. I think his way of playing is ultimately based on rotation. The only three that will play full games constantly are the 2xCBs and GK, followed by the FBs. Everyone else has been instructed to go for it for 60-70 minutes, and then we bring others on that step up the intensity.
That game plan requires a big squad, and particularly of attacking/midfield players. We've had that for most of the past 10 games (not Forest, for instance) but not beforehand.
Rutter rarely plays a full 90 minutes, but Minteh and Mitoma have done a lot -- and you're right, we've been very reliant on them of late. Don't think they can continue playing the full 90, and Mitoma went off injured (ice pack on knee) yesterday.
We'll have to see how much we can get out of them and the extent we can play with the (seemingly) requisite 'intensity' over what now will be the final 12-14 games of the season.
singing4seagulls
Well-known member
- Apr 2, 2017
- 223
- Thread starter
- #43
This is totally fair.
We do have other wingers - Adringa, Solly etc. I guess the risk is we only have 5 subs.
Feels like against easier opposition, or if we get ahead by a few goals we can do earlier subs for the undroppables like Mitoma.
- Jul 7, 2003
- 48,393
Yes he is. It's one of those weird years when every Premier League manager has a birthday.
- Jun 20, 2021
- 4,395
I think it interesting how much better we are at scoring second half than first half (similar to Bournemouth).
Our attacking options off the bench are always really good, and the intensity to which Fab often refers pays off for us second half (or second half of extra time!)
Hi Warren
Loving this analysis. So interesting and considered. NSC at its best.
- Oct 17, 2008
- 17,023
Fab is class
singing4seagulls
Well-known member
- Apr 2, 2017
- 223
- Thread starter
- #50
Didn't get much response to this, but was intrigued to see how things had changed.A starting point, compared to De Zerbi we've radically changed how we play out from the back.
In September 2023 we played 0% of our balls long. ZERO
It feels like most balls are played long now. It's a big shift for me as a fan, having seen it gradually move more and more De Zerbi's way over the years.
I can't say I'm fully convinced. Especially when we're ahead - it feels like we risk (and often do) gift away possession.
Don't mind it when we're not ahead, as in theory it's 50/50 ball half way up the pitch.
Interested in others feelings or observations?
0% long before was a bit silly, as without the threat of one over the top sometimes, it's easier for teams to defend.
Found this:
Premier League news: The evolution of the goalkeeper - how have goal-kicks changed?
Premier League news: The evolution of the goalkeeper - how have goal-kicks changed?
www.bbc.com
Headline is we now do 36% - 25% long into their half and long 11% into the midfield.
I have to say a few games more recently felt like it was most of them going long.
Not sure if that bbc article is a bit old, or if Fab's flexible nature means we'll go long against some teams more than others.
Attachments
Under RDZ it didn't matter what the situation was we played out from the back and this often led to screw ups. It also meant we utilised our 3rd best goal stopper because he was better with his feet. We lost Sanchez and didn't use Bart anywhere near as much as we should have. Now there is no written in stone rule and it is up to the keeper, dependent on the situation. Long balls are only 50/50 if the keeper has no idea what he is doing, Bart is very good at picking out players.A starting point, compared to De Zerbi we've radically changed how we play out from the back.
In September 2023 we played 0% of our balls long. ZERO
It feels like most balls are played long now. It's a big shift for me as a fan, having seen it gradually move more and more De Zerbi's way over the years.
I can't say I'm fully convinced. Especially when we're ahead - it feels like we risk (and often do) gift away possession.
Don't mind it when we're not ahead, as in theory it's 50/50 ball half way up the pitch.
Interested in others feelings or observations?
Interesting read on use of subs
Premier League: Who is making the most of their substitutions in 2024-25?
Which Premier League teams make the most substitutions - and which manager has been able to create the biggest impact through changes?
www.bbc.co.uk
Cheggers
Well-known member
Is that Fab at the boxing?
Fulham subs scoring a lot of goals (as do ours)
Nobby, I agree with your analysis... I was far less impressed when Fab went with the highest of high lines- and Cole Palmer torched us for 4 first half goals... To me, that was on par with the missing midfield against Forest... Mitoma and Pedro swapping positions was baffling as well... However, Fab has used more substitutions than any other manager (130 out of a possible 135 is what i've read) 4.8 per match... but they are all intelligent moves... Like most 32 year-olds, he has ups-and-downs... but I am a believer. 7
singing4seagulls
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- Apr 2, 2017
- 223
- Thread starter
- #56
Obviously great to get the win, but pretty fortunate with the penalty at the end there.
That sequence of play as we kept passing round the box in added time had me at the edge of my seat, screaming for someone to have a crack.
We still struggle to break up the low block. That really felt like a draw was going to be it yesterday.
What could we have done better to have won the game more convincingly?
For me, we needed Gomez on immediately at half time. Wasn't enough tempo in midfield.
I thought the subs all came on a bit late.
That sequence of play as we kept passing round the box in added time had me at the edge of my seat, screaming for someone to have a crack.
We still struggle to break up the low block. That really felt like a draw was going to be it yesterday.
What could we have done better to have won the game more convincingly?
For me, we needed Gomez on immediately at half time. Wasn't enough tempo in midfield.
I thought the subs all came on a bit late.
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singing4seagulls
Well-known member
- Apr 2, 2017
- 223
- Thread starter
- #57
Kicking this thread up - hopefully can get some love on Wednesday instead of the boring in/out chat.
I wasn't able to watch the last game, which feels like I got away with not being pissed off all Saturday evening lol.
What's people's take on team selection, subs, tactics of the manager.
I thought it quite odd to hear afterwards from him that he decided who would take the pens. I feel like normally it's the players that put themselves forwards if they are feeling confident to take one.
Anyone else have a reference for how pen takers normally get selected?
I wasn't able to watch the last game, which feels like I got away with not being pissed off all Saturday evening lol.
What's people's take on team selection, subs, tactics of the manager.
I thought it quite odd to hear afterwards from him that he decided who would take the pens. I feel like normally it's the players that put themselves forwards if they are feeling confident to take one.
Anyone else have a reference for how pen takers normally get selected?
brighton_tom
Well-known member
- Jul 23, 2008
- 6,280
Did he say he picked them?
singing4seagulls
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- Apr 2, 2017
- 223
- Thread starter
- #59
Yeah.
Head coach Hurzeler said: “In the end, I decided and I made the decisions with the penalties and the players should just focus on their job, focus on which corner they shoot and that's why I say that's my responsibility.
Hurzeler reveals he called the shots as Albion suffered penalty defeat
Fabian Hurzeler revealed he chose the takers as Brighton lost to Nottingham Forest on penalties
www.theargus.co.uk
I think we were tactically solid and created good spaces, but Mitoma, Welbeck and Rutter didn't reach their usual levels.
Nottingham had clearly a plan to sacrifice most of their energy in the first half to try and grab the lead. Baleba and Ayari didn't win the midfield battle but kept it tight enough to prevent Nottingham from completely running the game.
Happy with the subs.
Diego Gomez was very wasteful and made some really poor passes but took a lot of initiatives and made many deep runs against the tiring Nottingham team.
JP & Adingra were hit and miss but both more productive than Welbeck/Mitoma. Gruda was great, held up the ball when we really needed and should have benefitted from it. Lewis Dunk looked like two months "rest" had done him well. Happy with all the subs.
As for penalties, both of those variations are quite common. Personally I'd let the players decide and maybe thats a tad bit more common these days, but I know plenty do the opposite. You take some of the responsibility off the shoulders of the player if you decide it for them.