Brighton & Hove Albion coach Fabian Horzler says he is “not impressed” with the numbers surrounding Brentford's terrible away form, as the Bees attempt to extend his side's winless run to six games.
Thomas Frank's tally of one point from eight games on the road is the worst record in the Premier League in 2024/25 ahead of their visit to the Amex Stadium on Friday (7.30pm GMT).
“They don't give you any guarantee of winning the game,” Horzler said of Brentford's away results. “We see this as an opportunity to break out of this cycle of bad experiences.
“We need to try to play harder and give the fans a gift. Improvement takes time – especially for such a young team. That's why we have to be patient with them.”
Great to see Joel back there. 👊🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/dDI9dRlnJ6
– Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 23, 2024
Brighton results: Horzler “responsible”
Albion advanced but failed to win for the third time in five matches during their 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday, wasting a series of chances.
Their 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on 15 December was part of a run of one win in their last five home matches in all competitions.
“We have experts for attackers and experts for defenders,” Horzler said. “We try to improve the players in every training session.
“I am responsible for the bad results. It is my responsibility to help the players get out of this situation. I consider it an honor to work during the Christmas period.
Score your first goal #PL The goal looks good… 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zHAT5euV9p
– Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 22, 2024
Brighton vs Brentford: The visitors are “strong”
Centre-back Adam Webster or winger Solly March could return from injury on the bench against their 12th-placed rivals, while Horzler will hope midfielder Mats Wever does not suffer the injury that saw him come off the bench during the second half at the London Stadium.
Horzler described Jan-Paul van Hecke as a “warrior” after the centre-back played with his head bandaged for most of the match following a bruising aerial challenge.
Brentford suffered their first home defeat this season last Saturday, losing 2-0 to fourth-place Nottingham Forest. “They're really intense,” Horzler said.
“They focus on the things they can influence… They really care about the little details. Against the big teams, they play with five players in the back line, so let's see if they come like that against us or with four players in the back line.
“They are very resilient – a strong team with a very good coach, who has shown very good development (under Frank).” “It's a big challenge for us.”
