That old line about pre-season results meaning very little holds true for Albion.
But supporters are having to work just a bit harder than they might have wanted to keep their nerve going into the final two weeks of pre-season.
Chris Hughton split his first team squad into two on Saturday, threw in a few youngsters and saw two narrow defeats to League Two sides keen to make an impression.
It sounded like there were murmurs of unrest from the away end at the second of those defeats, a 1-0 reverse at Stevenage.
That is premature – though perhaps understandable at the end of a long, hot and quite frustrating double-header day.
But the areas where the Seagulls must improve are pretty obvious.*They are short of centre-backs and the strikers, certainly at Stevenage, lacked a cutting edge.
Much of Albion’s football in that game was easy on the eye. But it would have been more reassuring to have seen it finished off with the killer touch it deserved.
Tomer Hemed goes on a run at Stevenage - but he should have scored
A Seagulls side captained by Lewis Dunk lost 2-1 at Luton in the early afternoon game.
Jack Marriott scored twice for the Hatters, the first of them after just 25 seconds when he was gifted possession by the skipper.*Dunk headed his side temporarily level late in the first half from a pleasingly spot-on free-kick delivery by Jiri Skalak, enjoying his first run out of pre-season.
Rowan Liburd raced away from a makeshift back four to score the only goal at Stevenage in late afternoon although Albion squandered a handful of very presentable chances.
The Seagulls were better in the second game than they were in the first but Hughton felt failures in the final third were a common thread through both matches.
He said: “That is what was lacking in both of them.
“We didn’t get ourselves in enough goalscoring opportunities and certainly haven’t taken them.
“Every manager will tell you that you can have good pre-seasons, not such good pre-seasons, and then, when that whistle blows in the first league game, the intensity becomes a little bit different.
“From a fitness point of view we are where we need to be.
“There are still two weeks to go and the players are on 90 minutes now.”
Dunk’s stray pass allowed Marriott to fire low past Niki Maenpaa at Kenilworth Road and, for a few minutes, Albion were a mess at the back.
As they found their feet, Anthony Knockaert bounced a 25-yard free-kick off the top of the bar before Dunk rose to nod home the 42nd minute leveller.
Article continues after...[h=3]More Articles[/h]
The big No.5 was certainly very involved in proceedings.*He misjudged a corner at the other end but was spared when Danny Hylton headed wide.
Dunk cleared off the line from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu after the break and Maenpaa used his foot to deny Hylton.
Elvis Manu crashed a shot against the bar after racing on to Maenpaa’s long goal kick.*But the Dutchman was caught out at the other end by Stephen O’Donnell’s dash to receive a short pass at a corner and, when the home full-back crossed low, Marriott reacted quicker than two defenders to turn in the 58th-minute winner.
David Stockdale’s return was the talking point later on at Stevenage, where skipper Bruno was employed in central defence alongside summer under-23 signing Ben Hall.
Ben Hall partnered Bruno in central defence
Liburd went clear on 31 minutes to round Stockdale and finish in accomplished manner.
Kazenga LuaLua and Sam Baldock failed to take good chances after being threaded through by Danny Holla and LuaLua had a shot hacked off the line by Luke Wilkinson.
Albion were less of a threat after the break and had a couple of scares at their own end.
But Tomer Hemed really should have netted – rather than head over – from close range when Baldock crossed following some great work by left-back Rob Hunt, who looked quite good going forward.
Stockdale dived low to his left to make a first-half save from Fraser Franks and put the day into perspective.
Actually, friendly results and performances can be a good guide. But they tend to be the dress rehearsal type games at the end of pre-season.
Albion beat Champions League winners Chelsea and Europa League kings Sevilla just before enjoying their two finest seasons in the last 25 years.
Equally, concerns over the way they were outclassed by Southampton two years ago proved to be well founded.
By which token the visit of Lazio on Sunday should be interesting. There is work to be done before then.
Original article
But supporters are having to work just a bit harder than they might have wanted to keep their nerve going into the final two weeks of pre-season.
