Tony Bloom explains Fabian Hurzeler’s big Brighton problem after stunning start

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom believes Fabian Hurzeler is about to face some extremely difficult selection decisions as the club’s injured players return to action.

It is a problem most Premier League managers would happily accept.

Brighton have built a large squad to handle the Premier League, Conference League and domestic cup competitions, and their depth is already paying off.

Albion recently came from 2-0 down at Manchester United to progress in the Carabao Cup before beating Premier League champions Arsenal 3-0 just three days later.

That impressive run has left Brighton third in the Premier League ahead of their trip to Sunderland on October 10.

Remarkably, they have achieved it while several important players have been unavailable.

Jack Hinshelwood, Mats Wieffer, Georginio, Yankuba Minteh, Stefanos Tzimas and Kaoru Mitoma have all been dealing with injuries.

Some are expected to return following the international break, creating serious competition for places.

Hurzeler will consequently have decisions to make throughout his team.

Does Mitoma immediately return if Maxim De Cuyper is performing? Does Minteh replace Diego Gomez? And what happens to Malick Yalcouye after his impressive performances in Hinshelwood’s No.10 role?

Chema Andres, Femi Azeez, Pascal Struijk, Jaouen Hadjam, Promise David and Michal Svoboda are also competing for opportunities, while Evan Ferguson and Matt O’Riley provide further options.

Even selecting Brighton’s matchday squad could become difficult when everyone is available.

Bloom says Brighton deliberately strengthened their numbers after experiencing a significant injury problem in August.

“The reason is that during the month of August we had 10 injuries, and knowing that we've got Europe as well,” Bloom told the Albion Unlimited podcast.

“We just needed to make sure we had enough numbers.”

That approach means Hurzeler could soon move from having numerous players unavailable to having more options than he can realistically accommodate.

“When everyone gets back, if they're all fit at the same time, then Fabian's got some really difficult decisions to be made,” Bloom added.

“But he will much prefer that situation.”

Brighton have experienced the challenges of combining European and domestic football before. Squad depth became an issue during their Europa League campaign three seasons ago, and the club appear determined to avoid a repeat.

The challenge for Hurzeler is now managing minutes, maintaining fitness and keeping a large group of ambitious players involved.

January could therefore become significant for anyone struggling for regular football.

Brighton return to Premier League action away at Sunderland on October 10, and Hurzeler could have more players available following the international break.

The immediate challenge will be deciding whether returning stars should regain their positions or whether those who have performed during their absence deserve to remain in the team.

European football should provide Hurzeler with opportunities to rotate, but keeping such a deep squad satisfied across an entire season will require careful management.

January could provide the next major test. If some senior players find themselves consistently outside the starting XI or matchday squad, Brighton may have decisions to make over loans or permanent departures.

For now, though, Bloom appears comfortable with the dilemma. Brighton wanted enough depth to compete on several fronts, and Hurzeler now has the task of making that depth work.