Lincoln City at home Carabao Cup third-round match thread

[Curr Avon]

One of our first 11 will have fond memories of a fairytale League Cup run, culminating in a Final appearance, back in 2013.

[Curr Avon]

14 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Low and Kadji featuring then.  Possibly Bajic (he’d have played for u21s otherwise???).

So, Saturday’s 18:

Plus one or two youngsters (assumes no Kalas or Naismith)?  Unless Nige isn’t gonna use the whole 9 subs???

@Davefevs, are any of the youngsters in that 11 capable of debuting for the first team this season?

[brad blit]

Just a thought, but if Bajic was to start tonight do you think Bentley could be sold during January transfer window if this meant releasing funds for another player to come in? 

[Kid in the Riot]

10 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

One of our first 11 will have fond memories of a fairytale League Cup run, culminating in a Final appearance, back in 2013.

Not forgetting the semi-final...

[Bristol Rob]

8 minutes ago, brad blit said:

Just a thought, but if Bajic was to start tonight do you think Bentley could be sold during January transfer window if this meant releasing funds for another player to come in? 

Think they'd be happy to just get him off the wage bill. He could possibly move up a level and be a reasonable bench warmer in the top flight.

Depends how much he wants to play.

[Topper 123]

9 minutes ago, brad blit said:

Just a thought, but if Bajic was to start tonight do you think Bentley could be sold during January transfer window if this meant releasing funds for another player to come in? 

Don’t think we’d get much for him 2 mill if lucky 

[DaveF]

3 minutes ago, Magger1 said:

Don’t think we’d get much for him 2 mill if lucky 

Contract is up in the summer so we'd be lucky to get anything.

[ExiledAjax]

33 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

 

Low and Kadji featuring then.  Possibly Bajic (he’d have played for u21s otherwise???).

So, Saturday’s 18:

Plus one or two youngsters (assumes no Kalas or Naismith)?  Unless Nige isn’t gonna use the whole 9 subs???

Massengo really out of favour? Not even getting into the EFL Cup squad is pretty poor.

Low and Kadji yes, and I think we should expect Bajic. With 9 subs you could feasibly have two keepers on the bench, might be a bit odd, but it's not crazy IMO.

As ever with a cup game at this stage of the competition it's a really difficult decision as to whether you go strong to progress or weak to rest players. Given we've a 3 week break after the weekend I think that tips me towards strong and progress - with the exception of possibly switching Semenyo out to ensure he stays fit for Ghana selection and so nets us a couple of hundred grand from FIFA - see the World Cup post.

[Curr Avon]

10 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Not forgetting the semi-final...

Poor old Andi! I wonder how many times Nakhi's reminded him about that?

[brad blit]

10 minutes ago, DaveF said:

Contract is up in the summer so we'd be lucky to get anything.

I think we'd still get a nominal fee, he's a good quality Champ GK who has been linked to lower end Prem Clubs in the past - no idea of amount but even 200-300k and wages off our accounts should allow for an incoming

[Kid in the Riot]

8 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

Poor old Andi! I wonder how many times Nakhi's reminded him about that?

[And Its Smith]

Yesterday I predicted Morrison would be in the squad tonight. He’s not in the one above so there’s a chance

[Davefevs]

26 minutes ago, Curr Avon said:

@Davefevs, are any of the youngsters in that 11 capable of debuting for the first team this season?

Of the ones that already haven’t made their debuts (Tanner, Pearson, Massengo), I’d say most, if not all have a chance.

Araoye, Taylor-Clarke and Palmer-Houlden have already played in first-team pre-season matches, don’t forget.

Of course, you can’t play a team full of kids, not even Fergie’s team was full of kids.

24 minutes ago, brad blit said:

Just a thought, but if Bajic was to start tonight do you think Bentley could be sold during January transfer window if this meant releasing funds for another player to come in? 

I think it’s a possibility, but there are financial implications.

Without boring you all, in January, Bentley’s contract will still be worth circa £350k, so if we let him go on a free, that’s £350k “transfer loss” / impairment.

Let’s say he’s on £15k p.w. we are probably talking about a similar amount of wages saved (£350k) if someone would take that on in January.

So, free transfer, impairment covered by wages saved versus £700k cost by the summer to keep him (on the bench?) versus giving another team the benefit of his goalkeeping (potentially a rival).  Things to weigh up, and that’s just giving a simple scenario where someone picks up all his wages.  I don’t think we sell him unless someone is willing to pick up the full tab.  And I reckon we’d want a fee too.  We might not get that, nor might Dan want to leave until the end of his contract.

5 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Yesterday I predicted Morrison would be in the squad tonight. He’s not in the one above so there’s a chance

Pretty much had it confirmed that he’s in the 20 tonight.  BP are reporting it’s likely too.

