Struggling for players

Wise: Short on options

Dennis Wise has been finding life as a manager a bit tought over the past month. One week he's having a very public spat with the Chairman-to-be, the next he's forced to sell one of his first-choice strikers.

Now with only one win in five games behind him, he's struggling to find a team for this afternoon's clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Thanks to the mid-week sendings off of David Livermore and Alan Dunne, the manager is without two of his first choice midfielders for at least three games while his own injury problems - Wise has a torn muscle - means he'll be out for six weeks. To add further to his woes, captain Kevin Muscat is still struggling with an achilles problem while Jody Morris and Marvin Elliot are both major doubts.

Up front, Barry Hayles is out for three weeks with a hamstring problem while at the back, Andy Marshall is still the only fit first-team goalkeeper at the club.

Peeters: Return to action?

Wise's attacking options this afternoon are therefore limited, with either Adrian Serioux or Curtis Weston set to start in midfield, Josh Simpson could get a recall on the left flank with Peter Sweeney switching to the right. Danny Dichio may plough alone in attack if Wise feels that Mark Quigley is not ready for his first start although rumour has it that Bob Peeters has travelled with the team and taken his boots with him!

Former Millwall manager Mark McGhee has no such problems and will welcome back Leon Knight and midfielder Charlie Oatway, with the former likely to partner ex-Lion Mark McCammon in attack for The Seagulls.

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