Michael Skubala will be without captain Paudie O’Connor this week after the defender earned himself a two-match ban.
A booking in the frustrating defeat against Burton Albion means he will sit out the trip to Barnsley, as well as the visit of Crawley Town in midweek. That poses some selection problems for the Imps, who have been stretched at the back in recent weeks.
However, it could mean the return of one of our injured players, as Michael explained in his pre-match press conference.
“I think he’s been ever-present and probably the standout consistent one in the team, if you like, in his role,” he said of O’Connor. “So it’s a big blow because I think we’ll miss him for two games.
“So yeah, not ideal, but you know, Lewis is chomping at the bit, ready to come in, and we’ve had Tom Hamer back this week, and he’s done 45 behind closed doors. So we’ve got other guys to come in and step in and take the opportunity to try and perform.”
Bookings and red cards have been an issue for the Imps this season, with many coming from dissent. One that sticks in the mind is Ethan Erhahon’s red against Bolton, but Ben House is also walking a tightrope, having picked up plenty himself this season.
When asked if this was something addressed with Ben, Michael confirmed it is a consideration.
“Yeah, all the time we speak to him. Sometimes we can be better in those situations and not get easy cards, but actually, the last few games, I think Ben House has controlled himself really well in those moments.
“But it is part and parcel. The challenge we always have with Paudie is when he’s winning every header and tackling everybody on the pitch, you’re going to pick up bookings. So it’s one of those situations we didn’t want to be in, but it is what it is, and opportunities for the other players to show what they can do.”
The likelihood is we’ll see Adam Jackson shift into the centre for Saturday’s game, with Lewis Montsma and Sean Roughan either side. The challenge is then whether we can have Lewis play a second game in a week or whether Tom Hamer comes in when Crawley visit on Tuesday evening.
The Imps will also be without the likes of Jack Moylana and Erhahon, both injured, while Tyler Walker is also not expected to feature again this season. We could see the return of top scorer Bailey Cadamarteri, who was reported to have returned to the club this week after his spell on the sidelines.
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