Two questions about the Lincoln City defence caught my attention from Patreons this week: are we missing Adam Jackson, and has Andrei Coubis become a definite starter?
Whether the first was entirely serious or not, they open up a broader discussion about what our best defence looks like. For me, the starting point is consistency. I like a settled defence, particularly through the middle, because I think those relationships are a big part of being successful. Wing-backs are slightly different, with their attacking and defensive responsibilities, but ideally your centre-backs are playing together most weeks.
We saw the difference between chopping and changing under Michael Appleton and having a more settled unit under Mark Kennedy. The personnel and circumstances were different, obviously, but my preference hasn’t changed. Find your best combination and give it the chance to develop.
At the moment, I think two of those three central positions are nailed on. Sonny Bradley starts, and so does Deji Elerewe. That leaves Coubis, Tom Hamer and Ryley Towler competing for the other place, although their versatility means it isn’t quite that straightforward.
There were questions about Sonny stepping up, particularly after that interview at the end of last season, when some wondered whether he might be phasing himself out. He’s answered those questions superbly. He’s taken the armband in Tendayi Darikwa’s absence and looks entirely comfortable leading a lower mid-table Championship side.
That’s what we’re trying to be, isn’t it? We briefly enjoyed looking towards the play-offs when we were ahead against Swansea, but finish outside the bottom three and this season is a success. Sonny looks perfectly capable of being central to that. The way we play suits him as well. We’re not constantly leaving him exposed in a foot race, and even when our attacking set pieces break down, we haven’t regularly been caught on the transition. Add his leadership and I can’t see an argument for leaving him out.
Deji is the other obvious starter for me, and having his Millwall red card overturned is excellent news. I thought the decision was wrong, so I’m pleased it has been corrected, even if that doesn’t undo the difficulty it caused us on Saturday. It also means we can have this discussion without working around a suspension that shouldn’t have existed. Deji has looked superb, and I’d want him starting whenever he’s available. Towler hasn’t done anything wrong, but if I’m choosing between them, Deji gets the nod.
Which brings us to Coubis, and I think he’s made a very strong case for himself. He’s settled quickly, grown into the side and looked a top defender against Millwall. The goal was a bonus, and he deserved the recognition in your Man of the Match voting. He can play on either side of the three and has looked useful further out as well. I like that flexibility, but I also like the basic package: he’s big, strong and quick. There’s an awful lot there to work with.
That doesn’t mean writing off Hamer or Towler. If Ryley plays on the left, Deji can move across to the right, while Tom gives you the option of a more traditional right-back. Both offer something different, and both have a part to play. That’s a decent problem for Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw to be facing.
I actually think Tom has stepped up from League One pretty well. The West Ham red card was daft, and I was furious with him and Conor McGrandles at the time, but that anger subsides. Those challenges shouldn’t become the only things we remember about either player. With Tom, I could see what he was trying to do. He’d been given a role on the left, knew there would be physical battles to win and went into the first one determined to make his mark. He got it badly wrong, but I can understand the eagerness.
The consequence is that getting back into the side becomes harder. He’s competing with a Romanian international who has taken his opportunity, and Coubis now looks the better option. Tom will have to earn his place back.
On the right, my preference is Daniel Oyegoke, although we need to acknowledge how little we’ve seen of him. Supporters can be very good at building someone up before there’s enough evidence. Still, everything I’ve seen suggests a player who can be good at this level. Again, I like the size, pace and strength. With Darikwa unavailable, Dom Jefferies able to cover and Josh Honohan still trying to reach the required level following his injury, I’d like to see Daniel establish himself there. I like Coubis in that position too, but I’d pick him centrally.
On the other side, Adam Reach has done enough to keep the shirt. He’s had a decent start, while Callum Elder has looked good as well. If Adam were unavailable and Callum came in, I’d be comfortable with that, which is a reassuring position to be in. I don’t feel quite as comfortable about having to make allowances on the right. That’s another reason I want to see Daniel settle into the side. On the left, we have two experienced players I trust, even if replacing them eventually is something to consider.
So, are we missing Jackson? Looking at the options available, I don’t think we’re short of centre-backs we can trust. I think we have the players here to build the settled defence I’d like to see.
My five would be Oyegoke, Coubis, Bradley, Elerewe and Reach, with Oyegoke and Reach as the wing-backs. There will be games, injuries and tactical decisions that change things, of course. But that’s the combination I’d give the chance to build an understanding, and Coubis has earned his place in it.
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