[Albion] Fab's pre-West Ham presser

[Bozza]

Coming up at nine...

 

[Kosh]

I’m hoping for a good one today… kind of like Fireball, when the Purps injected a bit of blues, funk and even folk into proceedings…

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[Justice]

How many cliches will be on this one?

 

[chaileyjem]

How many cliches will be on this one?

Adam , who runs the excellent Football Cliche podcast was rather fond of this FAB quote from the GQ interview (and first picked up, by i think, @Bozza )

 

[brighton_tom]

Igor an option? He was back in training.

 

[mrjon1976]

JPVH unavailable........Baleba CB again?

 

[Forster's Armband]

JPVH unavailable........Baleba CB again?

I hope not. We need him in midfield.

 

[chaileyjem]

so players available /likely squad

Verbruggen / Steele
Veltman, Dunk, Cashin, Estupinan, Tasker,
Hinshelwood, Ayari, Gomez, Baleba, Wieffer
O Riley, Gruda
Minteh, Welbeck, Mitoma, Adingra, March


PS: MItoma now fit enough to start.

Absentees....
JPVH - concussion protocol, back Newcastle
Lamptey, Igor - training, but too early
Pedro - back Liverpool (H) - 3 match ban.
Rutter/Webster - out for season
Ferdi / Milner - "maybe" before end of season or at least thats what FAB said the other day in case you're doubtful. .

 

[JBizzle]

JPVH unavailable........Baleba CB again?

If Igor isn't fully available and Cash isn't deemed ready, I think I'd rather Weiffer in at CB and keep Baleba in CM

 

[Bob!]

Were loose

 

[Clive Walker]

screwed. this is must win. Not really for our season but for FH!

 

[Forster's Armband]

screwed. this is must win. Not really for our season but for FH!

It's really not.

 

[Don Tmatter]

If Igor isn't fully available and Cash isn't deemed ready, I think I'd rather Weiffer in at CB and keep Baleba in CM

Wieffer at CB best not play a high line then

 

[Change at Barnham]

I'd imagine Veltman wouldn't be risked to be a starter.
And Cashin and Tasker unlikely to be PL experienced enough to be starters.

I'd therefore expect Baleba to once again be playing alongside Dunk in defence.

Bart
Hinshelwood - Dunk - Baleba - Estupinan
Weiffer
O'Riley - Gomez
Minteh - Welbeck - Mitoma

 

[WATFORD zero]

I'd imagine Veltman wouldn't be risked to be a starter.
And Cashin and Tasker unlikely to be PL experienced enough to be starters.

I'd therefore expect Baleba to once again be playing alongside Dunk in defence.

Bart
Hinshelwood - Dunk - Baleba - Estupinan
Weiffer
O'Riley - Gomez
Minteh - Welbeck - Mitoma

That's what I would go for

 

[JBizzle]

Wieffer at CB best not play a high line then

[Insert literally any fit Brighton defender] at CB best not play a high line then

 

[brighton_tom]

The injuries are just so frustrating. All season its been like this. Kadioglu, Van Hecke, Webster, Veltman could arguably be our first choice back 4, and at best one of those might be fit... but more likely on the bench.

 

[saafend_seagull]

No brainer baleba at cb given pace of kudus.

Bart (pain :/)

Lamptey
Dunk
Baleba
Pervi

Gomez
Wieffer
MOR

Minteh
Welbeck
Mitoma

 

[JBizzle]

screwed. this is must win. Not really for our season but for FH!

In my opinion, nothing will change Hurzeler's position with us between now and the end of the season. Bloom isn't stupid, he will be looking at everything throughout the whole season and if FH is going, like RDZ and Hughton, that decision has already been made. Same if he stays.

Personally, I think he stays. I think Bloom knows that when you hire a 31 year old manager and the squad undergoes a huge overhaul that you have a season of transition, and then when you layer in the injuries to all our new signings and the fact that there's a blindingly obvious transfer gap in defence that we've all seen ALL season, Hurzeler stays.

Remember, the only managers Bloom has officially sacked are Hughton (because he wanted to change the style after a particularly turgid six-months) and Poyet (because [redacted for legal purposes]). He didn't even sack Hyypia because he know he sold him well short, squad-wise.