Sunday, July 19, 2020

Match Preview: Brighton v Newcastle

Read my thoughts on our match with the Magpies...
Match preview: Brighton v Newcastle










Team News

Adam Webster suffered a hip injury after colliding with Maty Ryan at Southampton, and will be assessed. Ali Jahanbakhsh returns for selection after slight hamstring tightness last week.
No other new injury concerns for the Albion.

Any result versus the Magpies, and Brighton will mathematically ensure a fourth season in the top-flight.


Tactics

Newcastle are known for their defensive, compact 5-4-1. However, due to a massive injury list, they have shifted to a back four recently. 

I expect Potter to challenge their defense with an attacking approach, similar to the first half at Southampton. 

However, since the Magpies are playing in a back four, Potter will likely want to match that with a back four of his own. 

Dan Burn, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, and Tarik Lamptey have been the preferred starters in defense.

Yves Bissouma has played well since January and should return to the starting lineup. His presence in defensive midfield disrupts the opponents attack and link-up play. 

The final third has seen many different arrangements, from wide midfielders to narrow strikers. 

At Southampton, Lamptey and March were the wing-backs. I expect Potter to continue with a similar approach, attacking from wide and looking for movement in the box. 

Leandro Trossard stayed in a more central role, which lead to less output than what he usually brings from the left. 

Potter will want to again utilize the benefits of two strikers and have extra men in the Newcastle box, so I believe Murray and Maupay will start together.

Also, Dan Burn's versatile role was also seen at Southampton. In a back three, he often crept forward to help in attack. A tactic that we used early in the season, being effectively reused by the gaffer.

Key Players

Time and time again, I have stressed the importance of defensive midfield. Once again, Yves Bissouma in that role is essential. 

Newcastle have a clever, aggressive midfielder in Shelvey. Combined with Almiron and Saint-Maximin, their link-up play can be devastating in the final third. 

Its up to Bissouma and his midfield partner to continuously disrupt passing lanes in those areas and prevent Newcastle's creative players from opening up in the final third.

For Newcastle, as I just said, those three players are greatly important to them. Playing in a such a defensive style means that you need quick-paced, tricky wingers like Saint-Maximin and Almiron to score goals and get in the final third.


Prediction

Given Newcastle's recent struggles, I think we can pull off the win. Our defense has improved considerably since the incorporation of Tarik Lamptey and Yves Bissouma, and should be able to maintain a clean sheet.

1-0 to the Albion.


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