Tranmere (A) - Twisting my Mellon Man, Battle of Keith Hill survivors group

[Mar]

So we're away to Mickey Mellon's Tranmere in the cup.

We've both endured Keith Hill, our (almost) worst performing manager and their best ever manager, its a battle of League Two Tranmere vs League One Bolton.

History would suggest a rotated squad so those on the periphery on the way back are no doubt looking likely to get a game. That being said but i'd be hopeful it'll be a mixed squad rather than trying to get everyone back involved all at once. Lets win this one and leave the rotation for the Leeds youth team.

[TANGODANCER]

A well known banana skin alley is any Cup encounter. We need a clinical display and keep the foot down hard on the pedal. Goals immaterial as long as we score one more than them. Never best of friends it promises to be a tasty affair. Tranmere not a favourite word for a lot more than me (I think Sam Allardyce might agree)

COME ON YOU WHITES....

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Rotation notwithstanding, there will have to be some changes. Traf, Bradley, Beck, Dion and Baka are on international duty, and three of those are regulars.

Pick your 11 from the players available:
GK: Dixon
CB: Jones, Santos, Johnston, Iredale, Toal, Aimson
WB: Sadlier, John, Isgrove
CM: Williams, Thomason, Dempsey, Sheehan, Morley, Lee
CF: Böðvarsson, Afolayan, Kachunga

I can understand the desire not to over-rotate, and there's validity to that argument – especially with no league game for 11 days after.

Equally, though, we have underused players of good quality kicking their expensive heels on the sidelines:
• Dapo has started once (in the Pizza) in four weeks
• Morley's played five minutes in three and a half weeks
• Declan John hasn't played a minute since Villa on August 23rd
• Aimson's only appearance since Villa was v Crewe in the Pizza
• Sadlier's started two games all season, playing less than four hours of football all-in

We also have players we need to bed in or bed back in after injury - Bod, Toal, Sheehan, Isgrove. Because if not now, when? The final Pizza game against Leeds is another month down the track.

So I'd definitely involve the above-bolded. Add in Dixon for Traff and that's:

Dixon;
Toal, Aimson, ?;
Isgrove, Morley, Sheehan, John;
Sadlier;
Dapo, Bod

Would also be nice to check out Dapo and Sads either side of Bod. Personally I'd try Iredale at LCB, which might be his best position but Johnston's form is good. That would also add a little continuity. And I wouldn't rail against 'regulars' keeping their places, but as I say, there are players who need minutes for various reasons....

[sonicthewhite]

That's pretty much my XI as well

[jmjhb]

And get some youth on the bench!

[BWFC_Insane]

Agree with that team but not sure Isgrove is fit enough yet as he has a foot issue according to Evatt. That would be the ideal team to try Sadlier at ten.

Left sided CB ideally Iredale but Johnston if needs be.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Agree with that team but not sure Isgrove is fit enough yet as he has a foot issue according to Evatt. That would be the ideal team to try Sadlier at ten.

Left sided CB ideally Iredale but Johnston if needs be.

Yeah I’m not sure Izzy will be seen as fit enough to start - which would again mean Sads at RWB, a bit of a shame. I’d hoped that Lynford Sackey might be ready for a go at RWB but he doesn’t seem to be starting for the Bs at the moment.

With Sads out right, we could try Sheehan at 10 or he and Morley as free 8s in front of MJ.

[officer_dibble]

Iles is saying Dec John is out with a hamstring, Iredale is doubtful but Beck can play?

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... ws-update/

[The_Gun]

Not great that John is out of course, but we’re now pretty well covered in that area and if Beck can play tonight that would be great.

Tranmere although I’m sure they’ll want to win tonight, don’t have the luxury of a free weekend coming up, and in fact face high flying Stevenage on Saturday. I’d suspect they’ll rotate where they can.

We’re now in the enviable position of being able to rotate significantly without weakening the team too much, which is why I’ll think we’ll go close in the Papa Johns this season.

Dixon

Aimson Toal Iredale

Morley Dempsey

Sadlier Beck

Sheehan

Dapo Dad Bod


1-3 to us.

[TANGODANCER]

Let's not be fooled . I'm thinking Tranmere, knowing them, will put out a strong side and try to batter us. It's in their nature where Bolton are concerned. Do they have a Dave Challenor type long-throw chucker in their ranks these days? We have a decent recovery period after tonight, so put the cavalry out and sound the Deguello.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Iles is saying Dec John is out with a hamstring, Iredale is doubtful but Beck can play?

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... ws-update/

Interesting, ta. Not sure if those quotes are from yesterday or Saturday…?

Beck is in the Wales U21 squad but they don’t play until next Tuesday.

[BWFC_Insane]

So Isgrove right wing back and Beck left wing back free up Sads to play number ten.

Should go with that. Johnston will have to play it sounds like.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So Isgrove right wing back and Beck left wing back free up Sads to play number ten.

Should go with that. Johnston will have to play it sounds like.

