2021-2022-Season

There is one plus to the somewhat against-the-clock nature of the pre-season Albion are just completing. If those of us who follow them closely on a daily basis are not totally sure how they will look at Burnley, what chance does Sean Dyche have? Graham Potter’s side played a bit of catch-up with three key men in the final friendly of the summer. Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster came back after minor injuries and Leandro Trossard buzzed and fizzed in the second half. But it feels like Albion have busy days ahead of them at Lancing before opening their fifth Prem campaign at Turf Moor on Saturday. Certainly they will need to display the purpose, urgency and energy which were on show in the second half against their Spanish opponents. Getafe won the contest with two free-kick goals and some streetwise defending. Their movement and passing caused the hosts problems at times in the first half. Their goalkeeper David Soria caused them frustration in the second. Ironically, the first goal by the men from the Madrid satellite town had a bit of Burnley about it. A cheaply won free-kick out wide which was delivered at pace and turned home by defender Erick Cabaco. The second, against the run of play, was an exquisite curler over the wall by David Timor. But it came from a free-kick conceded just outside the box, centrally, when Albion should have cleared the danger following a Robert Sanchez save. There was some good stuff going forward in the second half as Albion swarmed towards a quarter-full but very enthusiastic North Stand Trossard turned on trickery and gave the whole thing a lift. But we know he can do that – and it does not necessarily mean he will do it again in the next match. Dunk and Webster will be pillars at Turf Moor. In a three with Joel Veltman? That was at least how things started on Saturday. If so, is Enock Mwepu the wing-back option? He has done well in pre-season but, although he found lots of space in that area early on, it does not seem his best role. Adam Lallana has looked as good you would hope for in pre-season and was applauded off as an array of substitutions were made. He was instrumental playing at the front of a diamond at Luton but dropped deeper and made things tick here. A fit and on-form Lallana will be massive for Albion but in which role? He isn’t really being talked about too much but the form and fitness of Solly March is another plus given he is coming back from quite a lengthy injury absence. Aaron Connolly led the attack and, while that may not be the case in the Prem opener, it is worth remembering he caused Burnley a few problems in the 1-1 draw at Turf Moor last season and scored on his previous visit. Trossard would appear to have given himself more chance of a start in East Lancs than Alexis Mac Allister, who was a surprise inclusion for the first 45 minutes. Many teams are a bit behind where they would normally be this pre-season. That appeared to be the case for Burnley as they lost 2-0 to Cadiz on Saturday. But a pattern of not scoring against a very well-organised team packed in low (around former Albion target Ignasi Miquel in this case) and of conceding to a set-piece was a reminder of the battles ahead. Potter said: “I thought we got the minutes we wanted to, especially with Dunky and Webby and even Joel. “That was positive. Everybody else stepped up as well and, against a well-organised side who are starting on Friday, it was a relatively decent game. “Obviously in the second half we were better than we were in the first half. “There are things to do, things to work on, but we will have a couple of days analysing everything and prepare for the game against Burnley.” Percy Tau appears set to join the list of departures and talk of signings will continue. Especially up front. Summer signing Mwepu has made a midfield impression and has some energy about him. Potter said: “He has got that in abundance. He brings us that little bit of something different. “He hits the box, he can play in numerous positions and we need to find out the best one for us given the game. “He did really well as a first match here, he scored against Luton, so he will give us a bit of versatility give us some options. “He will get better and we will get better the more he is here with us.” Soria, who had unsuccessful trials at Leicester, Birmingham and Stoke as a youngster, seemed to get a touch on a searing angled effort by Mwepu which would have seen him add to his strike at Kenilworth Road. LEWIS DUNK CAN'T SEE HIMSELF LEAVING BRIGHTON The keeper’s best save was to tip over as Trossard went on a dribble, lost the ball, won it back again and then curled towards the top corner. He also blocked a Veltman blast and got his foot to a very late Trossard effort. The closest Albion came was at 1-0 down when the big two at the back rumbled forward for a set-piece. BRIGHTON HOPE FOR MORE LEANDRO TROSSARD MAGIC Dunk seemed to be the blocker as Pascal Gross whipped a free-kick in from the right. Webster was in space and climbed high but his header came down off the bar, with Dunk then unable to get good contact on his follow-up shot. GRAHAM POTTER SAYS BRIGHTON DESERVED TO SCORE AGAINST GETAFE Maupay was involved in a late incident with defender Chema and was booked for a foul off the ball. Tempers flared at that point and it all got a bit feisty. The match was not quite as friendly as billed in that instance and one or two others. But that’s fine. It needed to be competitive at this stage of summer. The final pre-season outing has left a bit to think about. Albion: Sanchez; Veltman (Ostigard 89), Dunk (Moder 79), Webster (Duffy 79); Mwepu (Zeqii 89), Gross (Richards 79), Bissouma (Andone 89), Lallana (Alzate 67), March (Karbownik 89); Mac Allister (Trossard 46); Connolly (Maupay 67). Attendance: 7,091.