Brighton and Hove Albion have a genuine chance of Champions League football next season, after a 4-0 thrashing over West Ham at the weekend – should they go on to win their remaining games in hand. Seriously, I can’t believe I just wrote that either.
Newly tied down, Moises Caicedo explained his will to carry Brighton to the heights of the major European competition too. Caicedo told the official club website:
“We are trying to get into the Champions League. That is the dream of all the team, to get to the highest point possible & bring happiness to the fans, who always support us”.
Albion boss, Roberto De Zerbi has previously echoed the same intention in recent weeks during Press Conferences. Incredibly exciting times for Brighton fans.
Roberto De Zerbi is known for going ‘bold’ in his first 6 months as Brighton's head coach, and before at Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk. The latest move is Jason Steele’s second start in the Premier League, dropping the previous number one, Robert Sanchez.
Steele has massively impressed during cup fixtures historically for Albion, including big penalty shoot-out saves; for example, against Newport in 2021, when he saved four (4) penalties in a single shoot-out.
It hasn’t been plain sailing for Jason Steele in his career. His stint at Sunderland will be looked back on with little joy, with fans remembering him as one of the ‘worst to represent the club’, and an infamous appearance on the Netflix series ‘Sunderland Till I Die’.
When Brighton signed the goalkeeper in 2018, it is safe to say most Brighton fans were far from happy with the deal – with even most Black Cats fans ‘thanking’ Brighton for taking him away from them. Steele has had a tough ride, but his strength is as true as his second name.
After the game, De Zerbi claimed in a quote via Andy Naylor from The Athletic:
“Jason [Steele] is now playing better than Robert, and he is closer than Robert to my style”. Steele was very impressive against West Ham, and probably somewhat of a surprise to some Albion fans over his distribution.
Tight, and brave passes; as well as some strong medium-range passes too. The technique displayed by the 32-year-old was composed, with no concern over his past traumas. Steele has been an incredible character off the pitch too, as most Albion players and staff so often reiterate.
Ironically, before the Hammers visited, VAVEL spoke to Roberto De Zerbi about Jason Steele’s impact off the pitch, and his chances on it. De Zerbi said:
“He is important like Lewis Dunk, Pascal Gross, [Adam] Lallana, Joel Veltman. He isn’t playing every game but is as important as Lewis Dunk and Pascal [Gross]. Joel Veltman for example, depending on the game and characteristics that I will need at right-back, I can decide whether I play him or not... but he is still as important, a very important player.
"Jason, you cannot play with two keepers you have to decide to play only one. I have two very good keepers, and I would like to give, I don’t know when, but the possibility for Jason to play. He deserves it because he has shown me that he is ready and at this level to play.”
De Zerbi continued to speak about the character and mentality of the team. A certain Italian manager, Claudio Ranieri, relied on a similar message with his title-winning Leicester. Albion’s Italian said:
“Ranieri is one of my points of reference. The atmosphere [in the squad] is always important, and not only in the Premier League or football. If the atmosphere is better, then you will always work better.”
The mindset shift in the squad has been evident in the club’s successes. Rather than ‘taking the positives’, it seems like the evergreen impact of ‘continuous improvement’ could be the key to the fundamental future successes of this modern football club.
Nice things happen to nice people, some might say, but nerves of Steele have grown Albion that extra piece stronger, ahead of an exciting 2023 finale.