Aye - although I'm not sure there's 60 minutes in Izzy, let alone 90. Maybe best hope is that Sads gets an hour at 10 and then switches to RWB.

We could play Senior at RWB but as I say I think he's been playing RCB for the Bs.

[Worthy4England]

I don't think it's necessarily a huge problem, if we have to play some of the current "regulars", given they can then have a rest - so it's not like we're going to be short, although there might be a square peg somewhere on the left. I think I'd also have some of the cavalry on the bench, a la Crewe, where they came on an put it to bed.

[TANGODANCER]

An outside view on tonight:

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/e ... 66271.html


And just for interest..Mr Fossey has gone permanently Belgian:

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... ve-fulham/

[BWFC_Insane]

So Isgrove right wing back and Beck left wing back free up Sads to play number ten.

Should go with that. Johnston will have to play it sounds like.

Aye - although I'm not sure there's 60 minutes in Izzy, let alone 90. Maybe best hope is that Sads gets an hour at 10 and then switches to RWB.

We could play Senior at RWB but as I say I think he's been playing RCB for the Bs.

Yeah it’s a fair point. We don’t know which youngsters get thrown in on the bench potentially either.

However it’s a good chance to get minutes into Toal, Sheehan and Issy and minutes that mean a bit more than training or even B team games.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

So Isgrove right wing back and Beck left wing back free up Sads to play number ten.

Should go with that. Johnston will have to play it sounds like.

Aye - although I'm not sure there's 60 minutes in Izzy, let alone 90. Maybe best hope is that Sads gets an hour at 10 and then switches to RWB.

We could play Senior at RWB but as I say I think he's been playing RCB for the Bs.

Yeah it’s a fair point. We don’t know which youngsters get thrown in on the bench potentially either.

However it’s a good chance to get minutes into Toal, Sheehan and Issy and minutes that mean a bit more than training or even B team games.

Been digging into what info there is about B games and this is what I've found, with best-guess formations, for their four proper-season games so far (oldest first).

FLEETWOOD W 1-0
Hutchinson;
Senior, Toure, Yoro;
Isgrove (Sackey 61), Khumbeni (Tweedley 74), Thomason, Conway;
Sheehan (Stanley 61);
Carty, Lockett (Sithole 61).
Unused sub: Pettifer.

BLACKPOOL L 1-2
Hutchinson;
Senior, Toure, Toal (Tutte HT);
Isgrove (Conway 75), Khumbeni (Tweedley 75), Sheehan (Pettifer 75), Sackey;
Stanley (Lockett HT);
Carty, Sithole.
All subs used.

HUDDERSFIELD L 1-2
Hutchinson;
Senior, Toure, Tutte;
Grivosti, Khumbeni, Tweedley, Conway;
Stanley;
Carty, Sithole.
Unused subs: Litherland, Danny Jones, Yoro, Sharples, Kamara.

WREXHAM W 3-1
Hutchinson;
Senior, Toure, Yoro;
Grivosti (Sackey 59), Khumbeni (Trialist 84), Tweedley, Conway;
Stanley;
Carty, Sithole (Lockett 74).
Unused subs: Litherland, Tutte.

Thoughts:
• Adam Senior has been captaining the side from RCB, with Toure ever-present and the other CB being Toal, Tutte or Yoro.
• RWB, which in pre-season was usually Lynford Sackey (signed from Reading where he played RWB), has been divided between Izzy, Matty Grivosti (the Robbie Fowler Academy-trained lad who was loaned to Yeovil but didn't play so we brought him back) and sometimes Sackey. Against Blackpool, Sackey started at LWB and switched when Izzy went off – for Max Conway, who in preseason played quite a few first-team minutes at LWB so could be on the bench tonight in case Beck tires.
• Nelson Khumbeni, the summer signing from Norwich who your sources said has impressed in training, has been a regular as midfield pivot – wouldn't be surprised to see him on the bench again tonight.
• Connor Stanley is the default No.10. He's the 5ft 9 ex-Man U lad in his final underage year; he was elevated to the 1st team squad in pre-season when Baka was out. In the Bs' last game v Wrexham, he scored twice direct from corners. I would be surprised if he isn't on the bench, given Baka/Dion are away. One of Conor Carty (ex Wolves) and Gez Sithole (ex Gills) might join him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/2 ... cup-clash/

I will definitely pick a strong team. In fact, any 11 that I pick at the moment will be really strong because we have a lot of good young footballers who are ready to play, itching to play, and that is a good thing. Lloyd Isgrove is back as well, so we have plenty of good options for Tuesday and we will look forward to going there.

We've been playing well but we also need to keep everyone onside and in form. It isn’t the international break yet even though we have said goodbye to a couple of players – but we want to win, we will be going all-out to do it, then the players can have a bit of rest... We will work hard again at Tranmere and then look at giving some of the players a couple of days.

[Worthy4England]

I'm guessing the internet hasn't made it out to Tranmere yet?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I'm guessing the internet hasn't made it out to Tranmere yet?

If you mean iFollow, it's available. https://www.bwfc.co.uk/ifollow/subscribe/