This is a really tricky one. We need a good performance for confidence, but we’ve got a three (on paper) tougher games ahead of us in the next 10 days. So who plays, whose minutes are managed and what takes priority. While Diarra and Brobbey seem to be in contention I think it would be a huge risk to start either of them, and with other players needing minutes, it’s going to be intruiging to see how we line up. Here’s what we might do…
Roefs needs to play through this wobbly form – and we need him to, as we don’t have a realistic alternative. Hopefully a good display will see his confidence return.
Le Bris will be wanting to use this game to bounce positively into Bournemouth, and Mukiele and Alderete are, in my view, our strongest defensive pair. Alderete’s struggled with injury and fitness, but needs minutes and this is ideal. In Meunier’s absence Hume will be at right back, while I think Methalie – who can count himself unfortunate to miss out last weekend – will play at left back.
I think Xhaka either needs a complete rest or he needs minutes to regain his form, so I’m going with the former here. He’s not been himself this season, and we need him to be. So that could see Jules Ahoka come into midfield, playing alongside Noah Sadiki and Enzo Le Fee, while Malick Fofana should start on the left. On the right, Chris Rigg surely has to play. After an impressive pre-season he’s barely had a sniff of action… he needs a game.
It seems Isidor’s got a knock from the weekend - he spent most of the game hobbling about – while even if Brobbey is in contention it’d be a massive risk starting him here. Tutierov usually plays from wider positions but played centrally during preseason and did well, so we could well give him a start here and give Brobbey a bit of a run out later.
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