[Albion] Our strongest xi

[Nobby Cybergoat]

We would have up to 5 players who don't make the matchday squad of 20, every game, if everybody bar March was fit. (which might be the case in a few weeks) . Currently we have 20 fit first team squad players available for selection for Spurs (A) . With Milner, Veltman, March, Enciso being unfit and Barco, Adingra unavailable on international duty.

So that's 5 senior players. Players like Baker Boaitey, Duffus, Peupion who have played first team minutes this season are back in the under 23s, where I'll guess even there it will be tough to get a game in attacking midfield for the rest of the season.

But all of this is a bit fantasy land and assumes we won't get further injuries or suspensions whilst trying to compete on 3 fronts. Which we will

 

[Guinness Boy]

It's a difficult one to be sure. Personally, I've written on other threads that I prefer one keeper all the time and four at the back (while accepting RDZ thinks differently, and it's ultimately his job), so my back five picks itself with everyone fit:

Verbruggen
Veltman JPvH Dunk Estupinian

Now to midfield where I believe we're weakest and most susceptible should there be a key injury. But, happily, we're playing 'everyone's ok' so it has to be Wee Billy and Pascal.

It's up front where there's some controversy. We simply can't fit everyone in that we'd like to, so to some degree we need to think about impact subs. I would actually go with (right to left)

March Bounanotte Mitoma
Pedro

If we accept Solly is out for the season but Enciso is fit then I'd start Enciso at RW and have Adingra as an impact sub available on either wing.

It's a measure of just how good young Facundo has been recently that I'd start him in the 'best possible' team. It would have been Fati at almost any other time this season. But I believe he's taken his chance and is now starting to show why we put faith in him. He's getting better with experience, looks stronger, finds great positions and is finishing. He's simply undroppable at the moment whereas he may have been behind Fati, Enciso and Lallana for that position at the start of the season.

However, you could make sweeping changes and play:

Steele
Lamptey Dunk Igor Estupinian
Hinshlewood (or Baleba) Gross
Adingra Pedro Fati
Welbz

and it wouldn't be awful.

Basically, the ultimate undroppables are Dunk, Gross, Joao Pedro and arguably (because RDZ did drop him on Sat) Estupinian.

 

[Comrade Sam]

Mitoma is back, my mate just went on a tour of the training ground and saw him there!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Mitoma is back, my mate just went on a tour of the training ground and saw him there!

You'd have thought, given that Japan played him back in nicely from his injury he'll be in consideration to start, or at least have significant time off the bench for Saturday

 

[Berty23]

It seems we all agree it is bloody hard to pick our best team. I would love to know what RDZ would consider it to be if we were playing Liverpool in the Europa league final with everyone fit.

Who knows. Maybe we can come back to this thread in a few months and see (ignoring March is out).

 

[Commander]

Surprised so many have mentioned Enciso. He's scored some great goals and is an exciting young talent, but he's also been absolute dross in some games. I guess it's easy to forget that when he hasn't played for ages. No way would I have in my absolute must-win first XI.

 

[Machiavelli]

It seems we all agree it is bloody hard to pick our best team. I would love to know what RDZ would consider it to be if we were playing Liverpool in the Europa league final with everyone fit.

Who knows. Maybe we can come back to this thread in a few months and see (ignoring March is out).

He said in a pre-match press conference recently that he was 'looking forward to making mistakes' with the first 11 selection.