Chelsea Friendly Thoughts

 It's like nothing has changed in the six weeks that have passed since the end of the 2022-23 season. Brighton's first friendly of the preseason would have fit perfectly in the crazy 

stretch of matches in May and June. Some of these reminders were welcome, like Jason Steele's terrific press-breaking passing or Billy Gilmour's confidence and range of distribution.

Others, not so much. Of the five players that played at outside back for the Seagulls: Gross, Hinshelwood, Veltman, Weir, and Adingra; only one or two of them are natural outside backs, depending on your view of Veltman's preferred position. Still, the positives outweighed the negatives, and the negatives sure seem fixable. It was also striking how similarly Brighton played to last season when considering how many new and young players featured. Dahoud, Joao Pedro, Hinshelwood, Samuels, Adingra, and Alzate all looked comfortable with the style of play, more so than one would expect for this stage of the preseason. That's actually my biggest takeaway from the match: most of the players looked like they would be fine if the season started tomorrow. In lieu of an in-depth review of a preseason match, I am going to give a few quick thoughts on each player we saw last night, sorted from most to least exciting.

Excitement Level: Out of control

Joao Pedro - It will be hard for Brighton supporters not to get carried away with Joao Pedro's performance last night. He wanted the ball and constantly made runs in behind or checked back deep to receive it. When he had the ball he was confident and decisive, and seemed to make the right decision just about every time last night, something that can't be said of every Brighton attacker. But I'm most excited about his athleticism. He looks fast and strong, not to mention technically skilled in passing, finishing, and dribbling. He looked like  a truly complete striker and it's not hard to imagine 20 goals and plenty of assists this season if his first outing is indicative.

Excitement Level: High

Simon Adingra - Although he was forced back into a wingback sort of position after the red card, Adingra showed some real promise when he got a chance. He was a willing runner down the line, and put in a few useful, well-hit crosses that could have produced goals. I did think he was aiming for dangerous spots with his deliveries, rather than aiming at a specific recipient, but that's something that can be developed.

Yasin Ayari - We got to see Ayari a little bit in the spring, but he looked then like he was trying to assimilate to the squad. Against Chelsea he looked confident in the central midfield position. I think he might provide a different type of presence in there than some of our other options. He looked to dribble first to break a press when he got on the ball, unlike Gross or Gilmour who don't carry the ball as much. When he did dribble, he was very successful. I'm excited to see him more in these matches.

Steven Alzate - Ayari and Alzate played together as the double pivot in the second half, and I thought they had very similar performances. Alzate does seem to have the athleticism to cover ground defensively in the center, in a similar vein to Moises Caicedo. He and Ayari also had a few brilliant combinations to break through the press and transition into the attack. There is heavy competition in this position, but Alzate seems up for the fight.

Billy Gilmour - The first half center midfield combination of Gilmour and Dahoud was a much different profile from the Ayari/Alzate combo. Gilmour continued his strong form from the end of the season, showing off long passes and instinctive defensive work. I do have to wonder about his defensive range, especially when paired with someone like Gross or Dahoud. I don't think he can be the engine in the center. Still, he looked more than capable of passing through a press.

Mahmoud Dahoud - The most promising thing about Dahoud's performance was his calmness under pressure. On many occasions he received the ball in tight quarters and turned away from a defender smoothly. He also looked like he already understands what is going to be asked of him in his position. Still, I saw a few worrying signs in his game. He seemed to want a bit more time on the ball than he is going to get, and his dribbling looked loose a few times. I also don't know if he will be able to cover the midfield defensively. Still, my qualms could certainly result from his very recent introduction to the squad, so I will be watching him closely in upcoming matches.

Solly March - March was our best winger in this match, to my eye. He was sharp and decisive.

Jack Hinshelwood - I believe Hinshelwood has mostly played as a central midfielder, but covered both outside back positions in this match. After an iffy start, he looked very promising with the ball. He was strong in challenges and looked useful in combination going forward. He had an especially good pass in the second half, switching the ball from deep in the corner to the right back and he made it look easy. He occasionally looked uncomfortable defending wingers in space, but that is to be expected when playing out of position. If he continues to play like this he could provide essential cover in a few positions.

Adam Lallana - It was nice to see Lallana back on the pitch, still showing the strengths that make him such an important player for the Seagulls. He led the press well, constantly causing problems for the Chelsea backline and goalkeeper who only rarely were able to break through. He also helped solve issues in build-up play, checking back with good timing and finding open space to keep the ball.

Jan Paul Van Hecke - I am going to be generous and assume that JP did not know that he was already on a yellow card when he threw himself wildly into a gratuitous challenge and got himself sent off. While you can't ignore that rash decision, he had a fantastic game up to that point. He showed a great ability to keep possession of the ball after challenges, which helped Brighton dominate possession. This attribute makes him a real challenger for playing time this season.

Excitement Level: Moderate

Kaoru Mitoma - Mitoma looked like he did at the end of the season. It's clear that he is a trusted outlet, it seems like every player looks first to the left wing when they get the ball. Still, Mitoma mostly lost his battles against Malo Gusto, the Chelsea right back, who seemed to gain confidence with every successful challenge. I'm starting to wonder if he has been figured out to some extent, and whether he will be able to threaten defenders as much as he did in November and December.

Jason Steele - Steele's passing was perfect against Chelsea. He is not going to make it easy for Verbruggen to claim the starting spot. 

Deniz Undav - If Undav can be a dangerous passer and a clinical finisher, he will be an extremely useful player for Brighton. I do think he has physical limitations that will prevent him from ever being the main man for the Albion, as he just does not win many footraces. Hopefully he can maximize his utility as a second striker to Ferguson or Joao Pedro.

Excitement Level: As We Thought

Adam Webster - Webster is a good defender that has some valuable attributes for a modern center back. Unfortunately, I am really doubting that those attributes are the ones that you need to succeed for Roberto De Zerbi's style. He can drive forward to beat a press better than our other center backs. But he still looks uncomfortable passing under pressure, as exemplified by his bizarre giveaway that almost led to a goal for Chelsea. I would love to be proven wrong.

Danny Welbeck - Not too much to say about Welbeck, he's a great option to have off the bench.

Pascal Gross - I wonder if Gross ever gets annoyed that he moves around so much. He started the game at left back, then at halftime he switched into the center midfield for seven minutes before returning to play right back. After the red card he was seemingly playing as a center back before he was subbed off. He looked dependable as always, but I do hope we see him more in the midfield than the defense this season.

Joel Veltman - Veltman looked fine, as usual. Nothing too much to report here.

Excitement Level: Need More Info

Bart Verbruggen - I thought he was a bit out of position on the Mudryk goal, but he wasn't particularly at fault for any of them. We also didn't get to see him try to pass through the press, as Chelsea didn't seem to interested in high pressing in the second half. 

Imari Samuels / Jensen Weir - It's tough to judge these two considering they were substituted into a shorthanded makeshift back three. Still, they seemed predisposed to keeping possession, which is always nice to see.