It is time for me to put pessimism and negativity to one side.
Yes, we are decimated by injuries and yes, on paper, we look to lack experience and cover in key areas. Tonight’s game is going to be a huge challenge for the Imps and if we field a full bench, it is likely to be populated with young players who won’t get one. We’re the walking wounded, a patched-up, cobbled together side looking to spring a huge surprise.
Or are we?
Look, that’s the rhetoric, isn’t it? Losing Grant and Jackson, the latest big-name players to fall foul of injuries, is a big problem, but if you look at the XI we could field, I don’t think we are quite as bad as you might think. I get that we’re a long way from full strength and that in some areas, there is a lack of experience, but in other parts of the field, there is what might have been considered a strong set of players waiting to take on Fleetwood.
It will be tough, but I think the Cod Army were a more worrying prospect back in October when we drew 0-0. Since then, they’ve changed manager and have struggled to buy wins. If there was any team you wanted to play when you have a few key players out, it would be these.
Michael will have to shuffle the deck a little, that is for sure, and this is the side I imagine he is likely to put out.