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[Albion] Bissouma HAS to start on Saturday surely?







Gritt23

New member
Jul 7, 2003
14,902
Meopham, Kent.
The month of March is arguably the biggest month in the history of our football club..... .

No argument really, it is simply NOT unless you have scrubbed the Archer days out of existence, all the way up to getting planning permission for the stadium, and Bloom putting his hand up to pay for it.
 


maltaseagull

Well-known member
Feb 25, 2009
13,364
Zabbar- Malta
Bruno and Bernardo need to start on Saturday too - plus Burn in for Dunk.

Can't help but think defence had just got used to Button and he should have stayed in team too

Edited for you (Duffy had a much better game than Dunk IMHO)
 








E

Eric Youngs Contact Lense

Guest
PG was our most creative last night.. 2 gilt-edged chances for Murray, plus the deflected shot that Schmeical tipped over the bar.. Bissouma catches the eye with incredible, skillful moments and good runs, and is getting better and better. He will start Saturday, and he can try and nail the place down as his to lose, but it will need consistent, mature performances to do it. Kayal will be kept for the Cup game with Gross out (likely) . An injury to either Propper or Stephens on Saturday would be a nightmare..
 


trueblue

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
10,955
Hove
Gross almost scored and superbly set up what should have been a goal. It's a shame he chugs around like a milk float but 2 or 3 times a match, he delivers potential game-changing opportunities. Exciting as he is and brilliant as he will be, Bissouma hasn't done that consistently yet against Premier League teams.
 


Miserable Les

New member
Jan 17, 2019
99
Agree with the main issue being the lack of pace when we start Stephens, Gross and Murray, we look so pedestrian at this level the opposition just run rings round us through the middle like Leicester did for the first 10 minutes last night. The fact that we had to revert to a more defensive formation to try and shut the door so early in a game is testament to that. From that point on winning the game was very unlikely.

Bissouma shows far more attacking intent and tenacity in the middle than Stephens, so play him behind Propper if Gross is injured with Kayal doing the more defensive duties. He is still raw and has the same tendency as Izzy to get into great positions and then go for the spectacular rather than play in someone in a better attacking position at times, but I'm sure he'll get past that with more experience. He does also fade a bit as the games go on where he's started. I'm not anti-Stephens per se, but I do think the idea that he is the best protector of our back four is overstated. Several times in the last two seasons in key moments he's been found wanting in that regard, being skinned or putting in powder puff tackles. We just look too easy to play against and not threatening enough going forward with that starting line up at this level, and that's my biggest bugbear with Hughton in that he keeps reverting to it.
 
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Baldseagull

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2012
11,839
Crawley
Gross almost scored and superbly set up what should have been a goal. It's a shame he chugs around like a milk float but 2 or 3 times a match, he delivers potential game-changing opportunities. Exciting as he is and brilliant as he will be, Bissouma hasn't done that consistently yet against Premier League teams.

So maybe we should drop Stephens for Bissouma?
 




BLOCK F

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2009
6,723
Gross almost scored and superbly set up what should have been a goal. It's a shame he chugs around like a milk float but 2 or 3 times a match, he delivers potential game-changing opportunities. Exciting as he is and brilliant as he will be, Bissouma hasn't done that consistently yet against Premier League teams.

The milk float reference made me chuckle.
Perhaps we need, 'Ernie, The fastest milkman in the west'!
He'd add a bit of pace!
 




A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
20,558
Deepest, darkest Sussex
But Stephens is in such good form?

Wait, hang on, that's not right, is it...
 




sussex_guy2k2

Well-known member
Jun 6, 2014
4,083
Personally I'd be starting him, Propper and Gross. But it's all a game of opinions. We need that verticality and ability to transition for me. And that midfield looked very good against Watford. But Stephens, Gross and Propper is all too pedestrian and makes us easy to overrun in a majority of games. CH loves that combo though so what will be will be.
 




LVGull

New member
May 13, 2016
1,959
It really shouldn’t be up for debate. I’m absolutely mystified why he didn’t start tonight.

If we play 2 in midfield on Saturday it should be him and Propper. If 3, I’d go for Bissouma, Propper and Kayal with Andone up front. Time to inject some pace and dynamism into the side and ‘rest’ the pedestrian Stephens, Gross and Murray.

Stephens looked awful last night.
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
48,430
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Then wastes the chance with a wild shot. His day will come but not at the moment to start.

I’n Going to swim against the tide a tad and half agree with you ...reading/listening to reports about last night ..it seemed the end product and conceding was the problem not creativity....he’s got a lot of potential and surely will play a part in the matches to come but I think it’s wrong to suggest that suddenly this one player will change things around
 








A1X

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 1, 2017
20,558
Deepest, darkest Sussex


blue-shifted

Banned
Feb 20, 2004
7,645
a galaxy far far away
It's a pointless debate. As someone correctly pointed out, Gross won't be back for Saturday meaning there's no point debating Bissouma / Stephens, or for that matter any other midfielder.

The midfield now picks itself. There is no chance of 4-4-1-1 now Gross has gone, so it's going to be 4-3-3. So the midfield 3 will be, Stephens (defensive mid), Propper and Bissouma. Kayal will be on the bench.

The only conceivable way Bissouma doesn't start is if we play Andone and Murray up front in a 4-4-2. The thinking being "It's time to go for it". "It's only Huddersfield". Is that the way Chris thinks? Nahhh
 


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