In the 20th round of the English Premier League, the match between Brighton and Arsenal ended in a 1-1 draw on January 5th. After the match, Brighton's manager Hülzeler gave an in-depth explanation of the match in an interview on Radio 5.
Hülzeler first expressed his disappointment with the team's performance: "Even though I've emphasized many times that we deserved to win, today's result is still frustrating for us. We lacked consistency in our performance, we struggled to keep the pressure on the opponents, and the high intensity in the second half did not last throughout the game. Our decision making in terms of seizing goal scoring opportunities also needs to be improved. We must pressurize ourselves, reflect deeply and realize that the result is our shared responsibility."
However, Hülzeler also saw positive progress in his team, "Arsenal didn't manage to create too many goal-scoring chances, and their goals were simply on target. This reflects the fact that there are still bright spots on the defensive side of our game, but the stability still needs to be strengthened so that we can win more games."
Speaking about the much talked about penalty call, Hülzeler was adamant: "It was clearly a penalty and the referee's decision was fair."
Speaking about João Pedro, the core player of the team, Hülzeler spoke extremely highly of him: "Even though he went through a challenging period, we always believed in his abilities. He is one of the leaders of the team, a core member of the leadership group. He showed his strength and leadership when he was asked to captain the team at a time when Dunk was injured. Not only did he score goals, but more importantly, he led this young team by example. He did an exemplary job with his defense, rebounding and quick return."
Looking ahead to the coming matches, Hülzeler emphasized the team's efforts, "We expect a further improvement in the team's form, for which we have to reach new heights both physically and mentally. This will require a concerted effort from all players and staff to get everything ready for the upcoming matches through hard training and preparation."
