The demands Roberto De Zerbi makes of his new Brighton charges will boil down to a three-word edict: “fare la partita”. It means “make the game” in Italian and speaks succinctly of a career’s work built on displays of bravura. He has been given a unique opportunity, walking into the Premier League’s fourth-placed club while the garden is rosy, and is prepared to grasp it on his own terms.
De Zerbi struck a respectful balance at his unveiling on Tuesday, acknowledging the prodigious work of Graham Potter on numerous occasions while leaving no doubt he feels Brighton can evolve further. “At first sight, in my opinion, I like much more to control the game,” he said. “One of the things for this team can be to control the rhythm of the game much more.”
