The Brighton Back Three Question: How Hurzeler Sees His New-Look Defence
Every centre-half Brighton signed this summer arrived with the same line on his CV. Pascal Struijk, Michael Svoboda and Luka Vuskovic all excelled in a back three last season – Croatia even reshaped their defence to accommodate Vuskovic, a teenager. Add a head coach who made his name at St Pauli playing three at the back, and it is little wonder the Brighton back three question has followed Fabian Hurzeler around all pre-season.
With Jan Paul van Hecke sold to Tottenham and three new faces through the door, the shape of the Albion defence has become the tactical debate of the summer. Now Hurzeler has addressed it directly – at a BBC Radio Sussex fans forum, and in an interview with The Argus in Vienna – and his answer is more nuanced than a simple three or four.
Why the Brighton back three talk will not go away
The theory is seductive. All three newcomers thrived in that system, and supporters and media alike have noticed how naturally they would fit it. Hurzeler, though, has used his familiar shape in all three pre-season games so far, and told the fans forum he plans to continue with a back four. There is a practical wrinkle too: Albion have not yet had every centre-back available at the same time. Struijk sat out the last two friendlies, while Svoboda is still waiting for his first minutes in blue and white.
What Hurzeler told The Argus
Speaking in Vienna, the head coach stressed that flexibility, not ideology, will settle the question.
I think they all can also play as a back four. Of course, with my previous club I played a back three but, in general, we were very successful in the last two years with a back four.
Hurzeler was clear that any decision will start with the players rather than the whiteboard, warning that Brighton’s style takes time to absorb.
Let’s see how they get used to our style of play, because what I can already say now is our idea of playing football is not that easy and the players will get a lot of information. It won’t be that I will try to push my formation. You need to understand as a coach, how are the players, how can they play on the highest level? And that means that if it’s in a back three, then it might be a back three.
Competition, not confusion
Whichever shape wins out, the competition is real. Captain Lewis Dunk is joined by Igor Julio, Eiran Cashin and Olivier Boscagli among the established options, with the newcomers pushing them hard. That depth is exactly what looked missing when van Hecke’s departure was confirmed as part of the Albion’s summer rebuild, and it gives Hurzeler genuine cover for a campaign that adds European nights to the Premier League grind.
So the teenager Croatia reshaped for may yet anchor a three at the Amex – but only if the football demands it. Hurzeler’s message is that the system will bend to the players, not the other way round. With a Conference League play-off looming and Aston Villa due at the Amex for the Premier League opener, Albion fans will not have to wait long to find out which way he bends first.
