Bournemouth vs Brighton Predicted Lineups

Many counted Bournemouth out this season after losing 4 of their starting back-5 last from last season, to Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool and PSG no mind. Andre Iraola, one of the best managers in the Premier League, had other ideas. He has his team looking as sharp and dominant as ever out of possession, and defensively they look just as strong as they did last season, which makes them a tough out in every game. Add in Semenyo taking another jump as a player, and Kluivert and Christie returning, with the confidence from a 1-0 GW3 win over Thomas Frank’s Spurs propelling them in to this matchup with Brighton on a high. Two wins over Wolves and Tottenham, and a narrow late defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, a game where Bournemouth fought back to tie it at 2-2 after being 2-0 down, is about as good of a start to the season as Cherries fans could have hoped for.

Brighton also enter this game full of confidence, after coming from behind to beat Manchester City 2-1 to notch their first win of the season. That win followed a 1-1 draw against Fulham and a tough loss against Everton in GW2. This is a Brighton team full of youth and talent, with pace, physicality and technical ability all over the pitch, and they should only get better as the season progresses. Hurzeler and his men will look to prove they are the superior of these two teams with European aspirations by putting the Everton defeat well and truly behind them and securing a second straight win against good opponents.

This should be a very evenly matched game, between two teams that are athletic, full of technical players, good in and out of possession and are well coached. There are no major weaknesses on either team and both teams come in to this game fresh off wins in the league, and no major injuries derailing their momentum. Should be a fascinating game that will be a key data point for how we look at these two teams moving forward.

 

Lineups will be updated throughout the week in live time as and when injury and lineup news is announced.

Green Light: Confident the player will start.

Amber Light: A toss up on whether the player will start.

Red Light: Confident the player will not start.

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AFC Bournemouth Predicted Lineup:

Bournemouth Team News:

Speaking on Lewis Cook’s return, Iraola said “We have Lewis Cook’s situation. He has been training with the team a little bit, but he’s probably not 100%. We need to see after training how he feels”. Seems like Cook will make the bench in the best case scenario. Iraola also revealed starting right-back “Adam Smith, he has a suspected hamstring injury and he will be out a few more weeks.” Araujo could do a like for like replacement but Iraola has tended to shy away from trusting Araujo over the past year. Lewis Cook played right-back for a lot of last season, and I wonder if Iraola would prefer to try Ryan Christie at right-back over Araujo.

Justin Kluivert returned from injury to make cameos off the bench against Tottenham in GW3 and should be fit enough to start in GW4 against Brighton. Kluivert goes straight back in to the starting lineup for Tavernier.

Bournemouth Players to Watch:

Kluivert:

Christie:

Smith:

Brighton and Hove Albion Team News:

Brighton Team News:

Hurzeler, speaking on the squad at large and then asked specifically about Gruda, said “Everybody who is in our squad is ready to start. And he (Gruda) had a very good appearance against Manchester City when he when on the pitch. We’re very pleased with his development. We try to give him more game time. If it will be a start tomorrow or not, we have to make the decision. But he will be a very important player for us to the future, no matter if he starts tomorrow or not.” Very hard to know what to take from that, outside of Gruda is an option within the squad that will get minutes.

Wieffer picked up a small knock ahead of the Man City game in GW3 and was not in the squad. However he should be fit and ready to start this game. Hurzeler did not mention any injury in his Friday Press Conference.

Hinshelwood vs Ayari for who partners Baleba in midfield will likely be difficult to guess all season long because it will be based on matchups and their fitness. Hinshelwood returned from injury in GW3 and started, so I lean Hinshelwood for now.

Rutter returned to the squad after an injury kept him out the previous week, and made a cameo off the bench. I think he now returns to the starting XI in GW4 replacing Welbeck. Rutter started as the striker in GW1. Especially as Hurzeler spoke about playing Bournemouth, stating They are a very difficult side to play against. There will be moments when we will suffer and will need to show resilience.” Rutter provides more running power and legs off the ball than Welbeck.

O’Riley who started the first 2 games has joined Marseille on loan. A strange one, given again, he started the first 2 games. Hurzeler speaking on the O’Riley, stated “We have a lot of competition in the midfield positions, and while we see Matt’s long-term future here with us, this gives him the potential of more game time”.

Brighton Players to Watch:

Wieffer:

Hinshelwood:

Gruda:

Rutter:

Ayari:

Welbeck:

O’Riley:

Final Thoughts:

This is a game between two fairly evenly matched teams top half teams, with Brighton probably having a slight talent edge but Iraola is the better coach as of today. Both teams will likely stick with their preferred systems; Brighton a 4-2-1-3 and Bournemouth in essentially a 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-3 and there should be great battles all over the pitch. Both teams do like to play with the ball, neither team will look to cede control to the other, they won’t show the other that much respect. Brighton will look to play more so than Bournemouth, but neither mind a transitional, fast paced game at all. It will be physical in midfield, chances will be created and both forward lines have pace and skill so there should be goals in this one.