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BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Attack looks tasty' but 'defensive concerns' - fan views on new season
We asked for your views on whether Brighton are ready for the new season after the Seagulls ended their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 win over Bundesliga side Wolfsburg at Amex are some of your comments:Fran: Was at the Wolfsburg game and we looked good. I still think we are a little too slow in our build-up play. Wolfsburg did not press and we then just played it around hoping they would come at us, which of course they didn't. Teams will do this next season so we need to be quicker in our play. Still think we need another centre forward to cover Welbeck. It was a shame we didn't get to see our new forwards in action, even a small run out would have been nice. Still, plenty to look forward to. Can't I think my club, Brighton, are ready for this season. In many previous seasons, we have seen many players leave (thank you Chelsea) and us get better. They already have replacements for the players who have left and this season is no different with someone like Georginio replacing Joao Pedro! The only exception this season is the left-back position where we signed Maxim De Cuyper to replace Estupinan! Brighton will be absolutely fine this season!Chris: Offensively looking strong, inventive and full of goals. Defensively, looking weak, out of position, and leaky. There could be some very high scoring games to The summer business has been good and Albion are again laying strong foundations for the future. Maxim De Cuyper looks a ready made replacement for Estupinan and we have good strength in depth in most areas of the pitch, except perhaps at left-back. I hope Baleba stays another year and helps push us into Europe again. Who knows, maybe even the Champions League if others struggle to cope with the demands of European For me the team look almost ready but I still have defensive concerns. Attacking-wise things look tasty but a back three? Large gaps appeared in all friendly games and Premier League sides will exploit this. Another rollercoaster season ahead.
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Hurzeler 'very positive' on pre-season
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler says his team's improvement is an "ongoing process" but their final pre-season test was "very positive".The Seagulls rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg at the Amex Stadium on Saturday after a 2-0 win over the same opponents in a behind-closed-doors friendly earlier in the day."Both teams played very intense," Hurzeler told BBC Radio Sussex."We have to improve but overall very positive. No injuries so far from what I've heard and now we can prepare for Fulham."We shouldn't emphasise in an artificial way this week before the start [of the season]. It's an ongoing process - you always have to develop and always have to improve."That's what we did last season and that is what we'll do this season. "We were improving in pre-season, we will improve this week. "We will focus on ourselves, try and be better in the details, try and be sharp for Fulham, and then its an ongoing process to develop as a group and as individual players."Summer signing Maxim de Cuyper scored Brighton's second goal at the Amex on Saturday and has caught his manager's eye with his impact since his £17.5m move from Club Brugge."I'm impressed because he integrated as a person quite quick and that is something I don't often see in the football business," Hurzeler added."He does in a very natural way and therefore you can see he immediately integrated with the team on the pitch by having good performances. I'm quite happy for him."Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Brighton 2 Wolfsburg 1: Explaining Baleba absence as De Cuyper stakes his claim
Brighton & Hove Albion completed an unbeaten pre-season programme with a 2-1 victory on Saturday against Bundesliga side Wolfsburg at the Amex Stadium. Goals in each half by Georginio Rutter and new signing Maxim De Cuyper maintained Fabian Hurzeler's side undefeated record from a mixture of matches played behind closed doors and in public against opposition as varied as Wycombe Wanderers of League One, Championship clubs Stoke City, Coventry City and Southampton, and Las Palmas from Spain's second tier. Here The Athletic looks at some of the main talking points from the final preparation for the club's ninth successive Premier League campaign. Baleba's absence from the squad against Wolfsburg was seized upon by Manchester United supports on social media as a sign that a deal for the Cameroon midfielder could still happen before the transfer window closes on September 1. Their optimism would carry greater weight if this had been a new development during Brighton's pre-season programme. In fact, it was the fourth friendly in succession Baleba has sat out. He has not been involved since a knee injury sustained in training during the camp in Marbella, Spain, in June — long before colleague David Ornstein revealed that United are exploring the conditions of a deal for the talented 21-year-old via intermediaries. Adam Webster suffered a far more serious knee ligament injury in innocuous circumstances in Spain on the same day as Baleba which will keep the central defender out for most if not all of the season. Baleba? Hurzeler revealed to reporters post-match that he trained on Friday and Saturday and will be back for the opening Premier League fixture at home against Fulham next Saturday. Advertisement Brighton's stance is unchanged. They have no desire to lose Baleba, especially with less than a month of the window remaining to find a replacement. It would require an exorbitant offer — of the kind that took Moises Caicedo to Chelsea for £115million ($154.5m) two years ago — to potentially alter their position. One of