Fabian Hürzeler Under Pressure At Brighton: Should The Seagulls Stick Or Twist? | OneFootball

Fabian Hürzeler arrived at Brighton as their bold next chapter, a young coach to build on De Zerbi’s success and push the club forward. But with results turning sour this winter, the real question is whether his time is up, or if the Seagulls should give him more rope.

The slide that’s raising eyebrows

Brighton brought Hürzeler in to keep the momentum going, not just to hold position. Instead, they are mired in a tough run, with fans growing restless after a string of draws and defeats that have left them looking blunt in attack and vulnerable at the back.

That FA Cup loss at Anfield summed it up: promising spells gave way to being overrun on the counter, a pattern that has repeated too often. Teams once feared facing Brighton; now they seem content to sit back and wait for errors.

From model club to growing pains

Brighton’s reputation for smart, data driven recruitment made them the envy of many. Young talents bought low, developed, and sold high, all tied to a distinct playing style.

Lately, though, heavy spending has not yielded the same impact. The squad feels transitional, blending holdovers from past regimes with new arrivals still finding their feet. Hürzeler is trying to impose an energetic, direct approach, but gaps in the lineup are exposing them.

Compared to De Zerbi’s patient possession game, Hürzeler’s teams break faster and press higher. It can look dynamic, but when the press fails, the high line gets punished.

Tactical promise meets harsh reality

The stats highlight Brighton’s pressing intensity: they rank high for turnovers won in advanced areas. Yet concessions from transitions tell the other side of the story, with the defense often caught flat footed.

Liverpool exploited that perfectly in the cup, pulling Brighton’s backline apart before striking. It’s a high risk system that shines in rhythm but crumbles under pressure, especially when form dips.

Blame game: coach or bigger issues

Talk of Hürzeler’s future is bubbling up, with some questioning if a change is needed. Pundits point to the results, but context matters: injuries, form slumps, and a recruitment model that has lost some of its edge.

He could play it safer in key matches, dropping deeper to protect his center backs. But doubling down on his vision is what Brighton signed him for, a 32 year old with fresh ideas. De Zerbi faced similar scrutiny before it clicked. Early doubts often give way to stability once results turn.

For insight into the growing pressure on Hürzeler amid Brightons slump, see the Guardians take in Fabian Hürzeler running out of time to turn Brightons fortunes around.

Stick or twist

Pulling the trigger now risks unsettling a model that still has promise, especially if fans demand action amid the slump. Sticking with him means targeted backing: recruitment aligned to his style, not generic data picks.

Hürzeler insists he feels supported from above. The board must decide if they trust the long game, or if summer is the time for a rethink. For now, every poor result keeps the pressure on.

What next for the Seagulls

Ultimately, Brighton should stick if they believe in Hürzeler’s potential to evolve the project. A summer rebuild around his tactics could reignite things.

Twist too soon, and they undermine their own identity. This season tests whether the post De Zerbi era can match the hype, with Hürzeler at its core.