Aaron Mooy’s importance to Brighton has been summed up over the past few weeks, and certainly over the Christmas period. As soon as the Brighton supporters saw his number held up, to be replaced with six minutes left on the clock, they knew it was time to sound their appreciation for the Australian international.
A rapturous applause erupted after what was another scintillating by the on-loan Huddersfield midfielder.
If Graham Potter knows what’s good for his fast evolving Brighton side, he would swiftly snap up the player on a permanent deal before the bigger clubs all come vying for his signature.
Mooy has quickly become one of the most underrated commodities in the Premier League so far this season, and is a true representation of the kind of imprint and philosophy he is embarking on at the club. This isn’t the first we’ve seen of Aaron Mooy in the Premier League, he was Huddersfield’s star performer during their top-flight journey last year, one which saw them relegated to the Championship after two seasons back. It was clear the player was too good for the second division and it was only right for Graham Potter to snap him up from Huddersfield’s clutches, even if only temporary.
With the January transfer window well and truly underway, Potter should make signing Mooy permanently a top priority. His performance against Bournemouth was the perfect reason why. Eddie Howe’s side couldn’t handle the Australian, and he only needed three minutes to show just how good he is, intercepting possession and then driving through the Bournemouth midfield, picking out Neal Maupay who set up Alireza Jahanbakhsh for Brighton’s opening goal.
Aaron Mooy may look like the play-making midfielder he has always been earmarked to be, he doesn’t sit deep and dictate play in front of the defence like the roles Davy Pröpper or Yves Bissouma have been assigned to this season. Sitting at the tip of Potter’s diamond midfield setup, he is rather an efficient attacking midfielder, one who links up play between the deep-lying players and the forwards, enhances the press, drives the whole team up the pitch becoming the focal point for a counter-attack, has the defensive nous to break up play and is also gifted with a range of passing that only few players in the Premier League can match.
Just to add to his impressive range of skill sets, he is also efficient from set-pieces situations. His all-round game is why interest in him have spiked and you certainly won’t back against him turning up for one of the big boys in the near future. An Arsenal or an Everton could become the next platform for him if Brighton don’t secure his services permanently.
The second against Bournemouth was a real peach, picking up a cross from Leandro Trossard on the chest, before swivelling from the challenge of Chris Mepham and expertly finding the far top corner to put Brighton 2-0 up. It was quite simply a touch of class. A strike even Dutch, Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp would have been proud of. On Boxing day, the Australian also put in an awe-inspiring performance in the 2-1 defeat to Tottenham. Often popping up in effective pockets of space, causing much panic in between Tottenham’s midfield pivot and defence. What’s all the more impressive about Aaron Mooy is his incredible knack of operating in tight spaces. Give him a pass under pressure, and he will almost certainly find a way to wriggle his way out of the pressure.
The Australian is a true ball technician, a master of the art of ball progression and is one of the key reasons why Brighton are one of the most exciting teams to watch in the top-flight so far this season. Despite only being involved in two of Brighton’s goals in the Premier League (1 goal, 1 assist), his importance to Graham Potter is there for all to see. Much of their passing into the final third goes through the Australian, and his game intelligence and tactical understanding in weaving through the lines of play is very effective.
At 29 years of age, Mooy isn’t getting any younger, and it is unclear whether his immediate future will be at the Amex or on a grander stage at one of the big boys. However, if Graham Potter harbours any ambitions to elevate Brighton football club to new heights then securing Mooy’s future at the club should be at the top of his agenda over the next few months.
anthonyscouts.co.uk 