[maxjak]

To be fair.........sorry and all that, but we really no longer need Bentley?  He has done a competent job, in line with the wages he has earnt?  But with Max and Bajic in reserve, he can go and make himself a final lucrative contract somewhere?   So long and thank's for all the fish, Bent's.

[Davefevs]

Just now, maxjak said:

To be fair.........sorry and all that, but we really no longer need Bentley?  He has done a competent job, in line with the wages he has earnt?  But with Max and Bajic in reserve, he can go and make himself a final lucrative contract somewhere?   So long and thank's for all the fish, Bent's.

And don’t forget your towel

[Davefevs]

Academy 3-0 up at ht v Watford (Pearson 29, Acey 39, Palmer-Houlden 45).

[ashton_fan]

3 hours ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Given that they lost to Chippenham at the weekend, we’re on a hiding to nothing here.

They did score 6 at the tented village in September mind

[Curr Avon]

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Academy 3-0 up at ht v Watford (Pearson 29, Acey 39, Palmer-Houlden 45).

"The youth of today have got lots to say....."

[Davefevs]

9 minutes ago, ashton_fan said:

They did score 6 at the tented village in September mind

I tweeted them at the time and said “don’t expect every trip to the West Country to be so easy ”

[newarkred]

Does anyone know if there is audio commenty tonight via robins player? 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

1 hour ago, And Its Smith said:

Yesterday I predicted Morrison would be in the squad tonight. He’s not in the one above so there’s a chance

I was told by a City scout the weekend before last that he was training with the first team squad.

[Davefevs]

19 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

I was told by a City scout the weekend before last that he was training with the first team squad.

Yep, heard the same.  Some rise!

[Son of Fred]

2 hours ago, Magger1 said:

Don’t think we’d get much for him 2 mill if lucky 

For 2 million I'll drive him to wherever he's off to....

He'll have to sort the petrol mind

[MarcusX]

48 minutes ago, newarkred said:

Does anyone know if there is audio commenty tonight via robins player? 

Is there really no stream anywhere? How do they get their goal highlights if it's not being captured somehow

Also what's the point of a Cup that no one can watch? Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot with TV rights?

[footie]

5 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

Is there really no stream anywhere? How do they get their goal highlights if it's not being captured somehow

Also what's the point of a Cup that no one can watch? Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot with TV rights?

Hoping a stream will pop up closer to kick off, I seem to remember the Wycombe game was randomly on their ifollow channel despite Carabao games apparently not being permitted on there!

[And Its Smith]

20 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

Is there really no stream anywhere? How do they get their goal highlights if it's not being captured somehow

Also what's the point of a Cup that no one can watch? Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot with TV rights?

I am going to the game mainly because I don’t see there being a stream, like there weren’t in the other rounds

[1960maaan]

29 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

For 2 million I'll drive him to wherever he's off to....

He'll have to sort the petrol mind

For 2 Million, I think me and the owners would chip in with you.

[old_eastender]

odd that Tanner is in U21 team, guess his 3 match ban does not stop him playing u21s whilst he serves it from first team.

[brady bunch]

3 hours ago, brad blit said:

Just a thought, but if Bajic was to start tonight do you think Bentley could be sold during January transfer window if this meant releasing funds for another player to come in? 

Yep, I think that's the plan. I have a little inside knowledge on one point which is Semenyo is likely to go Jan (to allow investment elsewhere in the squad).

I am not ITK with anything else, but believe Bentley and Kalas will also leave if a club can be found for them, to lower wage bill as much as to recoup any transfer fee's (that will be a minimal recovery at best). Bajic is highly rated by the top brass at the club and with Max doing all right, I dont think it will weaken us too much. Kalas will be a loss but is on HUGE wages (I think all three are liked by NP and RG - but its all about the money and not weakening the team too much).

Semenyo is just the most saleable asset we have. we had decent offers in the summer for him and not too much on the others including Scott.

[Davefevs]

36 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

Is there really no stream anywhere? How do they get their goal highlights if it's not being captured somehow

Also what's the point of a Cup that no one can watch? Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot with TV rights?

IFollow cameras will be recording the game, as the Carabao Cup rights allow replay of the whole 90 after midnight (or as soon as club put up the recording)…and of course for Sky news.

Id suggest there is a contractual trade off between Carabao (the sponsor) and EFL / PL to not show anything other than the designated sky games to ensure attendances aren’t tiny.

The deal costs £6m p.a. and the prize money is tiny - £100k for the winner.

But the bit I don’t get is say tonight’s game is 8k @ average £7.50 a tickets….that’s £60k income, split 45/45/10, so City get £27k for tonight.  It’s not 20k at £25 average £0.5m is it?

If they allowed Carabao to televise it, how much would Carabao need to up their sponsorship for City to be better off.  Selling cheap tickets and getting a low crowd seems to be a bit wrong.  Maybe I’m looking at it incorrectly.