Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton tactics explained: Provoking the opposition press by becoming the possession kings | Football News

When Roberto De Zerbi arrived at Brighton in September, he joined the top flight. It was suggested that Graham Potter could take him as far as he could. It’s been an Italian influence ever since, Brighton might be better now.

That’s six wins in nine games in all competitions since Christmas. The Seagulls rose to the top of the Premier League, on course for European qualification and the highest finish in the club’s history, while also beating Liverpool to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

But De Zerbi’s influence is not only about the results he achieved but the way his team achieved them. Brighton have been able to play a passing game for a long time. Today, total football dominance is the norm. The numbers are staggering.

The last match against Crystal Palace was the fifth time at the same time they have enjoyed over 70 percent of possession since De Zerbi took over. In that time, Manchester City have done it four times. The rest of the Premier League have done it five times between them.

Pep Guardiola has predicted this. “The impact on England will be huge in the future,” he said at the time of De Zerbi’s appointment. Mikel Arteta is a fan. “He’s someone I follow.” Jurgen Klopp described him as “very influential” before developing further.

“Putting your ideas forward by changing what everyone in Brighton thinks has worked so well and still putting your stamp on it is a great job. You see the difference. He was playing Potter-ball. Now he’s playing De Zerbi-ball .”

The style is not very different. That’s the whole idea, which is why Brighton chief executive Paul Barber says the newcomers are a cultural and technical fit. De Zerbi himself has noted the similarities between Potter’s approach and his own ideas.

Any change should be subtle. The emphasis is still on ownership. “We got the players to do it,” Alexis Mac Allister said Sky Sports. “Roberto came here because he knew he had the right players to be able to play the ideas he wanted.”

De Zerbi continued with the first three back, nod to the success Potter enjoyed, and still dabbles with that formation, despite favoring the 4-2-3-1 system itself. The movement remains fluid. No team in the Premier League has scored more goals from midfield.

“I can’t tell you many secrets but you can see it with the way we play. Everyone loves football and for a long time we can continue,” said Tariq Lamptey. Sky Sports. “We have the same idea as the previous gaffer. It’s just a matter of building on them a bit.”

Mac Allister also compared the two coaches. “I think it’s the same manager because they both want to have the ball and reach high,” he said. There was a perfect example for the opener during the 3-0 dismantling of Liverpool.

Evan Ferguson forced Joel Matip and Mac Allister to be there to nip in front of Jordan Henderson. Seven touches later, from four different Brighton players, and the ball was in the back of Alisson’s goal. It was slick and fast, too far for Liverpool.

Brighton are third in the Premier League since De Zerbi took over for the last high turnovers in shots. They are still a pressing team. But that is not the key aspect of his football. He has even called it a gamble. He prefers support from the opposition.

“Yes,” said Mac Allister. “He tried to attract them.”

Provoking the press is a hallmark of De Zerbi’s approach. This demands players to be comfortable on the ball in their own half as they like to draw the opposition there. Back off and Brighton dominate. So it sucked and Brighton rolled over.

“Possession always depends on the opponent’s pressure,” said De Zerbi. “The harder the pressure, the more vertical the development. The less opposing pressure, the greater our control in the match and possession of the ball.”

Without that pressure, Brighton could look passive. But it’s all part of the art of provocation. When a space appears, they roll forward – and fast. Watch the second goal against Liverpool. Pervis Estupinan for Ferguson for Solly March. goal.

“Roberto prefers the idea of ​​building from the back and you can see it in our game,” explained Mac Allister. “They like to have possession and when we can find full-backs and strikers, we can try to go straight and score.”

By drawing the opposition towards him, Brighton were able to isolate their defenders. That’s the point of everything that passes. Once in a one-on-one situation, De Zerbi encouraged other expressions. So it’s more about individual ability and that means more freedom.

“Everybody knows what to do at our position and they expect different things from each position,” Lamptey said. “They give you enough information to make the right decision for you. That’s good as a player. You can see the right decision.”

Statistics tell the story.

Since De Zerbi’s appointment, Brighton are second behind Manchester City in the number of 10 or more passes from open play. He also ranks second behind the champions for the number of times he has stopped a shot or a touch inside the box.

However, in terms of the efficiency of converting this sequence of passes from 10 passes or more to sequences that end up being taken or touched inside the box, Brighton are even more effective than City. In fact, only Premier League leaders Arsenal are better.

This is important. It shows that Brighton build-up play can.

Under De Zerbi, he made more progress towards the opposition’s goal each sequence and played more wide each sequence. An elite team without an elite budget, only the top three in the Premier League complete more passes in the final third of the pitch.

No team made more passes – defined as the first one-touch pass from the goal when there is pressure on the passer. The third goal against Everton included just that pass. The opposition was provoked. Brighton play through.

Clearly, there is buy-in from the players.

“He always gets you motivated for the game,” Lamptey said. “He gave us the confidence to go out and play because he gave us the tools during the week on the training ground. He gave us all the information we needed to do and get results.”

De Zerbi has the personality to implement his ideas.

“He’s strong, he’s passionate, but he’s really good,” added Mac Allister. And these ideas impressed everyone.

“From the beginning, we knew that his idea was amazing. We were very happy to play it the way he wanted it to be.”

They are not alone.