After an excellent display at Chelsea, our opening 30 minutes against Everton proved there’s no resting on our laurels – and with both Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee pretty critical of the team’s approach
in the opening stages last time out, you’d hope we don’t see a repeat of that any time soon.
Le Bris sprang a surprise by naming an unchanged team, and I think we’ll do pretty much the same again.
Goalkeeper: Robin Roefs
Despite Everton’s pressure in the opening stages, Roefs didn’t have too much to do – but what he had to, he did well.
Defence: Trai Hume, Nordi Mukiele, Lutsharel Geertruida, Dan Ballard, Reinildo
I think we’ll stick with the five/three at the back today. If he’d been fit, I thought Omar Alderete would have come back in – he adds so much balance and we missed him on Monday. But it seems as though his concussion is going to keep him out until after the next international break, so it’s likely we’ll go with the same again. I do have concerns about that, as first half on Monday Trai Hume really struggled on the ball, and gave possession away twice for good Everton chances. Second half, he was more at it, and he’ll need to be on his game for the full 90 today, particularly if he’s stepping into midfield against some top quality players.
Midfield: Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki
A question I have about playing the three central defenders is that it creates more work for Sadiki and Xhaka to do. Will that be too much to do twice in the space of 6 days? Possibly. Personally I’d go back to our usual formation and get and extra man in midfield, but to be fair the work of Xhaka and Sadiki is the equivalent of three normal men, so we’ll hopefully be fine.
Attack: Bertrand Traore, Wilson Isidor, Enzo Le Fee
Traore had his best game for us on Monday and looked a decent threat. Le Bris seems to like him out there, so I think he’ll start again. Le Fee will do his usual magical thing, while Isidor will be looking to get on the scoresheet again at the Stadium of Light!
