Eddie Howe and Fabian Hurzeler were two of the ‘Squad Splitters’ in the last weekend of friendly games for the season.
Both Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion dispute two warm-up games, spread over those kickabouts with their players.
By Alexander Isaac‘s (£ 10.5 million) Maxim de Cuyper‘s (£ 4.5 million) threat, here are our explorations of those four games.
Newcastle United 2-2 Espanyol
Newcastle 0-2 Atletico Madrid
- Go: Targett, J Murphy
- To help: Miley
Gordon Injury Schrik, Hall + Botman Given only 45 minutes
With Isak on the naughty step, the last thing how needed was an injury for the man who might started in his place in Gameweek 1: Anthony Gordon (£ 7.5 million).
Gordon bumped away in the final phase of the friendly phases on Saturday, after he had played the middle for the second week in a row.
At least the damage does not seem so bad.
“We hope that he is good with him. I think he has an ankle problem. Initially, maybe it was a muscle problem, but the good news is that I think it was just a turn. So the first feeling is that he should be fine.” – Eddie Howe on Anthony Gordon
Elsewhere on the fitness front, Lewis Hall (£ 5.5 million) and Sven Botman (£ 5.0 million) received only 45 minutes each. Howe confirmed that their half-time recordings were planned.
“That was the plan with Sven. I think we should be careful with him. He has picked up a light height problem now. He is back now. He trained for the first time yesterday, came 45 minutes, so I was happy with him.
“Both [Hall and Botman are] In similar positions really where they are physically fit, but they miss match action. So we don’t have to hurry their comebacks and push them too hard and then risk further injury. We have a long season ahead. ” – Eddie Howe on Sven Botman
Expect a back of four Kieran Trippier (£ 5.0 million), Fabian Schar (£ 5.5 million), And burn (£ 5.0 million) and Tino Livramento (£ 5.0 million) in Gamweek 1, then.
Isak Latest
Howe’s press conferences after both friendly competitions were, not surprising, dominated by talking about a certain Swede – and it wasn’t Emil Krafth (£ 4.5 million).
“We have had discussions and it is clear that we cannot involve him in the group. I don’t know how long that will be.
“He is here and he has contracted us, as long as he is in that position, there is of course a chance that he could play for Newcastle again, but I do not know what the future will entail.
“I wish Alex will play today. I wish he will train tomorrow. We would love to be the player with us. So, let me make that absolutely clear. There is no part of me that result does not want.
“But I don’t see that change for Aston Villa, the current situation in which we find ourselves.” – Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak
Even if Isak stays kicked off in Newcastle at the BIG 2025/26, it doesn’t sound like he’s going in the field in Villa Park next weekend.
The annual Howe Mind -Games
An annual tradition in the preseason is Howe’s players in two last friendly matches, without perceptible pattern for the line-ups.
Anthony Luna (£ 7.0 million) the nod next to Gordon and Harvey Barnes (£ 6.5 million) against Atletico. Does that make him more likely to start with Jacob Murphy (£ 6.5 million) In Gameweek 1? It may seem like that, but then consider that Bruno Guimaraes (£ 6.5 million) was involved in a game other than its usual midfield partners, Joelinton (£ 6.0 million) and Sandro Tonali (£ 5.5 million). Trippier and Livramento also played the night for Schar and Burn.
Elanga was vivid against Atletico, with the absence of a bona fide center as much factor as poor delivery that none of his five crosses were locked.
But then Murphy was also his usual 7/10 the previous night. The Harry of him and Newcastle led to his third goal of the preseason. No more magpie has.
And was what perhaps a slower integration for Elanga here?
“I think it is for us to get to know his game a little better and that he understands what we are doing a little better and I think we will see a real player who can make a difference and scare the opposition.” – Eddie Howe on Anthony Elanga
Regarding the other collection restaurants, you have pieces and bobs that do not really get a lot of coherence if you are considering the incoherent nature of this weekend.
Joelinton missed four very good opportunities against Atletico. Aaron Ramsdale (£ 5.0 million) debuted against Espanyol and to the surprise of nobody, looked better with his feet than Nick Pope (£ 5.0 million), also saved a fine. Lewis Miley (£ 4.5 million) ended with more minutes for the season than any other Newcastle player, assisting Matt Targett (£ 4.0 million).
Many small observations, but of doubtful relevance when neither XI starts together in 2025/26.
“On the field today you saw a top saving of a penalty. The ball spread the ball very well. So that was a really good home debut from him.” – Eddie Howe on Aaron Ramsdale
Newcastle usually kept Espanyol silent outside their long -distance opener, missed penalty and late head equalizer. They were initially also at the top of Atletico, but the Spaniards showed their class after the break and turned the screw and scored twice.
