Pascal Groß's timeless vision and pinpoint passes fuel Brighton's attack, epitomising his never-ending, underrated brilliance on the pitch.
Brighton and Hove Albion continued their winning ways at the weekend, after a comfortable 2-0 victory against Burnley.
The star of the show and headlines fell to Mats Wieffer, as the Dutch international midfielder capped a good performance with his first ever brace in his career, but the one who caught my eye was the same old familiar face.
Timeless Pascal Groß
It feels like we've been saying the same things about Pascal for almost eight years, but the tireless and never-ageing midfielder never fails to deliver in Albion colours. Since returning to the side, his value to Fabian Hürzeler's side has been nothing short of invaluable. Some might even say... underrated!
When Hürzeler first came into the club, he faced the uphill battle of losing a player as influential both on and off the pitch as Groß within the same period of time. His year-and-a-half away from the club feels short-lived now, as his return feels like he never actually left.
Particularly in the first half at Turf Moor, Groß was magnificent. Grabbing yet another Premier League assist with a brilliantly timed run and left-footed ball across the box for Wieffer to steer home for his first goal in 16 months.
Even the crosses which didn't necessarily end in a goal or shot on target, the creation of chances and sheer ability with the ball at his feet is mesmerising. Sometimes it isn't noticeable, but much like all good things, you don't appreciate them until they are gone. The same can be said for Groß, as the value of his contributions can never go unnoticed.
An element of class in midfield helped continue the left-sided onslaught from both Yankuba Minteh and Ferdi Kadioglu. They were both tireless and caused all sorts of problems for the Burnley backline. It wasn't just the great runs from both Minteh and Kadioglu, but the vision and quality of passes from Groß to make them worthwhile.
Many times, players can miss opportunities to thread that perfect pass or see the right ball in the right moment. For a player like our legendary German, this is where the phrase 'class is permanent' tends to come in.
Of course, his pace has always been his weakest link, but we have already known this for many years. Some players can mitigate their lack of pace, but purely relying on a strong footballing brain, which he has in abundance. The ability to be 2-3 yards ahead of the play without physically being is one of the clearest signs of a top-quality player.
These attributes, aligned with his leadership qualities and pure Brighton feeling, make him a top player for the club. At only £3 million for a returning signing in January, his impact has been incredible.