Stoking the fires. Home to Port Vale defending our trophy...Tues, 5th Dec 7-45.

[TANGODANCER]

Pottering up from the midlands, Port Vale have lost four league games and drawn one from the last five. Not really any indication of what will transpire in the tin cup encounter with the mighty Whites, granted, but we must repel all boarders. On a goal run at the moment, the question facing Admiral Evatt again is a real stick or twist? He got it dead right with the Yorkies, but the win is the important thing not the amount. The front artillery are queuing up for pot-shots With Dion surely leading the charge. Time for the team lottery...fill your tickets in. Who wins the shirts? .....

[Mar]

I'm expecting as close to the Oxford lineup as possible.

Coleman
JDC, Jones, Santos, Toal, Iredale
Thomason, Sheehan, Maghoma
Charles, Adeboyejo

I suspect we may see Williams coming back into the first team line up, but given he started against Harrogate I doubt he'd be starting the next match.

I think we're likely to see Coleman in net over Baxter.

As for the bench:
Baxter, Bodvarsson, Nlundulu, CMG, Forrester, Morley, Williams


Doesn't leave room for the youth team players, but it would seem that those doing well at a youth level go on loan and learn over there.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Would like to see Matheson on Tuesday. Ashworth too. Need more evidence to see what they’re made of.

[Worthy4England]

I'd play pretty much same line up as Saturday, give 'em some more game time, with a likely sterner test, other than the stats suggest they need a rest...

[truewhite15]

Would like to see Matheson on Tuesday. Ashworth too. Need more evidence to see what they’re made of.

Matheson has tweaked a hamstring. Said it was hopefully short term, but he didn't look hopeful about being back for Tuesday

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Would like to see Matheson on Tuesday. Ashworth too. Need more evidence to see what they’re made of.

Matheson has tweaked a hamstring. Said it was hopefully short term, but he didn't look hopeful about being back for Tuesday

OK, ta – shame for him and us fans. We won't have too many 'rotatable' cup games left - if we beat Vale we'll be in the last 8 Northern teams and likely to face an opponent we'd put a strong XI out against (likely opponents could include Blackpool/Barnsley, Derby, Wigan, Wrexham or Accy). There's a chance he could get some minutes off the bench but those places aren't handed out easily, as Jerome is discovering.

[TANGODANCER]

Jon Bod loves the F.A. Cup. (Bolton News..) Will he love the E'F'L the same after tomorrow? I'm pretty sure Dion will start unless the Admiral will risk a death threat if he doesn't, but with no game till a week tonight, what will the focus be on and who will make the team sheet? I know the question's already been asked, but what will the Admiral actually go for? He'll surely have the Whacky Races League, toughest away game as a top League priority on the eleventh, but are we strong enough to go for broke on all three? Correct answers will win a Carr's pasty and a bag of Pontefract Cakes as a prize. CHARGE...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Six days before Pompey so there's no real need to "rest" people. But there is however a need to give minutes to players who haven't had as many as they might like - to top up competition and keep them ready to slot in.

Coleman, Forrester, Ashworth, CMG, Morley, Dempsey, and I think I would retain the Dan-Bod partnership... doesn't mean I wouldn't start Bod next Monday, just keep giving him minutes... and I would hope to be able to make five subs, including some earlyish... keep everyone ticking over.

[Tails07]

Evatt saying there will be changes from Harrogate as he doesn't want players not having a game for 2 weeks (changed his tune from us being knackered and desperately hoping for the international break! Funny what form can do )

I'd like to see DadBod and Charles together for this match, build up that alternative partnership.

Expecting Ashworth LWB, with Williams coming on 2nd half to ease him back in.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Evatt saying there will be changes from Harrogate as he doesn't want players not having a game for 2 weeks

Interesting, thanks. Not sure if by "game" he means starts or minutes. The only players not to get minutes this weekend were Coleman, Toal, JDC, Thomason and Jerome. Whereas if he wants to rotate starters, he's basically going back to the current first-choice midfield trio (Tomo/Paris/Sheehan) and front pair. Which is a strong look.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

“There will be a few changes from Saturday. The issue we have is that the Portsmouth league game has been moved to the Monday night and the last league fixture was the Tuesday at Oxford, it becomes almost a two-week break, and that is too much to give everyone a rest.

“What we decided to do was manage the minutes between both games. It is likely that some of the players who didn’t play on Saturday will play against Port Vale because they need that game time to get themselves fully ready for the Portsmouth match. We can’t have players not playing for two weeks, they need to stay in that rhythm. So, especially those who didn’t play against Harrogate, they will get significant minutes.”

(Not Cameron Jerome though - got a neck injury last week)

[boltonboris]

So presumably that means Dion and Vic up top for an hour or so.

Thomasson, Maghoma, Sheehan in Midfield

[TANGODANCER]

T'is a good feeling knowing teams will have be exceptional to beat us right now due to the level of football we've achieved. I'm confident we can win this just by playing good team football. Time to be professional and win, regardless of who scores. Get a couple of goals with our strongest side before playing chess with subs. I'm backing Dempsey to play a key part tonight. Time for COME ON YOU WHITES. ...

[KeyserSoze]

[DJBlu]

Apologies guys, the couch has shot a spring and needs repairing. I will be adding new casters at the weekend so sadly it will be unavailable this evening.

[Mar]

Strange line up, and strange bench.

I'm very surprised to see no Baxter on the bench after Coleman got injured in a previous fixture. Hopefully no injuries tonight, but if that is the case then it'll be interesting to see who steps up.

As for our bench, thats a wierdly attacking bench. No CB on the bench, are we expecting Thomason to cover as the CB on the bench, maybe Maghoma? No clear candidate. I'd suspect CMG to cover RB if needs be, or Ashworth to cover CB, who knows?

Regardless, its good to see those that missed out on Saturday getting a run out.

Either way, I get the impression Evatt's taking this less seriously than the FA cup tie.

[KeyserSoze]

And Toal with the armband! Heck of an ascent.

[officer_dibble]

Poor old Joel Coleman wants to cut his losses on that barnett and get a number 1 all over.

[officer_dibble]

And Toal with the armband! Heck of an ascent.

Interesting given Dempsey has already been captain this season. Toal certainly risen up the ranks!

[sonicthewhite]

Well they kettle's just boiled so COYWM!