The Palhinha dilemma

[Sammyffc]

wins without him in the team and reed with Lukic are looking brilliant. If we keep this form going is Joao destined for a seat on the bench? 

[Kimbleman]

I don't think Marco will Drop Lukic...but indeed it's a difficult dilemma. Reed & Lukic or Palhinha & TC??

[Beamer]

What a good dilemma to have with the added bonus that if JP does leave it no longer looks disasterous.

[SerbianLad]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

[SP]

What a good dilemma to have with the added bonus that if JP does leave it no longer looks disasterous.

Definitely. Looking at his body language yesterday, I think he's off at the end of the season, let's hope there's a bidding war.

[Cambridge Pete]

Whatever happens with JP I wish him luck. He has been a true professional with us and, unklike a number in the past, not thrown his toys out. The same for Tosin, keeps performing and working. Two good players and pro's.

[Benny]

Can't change a winning team unless players are injured, will be our strongest bench ever next week

[Beamer]

Fingers crossed Tosin can be persuaded that being first choice for a side which looks to be on the up (with a nice pay rise of course) doesn't look the worse option.

[FFC In Oz]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

I actually thought Reed was poor yesterday, as was Pereira. 

Brighton midfield had all the ball.

I'd like to see Palhinha & Lukic with Iwobi in the #10

[roberto w6]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

I actually thought Reed was poor yesterday, as was Pereira. 


Brighton midfield had all the ball.

I'd like to see Palhinha & Lukic with Iwobi in the #10

I thought Reed did well but I totally agree with you about trying Iwobi in the #10 role. I think his power and running there could be a real differentiator for us

[H4usuallysitting]

Ultimately we're a selling club...if the right offer comes in £40/50m+... Then he'll go.

But with the management & player's we currently have, added to with a few new additions - we'll be ok....one flower doesn't make a bunch

[Karlos]

Would be great to see Decordova Reid given a go as no. 10

Was his original position and his pressing and composure in the final third would surely be a asset

[General]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

Interestingly for me I actually think it's Reed that keeps Lukic and Palhinha doing well and is very underrated.

I think whenever either plays with Reed they do a lot better. He's very tenacious and has a great eye for a pass. He does the simple stuff very well, plays an accurate but hard pass, passes on the turn, quick 1-2's very well.

I don't want to see or entertain any of them leaving. Let's not be too quick to get rid of palhinha, he's one of the best DMs in Europe, not just at the club, or in the middle of the table, or even the PL, but in Europe.

We should be trying to find the best combination and the best players and team.

If you're looking for partnerships, I actually thought tete and BdR had one of the best on the right wing last season, yet Marco switched it up and we've hardly seen Tete this season, who was one of the best players for us last season.

But Marco thinks Castagne is worth the first team RB spot regardless of, for instance, setting up more goals for us.

I've always been curious about wanting to see Palhinha and Lukic build a partnership. Lukic is showing his quality more recently but its always been there. He needed time to adjust perhaps, but he's shown glimpses.

[H4usuallysitting]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

Interestingly for me I actually think it's Reed that keeps Lukic and Palhinha doing well and is very underrated.

I think whenever either plays with Reed they do a lot better. He's very tenacious and has a great eye for a pass. He does the simple stuff very well, plays an accurate but hard pass, passes on the turn, quick 1-2's very well.

I don't want to see or entertain any of them leaving. Let's not be too quick to get rid of palhinha, he's one of the best DMs in Europe, not just at the club, or in the middle of the table, or even the PL, but in Europe.

We should be trying to find the best combination and the best players and team.

If you're looking for partnerships, I actually thought tete and BdR had one of the best on the right wing last season, yet Marco switched it up and we've hardly seen Tete this season, who was one of the best players for us last season.

But Marco thinks Castagne is worth the first team RB spot regardless of, for instance, setting up more goals for us.

I've always been curious about wanting to see Palhinha and Lukic build a partnership. Lukic is showing his quality more recently but its always been there. He needed time to adjust perhaps, but he's shown glimpses.

Tete look's like he's lost a yard of pace.... Castagne has nailed it, as the starting RB

[WolverineFFC]

I'd love to see Palhinha and Lukic together. They hardly ever played together and Lukic rarely played in his favourite position. Harsh maybe on Reed though, who has also improved his performances over the last 2 games. I thought Reed was quite poor in pretty much all games this season, but he was good in the last 2.

Interestingly for me I actually think it's Reed that keeps Lukic and Palhinha doing well and is very underrated.

I think whenever either plays with Reed they do a lot better. He's very tenacious and has a great eye for a pass. He does the simple stuff very well, plays an accurate but hard pass, passes on the turn, quick 1-2's very well.

I don't want to see or entertain any of them leaving. Let's not be too quick to get rid of palhinha, he's one of the best DMs in Europe, not just at the club, or in the middle of the table, or even the PL, but in Europe.

We should be trying to find the best combination and the best players and team.

If you're looking for partnerships, I actually thought tete and BdR had one of the best on the right wing last season, yet Marco switched it up and we've hardly seen Tete this season, who was one of the best players for us last season.

But Marco thinks Castagne is worth the first team RB spot regardless of, for instance, setting up more goals for us.

I've always been curious about wanting to see Palhinha and Lukic build a partnership. Lukic is showing his quality more recently but its always been there. He needed time to adjust perhaps, but he's shown glimpses.

I agree on Lukic and Reed. Reed's constant closing down and running complement Lukic's more reserved defensive work. I think Lukic does a very good job recycling and driving the ball forward which is Reed's real weak spot. It really is a good partnership.

I am not as sold on Joao and Reed. Neither is particularly creative in the deep midfield which is why TC and Joao are a better partnership.

Lukic and Joao should work on paper but for some reason their partnership hasn't taken off yet.

[C Block]

Sorry what's the dilemma?
Are you asking should our best player return next week?
Reminds me of a couple of weeks ago when people were saying Ream should play in place of Bassey, look how that turned out !
You always play your best players when they are available 
Gary O'Neil would love to see Palhinha on the bench next week,
Doesn't matter how well City play when Haaland is out injured Pep always brings him straight back into the side,  hopefully Silva does the same with J.P
Three changes to the starting eleven for me next week, Palhinha, Willian and Traore all to start.

[Benny]

Sasa and Palhinha are too similar, reed is more the box to box player but I still think we shouldn't change a winning team.

Also we should be thinking about life after Palhinha as he'll be off in the summer, 

[SerbianLad]

Sasa and Palhinha are too similar

I disagree with this. Sasa is a box to box midfielder, but usually played as a 6 for us so far, as we have no orthodox 6 to replace Palhinha with. Lukic looked best in both Torino and Serbia when he played as an 8. I also think that when he plays with Reed, he looked better in moments when Reed drops back, which was very obvious in particular in the Manchester United game in my opinion, where Lukic started 3-4 counter attacks from that position.

[btffc]

Marco generally doesn't change a winning team so I wouldn't be surprised to see the same lineup against Wolves but I'd drop Reed for Palhinha. Who wears the armband in that situation with Cairney, Ream and Reed all on the bench? Tosin? Robinson? BDR would be 4th captain I'd think but he wouldn't be on the pitch either.

One of the commentators yesterday said that Marco said Lukic was our best player during preseason. Found that interesting and hadn't heard that from Marco before.

[filham]

We have a number of players in form and demanding a starting place which is good but make no mistake Palhinha must be the first name on the team sheet.