[baggie82]

Should be dropped immediately. His return has coincided with our collapse. None of our centre backs have covered themselves in glory over the last month but we haven't looked near competent since Ajayi and Bartley played together. Since that was broken up it's all turned to dust.

[baggie82]

hree of the back 4 have to be Ajayi, Furlong and Bartley (based on form this season). LB is an issue with Gibbs injury issues.

Correct. Ferguson should play as stand in left back and then compete with Furlong when Gibbs is back.

[Aztech]

Correct. Ferguson should play as stand in left back and then compete with Furlong when Gibbs is back.

Personally I’d play Brunt at left back before Ferguson

[TheJacko2000]

while i like Hegazi, three of the back 4 have to be Ajayi, Furlong and Bartley (based on form this season). LB is an issue with Gibbs injury issues.
I agree some stability is required at the back.

Bartley has just cost us another game. Selection should be based on current form. Not form over the season. This is Bilić problem, he's not dropping out of form players and we now haven't won for 6 weeks.

[baggie82]

Personally I’d play Brunt at left back before Ferguson

Ajayi, Bartley and Furlong plus whoever at left back would be big improvement on tonight and the last few weeks.

[AlbionBest]

We've lost four league games this season wait a minute Hegazi started three of them and the one he didn't we were unlucky to lose says it all really

Does Hegazi really want to be here ?  Nice to get him out of the door if a decent offer came in and we could hold onto Ferguson.

[zippyandbungle]

We've lost four league games this season wait a minute Hegazi started three of them and the one he didn't we were unlucky to lose says it all really

And whilst I don’t think he has been as terrible has some have said....sometimes you just need to restart the jigsaw
I’d have Johnstone, hegazi both out of the team on Saturday

[Dexy]

I think I can, because I don't have any. The players I say are poor are always found to be poor in retrospect over a career. Very rarely have I misjudged an Albion player when their time with us has come to an end.


Hegazi is our best centre back, from that starting point it's unfathomable that anyone could single him out for criticism every time he plays.

Beg to differ on the first point but on to the second you may well be right on Hegazi being the better of the three but I think Bartley and Ajayi are a better pairing .
The way Bilic sets up just makes Hegazi look a slow sitting duck especially at home .
Won't be popular with some but at this point you start to question Bilic , he's had long enough to know how to set his back 4 up . If its Hegazi you don't leave him stranded because he's never had great pace , play him in a deeper side like at West Ham and he's more than capable.

[wba1993dave]

 Funny how we turn to cr*p after his training ground bust up.

[baggie82]

Funny how we turn to rubbish after his training ground bust up.

We were flying until Hegazi returned from injury. Ajayi, Bartley, Furlong and Ferguson or O'Shea against Luton and then we go from there.

[Albionic]

Does anyone know categorically who AH had the bust up with?

[Foster#1]

It could of been a disagreement with anyone tbh.

Slav praising hegazis work ethic on the training pitch after the game yesterday

[Maresca Was A Baggie]

Watching the game tonight I wonder if anyone has told Ahmed that Pulis has gone and he can play it on the ground. He's always looking for the long punt 🙄

[Droitwich Baggie]

Watching the game tonight I wonder if anyone has told Ahmed that Pulis has gone and he can play it on the ground. He's always looking for the long punt 🙄

As long as he clears the ball and keeps it out, I don't care how he does it.
A few selected passes occasionally though, just to keep the opposition guessing.

[TheJacko2000]

Watching the game tonight I wonder if anyone has told Ahmed that Pulis has gone and he can play it on the ground. He's always looking for the long punt 🙄

A pleasant change then from Bartley either giving it away or playing other players into trouble.


Hegazi superb again tonight.

[P Anderson]

I’ve been a critic of his possession of the ball but I think he is getting better, and used to the way Bilic expects him and the team to play. A few more games a couple more clean sheets, we will all (hopefully) be raving how good he is.

[frazzle]

He looked good today. He wasn’t faultless and he did give it away a few times but so does every footballer, it’s just that some get a harder time than others.

Fact is he was poor earlier in the season after he took a gamble and delayed the op and didn’t deserve his place. He’s done enough in the last two games to finally show some form so the shirt is his in my view.

[BoingFlyer]

Early mistake but seemed to settle down afterwards. Done enough to justify being picked next game.

[baggie82]

Early mistake but seemed to settle down afterwards. Done enough to justify being picked next game.

Agree with this. I have reservations with his languid style, lack of pace, concentration and passing but he looked committed tonight and another clean sheet so I’d keep the same back four at the weekend. Hopefully the knowledge that he could be dropped at any time will keep him focussed.

[wbako]

He wasn't at his best tonight, but him and Ajayi are fantastic together. This is the defensive pairing who will see us to the top flight.

[KN22]

He’s a proper centre back. Looks fitter and sharper now. Does sometimes look awkward when in possession of the ball but is a solid defender. Unlike some I feel Bartley was unlucky to be dropped. Based on last 2 games however the shirt is now Hegazis to lose.

[Atomic]

I do not understand how anybody, anywhere thinks Bartley is better than Hegazi.

[baggiebof]

Watching the game tonight I wonder if anyone has told Ahmed that Pulis has gone and he can play it on the ground. He's always looking for the long punt 🙄

I think without Sawyers we deliberately had a more direct approach tonight. To be fair to Hegazi, although he sometimes appears cumbersome on the ball, he is a decent passer from the back.

[tuamigos]

I do not understand how anybody, anywhere thinks Bartley is better than Hegazi.

I do on this seasons form.
Hegazi has dropped lucky in so much that Bartley had a couple of indifferent games and was rightly taken out of the team, and the two games Hegazi has come in he has played against a team with virtually no attacking threat.
1 shot on target from BC and not one on target last night.
Don't get me wrong, I hope whoever comes in does well, but so far over this season Bartley has been better than Hegazi for me.

[TiptonThrostle]

Hegazi always makes me nervous and so does Bartley.

if we do get promoted, we desperately need a premier league centre half as IMO the only one good enough is Ajayi.