Graham Potter: How Brighton boss continues to weave Premier League magic
Having already proven himself to be one of the brightest tactical minds in England, Graham Potter continues to weave his magic with Brighton & Hove Albion.
- Published prior to Sunday's 5-2 win against Leicester and Graham Potter's subsequent appointment by Chelsea
After steering the Seagulls to their best Premier League finish of ninth - with more wins and more goals than they had ever previously registered - Potter's men have built impressively on last season's record-breaking campaign by starting the new term in superb style.
Kicking off the 2022-23 campaign with a magnificent victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, where they completely outplayed, outworked and out-thought their richly-assembled opponents, was the perfect way to get the ball rolling.
Indeed, the win was made all the more striking due to the fact Brighton had lost two key players in Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella in the summer, but they still kept up their fantastic record against the big guns, which last season saw them beat Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and United, as well as drawing with Liverpool and Chelsea (twice).
They backed this up by dominating a quality Newcastle side that has invested heavily in a plethora of quality signings, even though they ultimately only drew 0-0, before swatting aside West Ham 2-0 in an outstanding showing littered with upside.
Getting the best out of his players both individually and collectively, never afraid to make tweaks depending on the opposition and always well-prepared, Potter has not only achieved some exceptional results already but fantastic performances to accompany them.
“I think it’s a foundation set by everybody in the club," Potter said when asked about his side's marvellous start to the season after the win at West Ham. "It's a good environment to work in and everyone is together and understands the value of the team.
"Of course, individuals are important. You can’t do anything without good players, but the collective idea of the team is really strong. It’s football, it’s life, people come and go, but the key core of people are still there and we saw that today.”
Always a fascinating team to watch on a tactical level, the key takeaway so far has been Potter's decision to implement a 3-4-3/3-2-2-3 shape in possession with a box in midfield. Giving them solidity at the back, control in midfield and the capacity to stretch the field horizontally and vertically through the wing-backs and centre-forward, the approach has worked wonders so far.
Starting with the midfield box, this essentially sees them operate with a double pivot as the base and two attacking midfielders ahead.
Causing opponents many issues when attempting to combat this setup, Brighton have used this blueprint to form advantageous overloads in midfield to bypass the press, open passing lanes so the ball-holder isn't short on options and to unbalance opponents' shape before carving through them directly or using third-man combinations.
By being connected and with good spacing either side of the opposition midfield, their adversaries face constant conundrums on how best to deal with Brighton's multifaceted midfield quartet, which has consisted of Moises Caicedo, Alexis MacAllister, Pascal Gross and Adam Lallana.
As a result, the two most advanced midfielders have wreaked havoc between the lines, with Lallana and Gross expertly finding key pockets to breathe life into attacks.
How usual striker Danny Welbeck and the wing-backs, chiefly Leandro Trossard and Solly March, have successfully pinned their opponents deeper has been valuable too, with their presence preventing defenders stepping out as they don't want to leave a gap in behind to be exploited.
Indeed, the midfielders' nuisance is enhanced considering how smartly they interchange with each other and the wing-backs in close proximity, plus how they embark on late-arriving, penetrative runs into the area, which have added a vital extra number for team-mates to pinpoint from through balls, crosses and cut-backs.
To focus on the latter, these surges are typically directed between defenders who are either preoccupied or ball-watching to ensure they can obtain separation to freely get their shots off.
Another aspect of note arises from how the midfielders have joined forces with the splitting central defenders to generate positional and numerical superiorities during build-up play. Knowing precisely where to position themselves and what triggers draw out their foes, Brighton have done a terrific job of bypassing the first line of pressure.
What's more, as they move through the thirds, how the midfielders have helped form triangles and diamonds in wider zones to outnumber and play through opponents, plus attracted markers in order for the centre-backs to dribble upfield unopposed, has amplified their worth.
So well-drilled and aware of their attacking responsibilities, the fantastic four have provided the platform for Brighton to not just control and dictate matches but also to progress the ball smoothly into the final third.
Their impact doesn't stop there, however, for the midfielders have also pressed high and counterpressed effectively from their centrally compact platform to regain possession in ideal areas to then attack again against unset defensive units.
Shifting the focus to Brighton's inverted wing-backs, they've added so much impetus going forward, with the variation and unpredictability Trossard and March bring to the table.
By having the left-footed March on the right and the right-footed Trossard on the left, this has accentuated their threat, for they can cut infield with damaging dribbles before shooting, engaging in neat interplay or threading through balls.
Furthermore, this allows them to open up the field to see all their options and receive switches one-on-one to immediately get at their markers using their wizardry on the dribble.
The nifty movement of the wing-backs has also paid dividends, as they've marauded forward with damaging runs in behind and astutely used blindside runs to attack crosses from the opposite flank, where they enjoy a dynamic advantage over stationary, ball-facing opponents.
The aforementioned interchanges with the midfielders have borne fruit too, allowing them to mix things up by accompanying their overlaps with some crafty underlaps and infield excursions.
The output of Welbeck deserves a special mention, with the languid striker offering a great option to go long to then allow the nearby midfielders to mop up second balls, and giving them a fine avenue to expose rearguards with his speedy runs in behind and down the channels.
Meanwhile, on the defensive end, it's been equally eye-catching observing Potter's Brighton make life as difficult as possible for opponents, with their discipline, determination, intensity and organisation laying the groundwork for their success.
Wanting to press high and stifle their adversaries when they attempt to play out from the back, Brighton have looked to cut supply lines by using man orientations, setting traps and using the touchline as an extra defender.
The map from their Old Trafford triumph and graphics below illustrate their strategy, with the Seagulls notably also using their cover shadows to block passing lanes, pushing their wing-backs high and the centre-backs aggressively following any dropping opponents.
By responding quickly to cues like an opponent receiving with their back to goal or in an open posture, plus when they're about to inherit an underhit, sloppy, sideways or backwards pass, this has enhanced their capacity to recover the ball.
With opposition teams regularly forced into going long, Brighton have handled this with ease due to their towering centre-backs being very comfortable dealing with aerial confrontations to ensure they can win back the ball to push forward again.
Proficient at controlling key spaces, forcing turnovers and generally stifling their opponents, the way they've parlayed brains and brawn and embraced the manager's concepts and mechanics has been extremely impressive.
Their outstanding efforts so far are accentuated by the statistics, with Brighton ranking first for goals conceded (one), third for blocked shots (4.32 per 90), fifth for key passes (4.62 p90), sixth for progressive passes (65.65 p90), sixth for touches inside the box (20.34 p90) and sixth for interceptions (41.92 p90).
Tactically sophisticated, adapting to their opponents to expose their weaknesses and shining in all phases of the game, there's every reason to suggest that Brighton can keep up their high level as long as they can consistently find the back of the net, which has been their Achilles heel in the past.
With the meticulous coaching maestro Potter - whose methods have produced the goods in terms of player development, getting his team playing ultra-attractive football and achieving great results - at the helm, Brighton should be aiming high yet again in their quest to keep building and breaking records.