Sussex

Brighton will look to lure Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich Town if manager Roberto de Zerbi leaves the club at the end of the season. (Guardian), external

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Brighton's annual fans' forum is a fabulous opportunity for supporters to highlight concerns or express their opinions.

On Tuesday, it allowed manager Roberto de Zerbi and chief executive Paul Barber to reflect on what has been a momentous season, the first in the club's history to include European football, but is ending disappointingly, with just six points from the past nine Premier League games.

Barber has not given up on a top-10 finish and the Seagulls still have three home games left.

However, one stands out.

Chelsea have raided Brighton so often over the past couple of years. BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor, hosting the forum, speculated Chelsea might even try to buy Sussex Police for the fixture.

Certainly there is likely to be an edge to the game at Amex Stadium on 15 May.

"Please beat Chelsea," said one fan. "I really want to beat them."

Image source, Getty Images

Jordan Campbell of The Athletic says Roberto de Zerbi "has been huge" for Billy Gilmour's development since his switch from Chelsea in September 2022.

The Scotland midfielder joined Brighton after bring told he was not in then-Blues boss Thomas Tuchel's plans, following an injury-hit season on loan at Norwich City.

"He has done so well to navigate his career," Campbell told the Scottish Football Podcast.

"You have seen Gilmour transform his body. He looks like a Premier League athlete now and there is no question any more around whether he just relies on his brain and his great technical ability. He can get around the pitch and he is really robust."

The 22-year-old has started 26 Premier League games this season and has become a key member of the Seagulls' midfield.

"De Zerbi has been huge for Gilmour in terms of having that responsibility to be the main playmaker and take the ball under pressure at the very highest level," Campbell added.

"When you talk about coaches in world football, there are not many who have got a more distinct style of play. If you were to pair Gilmour with any manager, it would be him because it is all about sharp combinations."

Listen to the Scottish Football Podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Referees' chief Howard Webb has explained the decision not to award Brighton a penalty against Brentford during their 0-0 draw in the Premier League on 3 April.

A corner was delivered into the Bees' box and a tussle ensued between Seagulls defender Lewis Dunk and Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, before the Brighton player went down appealing for a penalty.

Initially referee Andy Madley waved the appeals away, before the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened and recommended he review the incident.

Having looked back at the full attacking sequence, he decided to stick with his on-field decision of 'no penalty', deeming Dunk to have fouled Wissa first.

Speaking on Sky Sports' Mic'd Up programme, Webb said: "It's an unusual situation. I think some people thought that the referee went to the screen and just rejected it, thinking it wasn't a penalty when the VAR did. That's not what happened.

"On every situation we check the attacking phase of play before a penalty kick or a goal, for example. And when the VAR checks the attacking phase, he can see a clear offence by Dunk on Wissa before the penalty offence.

"So the VAR then sends the referee to the screen to have a look at the full sequence, because the referee makes the final judgement on all aspects.

"The referee has gone to the screen to have a look at a full sequence and can also make a judgement on the first part of it, which is the reason why the penalty isn't given."

Image source, Getty Images

The 2023-24 season has been landmark for Brighton, featuring Albion's first European campaign and generally spent in the top half of the Premier League before dropping off in recent weeks.

At a special fans' forum hosted by BBC Radio Sussex, boss Roberto de Zerbi and chief executive Paul Barber explored what next year might look like.

De Zerbi: "The target of my club is not my business.

"In my head, we can push more than the target of the club. I push this in the dressing room with the players.

"I want to respect everyone in front of me, and the target has to be clear. We have to have the chance to reach the target. If I don't believe [in] it, then I will say the truth."

Paul Barber added: "We want to be back in European football. Everyone enjoyed it so much on and off the pitch. We want to try and do whatever we can to give Roberto the tools he needs to help us do that again.

"That's not easy because other clubs around us are improving, but it will be our aim to be back in Europe as quickly as we can. That will be from this moment forward.

"We keep planning and working towards that."

Listen to the full event on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Question: What is the logic behind our goalkeeper rotation? And will it continue in coming seasons?

De Zerbi said: I do not know about next season as things can change.

This season we have two great goalkeepers. Bart Verbruggen has the potential to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the next few years and Jason Steele was crucial last season for reaching the Europa League.

They have different characteristics and they both play well. Maybe you might prefer one but at this moment they are at the same level.

Image source, Getty Images

Albion fans have been asking boss Roberto de Zerbi and deputy chairman Paul Barber about the club's future prospects following as a landmark season nears its close.

Question: "There is a lot of speculation about you and your future at the club, so I just wonder how that has impacted your motivation and the team's?"

De Zerbi: "I am not working just for a career. I am working to wake up in the morning happy and if I will be happy like that in the future with Brighton, then there is not one team who can take me.

"But if I am not happy or feel the motivation to work like the last two seasons then I will change because I am not giving my best.

"If I am giving my best then I can push the players."

Listen to the full fans' forum on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a difficult end to the season for Albion with only one win in their past 11 Premier League games.

Fan question: After investing in the squad in the summer, do you think we will see a return to the style of play we saw in your first season at Brighton?

De Zerbi: "The style of play depends on the characteristics of the players.

Playing with [Kaoru] Mitoma and [Solly] March is different to playing with [Simon] Adingra on the right. If we play with Adingra as right-winger and Tariq Lamptey at right-back, you don't see overlapping. If March plays right-winger, it's different.

"For the same reason, we played without [Pervis] Estupinan at left-back. Estupinan was permitted to play in build up last season, in a different way than in the last four or five months. We have played a lot of games with three defenders at the back.

"I think we have improved in controlling games, especially in the first half of the season when we played Igor[Julio] , [Lewis] Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke at the back.

"I love to put my players in the best position for them. The most important thing is that the players are comfortable on the pitch and not to start from my ideas."

Image source, Getty Images

On Tuesday, BBC Radio Sussex's Johnny Cantor hosted a fans' forum with head coach Roberto de Zerbi and deputy chairman Paul Barber.

Over the course of Wednesday morning, we will give you the highlights from an entertaining evening at Amex Stadium.

Listen to the whole episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Brighton & Hove Albion FC

Brighton have appointed Professor Doctor Florian Pfab as the club's new head of medicine and Doctor Gary Walker as the new head of performance.

Pfab joins from Eintracht Frankfurt, where he has spent five seasons, and is highly regarded for ensuring the club has been one of the teams with the fewest muscle injuries in the Bundesliga in recent years.

Walker joins from FC Cincinnati in the Major League Soccer and has previously spent 10 years at Manchester United as head of strength and conditioning before becoming their men's first-team fitness coach.

It has been a difficult season for Brighton, as injuries to key players in an already small squad has dented their hopes of a top-eight finish.

Roberto de Zerbi has been without the likes of Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan whilst also competing in Europe for the first time in their history.

Technical director David Weir said: "Both have excellent experience in their respective professional fields, and what has been clear in the recruitment process is that they share our vision of the performance environment for our men's and women's staff and players.

"We have developed a world-class training facility and our aim is to give our men's and women's first-team, and academy squads the best possible medical and sports science support."

Pfab is a replacement for Adam Brett, who left the Seagulls in December after nine years.

Both will take up their new roles in the summer before the 2024-25 season.

A number of clubs in Saudi Arabia are interested in Barcelona's 21-year-old Spain forward Ansu Fati, who is currently on loan at Brighton.(Sport - in Spanish), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column