Tonight’s Carabao Cup tie at Blackpool feels like a valuable opportunity for Lincoln City. Progressing in the competition matters, but so does getting minutes into players who will be needed during the Championship campaign.
There were one or two players against Portsmouth who did not quite nail down their places for Saturday’s trip to Bolton Wanderers. Any changes at the weekend, however, should be earned by those given an opportunity at Bloomfield Road.
I would make 11 changes and move to a 4-2-3-1, although the in-possession shape could easily resemble a narrow 4-2-2-2.
Goalkeeper: Joe Gauci
My instinct is that George Wickens may retain his place, but I would give Joe Gauci his City debut. When a Premier League club loans you a goalkeeper, there has to be a willingness to provide him with opportunities.
Zach Jeacock played in the cup competitions last season, but he was our player and his selection formed part of his development. Gauci is here on loan from Aston Villa and, with relatively few cup matches available, this appears the obvious occasion to give him competitive minutes.
Right-back: Josh Honohan
Tendayi Darikwa’s injury means there will almost certainly have to be a change at right-back. The early suggestion is that he could be missing for weeks rather than days, making this a significant opportunity for Josh Honohan.
Honohan was left out of the squad against Portsmouth, seemingly for selection reasons rather than because of another injury. He was signed to provide defensive competition and should now be ready to start. If he performs well tonight, he could retain the shirt at Bolton.
Centre-backs: Andrei Coubiș and Ryley Towler
Ryley Towler needs minutes. He did not feature against Portsmouth, but we are going to rely on him during the season and he must remain ready to step into the Championship side.
Alongside him, I would start Andrei Coubiș. The Romanian was chosen to replace Darikwa on Saturday, with Tom Hamer moving across to right-back, and City need to bring him up to speed as quickly as possible.
I do not accept that fitness should be a major issue. Coubiș was playing European football before joining City and has been signed for a substantial fee because the club believe he can influence the first team. Learning the tactical demands will take time, but the quickest way to accelerate that process is by playing competitive football.
Sonny Bradley is back on the grass but will not be ready for this game, while Adam Jackson appears unlikely to be involved. That makes Coubiș and Towler the logical pairing.
Left-back: Callum Elder
Callum Elder should complete an entirely changed defence. He was playing Championship football last season and has not been brought to Lincoln simply to spend the campaign sitting behind Adam Reach.
Reach was steady against Portsmouth, but this is an opportunity for Elder to show that he can challenge immediately. Like several of the summer signings, City need him fully integrated and ready to start league matches sooner rather than later.
Central midfield: Yunus Konak and Tom Bayliss
I said on the podcast that Yunus Konak should start, and I stand by that. In the long term, I expect him to begin a significant proportion of our league games, so this should be the night when he gets a proper opportunity.
Konak is another new arrival who needs to understand the details of City’s system. We are a highly drilled side, and that is one reason the established players have been trusted during the opening Championship matches. The only way for Konak to close that gap is through training and meaningful minutes.
I would partner him with Tom Bayliss. There seems to be a growing view that Bayliss is too lightweight for the Championship, which feels overly simplistic for a six-foot midfielder. There is a legitimate question over whether he can make the step up, but that is very different from writing him off.
Bayliss is 27 and should be entering his physical prime. Preston North End previously signed him from Coventry City to play at Championship level, although that move did not work out. He now has considerably more experience and deserves the chance to demonstrate whether he can contribute at this level.
League starts could be limited, so cup matches are important. If Bayliss is expected to come from the bench during Championship games, he needs nights such as this to maintain his sharpness.
Attack: Rob Street, Ben House and Tanto Olaofe
The attacking shape is open to interpretation. It could be presented as a conventional 4-2-3-1, but I expect the two wider players to operate narrowly, with Ben House effectively joining the centre-forward. Rob Street and Tanto Olaofe have to start. Both need minutes, while Olaofe in particular must be given an opportunity from the beginning rather than another cameo from the bench.
Street can operate from one of the narrower wide positions, with Olaofe providing pace and physicality from the other. Neither would be asked to play as an orthodox winger. City do not normally use players who remain on the touchline and repeatedly attempt to beat their full-back. The attacking players work close together, press aggressively and try to pin opponents into their own territory.
House would nominally occupy the number 10 position, although I would expect him to play much more like a second striker. Jack Moylan interpreted that role as a deeper creative attacker, but it does not have to function in the same way without him.
Draper and Bayliss both played there last season, while House has also operated behind or alongside another striker. Against Portsmouth, House and Draper frequently resembled a conventional front two, and I would use something similar tonight.
Centre-forward: Mason Melia
Mason Melia should lead the line. We have seen brief glimpses of him since his loan move from Tottenham Hotspur, but this is the perfect opportunity to give him a start. Melia needs competitive football, and City need to discover how best to use him. Playing House close to him would provide experience and physical support, while Street and Olaofe could attack the spaces around them.
The cup tie is important, but so is preparing the squad for what lies ahead. City’s established players have started the Championship season because they understand the system that brought promotion. The newcomers may have greater individual potential, but they cannot be placed into the team without understanding their responsibilities.
Blackpool should provide Coubiș, Elder, Konak, Olaofe and Melia with the chance to demonstrate that they are getting closer. A strong performance could force changes at Bolton, which is exactly what City need from this game.
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