Inside Brighton: Dario Vidosic provides a behind-the-scenes take a look at Seagulls camp forward of Chelsea showdown

There is one phrase that may by no means seem within the teaching vocabulary of Dario Vidosic: low block. That technique is often utilized by different Women’s Super League golf equipment outdoors the division’s conventional high 4 to compete towards harder opposition, however not at Brighton. Brighton strictly press.

On a go to to the membership’s state-of-the-art AMEX coaching facility this week, the place no nook of the constructing was off limits, it is easy to see Vidosic’s philosophy in motion. Brighton stay and breathe by the ideas of the press – that’s to do every little thing with coordinated management and function.

Even the best way the constructing meanders from relax space with pool desk and beanbag chairs to the extra severe finish, with a fitness center that overlooks immaculate coaching pitches is intentional. It has logical circulation, the imaginative and prescient spelt out clearly on the wall: “To be a top four club in the WSL”.

This Sunday poses the final word stress take a look at of that ambition as Brighton host defending champions Chelsea, stay on Sky Sports. Vidosic’s mantra is that this: “I’ll play anyone, anywhere, at any time,” such is his perception within the tradition and competitiveness Brighton have created since he joined 18 months in the past.

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Indeed, Vidosic’s Brighton have scored extra objectives towards Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea (4) than some other staff have managed in that very same interval. Being aggressive and front-footed is the place the plan begins and the remainder is constructed round “feeling the moment”.

Sat in his workplace, surrounded by ways boards from wall-to-wall, it is not possible to miss how a lot work goes into every grasp plan.

And but Vidosic doesn’t like inflexible construction. “You have to observe and be adaptable,” he says, “The standards guide me, but I tend not to plan too far ahead. Pre-match talks I won’t plan, it’s a feeling. I know what I’m going to say before games and at half-time, but not how it will be delivered. I’m not reading quotes as an actor. There’s enough work to be done without trying to be someone you are not. You have to feel the moment and try to capture it.”

For the primary time since November 2021 underneath Hope Powell, Brighton have the possibility to land a run of three successive WSL wins this weekend – and house is the place they carry out finest.

Only Arsenal (36) and Man City (29) have scored extra objectives on dwelling turf than Brighton in 2025 (20). Leading scorer Kiko Seike has scored 5 in as many appearances throughout all competitions, whereas Madison Haley can be beginning to make her mark with essential purpose contributions in latest wins over Leicester and London City.

An honest place to begin, then.

Why tradition is king

When Visodic arrived on the south coast in 2024 he grew to become Brighton’s fourth everlasting head coach in lower than two moderately chaotic years, and the sixth individual to take cost of the staff in that point. The membership had been crying out for stability. They appear to have discovered it.

Visodic’s touches are all around the area he shares together with his technical workers, putting in an ultra-modern espresso machine as a result of all the very best concepts are borne out of “coffee chats”, and a Subbuteo-style ways desk as a result of technique is finest visualised.

“I’m very hands-on,” he explains. “There is no worse feeling than a player trying to showcase what they can do and the coach isn’t on the training field, I never want my players to feel like it’s a ‘nothing session’. I never want to miss anything, even during the international break where we’ve got three players training. I always want to be present.”

When gamers fly again to their native nations, as Columbian left-back Manuela Vanegas did over the latest worldwide window, Visodic encourages them to return with a token of dwelling. On this event it occurred to be Columbian espresso beans. Before that, it was lollipops.

Even the equipment room is dressed with shirts of particular significance, together with Jelena Cankovic’s League Cup closing high when enjoying for Chelsea – though there’s nonetheless a wait on for Fran Kirby’s to look.

Brighton’s setting is elite with out being elitist. It’s a specific level of delight for the boss, who believes strongly in creating shared experiences that faucet into every participant’s individuality. “Last season the girls were telling me how much they wanted to come back in after the winter break, and for me that’s better than a win. It’s dark, it’s cold, it’s hard work, but they want to be back in our environment, and that’s like a trophy.

