LINCOLN CITY PREDICTED XI VERSUS BLACKPOOL

The Imps travel to Bloomfield Road tonight to face a Blackpool side that have been something of a nemesis in recent times.

We were play off rivals in the 2020/21 season, and ended up losing to them in the final. We were play off rivals last season, tightly contesting the final spot in which both of us missed out. They were the last team to beat us on our travels as well, making this a fascinating contest, as we’re now third and fourth in the current table.

Michael Skubala has some injury concerns to contend with. Ben House will miss out, and Dylan Duffy will also. Zack Jeacock won’t be on the bench as he’s concussed from a car accident. He’s the second Imps player to be ruled out by such an occurrence inside a calendar year (oddly, Jack Burroughs missed the Blackpool game in January because of his). Reeco Hackett and Ethan Hamilton are close but not in contention, and Tyler Walker is a long-term absentee.

So who will play? This is my predicted starting XI for this evening.

Predicted Imps Line Up

Provided by https://www.lineup-builder.co.uk/

GK: George Wickens

Pretty much a nailed on choice, Wickens is our number one and fit, so he’ll start.

CB: Adam Jackson

Jacko was a warrior on Saturday, and he created Bailey Cadamarteri’s goal, and he’s sure to start. It seems crazy now to think there was a time when we’d be unsure whether Jacko could do a Saturday and Tuesday, but he can.

CB: Sean Roughan

The obvious choice at left centre back. It’s been a big journey for Roughan from playing left wing back against Blackpool back in 2020, but he’s now a solid choice on the left side of our back three. Top player.

CB: Paudie O’Connor

There’s been more rumours around Paudie this week, reports that lack any real substance. For now, the 27-year-old is our captain and leader, and he’s excellent at his job. A threat in both boxes, Blackpool will need to keep an eye on him from set pieces.

RWB: Tedayi Darikwa

There’s not a lot of doubt about our right wing back. Darikwa has quickly become every bit as effective as Lasse Sorensen, a player with a reputation for getting up and down the line. He got an assist at the weekend, and is adept at overlapping and delivering balls into the box.

LWB: Dom Jeffries

Erik Ring started on Saturday, but I think with Jeffries back, we’ll go with him once again. Ring had a solid first league start, but he is a little rusty, and I suspect we’ll be turning back to Jeffries for the energy. Like Darikwa, he has a recent assist, and that’s what the wing backs are there to do.

CDM: Ethan Erhahon

It’s not even a discussion.

CM: Conor McGrandles

I did wonder if McGrandles might make way for Moylan on Saturday, but he did not. I suspect we’ll field McGrandles again, as he is the sort of midfielder that offers something different to Bayliss and Moylan. Our midfield three are all a little bit different, at least when the Scot starts, and I think that gives us a real balance.

CM: Jack Moylan

Jack is one of those fan-favourite players who everyone loves. He gets on the ball and makes things happen, very much like Tom Bayliss, and how I imagine JJ McKiernan will eventually. However, I also suspect we’ll only usually play one of those at a time, with McGrandles and Hamilton fighting for the other spot. Jack did nothing wrong this weekend, and I feel he’ll be the player who gets the nod tonight.

CF: Jovon Makama

What a different ten months has made for Jovon. He played in the Blackpool defeat on New Year’s Day and I felt it was a reflection of the lack of depth in our forward line. 300 days or so later, and I think he’s almost nailed on to start. I know people don’t agree, but I thought Jovon was excellent in the first half against Cambridge, with just his finishing letting him down.

CF: Bailey Cadamarteri

Michael Skubala said that we’ll play the players he thinks suit the game. Tonight, Blackpool will expect to attack, they’ll expect to have the ball and perhaps there’s a chance for our long diagonals to pick out players. I can see it being the sort of game where two quick players do well for us up front, two hard workers beavering away. After his goal on Saturday, I can see Bailey starting tonight over Freddie, who might come on later looking to beat a few players up.

Notable From The Bench

Predicting who will come off the bench is not always easy, but I’d expect to see Tom Bayliss, possibly for Jack Moylan, around 60 minutes. I can see Erik Ring getting a run out around the same time, ensuring we keep the energy up on the flank. I’ve shouted Freddie to come on, but I think we might see 15 minutes of Rob Street as well. He’s quick, we know that, and with Ben House injured, Street will be the ‘go to’ when we’re replacing like for like with fifteen minutes or so left.

2024-10-01T13:08:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd