Ben House
Fitness allowing, Ben plays. It really is becoming as simple as that, which is quite something when you think back to his arrival from Eastleigh in January 2022. That was the window of Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Morgan Whittaker, Liam Cullen and John Marquis, when we were trying to get ourselves out of trouble. Ben arrived with far less fanfare, and for a while there were questions about whether he was a striker, an attacking midfielder, or quite where we were going to use him.
I remember an early appearance when he collected the ball and ended up dribbling backwards along the touchline as we were looking for some impetus. There was that familiar groan from the stands, the sort that asks what exactly we have signed. Who would have thought then that he would become this player?
The man is a machine. I do not think it is ridiculous to describe aspects of his work out of possession as world-class, because the intelligence and intensity of his pressing are exceptional.
He was one of the players I felt would have no problem stepping up, and so far he has justified that belief. We saw again on Tuesday how his work can decide a game, and I want him doing the same against Swansea.
Chiedozie Ogbene
This is more what I want than what I confidently predict. Given Chio’s recent lack of games and the demands of this schedule, there is every chance the coaches decide another start comes too quickly.
Tanto Olaofe, Rob Street, Dom Jefferies or Ethan Wheatley could come into the thinking, although I would be surprised if it were Ethan. We have options, and there will be information about Chio’s fitness that we simply do not have.
However, with no midweek league game and no match next Saturday, I would be tempted to start him again. His Republic of Ireland commitments mean the break is not an uninterrupted rest, and that is part of the calculation, but we have brought in a player of real international quality and I want that quality on the pitch.
There is a busy international programme ahead, so I understand why the coaches might manage him differently. My preference is to give him another start at Sincil Bank.
Freddie Draper
I know people want to see Mikkel Ladefoged start, and I know Rob was given the nod at Preston. For me, though, Freddie is our starting number nine at the moment.
Every so often, there is a player I find myself championing almost regardless of what anybody else thinks. Sean Roughan was one, and Fred is another. There is something about him that I love, and watching him grow into this level has been a real pleasure.
I was talking to Rob Makepeace at the press conference about an observation Gavin Gordon had made on commentary: Freddie has learned to use his body properly. He is not simply charging into defenders and relying on being big and strong. His positioning, the way he turns and the way he adjusts when somebody comes into him are all improving.
That means fewer cheap free-kicks conceded and, hopefully, more won. It makes him a much more effective target, and while Mikkel has the height, that alone does not tell us who is better in the air. We have not seen enough of him yet, and there is no need to rush that adjustment to English football while Fred is playing like this.
His journey has hardly been straightforward. We saw the promise in the youth team, then those early first-team appearances, before a change of manager and a period when his future here looked less obvious. The loan to Ireland felt to some like a step away from becoming our number nine, but look where he is now.
My dad was never especially convinced by him, and I remember turning to him after Freddie scored against Peterborough with that feeling of, “I’m telling you, this boy’s got it.” I have believed in him for a long time, and I am delighted that he is showing what he can do.
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