Daniel Oyegoke
Daniel comes in on the right because I think we need to get him playing regularly. I like Dom Jefferies; we sponsor him, and this is not about questioning his effort or what he has given us. However, Daniel was playing in Italy’s top flight last season, while Dom was coming off the bench in League One, and we have brought Daniel here to improve us in this division.
We can keep celebrating those 103 points, and we absolutely should, but we now have to pick a team to face West Ham, Millwall, Burnley and the rest. For me, that means being a little more ruthless, and Daniel has to be in.
Andrei Coubis / Ryley Towler
This selection comes with a big caveat, because I am not convinced Andrei will be fit. My understanding is that he returned from Romania with an injury, had a scan, and that it is not serious, but I would not take an unnecessary risk. If he is available, though, he plays on the right of my back three, because the pace, power and long throw give us qualities I want in the side.
If he cannot play, Ryley Towler comes in on the left, with Deji moving across to the right. Ryley was our highest-rated player on FotMob against Sheffield United, and although he was there when the first goal went in, I think Bamford was Sonny’s man. There is also a case for Tom Hamer, who looked good when he came on, particularly because his long throw would restore a threat we badly missed on Saturday.
Sonny Bradley
Sonny stays in the middle of the defence, even though I think he has to take some responsibility for the first goal at Sheffield United. Ryley was our left centre-back, Bamford was in the middle, and for me that makes him Sonny’s man. The ball should have been stopped before it reached that point, but once it got there, we needed to defend it better.
Still, Sonny is our captain and a defender who intercepts, heads clear and gets the ball away. He reminds me of the sort of centre-half Steve Thompson always championed: if the ball comes near you, put it somewhere else, and if a player comes with it, put them both somewhere else. There are questions about pace, but we don’t need that the way we play. I still want that leadership and straightforward defending at the heart of our back three.
Deji Elerewe
Deji did not have his best game at the weekend, but he remains one of the first names on my team sheet. He is still a behemoth, and I have seen more than enough from him this season to keep him in the side. Which side of the back three he occupies depends on Andrei’s fitness, with Deji moving left if Andrei plays and staying right if Ryley comes in.
He is also getting into positions where he can threaten at the other end. His header on Saturday was another decent chance, and watching it back reinforced that, even if it did not immediately feel like a major opportunity in real time. I want us to regain that ability to cause chaos in the opposition box, and Deji is one of the players who can benefit when we get the deliveries right.
Adam Reach
Adam keeps his place on the left, although Callum Elder is getting close. I thought Adam played well at Sheffield United and put some good balls into the box, which perhaps got overlooked in the reaction to the result. We did deliver plenty of crosses, and he was responsible for a fair share of them.
Callum also did well when he came on, including supplying Mikkel for that late double opportunity. I have a lot of time for him, and his return means Adam can have a break when he needs one, rather than us having to keep asking him to go again. Callum can play on the left of the back three as well, but for this team I would retain Adam at wing-back.
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