Brighton (H) - 27/12

baracks_a_hammer

yoyo said:

I live down the road in East Grinstead and I doff my cap to Barracks knowledge of our roads!

To be fair, my wife was born and brought up in Crawley and also separately, many years ago, my first job was there too. So the local geography isn’t totally alien to me.

yoyo

Fortunseeker, I live just up the hill off Gardenwood

baracks_a_hammer

OutcastLondoner said:

We might have to start talking football on the first page with this one.

Nope, we’ve successfully managed to avoid doing that...

Expat_Hammer

thornburyiron said:

Cuz I’ll have you know I know a lot about winning, 3 FA and 1 Inter Toto Cup. Unfortunately I know a helluva lot more about losing.

Thorn, you've obviously forgotten the cup winners cup and the world cup

Cuz1

I worked at prontopack on Gatwick road the old coop warehouse lol

Lukerz

Fabianski
Balbuena - Ogbonna - Cresswell
Coufal - Soucek - Rice - Johnson
Bowen - Yarmolenko - Benrahma

Randolph, Dawson, Diop, Fredericks, Noble, Fornals, Snodgrass, Antonio, Haller

Cuz1

If Antonio fit he plays imo rather than bring him on and take him off injured

thornburyiron

Lawro goes 2-1 and Sky go 0-0

alderz

There’s no way Yarmolenko is going to start up front ahead of Haller

OutcastLondoner

I really don't see Yarmolenko as an answer to the problem. His way of beating a man is usually to dribble infield, rather than further up the pitch. Unless it's a false 9 type of role, I personally don't see anything in his game that makes him the next Arnautovic or Antonio.

IronHerb

alderz said:

There’s no way Yarmolenko is going to start up front ahead of Haller

And rightly so.

ASLEFshrugged

I suspect Noble was in the starting XI against Chelsea as a defensive measure but with BHA struggling Moyes will go with a more attacking line-up.

My guess same XI as last time except Benrahma in for Noble and move Fornals into the middle.

IronHerb

Well that worked well. 😂

Lukerz

Haller starts, we don’t win this game

Cuz1

That’s haller with the winning goal then

ASLEFshrugged

Results in the Premier with Haller starting W4 D1 L3

Against top half teams W1 L3
Against bottom half W3 D1

We have drawn our last three against Brighton and we've not won away since 2011 in the Championship (Nolan scored).

I am working Sunday and I was going to miss the game but last week they moved my start time to 5:30pm plus the bookies make us slight favourites so I've got a good feeling about this.

Brother_Sledge

OutcastLondoner said:

I really don't see Yarmolenko as an answer to the problem. His way of beating a man is usually to dribble infield, rather than further up the pitch. Unless it's a false 9 type of role, I personally don't see anything in his game that makes him the next Arnautovic or Antonio.

Agree Yarmo is not Arnie or Antonio but Haller doesn't have any way of beating a man, Yarmo can dribble infield before curling one in the far corner with his sweet left foot.

Cuz1

Really he’s not done that very often

OutcastLondoner

Brother_Sledge said:

OutcastLondoner said:

I really don't see Yarmolenko as an answer to the problem. His way of beating a man is usually to dribble infield, rather than further up the pitch. Unless it's a false 9 type of role, I personally don't see anything in his game that makes him the next Arnautovic or Antonio.

Agree Yarmo is not Arnie or Antonio but Haller doesn't have any way of beating a man, Yarmo can dribble infield before curling one in the far corner with his sweet left foot.

That's my point, he doesn't have much space to dribble infield if he's playing as a striker. His angle for curling it in is smaller as well. I really think he would be worse than Haller. Bowen might offer more than Haller as a striker, especially in a game where we might not need his tracking back as much.

claretandbluesky

I agree Yarmolenko isn't the answer but in the absence of the answer sitting on the bench it just comes down to is he the best alternative to playing Haller again?

Haller is too slow, second to the ball, his passing too slow and not accurate and for some reason for a big strong guy gets outjumped by everyone. heavy boots I now call him.

What will Yarmalenko bring? He will chase and harass the defence he will try and get a shot off on goal whenever he can, and he can finish.

I am not sure if Benrhama could play up front but possibly? Soucek may be able to offer something but is better utilised in midfield, so it's Haller or Yarmy. Haller has certainly had his chance so I feel Yarmy is due one.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I agree Haller hasn’t been great, but he has scored two goals recently that have earned us 4 points.

So he is still popping up with important goals, for all the shortcomings in his game at the moment.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Haller got
7 goals in 24(8) last year
3 goals in 7(6) this year

He hasn't been great, but he's grabbing goals, don't think its smart to drop him now

Brother_Sledge

Cuz1 said:

Really he’s not done that very often

4/5 times last season Norwich, United, Bournemouth, Chelsea plus Villa with a big deflection

Cuz1

Sorry brother I thought we were talking this season where he’s shown signs of doing nothing much when he’s come on, and think he’s too rusty to come on and be expected to be the answer to the problem

ASLEFshrugged

I would imagine over the last two months Moyes has tried Yarmolenko, Benrahma and others up front in training but presumably he doesn't think there is anyone who would be better than Haller in the centre forward role.

Unless Haller gets injured he's going to be in the starting XI until Antonio is fit.

Yeoldhammer

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

Haller got
7 goals in 24(8) last year
3 goals in 7(6) this year

He hasn't been great, but he's grabbing goals, don't think its smart to drop him now

On borrowed time though. I hope he doesn't rush Antonio back like last time. But as soon as Antonio is match fit again Haller drops straight to the bench.

Cuz1

Or play them together

puddleglumhammers

Would love to see this but not likely.
Fabianski
Coufal Balbuena Ogbonna Cresswell Johnson
Rice Soucek
Benrahma
Haller Antonio

ASLEFshrugged

Elvis Costello asked "What's so funny about Love, Peace and Understanding?"

But I'm a West Ham fan so...

puddleglumhammers

Such a crucial match. Looking downwards Leeds, Arsenal, Wolves and maybe Crystal Palace are all able to get enough points for mid-table safety. We really don't want to be mixing it with the others 6 weeks from now. Please, no squeaky bum this season, so 3 points today.