It was the question asked two or three times in the press box and media room at QPR on Saturday.

A glance at the team sheet, then the enquiry to the local reporter from Brighton: “How close is this to the line-up that starts at Everton?”

Okay, it was a reasonable enquiry, especially given those who were asking have been focussing largely on EFL teams who are now ready to go in the new league season.

But it really is difficult to do more than take a few clues from what we have seen in three games and what we think we know.

And to remind people Albion have been playing so far without their captain, last season’s top scorer, the man who emerged as first-choice goalkeeper and, until an hour into the QPR game, a high-profile signing who appears to be the man to fill a void in midfield.

Lewis Dunk, Bart Verbruggen, Joao Pedro and Mats Wieffer were all either absent or not ready to start at Loftus Road.

Then you add Julio Enciso in the next couple of weeks, apparently, and remember Simon Adingra was not involved either.

If a player who has been subject of a transfer bid then misses a game, it can arouse suspicion.

Fabian Huerzeler told us Billy Gilmour will be back in training this week but the expectation remains he will be of continued interest from Napoli.

The final weeks of last season gave the chance to ask Roberto De Zerbi questions which in turn offered clues as to his thoughts on Albion, version 2024-25.

But all that went out of the window when he left.

So what have we seen so far?

That Jason Steele will keep goal certainly while Verbruggen is unavailable, despite the presence with the squad of Carl Rushworth.

It feels very much like Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh will start on the wings with Adingra and Ibrahim Osman, whose situation is being monitored by Feyenoord, as back-up and impact options.

Danny Welbeck has opened his account for pre-season with a penalty but he has also looked good leading the line.

Abdallah Sima was less convincing in that role in Japan and was not involved at QPR.

Osman’s offering at Loftus Road was perhaps the best of the three we have seen by him but there is potential there and he did some good work in the build-up to Minteh’s goal against Tokyo Verdy.

Minteh has probably been the big winner, or success, of pre-season so far, with his goal and his work with and without the ball in general play.

But it feels like a positive summer to date for Jeremy Sarmiento and Yasin Ayari, both of whom were on loan in the Championship last season.

Both were part of the XI who were all given at least an hour at QPR, compared to the maximum allocations of 45 minutes for outfield players in Japan.

Sarmiento scored twice in Tokyo, Ayari once, and both looked decent in the their outings.

What that means when Joao Pedro and Enciso are back for that No.10 or attacking role, or Wieffer is up to speed in midfield, remain to be seen. Wieffer will need some time to find his feet but, one imagines, not too much.

Huerzeler has relied heavily on James Milner as a midfield fulcrum and leader figure so far in pre-season.

With Pascal Gross gone and doubts over Gilmour, are we looking at Milner and Wieffer to start the season as the engine room?

Malick Yalcouye is clearly one for the medium term in that role but can it before that?

Albion had a good look at him for 45 minutes against Tokyo Verdy.

But he was not used at QPR and they are still evaluating what part he will play in the coming campaign.

Full-back is intriguing, not least with such players also moving into midfield at times.

Andrew Moran had a start at right-back in Japan.

Perhaps more significantly, Carlos Baleba’s outing at left-back on Saturday was very positive.

Joel Veltman started at right-back at QPR and Tariq Lamptey was not involved.

Huerzeler spoke in Japan about the positioning of his full-backs being key and something to work on.

It feels like Valentin Barco has had a positive pre-season to date, including with his set-piece deliveries.

One suspects central defence will be Dunk plus one other (probably Jan Paul van Hecke) - if it is a back four, of course.

We also know one plan is not enough given the way injuries and fatigue can strike, as we saw last season.

Yes, that was with the added demands of the Europa League.

But this will still be another intense season, in an increasingly competitive league.

And many of these players will still be combining club action with international fixtures.

There are a lot of players for Huerzeler, technical director David Weir and the coaching staff to take into account.

Even without Pervis Estupinan, Evan Ferguson, Solly March and, it appears, Jakub Moder for the start of the season.

Some will go on loan. Moder almost left the club.

Facundo Buonanotte is reportedly wanted elsewhere and he will not be alone in that.

But there are plenty of options to consider and selection discussions to be had.

Those discussions had at Lancing will probably place more focus on work without the ball as part of the team plan than those had by the rest of us over a coffee or a pint.

The friendly with Villarreal and any impending transfer business might tell us a bit more.

But, for now, that question about the line-up for the Everton game is a fair one to ask.

And an impossible one to answer.