The “new in town” Roberto De Zerbi – How his Brighton Builds up from the back

Roberto De Zerbi is one of the most talented young coaches in Europe. His attractive, attacking football coaching style of play has gained thousands of followers. Here you can see how he prefers his Brighton to build the game from the back. Brighton is now one of the most attractive teams to watch in the premier league.

Who is Roberto De Zerbi?

Roberto De Zerbi, born 6 June 1979, is an Italian professional coach and former player who is the head coach of the Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

De Zerbi is an admirer of Guardiola and he studied him a lot. He analyzed the great Barcelona of 2008 – 2012 and Pep’s Bayer 2013 – 2016.

Bacary Sagna, the right-back who played under Guardiola at Manchester City before joining De Zerbi’s Benevento in 2017, compared the two coaches’ training sessions:

“Pep and De Zerbi’s training sessions are not so different: they ask for same kind of things,” he said. “I’m sure De Zerbi will join a top club very soon.”

De Zerbi has the same obsession, like Guardiola, which is to dominate and control the game through high ball possession. During his time in Sassuolo, his team had the second-highest possession statistic in Serie A in 2019-20 at about 59.5%.

He sets up in 4-3-3, sometimes configured as 4-2-3-1, and the wingers at the heart of his strategy. Ball-playing centre-backs and midfielders along with the goalkeeper’s help, are assigned to attract the press, and then play through it at speed. De Zerbi is described by players, and himself, as “a hammer” – constantly hammering away to find improvements, never allowing energy levels to drop.

Deeper build-up

De Zerbi wants his teams to use a shorter build-up from the goalkeeper and having his two center backs in close distance. This allows for safer passes among them but also a better reaction in closing the central space when the ball is lost. The double pivot is key to his teams’ deep build-up.

In static and in dynamic build up De Zerbi places the two defensive midfielders in deep positions in an attempt to attract the opposition high up the pitch . His side then looks to play short, further encouraging the opposition to press, before trying to play between the lines or around them using the deep full backs.

The goalkeeper acts as a third centre-back, a pressing relief, during this build-up, allowing the full-backs to push further forward. The deep position taken up by the double pivot creates space in the centre of the pitch for the centre-forward or 10 to receive, with the wingers placed high and wide to pin the opposing full-backs.

Basic Principles of De Zerbi during the build up

• Deep full backs  and defensive midfielders
• Create a 4 – 2 + GK at the back to overcome high pressing
• Use of GK as an extra player
• Use of the 3^rd man concept
• If there is a chance play the furthest man and run to support
• Attract pressure to play behind the 1^st line of pressure
• Play in one side to attract them and switch play

Check the book “How to train Positional Play – 15 exercises” for more drills