The demise of Brighton FC
Brighton have now lost four games on the bounce and descended down the league. Our fans and supporters elsewhere seek an explanation as at one stage we were challenging for a Europa League spot.
The simple explanation is that we over-achieved.
Even when we dominated games, we failed to translate this into goals. Against Newcastle on Saturday we went two goals down swiftly yet, after Lewis Dunk had reduced the lead, we generated a good deal of pressure but never looked like scoring.
Two departures have exacerbated our lack of a finisher.
The first is that of technical director Dan Ashworth.
You need a guy like this freeing up Graham Potter for training and organising the team for the next game.
Ashworth’s departure to Newcastle created a real loss.
The second was another departure to Newcastle: Dan Burn.
Dan came to us from Wigan towards the end of his career as defensive cover. However last season he established himself as an integral team member.
It meant that, with Dan in a three with Lewis Dunk and either Shane Duffy or Joel Veltman, the two full backs – Cucurella and Tariq Lamptey – could be released forward to great effect.
Getting £13 m for Burn was good business but now we do not look as secure at the back.
We probably have enough points to be safe but, if we lose Yves Bissouma as seems inevitable as he has indicated he wants a move, the squad is looking vulnerable next season.
