Brighton's Fabian Huerzeler digs in for tough Premier League season

That’s fine. That's football. It was fun while it lasted – and it lasted quite a long time, longer than most.

Fabian Huerzeler made a flying start on the pitch and a great impression off it in his first summer as Albion head coach.

All of that remains in place and still counts for a lot as we head for the rigours of winter.

Pre-season was fantastic, maybe the best ever, in terms of results and performances, experiences, signings and personnel getting to know each other.

Although international commitments among the squad and injuries slowed progress in some respects.

Still, all went smoothly and six points were quickly picked up, as well as a 4-0 win for the back-up players in the cup.

Now the evenings are getting dark, the results are not so good, there are a few injuries and niggles.

The going seems a bit harder and it really feels like we are getting into the season proper.

It is probably a bit cold, wet and windy on the training ground. A feel of old routine has taken over from the early-season freshness.

There are problems to iron out and disappointment to bounce back from.

Again, fine. It is called the English football season and it is what we all signed up to.

It is the challenge Huerzeler himself committed to and the signs during his post-match press conference at Stamford Bridge were that he is ready for that prospect.

Of course he would love to win, win, win.

Of course the pats on the back amid early-season success were nice.

Even that “Aren’t you good – and SO young!” type of attention he was getting.

He was flavour of the month. Now, other than talking about the now famed high line, the national gaze has moved on.

And Match Of The Day did not even bother with that over the weekend.

One perspective on Saturday was that Albion conceded three goals when they were well set, be it in or out of possession.

Huerzeler said none of the goals were down to the high line – it was two mistakes, a penalty and a free-kick.

That was all true but conveniently overlooks both how the free-kick was conceded and the unnsettling feel of chaos which ensued as Chelsea kept going through the Albion ranks.

It overlooked the fact Albion were lucky on several occasions, the first of them when they led 1-0.

And the fact they DID concede in that way at home to Nottingham Forest.

But the Chelsea defeat is now water under the Bridge, so to speak.

There was some good football there too, do not forget.

What are they going to do about the failings which have changed the mood after several exciting weeks?

Huerzeler has not generally had to react to conceding a lot goals.

There were two 4-3 defeats with St Pauli, one of them against Hamburger SV in the city derby.

A St Pauli reporter in Hamburg said the high line was not a big topic when Huerzeler was in Germany and he was never really criticised, other than over a lack of goals early in the campaign during three successive 0-0s.

Of course last year  would have had its challenges in Germany and Huerzeler would have stepped up a level anyway had he stayed at promoted St Pauli.

So it was always going to be a battle of a season.

Asked about seeing so many goals fly in against his team, he said late on Saturday evening: “It’s a new experience.

(Image: Simon Dack)

• Fabian Huerzeler explains the rewards of his high line

“I knew that there would be new experiences and not only positive new experiences.

“It is clear for me that this will happen - bad experiences.

“Of course it was not clear for me that I would concede four goals in 20 minutes.

“But it happens now and now it is about taking responsibility, trying to analyse it, being honest to myself if we should adapt something and then we should learn out of it.”

Reviews of Saturday’s game should not be only about the goals.

There was some brilliant last-ditch defending by Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster to avert further damage at Chelsea.

Cole Palmer hit the post (he also missed a sitter but that may well have been offside) and there was a goal disallowed for an extremely tight offside decision.

Palmer’s team-mates let Albion off the hook on several occasions.

But the visitors should also have scored more goals.

When that was put to Huerzeler, he said: “In possession we had a good game.

“We created a lot of chances and we could have e easily scored four or five goals.”

Plenty to work on, then – before facing a Tottenham side who have just won 3-0 at Old Trafford.

The challenges will just keep on coming.