Brighton 1-2 Newcastle: 6 things we learnt from late Albion defeat
Brighton 1-2 Newcastle United brought the curtain down on the Premier League Summer Series in a performance perfectly suited to Sven Goran-Eriksson’s favourite “first half good, second half not so good” saying.
The Albion led 1-0 right up until the 86th minute, after which Elliot Anderson struck twice to turn the game on its head. The Saudi Sportswashers did not so much win as Brighton throw it away.
Still, that is what pre-season is for. Better to lose a friendly game with nothing riding on it (unless not taking home the Summer Series trophy has left you bereft, in which case you probably need to get a bloody grip) than see Luton Town fire in a 92nd minute winner at the Amex in two weeks.
Here are six things we learnt from Brighton 1-2 Newcastle.
Brighton first team can outplay Newcastle first team
The manner in which the Albion lost against Newcastle so late in the day resulted in a lot of doom and gloom. But for the first 60 minutes, Brighton’s current best XI outplayed the Saudi Sportswasher’s current best XI. Champions League, you’re having a laugh…
Facundo Buonanotte was denied by a fine tackle from Matt Targett. Adam Lallana dragged wide when well placed. Pervis Estupinan cracked a volley marginally off target and Buonanotte went down in the box for penalty claims waved away.
It was good stuff from the Seagulls and had they been a little more clinical, Anderson’s late double salvo may not have counted for anything.
And it probably would not have happened had Roberto De Zerbi not taken the chance to throw so many development squad players into the deep end for the final half hour.
There is such a thing as playing too many young players
Brighton were going well until the hour mark when De Zerbi opted to make wholesale changes. All 10 outfield players were substituted between the 58th and 80th minutes, interrupting the Albion’s rhythm and allowing the Saudi Sportswashers to take control.
Such disruption would have impacted even the more experienced Brighton players, let alone the youngsters De Zerbi opted to introduce for a taste of senior football against the third best team in the Premier League last season.
Cam Peupion, Ed Turns, Yasin Ayari, Jenson Weir, Imari Samuels and Simon Adringa all came on. Those six have less than 30 minutes English top flight football experience between them.
Joao Pedro is still adjusting to life at Brighton following his £30 million move from Watford and Tariq Lamptey was getting his first minutes in four months following injury. Billy Gilmour and Evan Ferguson were the veteran campaigners.
Ultimately, there were too many development squad players on the pitch at once and their naivety shone through in those closing stages. Especially in defence, where the Albion finished the game with a back four of Weir, Turns, Samuels and Lamptey.
Newcastle equalised when Turns and Ayari left a pull back into the box for the other one to deal with. Anderson took advantage of the confusion, picking up the loose ball and firing past Bart Verbruggen.
Turns was again caught out for the winner, losing the run of Anderson as a ball came over the top of the Albion backline. The Toon midfielder duly ran clear and finished one-on-one beyond Verbruggen.
Two moments for the young Brighton defence who finished the game to learn form. And perhaps a signal to the recruitment team that further defensive reinforcements are needed before the transfer window shuts.
Deniz Undav looks like he is on his way to Stuttgart
Poor Andy Naylor is not having a good summer when it comes to breaking transfer exclusives about Brighton, instead acting as more of a mouthpiece confirming the news the club want him to rather than knowing about new developments as and when they happen.
A few hours before Brighton 1-2 Newcastle and Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri revealed completely out of the blue that Deniz Undav was close to joining Stuttgart on a season loan with an obligation to buy.
🔵🏴 Infos #BHAFC :
🇩🇪 Denis #Undav now set to leave Brighton for a one year loan with buy option in #Bundesliga at #VfBStuttgart! ✅ It’s confirmed. #mercato #PL pic.twitter.com/Q7JeUFYcOI— Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) July 28, 2023
Shock and disbelief were the initial reactions. Undav had taken time to settle in England – not helped by the lack of good kebabs and sausages available in Brighton – but five goals from his final eight outings of 2022-23 suggested a corner had been turned.
