Ian Hart: Brighton and Hove Albion's season could yet turn into greatest one we've known

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Apologies readers, but it’s a classic quote, which I’ve used before, but as the Albion reach the halfway stage of their 24/25 Premier League season, the classic words from ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ by Sir Charles Dickens are apt.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” That sums up the 19 games of the campaign succinctly.

It was never going to be a run of the mill season, whatever happened, the Albion had dispensed with the services of former boss Roberto De Zerbi at the end of last season, and despite an apparent and frankly distasteful flirtation with Graham Potter, rocked the football world and appointed 31=year-old rookie German manager Fabian Hurzeler, whose previous experience had been with St Pauli in the Bundesliga 2.

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Many felt De Zerbi was a little hard done by, but he made the mistake that many of us still do - talking when he should actually be listening, compounded by the fact he usually had a camera or microphone in front of him.

Brighton - under head coach Fabian Hurzeler - have had an up-and-down first half of the seasonBrighton - under head coach Fabian Hurzeler - have had an up-and-down first half of the season
Brighton - under head coach Fabian Hurzeler - have had an up-and-down first half of the season

It transpired that aside from his at times unwise public criticism of his boss Tony Bloom, his tunnel vision of the signing of Mahmoud Dahoud and Ansu Fati, the latter only on loan from Barcelona, reported to be at that the time the most expensive player wages wise in the club’s history, didn’t go well.

Both moves were unmitigated disasters, yet in De Zerbi’s world despite championing both players when it went wrong, he didn’t seem to take responsibility.

Hurzeler arrived at the Amex with a different footballing DNA, at least when it came to attitude and apparent media awareness.

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Many had said from the outset, me included in this column, that given the nature of Bloom’s gamble, it was going to be all or nothing. Hurzeler’s arrival and a club record spend of £198 million in the transfer window meant the Albion would either hit the ground running or crash and burn fairly early.

But Fabian has so far almost turned the Albion into football’s version of Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you truly don’t know what you’re going to get.

Nneteen games, wins against City, United, Everton, Spurs, Newcastle and Bournemouth respectively, the best 45 minutes at Liverpool I’ve ever seen an Albion team play despite going on to lose, another three defeats.

But the most telling stat, other than the home capitulation the other week against Palace, which will hurt until we beat them again, is the nine draws, four of them coming against the bottom four, and three of those at the Amex.

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Those ‘lost’ eight points would put Hurzeler’s men fourth, potentially above Chelsea, rather than the 10th they now occupy.

But you cannot live life, or a football season for that matter, through a rear-view mirror. Now on 27, the Albion are only three points off 7th place and European qualification. With 19 games and 57 points to play for, my Albion cup is still very much half full.

The inconsistencies and shortfalls of the first half of the season can and, I’m sure, will be rectified, but whether that will involve more expenditure in the transfer market, only Bloom and recruitment team know.

My own hope for the second half of the season is we give the FA Cup a real go, putting out a strong side in every round, starting at Norwich next weekend.

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If the Albion can find the degree of consistency the talent pool in the squad is clearly capable of, then this could yet be the greatest season in the club’s history.

At the FA Cup reunion dinner at the Amex nearly two years ago, Tony Bloom promised the fans a trophy ‘soon’, could it be getting closer?

Happy New Year!

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