"When you look at Brighton, you must never think they're weak, because they can beat you at any moment."
"But you also must never think they're especially strong, because they can lose to anyone at any time. That's exactly why Brighton are tenth in the league this season."
"Every time I think they're about to lose, Brighton end up taking all three points. But whenever I think Brighton are going to win, they throw those three points away."
"That may have something to do with their inconsistent level, or it may be related to the unstable form of the players on their bench."
"But they've reached the FA Cup final this season, and that at least gives them a chance to fight for a trophy. Considering Brighton's recent investment, simply being able to compete for a title is already very difficult."
On May 26, in the FA Cup final, Brighton faced Liverpool.
Scholes looked over Brighton's results from their recent FA Cup matches and felt like laughing. Beside him, Gullit had already started laughing.
"They only beat Fulham after taking it all the way to a penalty shootout, then knocked Arsenal out 1-0."
"After that, they took Burnley all the way to a penalty shootout before winning, and then knocked Manchester City out 1-0."
"That's exactly what Scholes just said. No one really knows whether Brighton can be considered a strong team right now. But under a manager who's good at possession play, their reputation has grown and grown, and more and more fans have started to like this team."
Potter, Brighton's current head coach, had attracted attention from plenty of clubs because of his managerial ability.
"If he can lead Brighton to the FA Cup title, there's a very good chance Potter will be managing a giant club next season. Brighton know they won't be able to keep him. Chelsea, Juventus, and plenty of other teams are interested in Potter."
The fans believed Liverpool would beat Brighton. But considering Brighton had beaten Arsenal and Manchester City in succession, both by narrow one-goal margins, many fans also felt Brighton might beat Liverpool 1-0 in the final.
"If they could edge Manchester City by one goal, then eliminate Arsenal by the same score, is there a chance they could beat Liverpool by that same score and win the trophy?"
"Brighton still have enough to put up a fight. The question is what tactics Liverpool will use to deal with the Seagulls."
"I used to be certain Klopp would attack, but now I can't read Klopp at all. Ever since Zubizarreta arrived, I have no idea what those three coaches are thinking every day."
The three coaches were currently in Liverpool's dressing room. Zubizarreta had an arm around Rodri, Krawietz had an arm around Wijnaldum, and Klopp had an arm around Robertson.
Yes, none of those three players would be starting.
"I'm telling you, even though you're on the bench for this final, once you get on, you'll catch Brighton completely off guard."
"That's right. We're letting you conserve your energy first. Once you come on, you have to make Brighton concede."
"I'm telling you, our tactics this time are something special. Just wait on the bench for now. At any moment, I might send you on to carry out the ultimate mission."
That was how Liverpool's three coaches were telling the three of them that they would not be starting this final.
Because Klopp was going to use a formation in this final that was more unprecedented than anything before, one he had never used in the past.
A few minutes later, Liverpool's starting lineup appeared on the broadcast.
Gullit and Scholes looked at Liverpool's lineup and began discussing it, but whether it was a 3-4-3, a 4-3-3, or some other conventional formation, Gullit could not accurately sort Liverpool's players into place.
"The front line led by Salah will definitely still be used the way it has been before, but what's the point of starting Shaqiri as well?"
"Van Dijk, Matip, and Lovren are all starting, and there are only two midfielders, Lin and Henderson. Since Gomez is starting, he should still be playing on the left side of midfield, just like before."
"So judging from that, either Salah or Shaqiri will be playing right wing-back."
Ashley Cole's analysis this time was something Gullit largely agreed with.
Inside the stadium packed with English fans, Brighton and Liverpool had already begun walking out.
With Zubizarreta clapping from the sideline, the match kicked off, and Potter immediately directed his players to pass the ball.
"Brighton's style now is possession play. In the past, people always said that teams without enough quality couldn't play possession football, but Potter has made Brighton execute that tactic very well."
"Liverpool's front line isn't pressing in the usual way. Firmino is close to Mané, while Shaqiri and Salah are pressing together. They have four forwards up front."
"Henderson is to Leo Lin's right, Gomez is to Leo Lin's left, with Matip and Van Dijk behind them. Lovren's position also looks a little strange."
"Henderson is sitting deeper, Leo Lin is closer to Gomez, and Lovren looks more like a sweeper. His position is very close to Alisson's."
"Liverpool look like a piece of chewing gum on the pitch, a piece of chewing gum stretched wide open."
Every time Shaqiri charged forward to press, it was as if one end of the chewing gum had been pulled out. And every time Lovren dropped deep, it was as if the other end had been stretched out too.
In the 13th minute.
Shaqiri's forward pressing run looked rather amusing. Leo Lin followed behind him, running while laughing, because Shaqiri was so muscular that when he pressed, he had to work hard to coordinate his body's pace and rhythm.
Liverpool's pressing was not about herding the opponent. It was more like a strip of rainbow candy being pulled out of someone's mouth, quickly circling around before wrapping up Brighton's defenders.
"This press is interesting."
"Mathew Ryan passes to Montoya. Bissouma receives it, then moves it on to Dunk."
"Brighton's possession play really does look very good right now."
Dunk received the ball and prepared to pass it to Bernardo, but Shaqiri appeared.
Dunk immediately changed the direction of his pass. He wanted to play it to Duffy instead, but Salah appeared as well.
With no other choice, Dunk could only look for Pröpper in the end. When he made the pass, he did not see any Liverpool player who could cut it out. But the moment the ball left his foot, Leo Lin, who had been following behind Shaqiri all along, completed the run and intercepted it.
"Leo Lin has cut out Dunk's pass."
"Liverpool's movement is outstanding. It's as if they know where Brighton are going to pass next."
After intercepting the ball, Leo Lin immediately pushed it into the middle.
Gomez received it and shifted it to Firmino.
Only then did Montoya realize that Firmino had somehow moved slightly ahead of him.
The moment Firmino received the ball, Montoya hurried forward to challenge, but Mané paused for an instant as if he were leaning right against Montoya's back, then burst away.
And moving with Mané's run was Firmino's pass.
Brighton's defensive line vanished.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (65 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.