The lads head straight to Bournemouth from Portugal for what is a big game for both clubs, who are equally desperate to get some Premier League points on the board. While Regis Le Bris changed the team up on Thursday it was a largely insipid display until the closing stages, but one or two did their claims for a Premier League start no harm – while a few of them didn’t strengthen their cases at all. Still, there’ll be plenty of opportunities over the coming weeks for them to redress the balance.
Here’s how I think we’ll line up today.
Goalkeeper: Robin Roefs
He barely needed to touch the ball on Thursday, but still had to pick it out of the net. Absolutely nothing he could have done about that one, and he’ll be a lot busier this afternoon.
Defence: Nordi Mukiele, Kevin Danso, Omar Alderete, Reinildo
A positive from Thursday was Alderete’s 90 minutes, and we’ve really missed the balance he provides at the back – as well as his interceptions and defensive ability. We need to get him back into the team, and hopefully he’s fit enough to start today. Alongside him could be Kevin Danso, who after a promising start has struggled in his last two Premier League. If we could clone Nordi I’d have one of him at centre back and the other at right back – in fact I reckon 10 outfield Mukiele’s would be a strong Premier League team – but given Meunier’s injury and the attacking threat he provides down the right, I’d go with Mukiele at full back. On the left, Methalie didn’t show us much on Thursday – he really played within himself, unlike at Manchester City, where he was excellent – so Reinildo will come back into the defence.
Midfield: Trai Hume, Granit Xhaka, Jules Ahoka, Noah Sadiki, Enzo Le Fee
Unfortunately, neither of the wingers we’re spent *checks notes* a shit tonne of money on are producing anything like the attacking threat or consistency we need. Both are young, both need time to settle in – I understand that – but when you go to the lengths we went to, and pay the money we paid, for Fofana in particular, you expect him to look the part from the off. Now, maybe it’s Le Bris’s tactics – I do think we’re not set up to get the best out of a traditional winger – but still, we need to see more from Fofana and Angulo. After awful displays from both on Thursday I don’t think either of them will get the opportunity from the start today, with Trai Hume moving back into the right midfield position, which enables Mukiele to overlap and provide the attacking threat on the right, and Enzo moving to the left of the field. Yes, he’s a bit wasted there, but can still influence the game and we need to go back to basics really. That frees up a place in the centre of midfield. Habib Diarra could play there, although to throw him in to start after his injury problems is a bit of a risk, so I think Jules Ahoka will get the nod. He was excellent on Thursday night, and something that’s been missed in a lot of the talk afterwards is he’s more naturally an ‘8’ than a ‘6’ – something we found out when Gav spoke to Belgian football expert Elijah Michiels for the pod – so it would be a good opportunity to play him in there. He looks ready, and he’s got goals in him.
Striker: Timur Tutierov
He was so unlucky not to be given a goal on Thursday – the horrendously bad referee adjudged Alderete had breathed on someone and ruled it out – but he made some excellent runs across defenders and showed a real willingness and desire. Promising signs, and I think he’ll start today. Brobbey is allegedly fit, but we know Le Bris is usually cautious with injuries, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him kept on the bench today – and on Thursday. Unless we need to take a risk with 20 minutes or so left, it’s not a risk worth taking from the start today, especially with Isidor out. We do, of course, have Angulo mk2 to consider, however I think Tutierov did more than enough to earn a start here today.
