“We’ve got a plan, we’re off-plan that’s for sure," Joey Barton said in the build-up to Bristol Rovers' League One clash with Lincoln City at the Mem on Saturday.
Rovers have been faced with a growing list of unavailable players in the build-up due to injuries and suspensions, leading the manager to consider what he said some people may think are "barmy" solutions to his selection headaches.
Rovers are winless in five League One games to boot and a positive result is important on Saturday to ensure the Gas do not start slipping behind schedule in their race to 52 points – Barton's benchmark for safety – this season.
Lincoln, doubtless buoyed by Tuesday's win over Derby County, have played a pretty tricky schedule so far and will pose stern challenges for Barton's Gas on Saturday, and that is compounded by the limited pool of players available to the manager. Here is how Rovers could line up at the Mem this afternoon...
What XI would you select? Have your say in the comments section below...
Goalkeeper and defence
Uncertainty reigns regarding much of Barton's team selection for today's game, but one position not up for debate is in goal. James Belshaw will start with the gloves against Lincoln City, with Anssi Jaakkola offering cover.
Now, the head-scratching begins. The "who" is not so much the biggest question, but the "how". Luca Hoole and Alfie Kilgour – available after his midweek red card was rescinded – seem certain selections. Coupled with Barton's pre-match insistence that he was pondering solutions to Rovers' shortages that some may consider "barmy", it is tricky to make a read on how the Gas will shape up.
Could it be a back three and minimal width a la, Portsmouth, or is it the 4-1-4-1 from Ipswich on Tuesday with a few tweaks? If it is the former, could Lewis Gordon tuck in as a left centre-back or could veteran midfielder Glenn Whelan be drafted in at the back like he was at Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Trophy? Gordon's ability to stretch out to the left flank as a natural full-back could give him the edge in that scenario.
If it is a back four, Hoole will be needed as a right-back due to Harry Anderson and James Gibbons' injuries. That could mean a Kilgour and Whelan partnership in the centre and Gordon, or perhaps Trevor Clarke on the left.
There are going to be few defensive reinforcements on the bench, with Gibbons, James Connolly, Lewis Gibson and Josh Grant on the injury list, plus Anderson who is likely to miss out with bruising on his foot. On a day like today, his versatility would be invaluable.
Bobby Thomas is suspended.
Midfield
Deeper in midfield, again the personnel is more certain than the setup. Two of Whelan, Paul Coutts and Sam Finley are going to start, and with Whelan possibly filling in at the back it is likely that Coutts and Whelan will be tasked with playing in front of the defence.
Luke McCormick, too, should be involved in some capacity, be it in a box-to-box or something more attack-minded, and the same can be said for Antony Evans, who can play in the heart of midfield or closer to the player(s) leading the line.
With Anderson likely to miss out, this team could do with some speed, which could bring Fulham loanee Sylvester Jasper in for a first start. He could be deployed in a few different positions, such as his familiar home as a winger or perhaps at wing-back or something more central depending on Barton's game plan.
Zain Westbrooke, Jerry Lawrence and Ryan Jones could make the bench. Jordan Rossiter's three-match suspension will be complete after this game.
Attack
Up top, Aaron Collins will certainly play. Quite where and how is only known by those within the walls of The Quarters in recent days. Should Barton be inclined to go for the unorthodox, he could move back to the left wing or number 10 positions, but if the plan is closer to Tuesday's setup, Collins could be leading the line.
Should Barton want his top scorer in a deeper position, John Marquis could get a start against his former club. Harvey Saunders and Ryan Loft, if he is fit after missing Tuesday's defeat at Ipswich, could also stake a claim for a starting role.
With very similar personnel, Barton can set his team up in significantly different formations, as illustrated here...
Rovers (3-3-3-1): Belshaw; Hoole, Kilgour, Gordon; Coutts (c), Finley, McCormick; Evans, Jasper, Collins; Marquis.
Rovers (4-1-4-1): Belshaw; Hoole, Kilgour, Whelan, Gordon; Coutts; Evans, McCormick, Finley, Jasper; Collins.
Predicting the team always presents conundrums and debates, and one would think that with the number of available players reduced it would be easier to settle on a team, but this week seems more complicated than ever.
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