What can Brighton fans expect from Tommy Watson?

Yesterday was Tommy Watson’s first day as a new Brighton player, following his reported £10m switch from Sunderland between windows.

The winger, 19, scored the winning goal in the play-off final, and Sunderland were promoted to the Premier League for the first time since their relegation in 2017.

Much traction has come from his departure from the Stadium of Light, but how good is the winger, and what can Brighton fans expect from him? 

How does Tommy Watson actually play?

Watson is quite unique given his stature, standing out among a generation of nimble direct dribblers on the wing. Previously, he’s been listed as six foot three, but I can’t imagine that is actually true since having it pointed out. He could be pushing six foot one if he’s lucky, but he plays like someone who is five foot ten, for better or for worse.

I think the misconception has come from his legs being disproportionate to the rest of him- they’re long, and generally he’s quite lanky, and his running style makes it feel more exaggerated. Official websites list him as six foot three, I don’t think it’s accurate, and I’ve seen many Sunderland fans say the same.

All of this doesn’t mean he isn’t gifted with the ball at his feet; he does indeed move well with the ball, he’s fairly agile, and one of his most utilised strengths is his ball carrying. 

What stood out to me when watching him before he signed was the strong runs he makes with the ball, One of his best (and sometimes more frustrating- we’ll get to that) traits is his ability to run into space, with the intent to put in a cross or shoot. He’s direct and tries to cross where possible.

That being said, just to add a slight criticism early on here, sometimes he doesn’t get his head up and holds the ball for too long. Although he’s running into space, that space can just be the touch line where he’ll be isolated. 

On to some of the more creative/incisive sides of Watson, I think the first positive that I think of is his crossing.

The execution isn’t always bang on, but the intent is there, and with some more consistency in his action, he could be a significant threat.

I’d like to back track a bit on some previous assessments of his crossing though, as I’ve previously described it as a ‘peach’ of a cross, and I’ve seen others describe them as a lovely floated cross, but I think he still has work to do for that to be a signature product.

That being said, I’ve always been quite impressed with his two-way dribbling, and by extension, his ability with both feet. He gets crosses off with both feet, can run to the byline or cut inside with equal proficiency and can whip or fire it across the box. In theory, this makes him quite dynamic and unpredictable.

Finishing-wise wise there are certainly pros and cons.

I was very surprised by his composure with that play-off final goal, as I’ve seen him in similar areas put it wide or over with more power, but the execution was perfect in such a high-pressure moment. Like with his crossing, he can finish with both feet (at least at academy level) and is confident enough to shoot with his left.

I do think he’s a bit inconsistent with his ball striking and finishing in general, though. It’s an aspect of his game he needs to work on, especially at an angle.

I feel like the pros and cons have blended into one here, so to make it easier to differentiate, I’ll quickly bullet point the pros and then move on to some more cons.

What does he bring to Brighton?

• Makes strong runs both inverted and in the channels, with two-way dribbling as he is comfortable with both feet. In short, he carries the ball well.
• His execution with both feet and confidence to use his left is quite admirable for someone so young, with half a season of first-team football under his belt.
• There is a good foundation there with his crossing and decision-making when in crossing positions.
• With time and space, his composure in front of the goal gets a thumbs up.
• His box movement is pretty good, even if he isn’t always clinical, if the ball arrives his way.

Problems to look out for…

As mentioned, he has some problems associated with being raw in his first full season in the championship. He can get isolated without support.

He lacks consistency, and if anything, he has been consistently inconsistent this season. Having picked up an injury over the new year, there was a marked difference in performance pre and post then, which could well have been influenced by his impending transfer.

With that, there are big question marks as to whether he was playing at his best or giving 100%, there are times when it felt like he was invisible or dodging injuries. That’s not to say players don’t go through these patches in football, but it will certainly have frustrated Sunderland fans, given it was already announced that he would be leaving.

Given he’s a tall winger, he’s somewhat lightweight and doesn’t fully know how to use his body against opposing defenders. He doesn’t shield the ball very well and opposing defenders shrug him off of it easier than they should. I think he has a good first touch, but when he takes a heavy touch, it can kill an attack.

I wouldn’t say there are glaring red flags, but there are some definite issues to be ironed out.

Can he become another Sussex gem?

Overall, I think he can be coached to be a great winger, and the fundamentals and foundation are there, but I’m not convinced he’s ready to replace Mitoma or even start in the Premier League at present.

I can be convinced, though. I think expectations should be pretty low, at least for the first few months, as he settles in. I imagine at least one winger will go this summer, which will open the door for him to be in the first team; however, at best, he’ll be a squad player, incrementally dragging the average age of the squad that little bit further down.

Most Albion fans will have seen mixed opinions on Watson from various people, but there’s a lot of potential here. Homegrown, a decent price tag and a guy fresh off the back of scoring a Wembley winner.

There are a lot of reasons to be positive about Watson.