Can Brighton keep up their great start to the season?

On Friday, 14.10.2022 the eleventh matchday of the Premier League starts with the match between Brentford FC and Brighton & Hove Albion. The visitors are slightly favoured in this duel and perhaps the underdog team of the hour. In the match between Brentford and Brighton, the betting odds are therefore more in the direction of the Seagulls. However, the departure of Graham Potter should not be ignored, so Brentford are by no means to be underestimated.

The hosts from London will be looking for revenge for the two duels in the previous season, but it is doubtful whether Thomas Frank’s team has found the right means to do so by now. From a purely tabular point of view, the two teams are in a similar region and yet the goals are clearly different.

The visitors are even dreaming of Europe after a decent pre-season. In the match between Brentford and Brighton, the odds are therefore quite far apart despite the similar table region. Especially as Brentford have the home advantage and should therefore have a twelfth man on the pitch.

Brentford FC have had major problems with opponents’ standards this season. The Bees have already conceded six headed goals, more than any other team in the Premier League. Especially against Brighton, this can be a big disadvantage, because the Seagulls are tall and very robust. Thomas Frank’s team will have to be particularly careful here. In the match between Brentford and Brighton, the betting on an away win seems to be very interesting due to the weaknesses of the hosts and the strengths of the visitors.

Brentford – Statistics & current form

Brentford FC are currently in eleventh place in the Premier League. In the first nine games, the Bees picked up ten points and can thus speak of a decent start to the season. It is only Brentford’s second season in the top flight, so the logical goal for the season is to stay in the league.

In the previous season, Thomas Frank’s team achieved this goal quite clearly, as at the end of the season the gap to the relegation places was nine points. This season, the performance density, especially in the lower segment, seems to be much greater and therefore every point counts for Brentford.

The offensive line around Ivan Toney

The hosts have been particularly good defensively, scoring 16 goals in their nine games so far. Only five teams score more goals than the Bees so far and that includes teams like Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle United. This is primarily down to Ivan Toney, who is Brentford’s top scorer with six goals and two assists. It is therefore no coincidence that the striker has even attracted the attention of national coach Gareth Southgate and has already been in the England national team squad.

Front yummy, back yucky

While things are going optimally on the offensive side, there are major problems on the defensive side. Brentford FC have already conceded 17 goals and only four teams have had to get the ball out of their own net more often. The defence was already the big problem last season and despite new players it seems to continue this season. In the summer, the club from London signed two experienced players, Ben Mee and Aaron Hickey, but so far they have not brought the desired success. The Bees conceded two or more goals in five games and that is just too much.

Predicted Brentford line-up:
Raya – Hickey, Ajer, Mee, Pinnock, Henry – Dasilva, Jensen, Baptiste – Mbeumo, Toney

Last matches played by Brentford:

Premier League
08/10/2022 – Newcastle 5 – 1 Brentford

01/10/2022 – Bournemouth 0 – 0 Brentford

18/09/2022 – Brentford 0 – 3 Arsenal FC

03/09/2022 – Brentford 5 – 2 Leeds

31/08/2022 – Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Brentford

Brighton – Statistics & current form

Brighton currently find themselves in seventh place in the Premier League. The Seagulls could collect four points more than Brentford FC. The start of the season has therefore been more than successful, as the team from Falmer is currently knocking on the door of the international places. This is certainly only a snapshot so early in the season, but there is no denying that Brighton have made a huge leap. Moreover, the team has already played three teams from the Big Six and picked up four points in the process.

Leandro Trossard – MVP against Liverpool

The 27-year-old Belgian is Brighton FC’s top scorer with five goals and one assist. Especially in the match against Liverpool FC he excelled himself and scored a hat-trick in the 3:3. Not only was he Man of the Match, but he also saved the Seagulls a point at Anfield Road. With his excellent performances in the Premier League, he also recommended himself for the Belgian national team and had a good chance of a place in the World Cup squad. He is one of the many high-flyers in the team and will certainly score a few more goals.

Stable in defence

Brighton have conceded just nine goals this season, making them one of the best defensive sides in the Premier League. Between Brentford and Brighton, the odds on under 2.5 goals are therefore not uninteresting either. No team has conceded fewer goals than the Seagulls and even Manchester City have conceded nine. In the first four games, goalkeeper Sanchez has only had to make one save. Brighton are compact and will allow very little against Brentford FC. The bookmakers’ prediction for the match between Brentford and Brighton is therefore more in the direction of an away win.

Predicted line-up of Brighton:
Sanchez – March, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Estupinian – Mac Allister, Caicedo, Trossard, Great – Welbeck

Last matches played by Brighton:

Premier League
08/10/2022 – Brighton 0 – 1 Tottenham

01/10/2022 – Liverpool FC 3 – 3 Brighton

04/09/2022 – Brighton 5 – 2 Leicester

31/08/2022 – Fulham 2 – 1 Brighton

27/08/2022 – Brighton 1 – 0 Leeds

Brentford – Brighton Direct Comparison / H2H Balance

The direct comparison between Brentford FC and Brighton FC goes easily to the hosts. The Bees won twelve of the 29 encounters, while the Seagulls could only win eleven games. Last season, however, the visitors won both duels and did not concede a single goal. Prior to those two matches, the two sides last met in the Championship in 2017, so those games are of limited significance. There was also a test match between the two clubs in the summer, which Brentford won 1-0. However, as it was only a friendly match, this match is also of little significance.

Brentford – Brighton Tip

In the match between Brentford and Brighton, the prediction clearly goes to a point win for the visitors. Brighton are in much better form and are also difficult to break down. Certainly Brentford have the means to score against the Seagulls, but only at the expense of their own defensive stability. But then, new coach De Zerbi’s team is strong enough to capitalise on those spaces and score goals as well. It is therefore hard to imagine the Bees holding their own with this defensive line against their upcoming opponents.

Key Facts – Brentford vs Brighton Tip

 – Brighton are unbeaten in three must-win games against Brentford.
 – Brentford are without a win in three Premier League games.
 – The visitors have lost only two of their last thirteen games in England’s top flight

In the match between Brentford and Brighton, the bet on the double chance for the visitors is priced at 1.42. The risk for this bet is quite low and those looking for slightly higher odds should take a closer look at the offer for an away win.