RF: Mason Melia
One who didn’t make the bench this weekend, but he’s got to get minutes. A loanee will miss out tonight; my money is on Tanto or Ethan Wheatley, but I think we’re going to play Melia. He does have a bit of magic in his boots, and he can play centre forward as well as off to one side. I suspect he’ll be off to one side, but we may start him up top with Reeco and one of Wheatley or Tanto on either side.
Expect to see Ogbene come on at some point as well, maybe for 20 minutes, to build a little more fitness. Perhaps too soon to start for the Ipswich loanee.
LF: Reeco Hackett
I can see Reeco starting the game tonight. He didn’t start Saturday; he’s seen as a key squad member, and we need him fit and ready for the final 20 minutes of big league matches.
Not a lot else to say here. He plays in an area of the field where there will always be changes, but he understands the Lincoln way, whereas some newer players might still be fighting to get up to speed.
CF: Mikkel Ladefoged
This is a call I wasn’t sure about making. I figure Mason Melia could start here, but Ladefoged hasn’t started a game yet. Maybe he gets 60 minutes on the south coast, and we cause that little bit of chaos that the opposition won’t be used to.
I’d have him start, get him those valuable minutes, but it also makes a statement. We want round four. We want to have a starting XI debate like this around another game, minutes into more legs before Christmas, a chance to rotate when there are no points on the line.
Sticking the big man up top against Premier League opposition would be a big call. I’d make it.
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