Head coach Fabian Hurzeler says the depth of Brighton & Hove Albion’s squad has given him the scope to make game-changing substitutions.
Georginio Rutter sealed a 2-0 win at Ipswich — and first victory in nine Premier League games — after coming off the bench as part of a triple change in the 63rd minute.
It was the sixth league goal scored by a Brighton substitute this season. Only Bournemouth (11) and Fulham (eight) have scored more goals with replacements. It also continued Hurzeler’s policy of making multiple substitutions in the second half of matches.
Hurzeler told The Athletic: “It’s important to have a squad that gives you these opportunities and these options. We have a big and very high potential squad. Today the squad was very offensive. We could change (things) quite well.
“It’s always important in life in general to make decisions and not to wait too long. Afterwards you can always reflect if your decision was wrong. It’s also part of our job. We get judged by making decisions. Sometimes we get compliments for it, sometimes we get criticised for it.
“For me it’s important to have the courage to make the decisions and not wait until something happens, because making the decisions with substitutions you can change the game.”
GO DEEPER
Evan Ferguson’s potential loan move: Could a Potter reunion be the answer?
Kaoru Mitoma became the Premier’s League’s join-top Japanese goalscorer on 14 goals alongside Shinji Okazaki by giving Hurzeler’s side a 59th minute lead. Rutter’s 81st minute clincher added to two goals scored by the Frenchman in Saturday’s 4-0 win at Norwich in the FA Cup.
Hurzeler said: “There were better performances in the last eight (league) games when we weren’t able to win. It was okay, a solid performance. It wasn’t the best performance from us, but in the end we won and this should give us self-confidence, the belief back. The win against Norwich in the FA Cup helped us, helped individual players. No matter if it is the FA Cup or the Premier League, all wins give you back this feeling.”
Brighton are back up to ninth in the Premier League table, leapfrogging Fulham and Brentford. They face another away game against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
GO DEEPER
Brighton have attempted the most dribbles in Europe – that isn’t a good thing
(MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
