Dean Smith already has an idea who will replace skipper Harlee Dean in the Brentford side tomorrow night – but feels it's a decision he shouldn't have had to make.
The Bees boss will be without his captain for the Championship clash at Derby County after Dean picked up his fifth booking of the season in Saturday's defeat at Newcastle .
Either Andreas Bjelland or Yoann Barbet, who have spent much of the season sharing left-back duties due to the form of Dean and John Egan in the centre of the back four, will deputise.
But although Smith acknowledges his skipper was walking a disciplinary tightrope, he insists the booking which earned his one-match ban was a harsh one.
He said: “I will have an idea [who will play at centre back] due to how the players have been training these last few weeks going into the international break.
“I was well aware Harlee was just one booking away, and it was a soft booking. There were plenty of those today, and I don't know why to be honest.
“I don't think it was a game that deserved seven or eight bookings, but he (the referee) seemed a bit card happy today for whatever reason, and you have to deal with the consequences.”
Once Callum Elder, and later Rico Henry, are available again at left back, Barbet and Bjelland can get back to battling for the centre back positions.
The Bees got torn apart down the right as Newcastle sped into a two-goal lead on Saturday, but Smith, who is keeping the identity of tomorrow's captain close to his chest, cast no blame on his makeshift left back – Bjelland in this case.
He added: “In terms of balance, it will be good for the squad (when the two left backs are fit), but I don't think they (Bjelland and Barbet) have done a poor job, and I wouldn't put any finger of blame on them at all today, because although we were under pressure down that side a lot, we were under pressure the other side a lot in the second half.
"It always seemed to be the furthest side away from the bench so I couldn't shout at them!”
