How Graham Potter Plays Football

[A THREAD]

Brighton is easily one of the most attractive sides in the PL. Despite using a conservative Back three, Graham Potter plays one of the most unique footballing styles the PL has seen, and he does so with mediocre players too.

Their style is essentially a hybrid of Dutch Flexibility and English Physicality. Very, very progressive football.

They have old school CBs like Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, but polish their side with flexible, creative, versatile players like Ben White, Solly March, Tariq Lamptey, and Yves Bissouma.

The versatility of White isn't to be questioned, so is the quality of Bissouma and Lamptey

Ben White has played as a Right Wing Back, Ball playing Centre Back, and even as a Holding Midfielder, underlying his intelligence and skill, his skill when he is coached by Potter. Versatile, as Dutch Players, and strong, like Englishmen

What a talent that young man is honestly

Bissouma is a versatile ball recycler, whose role is to press, release space, and create numerical advantages defensively. He isn't exactly a CDM but has defensive duties too.

His role is less creative and more progressive. Leaving space occupied, not opening space

Solly March is essentially a wingback, capable of drifting inside, overloading the midfield, and opening up space. Not as versatile as White or Bissouma, the Brighton Wingback's intelligence and technical skill makes him a useful asset in Potter's Albion

Their style of play is highly compared to a Dutch Total Football side.

Potter uses a 3-5-2, involving to Central Strikers who drift wide and/or drop deep, capable of holding the ball and opening up space up front, so their midfield players can advance too.

The midfield is crucial as the midfielders occupy space and allow the wingbacks to cut inside

Each CDM (Potter uses 1-2) are disciplined, sitting back to press out wide and recycle attacks, dribbling past the opposition press. Bissouma did this vs Liverpool, killing Gegenpress

Now, the striker combination decides the passing they use.

Connolly has pace and utilizes throughballs, while Trossard and Maupay like short balls, they come short, and carry the ball wide, the other slips between opposition centrehalves and try to create a tap-in

Keep in mind, Brighton is still an English Side. Apart from White, their centrebacks are old school. Strong, tough tacklers who just get to the ball.

Potter is smart enough to know he can't rely on intelligent CBs alone in a league where Burnley and Sheffield United exists.

They attack setpieces ruthlessly too, due to their height and good setpiece taking... this is still an English side after all.

But, another good news for Potter, their side doesn't rely on possession or space alone, rather, a combination of both...

Potter doesn't rely too badly on a certain tactic like Pep with his rapid movement, Mou with his Counters, Klopp with his Gegenpressing.

Potter adapts and smartly so, knowing his players are mediocre, according to the opposition. He knows when to play the pressing game, to counter attack, to cut oppositions with through balls, or to slowly progress, as long as they open up midfield holes in the build-up.

This is why, Brighton is easily one of the most attractive and intelligent side in the Premier League.

RT and likes appreciated. Also, IFB