Brighton and Hove Albion head coach Fabian Hürzeler said that his side may have to learn how to “win ugly” if they are to fulfil their potential.
Hürzeler said that Brighton may have to adapt their beautiful game if they are to change people’s perception of them as a “small” club.
Albion are eighth in the Premier League and due to host champions Manchester City tomorrow (Saturday 9 November) but Hürzeler knows that they could easily have been even higher in the table.
The Seagulls put on an impressive display against Liverpool last weekend and were ahead until the 70th minute at Anfield. They previously squandered a two-goal lead at home to Wolves in the dying stages.
Hürzeler said: “On the one side, I think we can be happy about the performances – how we play, the style of play, how we have developed.
“On the other side, when we look at the results, we could have more points. There we have to find a good balance between playing a good style of play and getting the results for the style of play.
“So, on the one side happy, on the other side there are still things we can improve, especially the game management, how to win the games, maybe in an ugly way, how to win the games in an efficient way.
“There we are still in a process. That’s what I have said from the beginning. There are positive and negative things.
“We try to build an environment here, an atmosphere where the players can improve, not only individually, also as a group.
“These things we talk a lot about nowadays, about tactical things, but in the end it’s also about managing a game the right way.”
Brighton qualified for Europe for the first time in their history in 2023, reaching the last 16 of the Europa League before losing to Roma.
Hurzeler has made no secret of his own ambitions for the club, saying: “I don’t want to be recognised or want to be seen as the small Brighton and Hove Albion.
“It’s more that we have a big potential in our squad. We have a great leadership in the club.
“We have great, great staff members. We have a good atmosphere, a good environment. In football it’s about achieving things and that’s why we shouldn’t hide. We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone.
“We should play with self-confidence and we should also put pressure on ourselves because in the end we want to achieve something and if we don’t achieve the victories in the games we have failed and that’s the truth.
“That’s why we have to also be hard on ourselves and demand the best from ourselves. These games, like City and Liverpool, are the best challenges for us.”
