We can expect lots of changes for tomorrow night’s EFL Trophy game at Portman Road against Arsenal’s under-21 side. This is a good time to experiment with formations too.
In goal, I would expect to see Vaclav Hladyky again. He kept a clean sheet against Northampton Town, and it is wise to give your second-string goalkeeper some valuable game time. The defence might be interesting because as Town are currently with Cameron Burgess through injury, and with Greg Leigh being called up to the Jamaican squad, manager Kieron McKenna might be tempted to bring in a relative rookie like Cameron Stewart or Brooklyn Kabongola at the back. Richard Keogh will start.
In midfield, the Town boss has lots of options. He will want to win this game so I would expect to see some familiar faces in midfield, and this will include Dominic Ball and Kane Vincent-Young. Perhaps too, Cameron Humphreys and Jack Manly – or recently recalled Thomas Hughes? Conor Chaplin, Lee Evans and Sam Morsy won’t be risked.
In attack, Mckenna might be tempted to go for Tawanda Chirewa. who has been doing well in the under 21 side, but I would expect Freddie Ladapo and Tyreece John-Jules to get some game time and probably start. Two seasons ago, again at Portman Road, we lost to the same opposition, having taken an early lead through Jon Nolan. He had a wonderful chance to level things up at 2-2 but missed the target from close range.
Last season, we lost once again to them here on penalties, after the game ended 2-2. Kayden Jackson’s brace was not enough to see us over the line, and we went down 3-4 on penalties. Let’s hope it is the third time lucky for the Blues tomorrow night.
