Vicky Losada explains how Brighton’s steady progress is fueling an impressive rise in the Women’s Super League | Football news
While the structures of the women’s game have evolved immeasurably over the past decade, actual football has changed very little for talented midfielder Vicky Losada. Her illustrious 18-year career spans four countries – and two continents – winning honors in all but one.
She perfected her art even in her native Barcelona passenaccio. Moving to the UK for the first time in 2015 with Arsenal taught her more about the intricacies of passing patterns. And now in Brighton, he’s learning how possession-heavy football can hurt teams under incoming coach Dario Vidošić.
The ball game is where Losada thrives. her La Masia upbringing has created an intelligent playmaker, one who can dictate from deep as well as influence further forward.
And her consistency has ensured she is a mainstay under Vidosic this season, Brighton’s fifth manager since the departure of former England coach Hope Powell in October 2022. Finally, the Seagulls, with the help of their Catalan captain, have found some stability.
Their 17 points from the first 10 WSL games is their highest tally at this stage of the campaign, just two short of their total for the whole of last season. Brighton have already won as many WSL games (five) as last term and are improving in almost every metric used to measure performance.
Only the WSL’s top three are currently ranked higher for possession efficiency.
“Our performances have given us the confidence to believe we can win any game,” says Losada, relaxing in his chair in the meeting room at Brighton’s state-of-the-art training base in Lancing.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve tried to be super open with my team, trying to understand different cultures and languages and everybody’s problems. My experience is why they brought me here.
“The structure is more organized now and we are finding the right people to fit in. You always want more, we are happy and we have good results.”
Brighton passed through the rocky area and got used to looking over his shoulder. Too often the club has been embroiled in messy relegation battles, narrowly avoiding the drop in the 2022-23 season. Brighton have not finished in the top six since 2021.
“We’ve improved so much from last year, we look more consistent,” the 33-year-old continued.
“I’m so excited this year, when the results come in, he still hears me. I’d love to finish in the top four with Brighton, but I don’t want to say it too loudly, it’s really difficult. You never know, it’s nice to believe, it drives you if you believe.
“At the moment everything is possible. But maybe in three weeks less and five weeks nothing. So we should focus on these games in a short time and make sure we get points from every game. We are in a really good moment.”
All three of Brighton’s WSL defeats this season have come away from home, despite a significant improvement. Vidosić’s possession-obsessed style has led to a much higher points-per-game ratio, fewer conceded and more goals scored. But the meeting with Liverpool on Friday night, live Sky Sportsis a problem.
How does Brighton take their impressive form on their travels?
“Difficult moments are always linked to defeats, unfortunately, but football is like that. You want to stick to what you’ve been doing and Dario really believes in his path. After six months it’s going smoothly, but at the beginning it was a bit like: ‘What’s going on? ?’
“He’s very demanding. He looks for perfection even though he knows it doesn’t exist. You have to get the basics right, if there isn’t the minimum he demands.”
Only WSL leaders Chelsea have a better shot conversion rate than Brighton this season, helped greatly by a stellar summer of recruitment, with Fran Kirby, Nikita Parris and Kiko Seike joining to bolster their attack. The distribution of goals (about nine different scorers) became equally important.
Losada also played his part, creating 13 chances for his team-mates, but it is his control in the middle third of the pitch that makes the former Barca star indispensable – and a key aspect of Vidosic’s progressive style.
“I discovered a new way of playing, small details that are different, but in the end it’s about possession and pressing, the desire to be brave in attack – I’ve had that throughout my career.
“The tactics were a little different and at first I was like, ‘Wow, can this work?’
“After six months we know he can make it. That’s the best thing about football, there’s not just one way. What defines Dario is that he can find a way no matter who you’re playing without losing his identity.”
Losada has accomplished so much in her career that it is hard to imagine that there is much more left. But Losada’s ambition is unfettered. He has more to prove and more to achieve, learning on the job as well as studying the Premier League’s best midfielders.
“Something I will always have [as a dream] win the WSL but I want to focus on getting into the top six with Brighton and then go higher next year. The results are coming in, but we’re not there yet. It’s all a process.
“I like control, moments are so important. I like midfielders who do a job that a lot of people can’t see – like Declan Rice at Arsenal – but when you take that player off the pitch, you see the team suffer.”
Now comes the expectation. Brighton are nine points better than at the same stage last season, favoring consistency that has created positive connections on the pitch. Only West Ham (10) and Man Utd (12) made fewer changes to their starting 11 than Brighton’s 13.
Standards set. Objective outlines. How high can the Seagulls really go this season?
Watch Liverpool v Brighton live on Sky Sports Football on Friday night; start at 19:00
