The campaign has begun slowly. After losing their opener to Arsenal, Brighton were held by struggling Birmingham City and Aston Villa despite delivering encouraging displays.
A pair of League Cup victories provided a boost, while the convincing win against Charlton indicated that Ruiz’s approach is beginning to take shape.
“We remain committed to playing our game,” Kirby said, “[but] the focus now is on troubling opponents more quickly. Before, there were moments when we kept possession for too long instead of moving forward.
“Changing that mentality in a short period is difficult, but we have an excellent group of people.
“I prefer clear instructions. Tell me exactly what is required, and I will give everything I can.”
Bassett has also observed that the team’s determination to control possession has grown stronger.
“[Ruiz] frequently discusses how to limit the opposition,” she said. “He wants the team to regain possession high up the pitch, while their main attacking threats operate out wide to create room through the centre.
“He appears eager to experiment, and the club’s message is that everything is progressing well behind the scenes.”
Ruiz is equally convinced that the players are embracing his ideas.
“I am very pleased with our performances and the work we have completed,” he said. “We might have collected more points, but starting without enough preparation time makes it difficult to establish a clear identity and way of playing.
“From Sunday onward, I hope we can become more resilient and show greater consistency and understanding both in and out of possession.”
The victory over Charlton gave Brighton an important lift before the break, particularly with City awaiting them on a club-record streak of 15 consecutive home wins.
“They are an excellent team,” Kirby said. “Even if you manage to contain one player, they still have several others capable of making a difference.
“However, we also possess players who can cause opponents problems. Hopefully, we can produce a strong display.”
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