Football Season Guide

After surviving successfully in their first season back in the top flight Brighton were expectedly not left by any of their regular starters this summer, with coach Hughton making sure to turn the camp of the Seagulls into a happy place for pretty much everyone that is important. Not just that the gaffer is also rated to have had one of the best transfer activities of all 20 Premier League managers this summer and the arrivals of two new goalies to provide cover for the regular Ryan, three potential new starters in defence (Balogun, Montoya and Bernardo), seemingly key new inner midfielder in Bissouma, almost certain star winger like Jahanbakhsh that is known for his goal scoring abilities and two new centre forwards should definitely lift the quality of the displays. Also all these moves increase the squad’s depth in every area of the pitch. Just like last season Brighton seem likely to be using 4-4-1-1 as their main formation, but the fact that all of Gross, Knockaert and Jahanbakhsh are expected to be starting regularly behind the lone striker suggest that the Seagulls have the potential to cause problems in the final third. The trio are also very quick players and Brighton should look menacing on fast break. Coach Huhgton is also working hard on the set pieces in training and as all of his three main centre-backs Duffy, Dunk and Balogun are very tall players Brighton should carry serious threat from these situations too. Slight concern remains the absence of a proven goalscorer in the team, none of the five centre forwards is having particularly successful careers in terms of goals scored, which might see Jahanbakhsh used as a false nine at some stage of the season. The Iranian won the Golden Boot in Holland and he definitely knows how to find the back of the net when chances present.