Brighton news: Simon Stone on Fabian Hurzeler’s first season

What a bizarre season this has been for Fabian Hurzeler and Brighton. Runs of positive results, followed by a succession of negative ones.

Form and injuries can be factors, but how do you explain this sequence…

Victories over Manchester City and at Bournemouth, then eight games without one, followed by three in a row, then two defeats, then six wins on the spin and now three without a victory, culminating in a heavy home loss to Aston Villa.

Marginal decisions went against Albion in the Villa game, just as a penalty shootout defeat by Nottingham Forest may end up being a painful postscript to the season.

A European place is still within reach, which given Brighton’s history would be an achievement to cherish.

But the inconsistency that has scarred the campaign means we are going to get to the summer still not really knowing whether this has been a good season or not.