As recently as last Saturday, Undav scored a lovely chip as the Albion were beaten 4-3 by Chelsea in the opening game of the Summer Series.
His omission from the Seagulls squad for Brighton 1-2 Newcastle suggests that Monsieur Tavolieri is correct and the Bundesliga awaits.
Which is perhaps not as big a surprise as it seems. If De Zerbi intends on using Pedro as a number nine, Undav finds himself fourth choice in the pecking order behind Ferguson, Pedro and Danny Welbeck for a single spot in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Simon Adringa played through the middle on occasions for Union Saint-Gilloise last season too.
At the age of 27, Undav should be in the prime of his career and playing regular first team football. He seems unlikely to do that at Brighton in 2023-24 – even with added Europa League commitments – meaning a move actually makes sense.
Welbeck is fit and in form
Welbeck’s injury record has been referenced by Albion fans questioning the wisdom of letting Undav leave. It is perceived wisdom that Dat Guy cannot be relied to get through more than half the season.
Care to take a guess how many games Welbeck missed in 2022-23 through injury out of 46 in all competitions? Just eight.
He was available for 38 matches and rotated to good effect with Evan Ferguson in the second half of the campaign. De Zerbi and Brighton seem to have got their game management of Welbeck down to a tee.
Welbeck opened the scoring in Newcastle 1-2 Brighton with his second goal of the Summer Series. Mahmoud Dahoud swept a ball out to Karou Mitoma, the Japanese Bullet Train beat his man and crossed low and hard into the box and Dat Guy was on hand to provide the finish.
Neat and tidy Dahoud a good replacement for Mac Allister
Replacing Alexis Mac Allister is not going to be easy. His ability to always pick the right pass, keep possession ticking over and get Brighton on the front foot were central to the way DeZerbiBall is played.
Early days it might be, but new signing Dahoud looks like a player capable of filling the void. Whilst not (yet) as spectacular as Mac Allister, he was neat and tidy in Brighton 1-2 Newcastle and showed the discipline needed to sit in front of the back four.
Dahoud scanned right and left before passing to Mitoma in the build up to Welbeck’s goal. With him, Billy Gilmour, Pascal Gross and Moises Caicedo all options for the two spots in De Zerbi’s double pivot, Brighton look well stocked in midfield.
Moises Caciedo is still a Brighton player
Sorry Chelsea fans, Caicedo started his first game of the Premier League Summer Series, played for an hour and looked pretty happy with it.
He very much remains a Brighton player. And if Todd Boehly does not pay £100 million, that is what he will stay beyond the transfer window slamming shut.
Brighton’s US tour has been an overwhelming success
On the pitch, Brighton managed one win and two defeats from their three matches in the United States. Off it, the Albion will undoubtedly consider the tour to have been a major success.
The support shown has highlighted the thriving Seagulls community being built across the pond, including both ex-pats who have moved to America and natives adopting the Albion as their Premier League team for one reason or another.
Brighton played in front of nearly 70,000 fans against Chelsea at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Red Bull Arena was a sell out for Brighton 1-2 Newcastle.
The only disappointing attendance was at the sparsely populated Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Albion were not helped though by it being a 5:30pm kick off local time against Brentford; a fixture which 12 years ago was taking place at Withdean Stadium and Griffin Park in League One. Both Brighton and the Bees have come rather a long way since.
In terms of growing the brand, the Albion should now benefit from increased visibility in the ever-expanding US market. Long gone are the days when Seagulls fans would be on holiday, get asked by a local who they support followed by a totally blank face at the answer “Brighton & Hove Albion.”
There is just one potential cause for concern – food and drink prices. Hopefully, Paul Barber did not take too much notice of $27 for a cheeseburger or a can of beer costing $18.50. We dread to think what a bag of Starburst will be at the Amex for the coming season otherwise…
