‘He’s too hard to handle” , “We did not have’ – Fabian Hurzeler says where things went badly wrong for Brighton at Chelsea
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler reflected on his team’s first defeat of the season, pointing out where things went wrong after their 4-2 loss to Chelsea.
Cole Palmer was the star of the match, scoring four goals and missing out on a few more opportunities as Chelsea dominated Brighton in the first half at Stamford Bridge.
Brighton’s decision to play a high defensive line backfired, as Chelsea repeatedly exploited the gaps and could have made the score even more one-sided.
Despite the heavy pressure, Brighton did manage to score two first-half goals, including the opener by Georginio Rutter. They also steadied themselves in the second half, preventing further damage.
Speaking to the BBC, Hurzeler said, “It’s a process, and we need better on-pitch connections, which we lacked today. As head coach, it’s my responsibility to fix that.”
Reflecting on the first half, he admitted: “We couldn’t turn things around once it started. We were disappointed to concede so many, but there were positives. We tried to create chances, but Chelsea defended well.”
Hurzeler also noted that luck wasn’t on their side: “It just wasn’t our day, and we deserved the loss. We’re in this together—winning and losing. We need to find a balance and not lose our structure as quickly as we did. There are lessons for all of us, myself included.”
He also praised Cole Palmer, saying, “There aren’t many players like him in the Premier League—he’s special.”