the lessons of pre-season is that it will take time for the majority of the five signings made in the current transfer window to force their way into contention — with the exception of De Cuyper. A drag back early drew applause from fans basking in the sunshine and enjoying their first glimpse of the Belgian left-back, signed from Club Brugge. The adventurous De Cuyper has settled quickly as the replacement for Pervis Estupinan following the Ecuadorian's move to Milan. De Cuyper doubled the lead in the 74th minute with a calm finish from a tight angle after Wolfsburg goalkeeper Kamil Grabara parried Mats Wieffer's low cross. Italian central defender Diego Coppola is the only other newcomer given a significant amount of game time across the pre-season programme (267 minutes). French centre-back Olivier Boscagli made his second appearance — an hour-long comeback from injury — in the training ground game against Wolfsburg. Teenagers Charalampos Kostoulas and Tommy Watson are yet to get any game time. Hurzeler has multiple candidates to play at right-back, with no clear first choice. Three of the contenders were involved in a 2-0 win against Wolfsburg on Saturday morning, played behind closed doors at the training centre in Lancing. Experienced Dutchman Joel Veltman played the full 90 minutes on the right of the defence. Tariq Lamptey had his first minutes of pre-season at left-back as a half-time replacement for Ferdi Kadioglu. Lamptey ended doubts about his future by signing a one-year contract extension in June. Kadioglu is being eased back from a toe injury which required surgery and kept him out of action from November last season. Midfielders Wieffer and Jack Hinshelwood both deputised at right-back for spells last season when Veltman and Lamptey were injured. Wieffer occupied the role in the main game against Wolfsburg. He is becoming increasingly comfortable in the position, but Veltman is still a strong contender to start against Fulham. Hinshelwood, not involved in either game against Wolfsburg because of a minor injury, is scheduled to resume training on Tuesday. Verbruggen had an eventful first outing of pre-season. The Brighton and Dutch No 1 has been nursed back from a knee injury which hampered him during 2024-25. His first touch, clumsily chested into the air as he attempted to deal with a through ball, almost led to an early gift for Wolfsburg. Verbruggen's raised foot caught forward Mohamed Amoura on the shoulder as he tried to redeem the initial error. Advertisement It counted for nothing, as the assistant had already flagged for offside. Verbruggen then demonstrated his capabilities as a shot-stopper with an outstanding save which prevented Wolfsburg from equalising on the half-hour mark. Lovro Majer had a clear sight of goal through the middle but he spread himself to foil the effort with a strong right hand. The goalkeeper also did well in the second half to hold a crisp shot from outside the box by Maximilian Arnold and even better with a strong right hand when the Wolfsburg captain unleashed a drive from distance. But an angled shot by substitute Rogerio went through him for the visitors' 80th minute reply before Verbruggen preserved the lead with a smothering save to deny Kilian Fischer. Hurzeler told The Athletic in Marbella that Verbruggen 'can bring himself to another level'. The hope is that compatriot Jelle ten Rouwelaar, who worked with Verbruggen at Anderlecht and NAC Breda, can bring the best out of the 22-year-old. If that happens then the value of Verbruggen, signed from Anderlecht for £16m two years ago, will soar. Swiss research organisation CIES Football Observatory regard Verbruggen as potentially the most valuable goalkeeper in the world, with a projected worth of £54m. The goalkeeping pecking order has been clarified, the experienced Jason Steele again understudying Verbruggen with Tom McGill as third choice following Championship loan moves for Carl Rushworth (Coventry) and James Beadle (Birmingham City). Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Brighton end pre-season with home win over Wolfsburg
Brighton finished pre-season with a 2-1 win over Bundesliga side Wolfsburg at Amex Rutter opened the scoring for the Seagulls in the first half before summer signing Maxim de Cuyper doubled their lead after the pulled one back for the visitors late on but Brighton hang on to finish pre-season unbeaten before the return of Premier League football next weekend.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Final call for knitted roses in Brighton ahead of Rugby World Cup
A final call has been made for knitted or crocheted red roses to decorate Brighton and Hove, ahead of September's Women's Rugby World Amex stadium in Falmer is one of eight venues hosting matches, with England playing Australia on 6 September and New Zealand playing Ireland the following deadline for submitting the roses, which will be on show in shop windows in the city from 25 August to 7 September, is this Sunday. Bella Sankey, leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, described it as a "colourful and quirky way" to celebrate the major sporting event coming to the city. Inspired by the England rugby team's love of crochet as a team-bonding activity, the project aims to "inspire the next generation of female players, deliver a legacy for the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 and paint the country red and white to support the Red Roses this summer".Members of the England Red Roses rugby team have embraced crocheting as a creative and calming hobby, especially during downtime from intense training and tournaments, with Abby Dow, Hannah Botterman and Tatyana Heard forming an informal Red Roses Crochet submissions for the project are welcome including red roses, rugby balls or bunting. Patterns can be downloaded here, and all finished items must be dropped off at Jubilee Library in Brighton by Sunday.
