The 2023/24 season has been a history-making marketing campaign for Brighton. Their first foray into Europe – and their first time reaching the knockout rounds – in addition to persevering with to compete within the Premier League.
However the Seagulls additionally high the desk in additional obscure phrases. They’ve already made 70 adjustments to their Premier League beginning XIs this 12 months – 26 greater than the subsequent highest staff, Nottingham Forest – as they adapt to the ‘three video games per week’ schedule that comes with Europa League soccer.
So as to add some extra context, Brighton solely made 79 beginning XI adjustments within the entirety of final season, in addition to utilizing probably the most Premier League substitutes this marketing campaign too (81).
It has not all the time been an strategy welcomed by Seagulls followers, however De Zerbi defined why he has used such heavy rotation and, in his view, why it’s working.
“I don’t love changing too many players every game, but I must do it,” he mentioned forward of Thursday’s recreation with Crystal Palace, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
“I am unable to do one thing completely different, or there’s a threat to lose different gamers. Now we’ve got 15 gamers who’re in a position to play and I believe we’re doing job as a result of we attain the highest of the desk within the Europa League in a really robust group.
“We are in a good position in the table in the Premier League, especially if you think we lost six points at home playing very well, but conceding stupid goals and not scoring the right goals. But I think we are doing something important.”
One place that has seen 11 adjustments already this season is between goalkeepers Jason Steele and Bart Verbruggen.
Neither have began greater than two Premier League video games in a row this time period, however are the 2 finest goalkeepers within the league for passing accuracy, highlighting their significance to De Zerbi’s play.
However Brighton have additionally didn’t maintain a clear sheet in 21 league video games, though curiously, did maintain 4 of their six Europa League fixtures.
Discussing the rotation of his goalkeepers, De Zerbi mentioned: “I’m lucky because I have two goalkeepers who are great. I don’t want to lose anyone and Brighton want to keep both inside of the plan.
“It is my duty and determination when certainly one of them has to play and when the opposite would not.
“In the last transfer market, we sold [Moises] Caicedo, [Alexis] Mac Alliser and [Levi] Colwill was on loan, but he played a lot of us last year.
“We misplaced three necessary, essential gamers and one a part of my work is to assist the younger gamers to turn out to be higher as a result of the coverage of Brighton is like this. If I settle for working right here, I’ve to handle in that course.”
It’s this strategy to youth that has been very important as Brighton grapple with accidents to a variety of key gamers, additionally including to the necessity for rotation. The record for Thursday’s match at Crystal Palace consists of Adam Webster, Tariq Lamptey, Solly March and Pervis Estupinan amongst others.
However De Zerbi is utilizing the chance to blood some new expertise – together with 21-year-old Verbruggen. In 2023, 4 youngsters have additionally scored Premier League targets for Brighton in 2023 – Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, Facundo Buonanotte and Jack Hinshelwood – which is joint-most by a Premier League staff in a calendar 12 months together with Everton in 1997.
“First of all, we have eight injuries with important players and then we are playing three games per week and we are not used to playing so many games,” De Zerbi defined.
“So we have to turn the problems into opportunities. We are lucky because we have a great academy and one part of our work to permit the young players to become better at playing.
“I search for persona, to start with. Then the standard to be a participant within the Premier League – bodily, technically, mentally, every thing that necessary to play in Premier League. In any other case it is robust.”
Thursday marks De Zerbi’s fiftieth Premier League recreation accountable for Brighton. You’ll be forgiven for pondering the Italian had been in England for much longer than his 15 months, such has been his affect.
De Zerbi factors to latest Europa League successes as a few of his highlights, reflecting: “I am spending a lot of great moments [here]. Two of them are when we qualified for the Europa League last season against Southampton at home and the second was Thursday with Marseille at home [Brighton won 1-0 late on to reach the last-16].
“It has been a terrific expertise working within the Premier League too. It is the most effective league on the earth and it is an honour and a dream for me to compete towards the likes of [Pep] Guardiola, [Jurgen] Klopp, [Mauricio] Pochettino, [Ange] Postecoglu, [Unai] Emery, lots of large coaches and I’ve to offer my finest day-after-day.
“I feel the responsibility to keep my seat [as manager] so we keep going, we keep working with the same attitude, the same passion and the same behaviour.”
Out of these 49 video games, De Zerbi is unbeaten in Brighton’s grudge derby towards Crystal Palace, drawing one and profitable one other earlier this 12 months. The Eagles too might be buoyed by their beautiful 2-2 draw towards Manchester Metropolis on Saturday.
“It will be one of the toughest games of the season, but we are looking forward to playing and making our fans happy,” he mentioned of the sport, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
“It will be a very physical game and Crystal Palace have great players, like [Eberechi] Eze, [Michael] Olise, [Marc] Guehi, [Cheick] Doucoure. But we have to be focused on ourselves, our play, our style and the result because we are losing too many points and we have to try to react.
“Before I came here, I didn’t know the importance of this game. But I am from Brescia and the derby there is against Atalanta so I can understand the fans, what they can feel in these days before the game.”
It could be an early Christmas current if Brighton can win a second successive recreation towards Crystal Palace, and with 2024 quick approaching, De Zerbi has only one New 12 months’s want.
“I would like to recover the injured players,” he mentioned. “Maybe not all the injuries, but 80 per cent would be important for us because if we want to reach the results, you need the quality of the players.
“So the whole squad after which to get pleasure from, taking part in with satisfaction, with braveness, with our qualities.”
Till his harm record eases – and with the Europa League final 16 coming in March – De Zerbi’s rotation is more likely to proceed. However he has already confirmed what could be achieved with a terrific coach, proficient children and loads of coronary heart.
Watch Crystal Palace vs Brighton dwell on Sky Sports activities Premier League and Essential Occasion from 7pm on Thursday; kick-off 8pm.