Adam's Back!...................and Ash?

[severnside gull]

or is he/should he be?

Adam el Abd is back training and is available for Saturday

Brighton and Hove Albion | Match | Preview | Team News: Rochdale v Albion

Purely on form, should he be a shoe-in to the starting line up or has Tommy Elphick done enough to keep his place?

I thought Tommy did OK when called on but have to say that we missed Adam if only because Greer is a better player alongside him than in partnership Elphick. Tough call for Gus but one that has to be made surely?

Also Barnesy may be fit to travel and even if he is only on the bench that would surely be a massive bonus. I think we missed his ability to find space alongside Muzza and to create shooting chances from little or nothing and thereby create a bit of pressure. Nothing against Sandaza but he can't do that and nor can Wood for that matter. Is it worth taking a chance with his ankle though with just 7 games to go after Saturday, two of which may turn out to be our biggest of the season and the games that define who will go up with us? Again, a tough call for Gus but I think I would at least have Barnes travelling with a decision on the day.

 

[The French Mistress]

Tough call, but go with your strongest side...........Adam for me .

 

[hans kraay fan club]

We've let in ONE goal, in the 3.5 matches since Elphick came in, and he was for many our best defender on Tuesday. Harsh to drop him, based on that, ...but... El Abd has been brilliant.

Nice dilemma to have, and as ever happy that Gus will make the right choice.

 

[The Large One]

If it was any other consideration in any other position, Elphick would keep the shirt - no question.

But... this is Adam El-Abd's berth we're talking about here.

 

[Bognor Bystander]

Adam should play imo ...also Murray and Wood up top for me (with Barnes and Sandaza on the bench)

 

[Uncle C]

We've let in ONE goal, in the 3.5 matches since Elphick came in, and he was for many our best defender on Tuesday. Harsh to drop him, based on that, ...but... El Abd has been brilliant.

Nice dilemma to have, and as ever happy that Gus will make the right choice.

Think ourselves lucky. In this situation Micky Adams would have placated Elphick by playing him on the wing.

 

[CliveWalkerWingWizard]

Think ourselves lucky. In this situation Micky Adams would have placated Elphick by playing him on the wing.

In goal, surely.

 

[cyanide-sid]

As Adam has missed a fair bit of training I would be inclined to stay with Tommy for this one.No point in risking our Player of the Season is it ?

But then Gus knows all this doesn`t he.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

More to the point. What an absolutely cracking POSE:

 

[y2dave]

I'd stick with Tommy, have El-Abd on the bench and maybe ease him back in depending on how the games going. Saying that I'm sure Poyet's main concern will be who represents the best option for stopping the strikers we are up against. Nice problem.

 

[kevo]

Adam should play imo ...also Murray and Wood up top for me (with Barnes and Sandaza on the bench)

This

 

[Mr Burns]

I would question who our best two central defenders are at the moment and play them. Might be a risk though to play Elphick and Al-Abd together for the first time in a while. But in my opinion Greer is questionably better than the other two, and certainly not an automatic choice like he seems to be. I think though he has to stick with Elphick at the moment, hes come in, taken his chane, and that what Gus promoted thoughout the squad, so makes it very hard to change IMO

 

[Gully]

Blimey, he looks a right hard b*****d in that shot...if I was an opposition attacker and came up against a defender looking like that I would turn round and go back...he must play!

 

[The Wizard]

I would question who our best two central defenders are at the moment and play them. Might be a risk though to play Elphick and Al-Abd together for the first time in a while. But in my opinion Greer is questionably better than the other two, and certainly not an automatic choice like he seems to be. I think though he has to stick with Elphick at the moment, hes come in, taken his chane, and that what Gus promoted thoughout the squad, so makes it very hard to change IMO

Although I do believe Greer is a better player than both of them, I'd imagine the reason for him being an automatic choice apart from this would be the fact he is our captain. And disrupting the team by dropping the captain now would possibly be detrimental. Can I just add I think he's a fantastic player and brilliant leader.

 

[Simster]

He's got a nice problem here. If I was Gus, I'd get El Abd back this weekend and see how he slots in. Possibly try and keep them all happy by rotating all three until mid April - the Southampton and Huddersfield games are the two that will seriously threaten our unbeaten home record so by then he will need to have decided on his two most dependable centre halves.

 

[Marshy]

I would bring El-Abd back in, and Wood to start up front with Murray.
Barnes can take a seat on the bench, but give him a good half hour ideally...

 

[Mr Burns]

Although I do believe Greer is a better player than both of them, I'd imagine the reason for him being an automatic choice apart from this would be the fact he is our captain. And disrupting the team by dropping the captain now would possibly be detrimental. Can I just add I think he's a fantastic player and brilliant leader.

I agree about the captain but, and he is by far the best "footballer" out of the three, which I think is why he an automatic choice for Gus' playing from the back style, but the best centre half, I'm not so sure....

 

[The Large One]

Can't agree about Greer being the best footballer of those three.

Best leader - probably. Good captain - yes. Experience - plenty.

But for all-round approach, positional sense, passing ability and general consistency, it's El-Abd for me, certainly this season anyway.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Greer is EASILY the best player of the three, and either of the other two compliment him well. He makes them better, too, which is important.

Greer was utterly superb in the last home game. It was like watching Beckenbauer in an Albion shirt!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Can't agree about Greer being the best footballer of those three.

Best leader - probably. Good captain - yes. Experience - plenty.

But for all-round approach, positional sense, passing ability and general consistency, it's El-Abd for me, certainly this season anyway.

Adam has been fantastic all season, but to suggest his PASSING ability is superior to Greer's is utter TRIPE.