[Albion] Team for Fulham (A) - Thursday 7.30pm

[chaileyjem]

Not sure O'Riley looked ready to start on Friday, I think Ayari is a more reliable choice atm. Ditto Rutter for Minteh but we have to begin to rotate, I guess. Also, really hope Veltman's fit but I'm guessing he's missing this one

Veltman is training today and you'd think - assuming no issues with that - he will possibly/probably play given the full back options that Hurzeler has - no Hinshelwood, Milner or Kadioglu. I'd say it sounds more than 50:50

 

[Bob!]

........

So i'm predicting a starting 11 of

Verbruggen
Veltman/Lamptey, Dunk JPVH Estupinan
Baleba , O Riley
Minteh Pedro Mitoma
Welbeck

I'd go similar with Dunk on the left and JP on the right though,
and Ayari rather than O'Riley

 

[Mackenzie]

Verbruggen
Veltman-Hecke-Igor-Estupinan
Ayari-Baleba
Rutter-Welbeck-Pedro-Mitoma​

 

[aolstudios]

Veltman is training today and you'd think - assuming no issues with that - he will possibly/probably play given the full back options that Hurzeler has - no Hinshelwood, Milner or Kadioglu. I'd say it sounds more than 50:50

Hope you're right. If he's fit he's plays, no doubt. Just not sure with so many games looming, FH will risk rushing him back if there's any doubt at all

 

[aolstudios]

Verbruggen
Veltman-Hecke-Igor-Estupinan
Ayari-Baleba
Rutter-Welbeck-Pedro-Mitoma​

If all fit, exactly this ^

 

[LamieRobertson]

I think Ferguson might start actually

I agree

 

[pigmanovich]

I'd start Danny or Pedro at no 9 tomorrow and Evan on the weekend personally.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

Glad I wasn’t the only one

 

[JBizzle]

Verbruggen
Veltman JPVH Igor Estupinan
O'Riley Baleba
Georginho Pedro Mitoma
Welbeck

​

For now, this is our best 11 - O'Riley/Ayari And Dunk/Igor can be swapped with little impact.

Hopefully, Veltman is fit, we missed him on Friday.
This isn't a game for Lamptey.

In the main, I agree. I don't think Fulham away is the time to be aggressively changing the lineup. My only change from your lineup could be Weiffer or Ayari in for O'Riley. Away from home, having 6 attackers on the pitch against a strong side could leave us too open, so I'd want to shore us up defensively

 

[chaileyjem]

Hope you're right. If he's fit he's plays, no doubt. Just not sure with so many games looming, FH will risk rushing him back if there's any doubt at all

Hurzeler said "Joel Veltman will train today (Wednesday), and we will see if he’s available. "

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/pages/en/media-article/fulham-team-news-veltman-back-in-training

 

[aolstudios]

In the main, I agree. I don't think Fulham away is the time to be aggressively changing the lineup. My only change from your lineup could be Weiffer or Ayari in for O'Riley. Away from home, having 6 attackers on the pitch against a strong side could leave us too open, so I'd want to shore us up defensively

This ^

 

[albionalba]

I think the non-Ferguson starting line-ups proposed are preferred by me. As others have said we need don't want to be left too open and those forwards named are still prepared to put in defensive graft, whereas Fergie doesn't seem so able to do that imho.

 

[Motogull]

I think the non-Ferguson starting line-ups proposed are preferred by me. As others have said we need don't want to be left too open and those forwards named are still prepared to put in defensive graft, whereas Fergie doesn't seem so able to do that imho.

I have to disagree. Last time out he did plenty of work in defensive areas. Sadly.

 

[Machiavelli]

Not sure O'Riley looked ready to start on Friday, I think Ayari is a more reliable choice atm. Ditto Rutter for Minteh but we have to begin to rotate, I guess. Also, really hope Veltman's fit but I'm guessing he's missing this one

Agreed. In terms of starting line-up and substitutions (who and when), we really need to be taking this game and the Leicester one together.
On O'Riley, in a ridiculously small sample size, he's been far more effective coming off the bench than starting. But he might start given Ayari picked up a slight injury on Friday.
I wouldn't rush Veltman back if he's not fully fit because, as much as I factor the Fulham game as more difficult/important than the Leicester one, a return too early too often generates relapses. You'd probably agree that we'd like him available for as much of December as possible, given the fixtures are coming thick and fast.
I wouldn't mind Minteh starting, if only because I'd like to see a little more rotation of Welbeck and Mitoma (not necessarily them not starting) given their load in the past x games and the forthcoming ones.

 

[Machiavelli]

I'd start Danny or Pedro at no 9 tomorrow and Evan on the weekend personally.

For what reason?
FWIW, I think that they need to share the load more across the two games. I suspect Leicester will play a deep block and Fulham won't and, for that additional reason, I'm not adverse to Fergie starting against Leicester.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I thought our starting centre midfield was pretty average against Stains.

All change with an eye on Sunday.

Two objectives.

1. Plenty of midfield defensive cover for our back four.
2. Pace, power and prowess on the break.


————————-Verbruggen———————-
Veltman—-Van Hecke———Dunk——Estupiñán
—————Baleba—————-Wieffer————-
Minteh—————-Georginio—————Adingra
—————————Pedro—————————-

 

[nicko31]

Used to love playing them in the Championship, the 2014-17 periood was delicious

But in the PL era we haven't beaten them once, turned into a really bogey team. A win is long overdue

 

[7:18]

Webster, the forgotten man…

 

[Taybha]

Bart
Veltman
JPVH
Dunk
Estupinan
O'Riley
Baleba
Mitoma
Georginio
Pedro
Welbeck

Steele
Lamptey
Igor
Ayari
Andringa
Encisco
Slater
Kadioglu
Ferguson

 

[Machiavelli]

Used to love playing them in the Championship, the 2014-17 periood was delicious

But in the PL era we haven't beaten them once, turned into a really bogey team. A win is long overdue

Agreed. I loved that NJ game which was a delightfully crisp freezing night around Christmas in which we jumped around and Solly scored. And then that early season win with Bruno's pornographic pass to set up Baldock and Hemed's late penalty winner. And finally getting utterly battered and then scoring twice quickly on c75 minutes, including a Dunk winner. Scenes at all of them.
God, we were utterly awful there last season.