This weekend it's back to F A cup duty, as round 4 beckons. Possibly a perfect opportunity to rest some players - and maybe to get some minutes into the legs of Rupp, Martin, Placheta, Hernandez, Quintilla, etc. Ideal preparation for the visit of Middlesbrough the following week....for who I also hope to be doing the MDT! More of the same from last night would be brilliant - Sorensen, Gibson, Cantwell, McLean, Buendia, Aarons... hell, they all played a blinder, every single one. My sole visit to Oakwell, the year we lost to Birmingham at the Millennium stadium, yielded a 0 - 2 win, with goals from Neilsen and Mcveigh. I'll stick my head above the parapet and predict the same scoreline on Saturday. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image 0 - 2 please log in to view this image
Inasmuch as it's still a competitive fixture, then I'd say yes, it does. Especially as DD, Bure, Bengaluru (and countless others) are dying to have a bat!
I take exception to that Lisbon. Cricket in that era, pre one day explosion, was totally different to the cricket of the modern era. I saw test matches in those days of no protective headgear and WI fearsome bowlers, I can have nothing but praise for the players that had to face the outright danger of facing Ha[[. Griffiths etc. Overall, in the '60's, scoring rates were well below 3 runs per over. Have you ever seen the photo of Brian Close's body from the, maybe, 65 series? He refused to back away from the WI pace men and was struck on the body numerous times resulting in massive bruising. Boycott was a product of the time. and a very successful one. He and Edrich, of our parish, were a very successful partnership but hardly explosive. They did what was necessary to be successful in the conditions in which they played.
It was I who used the Boycott analogy. IMHO he was as dull and dour out in the middle as he later became in the TMS commentary box. God, imagine him and Tavare as openers - 50 runs a session max! I appreciate what you say about the changing nature of the game since he played but like me and the MDT's (hopefully), both in it for the long haul. And then some.
-Kenny has Covid. Negative after the Bristol game, positive afterwards. So hopeful that it can be contained. Kenny has some symptoms but is generally ok. -Mumba back in training after recovering from Covid. He was bed-bound for a few days and has only just returned from a major injury, so not fit for 90 mins. -Quintilla still positive and symptomatic. Retest for him on Monday. -Rupp back in training, likely to be in the squad but unlikely to play 90. -Pukki, Zimmerman, Cantwell all out with minor injuries. -Krul will start in goal.
Possible line-up: Barden Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Sørensen Skipp, Tettey Martin, Dowell, Placheta Hugill Subs from: McCracken, Mumba, Omobamidele, Rupp, Buendia, Vrančić, Hernandez, Omotoye (Buendia, Vrančić and Hernandez are also possible starters, given there is no mid-week match)
Farke confirmed Krul will start to try and build match fitness. Not sure if Hernandez and Dowell are fit enough to start, so wouldn't be surprised to see Vrancic start. Martin Vs Buendia could be interesting, feels like Martin might well be under consideration for a loan move. Quintilla is out, I think Giannoulis is unavailable? Otherwise could see him at LB and Sorensen in mid again.
DF said a while back that Barden would be in goal for cup matches. The tricky choices involve whether to risk key players like Buendia or allow others to build match fitness. Hernandez has been on the bench but may not be ready to start and the same may be true for Dowell as well, in which case it could be Vrančić starting and Dowell coming on later. I was just trying to second guess the options.
Back 5 unchanged, Krul starts. All change in front! Rupp, Tettey, Placheta, Dowell, Hugill start. Lots of pace in wide areas. No Soto, Omotoye on the bench suggests he isn't close to a suggested loan move.