Armando Dobra has travelled with the first-team squad to Oxford, for this evenings encounter with a struggling Oxford United side, and will play some part. Whether it is from the start is open to debate, but his inclusion will, to some extent, appease the frustrations felt by most Town supporters about his lack of involvement of late.
Dobra excites and this is something that the Town has lacked recently. He is a player that gets fans interested, and when he is on the ball, you always feel something is going to happen. Yes, we know he has a few rough edges to his game that would give most managers palpitations, but his fearfulness is part of his strength.
Dobra is a risk-taker and a chance maker, and both come hand in hand. If manager Paul Lambert wants to get supporters back onside, then playing him from the outset would be a very good start. When Town turn out at the Kassam Stadium tonight, they will have to perform a lot better than they did against Charlton to get anything from the game. Lambert has but the bare bones of his squad to choose from this evening, as a whole team is absent through injury. His pride is probably injured too.
There will not be many changes from Charlton – how could there be, and that means that Brett McGavin will retain his place in midfield, along with Andre Dozzell and perhaps too, Emyr Huws. Davis Cornell is expected to keep his place in goal at the expense of Tomas Holy.
Tonight’s referee is Bobby Madley. He was a Premier League ref until 2018 when his employers discovered that he had been texting a video which ridiculed a disabled person, and had to go into hiding. He is slowly working his way up the football officiating ladder in this country, and the next time he wants to belittle a disabled person, he need look no further than one of his own.
Refereeing at this level has been quite frankly appalling this season, so it is safe there are many whose abilities have been called into question. We can only hope that Madley’s experience at managing games at a higher level, might just work in our favour tonight. Now sadly, not even an away draw seems good enough anymore.