Chris Hughton split his first team squad into two on Saturday, threw in a few youngsters and saw two narrow defeats to League Two sides keen to make an impression.
It sounded like there were murmurs of unrest from the away end at the second of those defeats, a 1-0 reverse at Stevenage.
That is premature – though perhaps understandable at the end of a long, hot and quite frustrating double-header day.
But the areas where the Seagulls must improve are pretty obvious.*They are short of centre-backs and the strikers, certainly at Stevenage, lacked a cutting edge.
Much of Albion’s football in that game was easy on the eye. But it would have been more reassuring to have seen it finished off with the killer touch it deserved.
Tomer Hemed goes on a run at Stevenage - but he should have scored
A Seagulls side captained by Lewis Dunk lost 2-1 at Luton in the early afternoon game.
Jack Marriott scored twice for the Hatters, the first of them after just 25 seconds when he was gifted possession by the skipper.*Dunk headed his side temporarily level late in the first half from a pleasingly spot-on free-kick delivery by Jiri Skalak, enjoying his first run out of pre-season.
Rowan Liburd raced away from a makeshift back four to score the only goal at Stevenage in late afternoon although Albion squandered a handful of very presentable chances.
The Seagulls were better in the second game than they were in the first but Hughton felt failures in the final third were a common thread through both matches.
He said: “That is what was lacking in both of them.
“We didn’t get ourselves in enough goalscoring opportunities and certainly haven’t taken them.
“Every manager will tell you that you can have good pre-seasons, not such good pre-seasons, and then, when that whistle blows in the first league game, the intensity becomes a little bit different.
“From a fitness point of view we are where we need to be.
“There are still two weeks to go and the players are on 90 minutes now.”
Dunk’s stray pass allowed Marriott to fire low past Niki Maenpaa at Kenilworth Road and, for a few minutes, Albion were a mess at the back.
As they found their feet, Anthony Knockaert bounced a 25-yard free-kick off the top of the bar before Dunk rose to nod home the 42nd minute leveller.
Article continues after...[h=3]More Articles[/h]
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[h=5]Albion keeper eager for full game after return from injury[/h]
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[h=5]Albion defender in race to be fit for big kick-off[/h]
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[h=5]Albion standing firm despite Burnley's new bid for Stephens[/h]
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[h=5]Hughton pleased with Albion fitness - and looks forward to Stephens' return[/h]
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[h=5]Stockdale gets an hour in Albion friendly defeat[/h]
The big No.5 was certainly very involved in proceedings.*He misjudged a corner at the other end but was spared when Danny Hylton headed wide.
Dunk cleared off the line from Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu after the break and Maenpaa used his foot to deny Hylton.
Elvis Manu crashed a shot against the bar after racing on to Maenpaa’s long goal kick.*But the Dutchman was caught out at the other end by Stephen O’Donnell’s dash to receive a short pass at a corner and, when the home full-back crossed low, Marriott reacted quicker than two defenders to turn in the 58th-minute winner.
David Stockdale’s return was the talking point later on at Stevenage, where skipper Bruno was employed in central defence alongside summer under-23 signing Ben Hall.
Ben Hall partnered Bruno in central defence
Liburd went clear on 31 minutes to round Stockdale and finish in accomplished manner.
Kazenga LuaLua and Sam Baldock failed to take good chances after being threaded through by Danny Holla and LuaLua had a shot hacked off the line by Luke Wilkinson.
Albion were less of a threat after the break and had a couple of scares at their own end.
But Tomer Hemed really should have netted – rather than head over – from close range when Baldock crossed following some great work by left-back Rob Hunt, who looked quite good going forward.
Stockdale dived low to his left to make a first-half save from Fraser Franks and put the day into perspective.
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Actually, friendly results and performances can be a good guide. But they tend to be the dress rehearsal type games at the end of pre-season.
Albion beat Champions League winners Chelsea and Europa League kings Sevilla just before enjoying their two finest seasons in the last 25 years.
Equally, concerns over the way they were outclassed by Southampton two years ago proved to be well founded.
By which token the visit of Lazio on Sunday should be interesting. There is work to be done before then.
Original article