Ciaran McKenna says…
This isn’t really the news you want to see when going through a slightly rough patch, but there are definitely silver linings.
Nordi Mukiele being sidelined is a real shame.
His excellent defensive qualities will be a big miss but his attacking output is something that’s seemingly gone under the radar and I believe we’ll struggle to replace it.
Across the whole season, he’s been really important, but his recent overlapping runs have been very effective. He assisted Enzo Le Fée against Crystal Palace
and Brian Brobbey against West Ham — as well as being heavily involved in one of Habib Diarra’s goals against Burnley.
I love Brobbey and his old-fashioned hold-up play, which can be really effective at times, but his output seems to have lowered recently, similarly to his energy levels. This isn’t really surprising, though.
We’ve played some top teams in the last month, with good defenders, and his style of play must be very demanding. Maybe a rest will do him some good but that can only happen if another striker steps up on his place. Both Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor have been lacklustre when given a chance, but I know they both have what it takes to play at this level. Hopefully, whoever Régis Le Bris turns to can take their opportunity.
It’s a real shame to see Romaine Mundle out again, especially with the possibility of surgery.
It would’ve been great for him to have the chance to get back to his best and move past what’s been happening. I think a big factor to his performances this year was his lack of a pre-season, so another prolonged period on the sideline isn’t what any of us would’ve wanted to hear.
It’a great to hear that Bertrand Traoré and Granit Xhaka are available — especially with the hit our creative output has talwn with the loss of Mukiele. We know how good both of these lads are and I hope they’re able to benefit us both on Saturday and for the rest of the season.
John Wilson says…
It initially reads like a horror story but some of our recent difficulties have come from not having that extra passion and desire — that determination to leave everything put on the pitch.
I think we have decent squad depth to cope for a week or two, and if the starting eleven is up for the challenge, we can still pick up points.
Granit Xhaka is back, and that’s a huge plus, whilst you’d expect Lutsharel Geertruida to fill one of the full back spots with Trai Hume — and Bertrand Traoré on the right and Wilson Isidor up front.
The team as a whole should be hungry to put in a shift and a performance, so I’d be hopeful of getting something from Bournemouth.
If you look for the positives, accept that Hume can do a job at left back and that the Brobbey hold-up tactic doesn’t always have to be the game approach, you could argue it’s only Nordi Mukiele who’s the big miss.
Always hopeful, and always a chance for others to prove a point.
Jon Guy says…
We have some key figures out for what are very important fixtures in the coming weeks. Nordi Mukiele and Brian Brobbey have been a big part of our success, but the positive is that Bertrand Traoré and Granit Xhaka are back — and both are experienced and quality players.
This is why we have a squad and thankfully, we have a degree of cover.
It might see Régis Le Bris look to a back three and use wing backs to make up for the absence of three of our specialist full backs. Brobbey will be a miss but it means Wilson Isidor is likely to get a run of games, and Traoré will give us something extra up front.
The injury list is significant and we’re paper thin at present, but there’s still plenty of quality in the team. It’ll not only test the players but the ability of the coaching team to make best use of the players who aren’t in the treatment room.
Lars Knutsen says…
Looking at that list, the biggest misses will be Nordi Mukiele and Brian Brobbey, in my opinion .
Great news about Granit Xhaka and Bertrand Traoré, and the squad will be strengthened by Dennis Cirkin and Reinildo returning in due course.
My thoughts and concerns are mainly focused on goalscorers, and we’ll clearly need to change tactics in the absence of a target man. I’m not suggesting something radical, like playing Dan Ballard upfront — although Bob Stokoe used to do that on occasion with Dave Watson in the 1970s!
We’ve been spreading the goals throughout the team, with Chemsdine Talbi, Enzo Le Fée and Habib Diarra netting at times. If we were still in the Championship, we wouldn’t be scared to blood young strikers, as we did with Tommy Watson and Eliezer Mayenda.
I know that Le Bris has been affirmative about the form of Finn Geragusian in the U18s, and Trey Ogunsuyi has also been mentioned, but with Traoré back, that may not be necessary.
