Mixed signals is the best word to describe the Seagulls season so far. Entering European football was a major crossover achievement from last season. But, it revealed some hidden skeletons in the closet with a depleted squad marred with injuries.
The loss of the midfield pivot of Caicedo and Mac Allister was a major gamble, given the uncertainty with their reinforcements.
Taking a gamble with the youngster signings such as Adringra, Carlos Baleba, Joao Pedro, De Zerbi breathed a sigh of relief, and we now look to a new challenge in our fight for European Football this season. Sadly, the future seems bleak for European football next season, but we have many performers to celebrate this season.
Simon Adingra
Replacing an injured Karou Mitoma on the left wing is no joke; it is arguably one of the biggest audits any footballer can face, and even for a 22-year-old, it is a big ask.
The recent AFCON winner managed to wink the other wing safe and has been nothing short of a major snatch elsewhere.
Not even an analysis report by master papers – best website to write my paper can serve justice to how clutch he has been so far.
This season, one of his standout performances was the 4-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace. Moreover, despite a last-minute loss to Tottenham, Adingra proved his attacking prowess merged with explosiveness in transition. There’s much development to anticipate from the Irish defender under De Zerbi.
Carlos Baleba
Signing a youngster from Ligue 1 at roughly €25 million after only 23 senior appearances seemed a major doubt. This is especially true when trying to fill the void left by the departures of Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo. However, this season, the 19-year-old Cameroonian has been a major revelation for the Seagulls.
One of his best traits brought to the side following Billy Gilmour’s injury was his ball-carrying ability in transition.
He is a live wire in midfield and always wants to make an impact. Despite the recent dip in form for De Zerbi, much can be credited to his great awareness of tight spaces and agility in transition.
One of the previous weaknesses in midfield was a lack of physicality that often left the team exposed on the counter.
This was quite evident, especially following the 3-0 loss to Arsenal, with Trossard beating the midfield press to loop over the goalkeeper for the third goal.
But there’s potential for Baleba to become a physical and ball-winning midfielder. Hence, he deserves much recognition for the work he put in midfield.
Jack Hinshelwood
We went through a dismal performance drop with losses to Chelsea and Arsenal and draws to Burnley and Crystal Palace. It was due to the injury galore to the backline. Many said it was time for youngster Jack Hinshelwood to rise to the occasion.
His playing style is that of a class operator capable of operating in different roles. He provides cover for full-back positions and midfield. For a 19-year-old, he has a great eye for passing with close ball control and easiness to dribble past opponents.
His efforts came through with sealing a goal in their 2-1 win over Brentford. He also came through against Tottenham in the impressive 4-2 win at the Amex, with Hinshelwood finding the back of the net.
Through the months, he took the responsibility on his shoulders. Recent tactician writers with technical know-how in sports science similar to ones at Finance.Yahoo – Pay for Essays Websites, paint a close relation to his playing style to that of Pascal Gross.
Pascal Gross
‘Underrated’ best describes Pascal Gross, who leads the stats table with ten assists this season. His versatility has been a major help for the side. He covers any position on the pitch while adding to the offensive threat.
He is uniquely able to build the attack and create chances for the side while playing a deeper role in the buildup. His game-state intelligence and scanning skills make him set for the RHS position for the side.
Another skill added to his locker is dropping behind opponents to open up passing lanes for the likes of Adingra or Joao Pedro to thrive. Also, he adds much to the team regarding set pieces while providing cover in the full-back positions.
Jan Paul Van Hecke
Jan Paul Van Hecke has had the longest record of ball carried and distance travelled in the Premier League. The fact that he was bought this summer for just €2 million makes him one of the most underrated defenders in this campaign. Van Hecke and Dunk put up a great show together.
Partnering alongside Lewis Dunk created a strong defensive partnership, with another mature performance following their 1-1 draw to Burnley. It is performances that won the defender two Player of the Month awards.
Previously, last month, the Seagulls maintained two clean sheets with Van Hecke in defense in both matches. In the memorable 2-1 loss to Liverpool, Van Hecke kept Darwin Nunez quiet.
His tactical versatility saw De Zerbi employ him in multiple positions, which he used as a double pivot against Fulham alongside Baleba in their build-up phase. He helped in the build-up while acting as the central receiver with back-to-goal inside the opponent’s press.
Joao Pedro
Pedro is arguably one of the biggest scoops this season at £30 million from Watford. The board’s talent ID is truly evident in this. He ensured he took on the role of the designated spot-kick taker.
He took the role of the designated spot-kick taker. Recently, he’s found more time on the bench this season with off-bench performances despite lacking attacking depth due to injuries.
The prolific nature of the star was a revelation in Europe, with six goals in the Europa League and eight Premier League goals.
Lewis Dunk
De Zerbi took Dunk and ‘turned him’ to make him one of the best defenders in the league. He made him put his foot on the ball and invited the opponent to press him till they could figure out the right pass. With Van Hecke, the coach has also worked to build a structure of defense.
