Brighton Feel the Void as Mitoma Absence Forces Hurzeler to Get Creative
Right now at Brighton, there’s a growing sense that something vital is missing, and that something is Kaoru Mitoma. For weeks, the Seagulls have tried to carry on without their most electric attacking threat, and while results haven’t collapsed, the strain is starting to show. The 1-1 home draw with West Ham summed it up perfectly — plenty of effort, flashes of invention, but a feeling that one moment of real magic could have changed everything much earlier.
Mitoma was absent for a ninth straight league game as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury, and although Brighton rescued a point thanks to Georginio Rutter’s stoppage-time equaliser, it was hard not to imagine how different the afternoon might have looked with the Japanese winger on the pitch. Against stubborn, deep-lying opponents like West Ham, his dribbling and unpredictability have often been the key to unlocking tight games.
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To be fair, Fabian Hurzeler has handled a difficult situation reasonably well. Without Mitoma, Brighton have picked up four wins, three draws, and just two defeats, scoring 16 goals along the way. That’s solid on paper, especially in a season where other challenges have piled up. Joao Pedro was sold in the summer, Carlos Baleba has struggled for consistency, and Rutter himself has taken time to shoulder the added responsibility in attack.
Still, Mitoma’s importance goes far beyond raw numbers. Since arriving from Kawasaki Frontale in 2021 for a modest fee, his influence has been constant, and it was no surprise that Brighton rejected a huge bid for him earlier this year. His absence has forced Hurzeler to experiment, sometimes boldly. Yankuba Minteh has been shifted across the wings, Diego Gomez has been used as an emergency option on the left, and more recently, left-back Maxim De Cuyper has been pushed higher up the pitch with frequent rotations during matches.
There have been moments where it’s worked. De Cuyper even scored in a win at Nottingham Forest, and against West Ham, his crosses nearly produced a breakthrough before the break. But there have also been signs that these are temporary solutions, not long-term answers.
Rutter’s late goal against West Ham may ease some pressure on him personally, ending a long scoring drought, yet it also highlighted how hard Brighton have had to work for goals without their usual spark. Meanwhile, Baleba’s form continues to worry Hurzeler, who openly admitted that the midfielder is not yet operating at his best.
Mitoma is back in training and was said to be close to a return before a small setback slowed things again. Whether he makes it back in time for upcoming tough fixtures remains unclear. What is clear, though, is that Brighton are counting the days. The sooner Mitoma is back gliding past defenders and unsettling opponents, the more complete Hurzeler’s side will start to look again.
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