'This trend' - Brighton boss gives very honest verdict on Arsenal's set-piece style
Arsenal vs Brighton in the Carabao Cup from the Emirates Stadium - Wednesday, 7.45pm
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzler insists his players will be ready to face Arsenal’s set-piece threat when they go head to head in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
The Gunners have impressed with their set-piece tactics this season, especially from corners, as they sit top of the Premier League and with a 100 per cent record in Europe.
Hurzeler knows his players must stand up to whatever comes their way at the end at the Emirates Stadium.
“When we look at Arsenal they are one of the first teams in the league who had like a set-piece coach and they have worked now on these topics for several months for over a year,” the Brighton boss told a press conference.
“You see now the results of all this work, so I think it’s getting more important these set-pieces in the Premier League, so we have to be ready.”
Hurzler added: “When you look at how many Premier League coaches hired set-piece coaches then I think it is just like the natural progress that it is getting more and more important.
“I think it is a big trend. I don’t know how long it will be this trend, when the Premier League teams are able to adapt to the set-pieces from different teams, but at the moment it is a big part, so you have to trust and have to adapt.”
When Hurzeler was asked if he would sign a player because of a long throw. The German added: “It's important to understand which profile you have.
“What style of play you have, what are you standing as a club. So I think it's very important because you can't jump on a train where you're not identified with.
“If you are more a team who tries to control the ball, who tries to put their style of play, of having possession, of trying to find solutions against the high block, against the low block, then I think you have to stick to it.
“Long term you have to be convinced of your identity.
“Brentford are doing it quite effective, but there might be a point where the teams adapt and adjust.
“Brighton is always known for getting young players in with a lot of potential.
“How do you develop them? Do you develop them if you only play long throw-ins, corners, and free kicks?
“I'm not sure, so you develop them and make them better if they have to find solutions in narrow spaces, if they have to find solutions in a low block, if you try to work with them in one-to-one training sessions, then you make them better, and that's the way from Brighton.”
Brighton team news
Brighton will be without veteran midfielder James Milner because of a minor muscular injury, while Kaoru Mitoma, Brajan Gruda, Jack Hinshelwood and Joel Veltman all continue their own recoveries.