Tactical Analysis: Nottingham Forest Vs Brighton
In their previous Premier League match, Nottingham Forest set forth their biggest win since 1997. As Chris Wood’s hattrick steals the show, kneel down Brighton 7-0 at the City Ground. Despite Brighton dominating possession with over 60 percent, Nottingham Forest’s superior ability to win back the ball at crucial moments and key areas of the pitch gives them the edge.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side made every possible mistake a team can make on a pitch last night. Concede from a penalty, own goal, set piece, and a minor error by a defensive midfielder, there is a variety of bloomers. On the other hand, Nuno Espírito Santo, following the 5-0 humiliation, made a tactical switch and altered his formation from 4-2-3-1 to 3-5-2. The absence of Ryan Yates forced the Portuguese manager to shift to Danilo. Generally, Yates and Anderson are the first choices for a pivotal pair of Forest. But against Brighton, Anderson was instructed to play higher off the pitch and do progressive carries at the half-spaces.
No Room For Brighton Wingers at The Flank
Minteh & Mitoma regularly exploit the wide space and ensure good crosses. Although yesterday they were tided, Ola Aina & Neco Williams. Minteh delivered 11 crosses, with only 2 finding their mark, while Mitoma struggled to provide any successful crosses. Brighton formed 4-1-4-1. Playing with only Pivot provides a numerical superiority in mid-channels, but there is a risk. Generally, Brighton relied on a pivot for build-up play rather than progressive passes. For this, their full-backs played an essential role in pushing the wingers. Wood and Elanga marked Hinshelwood brutally, and that impact built up.
How Nottingham Forest Avoid The Gegenpressing of Brighton
Recently, in the UEFA Champions League, we watched how Benfica faked Barcelona’s high pressings. Barcelona, usually known for their great recovery rate, taste a swish in terms of possession gain. Also, Tricky Trees did the same with Seagulls. Shifting the ball from one flank to another through the quick and accurate long balls made them untouchable. The Reds carried almost 52% accurate long balls.
When a team applies immediate pressure on the opposition after losing the ball, they must also have a fast transitional formation in place, especially if the ball is lost in the middle of the pitch. This ensures they can quickly recover and regain control. Although it’s not as easy as it sounds.
Brighton accepted all types of errors in the same match, which is more opprobrious. In the second half, Hurzeler made the decision to substitute Hinshelwood, bringing Matt O’Riley onto the pitch. However, O’Riley made a costly mistake. He was assigned to mark Antony Elanga, but as Morgan Gibbs-White advanced down the channel, O’Riley let Elanga slip away unmarked. After receiving the ball from Gibbs-White, Elanga laid it on a plate for Wood to finish. Conceding the seventh and final goal, it was another error by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen that highlighted the toll these errors have taken on the team’s morale. While Brighton have secured just 8 wins this season, sitting 10th in the table with 34 points, they have undeniably developed a distinct style of play. The question now, however, is whether having a clear identity on the field is more important than actually securing victories.
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