Brighton fans are not only preparing themselves for the start of the new Premier League season, but they are also dreaming of the upcoming trips across Europe to take on some of the top teams on the continent. It is a sign of how far the south coast club has come in recent years and a testament to how the club has been run as a whole. The Seagulls is one of the best-run clubs in English football and they are now ready to reap the rewards in 2023/24.
Rise To The Top Table Of English Football
Brighton's rise to the upper echelons of the Premier League has been a slow process, but many other so-called 'smaller clubs' could do worse than follow their example. After last season's sixth-place finish, it is no surprise that they are a +450 chance for those having a football bet on a top-four finish this year.
Along with the likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa, Brighton is now considered to be one of the best of the rest in English football, with -137.5 favorites, Man City, Arsenal (+500), and Liverpool (+600), and other top teams ahead of them in the latest Premier League odds.
Playing on four fronts this season will be a test for a team that has seen some of their top talents leave the club over the summer, but Brighton has shown that they have been able to unearth some gems as replacements in the past, something they are likely to do again before the transfer window shuts.
Potter's Legacy To de Zerbi Ball
Brighton's fans will never forget the heroics of former manager, Graham Potter, as a catalyst to the beginning of the good times at the Amex Stadium. The English manager was somewhat unknown when he became manager in 2019, but he quickly endeared himself to supporters as he kept the club in the Premier League in his first two seasons.
Potter's greatest achievement came when he guided Brighton to a ninth-place finish in the 21/22 season, before leaving the club to take the reigns at Chelsea, a move that would end up being a nightmare for the young English coach.
After a rigorous managerial search by Brighton's owners, the Italian Roberto de Zerbi was eventually given the job in September 2022. It was an extremely clever decision from the Brighton hierarchy, as Acerbi would continue the same systems of Potter in his early days, rather than ripping up the script and starting again with his own style of football.
Having quickly come to terms with the rigors of Premier League football, de Zerbi would eventually stamp his own style on the team, a high-pressing, short-passing style that has come to be known as 'de Zerbi ball'.
What Is In Store in 2023/24?
Acerbi's style of football has garnered not only plaudits from Brighton fans but also from some of the biggest names in world football. A European adventure should be cherished by the club as a whole, but with the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle, and the likely return to form of Tottenham and Chelsea, European qualification next season might just be out of reach for the Seagulls.
Whatever happens in the Premier League campaign, Brighton's fans are in for a fabulous European adventure, and as we seen with West Ham's success last season, who's to say that de Zerbi and co won't bring home a trophy?