Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler has said he is “not a fan” of the figures around Brentford’s dire away form as the Bees attempt to extend his side’s winless run to six matches.
Thomas Frank’s team have the worst record in the Premier League on the road in 2024/25, taking one point from eight matches.
“They don’t give you any guarantee to win the game,” Hurzeler said of Brentford’s away results. “We see this as an opportunity to get out of this circle of bad experiences.
“We need to try to play with more intensity and give the supporters a present. Improvement takes time – especially for this young squad. That’s why we have to be patient with them.”
Great to see Joel back out there. 👊🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/dDI9dRlnJ6
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 23, 2024
Brighton results: Hurzeler ‘responsible’
Albion took the lead but failed to win for the third time in five matches in their 1-1 draw at West Ham on Saturday, spurning a succession of chances.
Their 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on December 15 was part of a run of one victory in their last five home matches in all competitions.
“We have experts for the strikers, experts for the defenders,” said Hurzeler. “We try to improve the players with every training session.
“I’m responsible for the bad results. It’s my responsibility to help the players to get out of this situation. I see it as a privilege to work during the Christmas [period].”
Scoring your first #PL goal feels this good… 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zHAT5euV9p
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 22, 2024
Brighton vs Brentford: Visitors ‘strong’
Hurzeler said centre-back Adam Webster or winger Solly March could return from injury on the bench against their 12th-placed opponents, while he is hopeful that Mats Wieffer will not be troubled by an injury that saw him substitute during the second half at London Stadium.
He described Jan Paul van Hecke as a “warrior” after the centre-back played with a head bandage for much of the match following a painful aerial challenge.
Brentford suffered their first home defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 2-0 to fourth-placed Nottingham Forest. “They are really intense,” said Hurzeler.
“They focus on the things they can influence… they really take care of the small details. Against the big teams, they play with a back five, so let’s see if they come with that against us or a back four.
“They’re very flexible – a strong team with a very good coach, who have shown very good development [under Frank]. It’s a big challenge for us.”