“I’m at all times myself whether or not I would like to speak to gamers critically or have amusing or joke. I do not thoughts being the centre of the joke if I get one thing flawed, it is essential we’ve an setting the place we’re all ourselves. The gamers are the celebrities, I do not suppose anybody pays to return and watch managers waving their arms round – I’m solely there to assist.”

Style changes to suit Brighton brand

It was over a casual lunch that Vidosic explained his distaste for the low block, preferring always to coach a “low press” if the situation dictates. The data offers a better grasp of what that progressive approach means in practice.

By most attacking metrics Brighton tend to keep pace with the top four. They have scored 14 goals this term, just two fewer than Chelsea, and 12 of those from open play, one less than Chelsea’s 13.

Their motion zones are much more closely weighted to offensive areas than they as soon as had been, notably noticeable within the closing third the place entries had been up by 17 per cent final season on the yr earlier than. Box entries have elevated by almost 50 per cent. Simply, it is a braver, riskier manner of attacking video games – akin to how Fabian Hurzeler’s facet play.

Brighton are the staff producing numbers closest to the highest 4 for touches within the opposition field this time period (267) and xG risk (14.8). They full a higher-than-average proportion of final-third passes and have performed the second-most via balls (15), solely trailing Manchester City in that class. Vidosic is dedicated to this fashion irrespective of the opponent.

“We want top four, but I want to win. I don’t mind putting my neck on the chopping board to say we want to be champions,” he tells me. “You’ll never catch me saying: ‘If we nick a draw we’ll be happy’. We play to win and that’s the mindset we have. It’s only impossible when it’s not mathematically possible.”

For Brighton to press so aggressively, it needs to be coordinated, the element of which Vidosic will fortunately obsess over. “With Chelsea I’ll have millions of different scenarios. I’ll play the game six or seven times over in my head and then an idea will just feel right.”

Can Brighton compete with the very best?

Brighton have misplaced all 4 video games towards the present high 5 to date this season. It appears to be their Achilles heel.

But a look at their purpose distinction column (+4) – the obvious indicator of the validity of league place – will let you know that they have not been far off in matches they’ve misplaced. The margin of defeat has by no means been better than one purpose, the truth is.

Perhaps for a coach so oriented in the direction of profitable, that actuality is much more irritating. “We can only introduce so much change in one year, we have a lot of young players and experiences are the best way for them to learn. There are heart-in-throat moments but you need those, we want to be aggressive, we want to play.

“Against Man City we’re profitable 1-0, we’ve the lead to our arms after which we allowed it to spook us, so we have to be taught to deal with video games higher and management feelings – nearly disregard the scoreboard and the time and simply play.”

Transfer window plans

Vidosic is adamant his private ambition is matched by that of a membership seemingly on the rise, revealing “a few calls” have already taken place in anticipation of the January switch window opening in a number of weeks. A substitute for England ace Michelle Agyemang, tormented by damage, is high of the want listing.

Asked the place he feels he must strengthen most, he says: “We need some numbers in the middle of the park and up front, we’re a bit thin. We lost Michelle, a player who arrived here full of ambition and confidence after the summer with England.

“With Tony Bloom we’ve the info mannequin of recruitment so we’re attempting to get the correct gamers to attempt to match the model of soccer we wish to play. We’re making good steps and can be energetic in January to attempt to deliver a pair in. The membership is aware of we would like two in each place, pure competitors helps a lot.”

Has the endgame changed?

Brighton will not be defined by the outcome of Sunday’s meeting with Chelsea, but should use it as an aspirational barometer. They haven’t beaten the Blues since 2021 and have suffered enough injuries recently to suggest this next encounter is going to be equally testing.

It’s clear they are in good hands, though, with a positive trajectory and a leader that sees beyond limits. The club outlined their plans to break into the WSL’s top four prior to Vidosic’s arrival in 2022 and are yet to meet such target. That is surely the next big milestone.

During his first press conference Vidosic told reporters he believes “each staff ought to purpose to be champion” – a yr and a half into his tenure, that hasn’t modified. Sunday will provide a glimpse of how lifelike, or not, that dream really is.

Watch Brighton vs Chelsea stay on Sky Sports Football on Sunday from 11am; kick-off 11.55am