Brighton's 10-Man Goal Machine: Fabian Hurzeler Explains Why His Side Are the Premier League's Best Team Right Now
Ten Different Scorers and No Sign of Slowing Down
Jaouen Hadjam needed only 309 seconds of his Premier League debut to score Brighton's second goal in a 2-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday. In doing so, he became the tenth Brighton player to score in the Premier League already this season — a mark no other club has matched.
Hadjam, a 23-year-old Algeria international signed from Young Boys in the summer, is the latest example of Brighton's talent identification. But the presence of yet another Seagulls player on the scoresheet says even more about the squad: against Coventry recently, five different players scored in a single game.
Hurzeler: 'It Is About Having Many Goalscorers'
Speaking to head coach Fabian Hurzeler after that emphatic victory, he explained the approach that underpins Brighton's threat.
"It is not about having one good goalscorer. It is about having this flexibility of having many goalscorers, having a lot of players who have this desire to score. If you have this desire to score, you can score from different positions and in different situations."
"But it is always with the mindset of, 'How do I attack the box?' We sacrificed a lot of runs to be at one point in the right moment and in the right place, so it is all about sacrificing lots of things and to keep doing these runs into the box."
The Numbers Behind the Surge
That mindset has helped Brighton become the Premier League's top scorers so far. They have had 27 big chances to score already this season — six more than any other side in the Premier League and, remarkably, three times the number of Liverpool.
Just as striking is the depth. Carlos Baleba was sold to Manchester United, yet there is already excitement about young Chema Andres. The Spanish midfielder, who signed from Stuttgart in the summer, came into the side for the 3-0 win over Arsenal in place of Malick Yalcouye, with Hurzeler wanting more height in the team to deal with the threat of the Gunners.
No fewer than 25 players have already featured for the club this season due to their Conference League commitments. Captain Lewis Dunk has not started either of the last two games — both were won. Those matches also allowed a rest for Yalcouye, the 20-year-old Ivorian who has already scored more for Brighton this season than he managed on loan at Swansea last campaign.
An Outlier on the Tactical Metrics
It owes plenty to their recruitment but also to their game model. Brighton are outliers on so many different tactical metrics that it reveals a clear and recognisable style of play.
Their pressing has been a particular feature so far this season, more so than before. Brighton rank top for PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action), allowing the opposition fewer passes per defensive action than any other team. This is reflected in them winning more high turnovers than anyone else, allowing them to begin attacks closer to the opposition goal than others.
The emphasis on possession that reached extreme levels under Roberto De Zerbi is still there, but it has now been married to a pressing game that feels like the next level for Brighton — an evolution helping them become more effective than ever before.
It factors into the recruitment. Brighton bring in players accustomed to a similar style, such as Andres. They loan prospects out to clubs who can foster those traits, and in the case of Pascal Gross, they even bring back those already familiar with the club's approach. Sometimes patience is required and rewarded: Charalampos Kostoulas, still only 19, is now benefiting from a debut season learning from Danny Welbeck and recently scored in three consecutive appearances.
Hurzeler credits the veteran Gross, alongside Dunk and experienced goalkeeper Jason Steele, for being a "social lubricant" helping to bond what could easily be a disparate group. Brighton's cosmopolitan dressing room somehow still feels united by a purpose.
From Precarious to Pacesetters
It was not always so obvious. Hurzeler has had tricky times since arriving in England, and the upcoming home fixture against rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday serves as a reminder. Brighton were beaten by Palace in front of their own fans in February, and when Hurzeler's side lost their next two as well, his position — at least in the eyes of the club's supporters — appeared precarious.
But Brighton have won 11 of their 18 Premier League games since that point. Only Arsenal and Manchester City have won more in that span. Their current form is such that Brighton have now scored 11 goals without reply — no other team has mustered more than four — and they have kept three consecutive Premier League clean sheets.
There is no complacency. Hurzeler talks of remembering the basics, which does not just mean making clean sheets the platform for his team, but contesting every duel, being ready for each throw-in and each loose ball. Against Palace, the supporters will demand that.
But Brighton are continuing to deliver. They are perhaps the most exciting team in England right now — and who knows who their next goalscorer is going to be.
Watch Brighton vs Crystal Palace live on Sky Sports Premier League from 12.30pm (kick-off 2pm) on Sunday.