‘Magic’, said Roberto De Zerbi at this week’s fans forum, when asked to summarise his time at Brighton in a single word ‘‘how many of you last season thought to reach the Europa League… and so the word is magic”.

For sure it’s been magical, but De Zerbi is doing himself a disservice associating his achievements with something illusory or unaccountable.

The sixth place finish, the European tour, topping the group of death, the incredible beautiful football – the amazing times we have shared together since RDZ’s arrival, everything can be logically and rationally accounted for.

It wasn’t clear if the question referred to this season or last, but the answer given could be applied to both.

Deep into the second season of his reign, and having to deal with an unprecedented injury crisis plus, arguably, the degradation of the squad at his disposal (in both quality and quantity), this current spell of poor results is the first sustained period of turbulence we have encountered.

In fact it could be argued that keeping the club within sight of a European place (until very recently), whilst steering us through a successful first season in Europe, is a greater achievement, all things considered, than 22/23’s sixth place.

The evening had begun with a gentle loosener to get things underway “what lessons could be learned, and what improvements could be made?” enquired Dave from Seaford or Paul from Haywards Heath or possibly Jane from Pulborough.

“Great until January, and then it has been very tough, very tough to accept,” replied De Zerbi. He was addressing a crowd of disciples in the plush corporate surroundings of the Mayo Wynn Baxter lounge, but that could perhaps have been aimed at the boardroom too.

Since his arrival in September of 2022, Roberto De Zerbi’s work has enabled the club of patient incremental growth to bypass the cluster of mid ranking outfits that collectively dream of Europe. The demure has become the brash arriviste, and our status and standing in the game has risen accordingly.

We currently sit in 82nd spot on UEFA's club coefficient league standings (one place above Newcastle) a table that numerous Premier League clubs would give their left and right hand to appear upon. Our stewards have worn UEFA’s luminous intendant bibs, Sussex Police have kettled French, Dutch, Greek and Italian football fans, and two of ours were given the traditional AS Roma meet greet and slash at 1.30am on Via Cavour, Central Rome. We have made it.

Paul Barber’s response to a similar question, “what’s the aim for next season, to try again for European football or mainly just a top ten finish?” was somewhat at odds with De Zerbi’s hedonism “maybe finish just a little bit lower so we could then finish a little bit higher again” he joked, but as the saying goes, beneath every joke lies a spark of truth.

Revealing that from January onwards things have been “very tough to accept” is fairly cryptic, but might it be fair to suggest that this was a reference to the injuries, and/or a lack of signings to help ease the situation he was being asked to deal with. “About the transfer market, I explained what we need. Not only full-back, we need, I think, in three, four positions” he had said in late December 2023.

This followed a David Burke-esque summer transfer window that gifted £160k per week Ansu Fati on a season long loan, and replaced the finest midfield pairing in world football with free transfer signings Mo Dahoud and James Milner.

This is perhaps heresy, but would some pragmatism on the confines and parameters of our much vaunted ‘model’ be worth considering? Particularly at a crucial stage of the season when attempting to fight on three fronts (with an unprecedented number of players in the treatment room).

A risqué short-term signing or two, someone who wasn’t for the future, but for right now.

That the flaws in dogmatically adhering to ’the model’ should be so horribly exposed in Rome, the home of catholic intransigence, is an irony not lost on someone involved with a fanzine project called Dogma (the reigning FSA Fanzine of the Year… we might have mentioned this already).

For the biggest game of the season, perhaps in the history of the football club, Billy Gilmour lined up alongside Pascal Gross. We had just one specialist winger available (Adingra), and a centre-back at left-back in Igor. The bench that evening included Cam Peupion and Benicio Baker-Boaitey. And yes I am being slightly selective with the positions listed to help prove a point, but it’s a point worth making nevertheless.

Of course the same accusation – unquestionable adherence to a defined belief irrespective of circumstance – could also be laid at the feet of Roberto. Was it a night for full fat DeZerbismo, to attempt to dominate, to invite the press, to play with a high defensive line when out of possession? To not clear the ball to Row Z with a minute of the first-half remaining when one nil down and under the pump? Or would a little doctrinal flexibility have been worth considering?

But whilst Roberto is the person who must take some responsibility for the scale of the defeat in Rome… he is also, it should be noted, the reason why we were all standing in the away end of the Stadio Olympico in the first place.

“We don’t need a Plan B…" said someone whose name I didn’t catch in the pub before the Bournemouth game on Sunday “...we need players B”.

Players B (to replace the departed or missing A-listers), capable reinforcements and replacements, particularly so in central midfield; the nexus in Roberto’s complex system of triggers, movements and patterns.

We know that plan A works and works beautifully; the magical run of victories that took us all the way to the Europa League, following the Albion to the Stade Vélodrome, Johan Cruyff Arena, The Agia Sophia Stadium, and then our Roman holiday.

Why would you even consider something different if you have already authored and enacted the latest (greatest) chapter in the story of football tactics?

“Don’t worry every morning I’m taking cappuccinos, croissants, whatever he needs” interjected Paul Barber as Roberto finished answering a question about the speculation surrounding his future.

That’s great to hear. But I can’t help but wonder if the manager would have preferred the gift of a new signing or two in the January transfer window instead?

Sunday Sermon

Love you, bye

Marc Leonard: The Radar