Hurzeler lauds Brighton comeback after finding missing confidence

Fabian Hurzeler insisted Brighton will always have setbacks as the German revelled in his side finding their “missing” confidence after Sunday’s comeback victory over Tottenham.

Brighton were outclassed in the first half at the Amex Stadium as Brennan Johnson and James Maddison sent Spurs deservedly leading 2-0 into half-time.

Hurzeler’s high line was once again punished at will by the visitors in that opening period, though Yankuba Minteh’s blasted finish shortly after the break offered the home side hope.

Georginio Rutter swiftly followed Minteh’s strike up with a fine goal of his own, before the former Leeds United man played a key part in the winner as his deflected cross found Danny Welbeck.

Questions appeared to be mounting on Hurzeler after a four-game winless run, though the 31-year-old silenced some of those doubts with this 3-2 comeback triumph.

“In the process, it is normal to have bad performances as the process is not linear, it’s up-and-down, you have to accept these downs,” the Brighton boss told Sky Sports after the game.

“You have to focus on your own quality and that is what I said to the team: focus on the process. That is how you react to bad performances.”

When pressed on the confidence lacking in his team after their recent struggles, he added: “I think a little bit was missing. Being ruthless is the most important.

“In the duels we were not ruthless and if you win the personal duels and get the ball into the opponent’s half you get self-confidence, that was the biggest change.

“I always say ‘we have enough quality to always score’ [but] it is always important to learn from the first half.”

FT: WHAT A WIN FOR THE ALBION!

[3-2] #BHAFC // #BHATOT pic.twitter.com/CFNTQNFOiX

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024

Rutter has now scored in back-to-back Premier League appearances, also netting against Chelsea, having failed to score in any of his first 15 outings in the competition across his spell with Leeds and now Brighton.

His individual exploits proved the difference in the second half, though the Frenchman insisted Brighton’s comeback was more about battling than tactics.

“We are happy and stayed together like the coach said ‘we have to believe’. That is what we do. We have three points so we’re happy,” Rutter said.

“What we said at half-time was ‘it’s not about tactics, it’s about fighting’.”

LOVE THIS TEAM! pic.twitter.com/LuGFdm7Vkn

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) October 6, 2024

Welbeck scored his 27th Premier League goal for Brighton here, too, though it was just his second winning goal for the Seagulls, also netting what proved to be the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Leicester City in September 2021.

The veteran attacker, who could have scored another in the first half from Kauro Mitoma’s cross, echoed a similar sentiment to Rutter.

“In the first half we were bitterly disappointed and frustrated, the performance we put in was embarrassing,” Welbeck said. “Nothing we want to be part of, but we showed our character.

“The attitude was right in the second half we came out and fought. We have got to give credit to the senior boys who are not on the pitch the likes, of Steely [Jason Steele] and Milner [James Milner], they told us the bare minimum is we’ve got to fight. Everyone is together in this.

“We want to be challenging the establishment like the management touched upon.”