Newcastle United XI v Espanyol: Ramsdale, Krafth, Schär, Burn, Targett, Miley, Bruno Guimarães, Hall (Harrison 46); Murphy, Osula, Seung-Sooo (Neave 61).
Newcastle United XI v Atletico Madrid: Pope, Ashby (Al. Harrison 61), Lascelles, Botman (A. Murphy 46), Livramento, Trippier (Shahar 87), Joelinton, Tonali, Elanga, Gordon (Neave 84), Barnes.
Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 Wolfsburg
Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 Wolfsburg
- Go: Group, Sarmiento | Rutter, Van Cuyper
- Helps: Goodnight, Milner | Ayari, Wieffer
Not such spirit games of Hurzeler?
While Howe spread his first teamers over two friendly matches, Hurzeler seemed to sort his players in ‘First XI’ and ‘Second String’ for the second week in a row.
This week’s (apparent) first team showed only one change in that of last week and even that came between the posts. Bart Verbruggen (£ 4.5 million) was back from an injury and took the place of Jason Steele (£ 4.5 million).
FPL -Midfielder Georgia Rutter (£ 6.0 million) was again the line leader, with Matt O’Riley (£ 5.5 million) behind him. Who saw Danny Welbeck (£ 6.5 million) sent again to the kickabout behind closed thouses.
“No, it’s not a decision between him and Danny. They played together last season. [Georginio] Is always an option. He is very playable in this position. ‘ – Fabian Hurzeler on Georginio Rutter + Danny Welbeck, via Sussex Express
Lewis Dunk‘s (£ 4.5 million) Race does not seem to be run either, because he started again Jan Paul Van Hecke (£ 4.5 million). Newcomers Diego Coppola (£ 4.5 million) and Oliver Boscagli (£ 4.5 million) were at Welbeck and the glorified B team.
The first goal of the Cuyper
Part of that stronger side of the Papper is the Cuyper, who hit Brighton on Saturday in his first goal. He has been on the radar since his summer movement, which with those striking figures in Belgium.
He also seems to settle nicely. Sometimes wide, sometimes coming in and sometimes part of a central defensive three (we have the Milos is coming (£ 6.0 million) comparison last week), he had already sought a few crosses Mats Wieffer‘s (£ 5.0 million) Low delivery was clamped on his path. The left back buried the chance.
“Yes, very impressed because he has integrated as a person fairly quickly and that is something that I don’t see in the football business that often. He does it in A, I would say, very natural. So not in an artificial way and that is why you can see that he was immediately integrated into the team by having good performance by playing good game. – Fabian Hurzeler on Maxim de Cuyper
Good in the future … not so much at the back
De Cuyper had the reputation to be more skilled in the other direction before his transfer than in the other direction. That is something that can certainly be said for Brighton in general.
Last week we wrote about their defensive shortcomings – and they were again visible against Wolfsburg.
Cut open during the transition with huge gorges, both before and behind the backline, they were dependent on a few heroic deeds of Verbruggen to keep Wolfsburg remotely to a 79th minute comfort. It has not changed much since last season, it seems, and Dunk is no longer more mobile at 33.
Carlos Baleba (£ 5.0 million) could in any case be able to offer some protection soon: he was again absent, but Hurzeler revealed after the game that he was already in training and “will be back”.
At least it was more rider in the opposite direction, with Rutter, Diego Gomez (£ 5.0 million) and Kaoru Mitoma (£ 6.5 million) denied on either side of Rutter’s excellent opener. Yankuba MINTEH (£ 6.0 million), which yielded a brace last weekend, should have scored with a header and a shot from close by on either side of the break.
In the early match of the day, Brajan Gruda (£ 5.5 million) and Jeremy Sarmiento (£ 5.0 million) scored on the seagulls. That game behind closed doors contained the shortest cameor of Stefanos Tzimas (£ 5.5 million), one of the two Greek signing sessions of large money. It is pretty clear now that neither will disturb the starting XI until we are in the fall.
Brighton and Hove Albion start XI in first friendship: Steele, Kadioglu (Lamptey 45), Boscagli (Simmonds 61), Coppola, Veltman, Sarmiento, Moran, Milner (Yalcouye 70), Buonanotte, Gruda, Welbeck (Tzimas 85).
Brighton and Hove Albion start XI in second friendly: Continued, Wiveer, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper, Ayari, Gomez (Yalcouye 78), Minteh (Howell 74), O’Rile, Mitoma, Georgino (Sima 84).
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