Team Focus: Hyypia Facing Tough Times at Picked Apart Brighton

It is not only Southampton who have had their squad stripped this summer. Sixty-odd miles along the south coast, Brighton have been witness to another grim exodus. Last season ended dramatically and although outclassed by Derby County in the playoffs, there was a sense that, with a couple of summer additions, theirs was a squad which could sustain a promotion push this time round. After all, they were the league’s meanest defence.

But then, after a comprehensive second-leg defeat at Pride Park, Óscar García handed in his resignation. It was accepted by the board and three months later, eight of the starting side in the first leg against Derby, which they led for a time, are now at different clubs, albeit the goalscorer Jesse Lingard was on loan from Manchester United.

Matthew Upson, their player of the season, was released and subsequently went to Leicester. Their first-choice goalkeeper, Tomasz Kuszczack, a player who frequented the Champions League previously, was released and is still clubless. Three Spaniards – David López, Andrea Orlandi and David Rodríguez – were let go. Keith Andrews and Stephen Ward were important players last season but attempts to lure them following their loan deals proved fruitless. They have also lost Leonardo Ulloa to Leicester and, latterly, Will Buckley to Sunderland. Lest we forget Liam Bridcutt rejoined the Seagulls’ former manager Gus Poyet on Wearside in the middle of last season.

Now, Brighton are on the verge of crisis. The season has started poorly. The new manager, Sami Hyppia, dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen last season, has a tough job on his hands but two sub-standard performances do not bode well. The team is considerably weaker but, with £10.5m earned from sales, there should be some interesting movement by the close of the transfer window.

Should is the keyword, as Ulloa moved in mid-July – Leicester broke their transfer record by spending £8m on the Argentinian striker – and the player's departure was known in May. The in-tray thus far has not quite been enough to spurn excitement in Sussex.

Upson, though now injured for up to three months, was imperative to their impressive defensive record – shipping only 40 goals, three fewer than runaway champions Leicester  – while keeping 20 clean sheets. He had an average WhoScored rating of 7.18, the squad’s highest, and he has not been suitably replaced.

The back line were rock solid but they lacked thrust in attack at times, so Ulloa’s loss has left them even weaker. He topped the scoring charts with 14. The next best total was the five managed by Ashley Barnes and Andrew Crofts. A glimpse at Ulloa’s return from his first Premier League game on Saturday gives a sense of what Brighton will now miss: three attempts, two on target with one finding the net.

If last season they cherished possession, they ceded a larger share on the opening day at home to Sheffield Wednesday and, crucially, manufactured 11 attempts but only registered three on target. They had 59% of the ball against Birmingham on Saturday but their passing was too lateral. Seven of their 13 attempts came from set pieces – only three hit the target. The continuation of such profligacy will leave them at a point of desperation.

Chris O’Grady, signed from Barnsley, scored 15 last season as the Tykes were relegated but needs to settle into his new role quickly if he is to be a suitable replacement.

Buckley’s move to Sunderland last week compounded matters further. He appeared as a substitute against Wednesday but they are losing a real creative force, despite the 24-year-old’s campaign last year being disrupted by hamstring injuries.

Such expansive gaps in the armoury places a lot of pressure on the likes of Rohan Ince, a midfielder with the ability to develop into an outstanding performer, to make up the shortfall but there is also an onus on Hyppia and the board to refuel a squad heading for empty. That is easier said than done when Ward, who was on loan at the Amex from Wolves, was about to sign permanently last week before doing a U-turn on the M40 and heading to Burnley.

Although, if it is any consolation to Brighton supporters, they lost their first two games last season too. The remainder of August will be intriguing.

Do you think Brighton can turn things around this season? Let us know in the comments below