Fabian Hürzeler Build-Up Tactics At Brighton 2024/2025 – A Vertical Masterclass – Tactical Analysis

Brighton & Hove Albion consistently finds ways to exploit depth against well-structured, compact opponents while maintaining exceptional resistance to pressing.

But how do Brighton manage to create so much verticality without losing the ball in dangerous areas?

This article will analyse Brightons tactical approach to vertical play under Fabian Hürzeler.

Usually starting from a nominal 4-4-2 formation, Brighton adjust their shape dynamically.

The 4-4-2 offers the advantage of allowing short, simple movements to shift into various shapes depending on the opponent and the situation.

This season, Brighton have demonstrated a wide range of formations, including a 4-2-4 in build-up play against high pressing, a 4-1-2-3 with a focus on occupying the deep half-spaces, and a 4-2-2-2 with dropping strikers.

Against deeper opponents employing a mid-block, Brighton often transition to shapes like a 3-3-4, facilitated by the dropping of the defensive midfielder, or a 2-3-2-3 with inverted full-backs, among others.

It quickly becomes evident that Hürzeler’s tactical approach is no longer tied to specific formations but rather to the occupation of certain spaces and the players behaviour within these zones.

Fabian Hürzeler Overloads In Possession

This flexibility allows adaptation to the opponents press.

Depending on the required zone, specific areas can be overloaded to create challenges for the opposition.

Classic examples under Hürzeler are overloading the build-up line by dropping the defensive midfielder centrally against two pressing forwards, overloading the central area with inverted full-backs and a dropping striker, or overloading the opponents defensive line with an advancing central midfielder when the oppositions backline holds a high position.

When Ayari, for example, overloads the last line as a midfielder, he forces his marker into a dilemma: either allow an underload in the last line or leave more space in central areas.

Similarly, when the full-backs overload the centre, their opponents face the choice between creating an underload in the middle or leaving passing lanes open to the flanks.

The overloads force the opponent to adapt their pressing to Brightons game.

This alone gives Brighton an advantage in build-up play and contributes to their ability to resist pressure.

Moreover, overloads in advanced areas make it significantly easier to exploit gaps between defensive lines, given the numerical superiority in those zones.

Brighton frequently capitalises on this by playing line-breaking passes, often finding depth effectively.

However, these line-breaking passes must be carefully prepared, even when overloads are present.

Countermovements are particularly effective in creating openings in the opponents defensive structure.

Accordingly, this article will examine the typical patterns of counter-movements frequently employed by Brighton to create depth in possession.

Brighton Strikers Against High Pressing

In deep build-up play against high opposition pressing, Brighton generally operates in a flexible 4-2-4 structure.

The four attackers occupy the opponents last defensive line, creating significant space in midfield.

The wingers position themselves as wide and deep as possible to stretch the opposition and open passing lanes.

The attackers are then highly flexible in exploiting and attacking the spaces that emerge.

This flexibility is particularly evident in their movement patterns.

A common observation is the countermovement of Brightons two strikers.

The role of Danny Welbeck, who is both quick and physically strong, suits him well as a target man.

He often secures deep balls in one-on-one situations with his back to the defender, allowing him to lay off passes after bypassing one or more defensive lines.

When the opposition employs man-marking on the last line, both strikers often drop deeper simultaneously, creating space behind the centre-backs or numerical superiority in the centre.

The wingers can exploit these spaces by making diagonal runs or by creating numerical superiority in central areas.

This adjustment results in the previously mentioned 4-2-2-2 shape, with wide-positioned wingers and strikers operating deeper.

Another commonly used variation is overloading one side when in possession, with a wider centre-back in a three-man backline, by shifting both strikers to the ball-near side.

The dropping striker occupies the deep half-space, while the higher striker often positions himself slightly more centrally.

Here, too, the opponent is forced to rea