Don’t change a winning team is the old adage but football is rarely that simplistic.
After a near-perfect Birmingham City dismantled Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night, every Bluenose in the land is expecting more of the same against West Bromwich Albion. But John Eustace knows the perils of a three-game week only too well.
In the third game of Blues’ last triple-header in quick succession, Keshi Anderson sustained a hamstring injury. The winger’s injury serves as a warning to Eustace of what could happen if players are overused.
It goes without saying that John Ruddy, Dion Sanderson, Kevin Long, Krystian Bielik and Ivan Sunjic are expected to start against Albion. Eustace doesn’t have senior alternatives to Cody Drameh and Manny Longelo at full-back. Drameh was given a brief breather on Tuesday to accommodate the debut of Emanuel Aiwu but he will surely start his seventh straight game.
The biggest selection headaches come in attack, where Eustace has options and concerns. Siriki Dembele was sublime against Huddersfield but Eustace was quick to stress afterwards that he needs to be careful with the winger who has just returned from a hamstring injury.
However, it would come as a great surprise to all if Dembele and Jay Stansfield didn’t start the match. Based on form Koji Miyoshi should play too, but he has played 155 minutes in Blues’ last two matches and Eustace has erred on the side of caution with him already this season.
Juninho Bacuna is rarely assured of his place in Blues’ line-up. After playing well in midfield against QPR Bacuna was left out at Norwich. He did well enough against Huddersfield, although Jordan James also impressed from the bench.
James and Oliver Burke are the obvious replacements for Bacuna. Meanwhile, Stansfield could drop back to his favoured number 10 role to allow Scott Hogan to replace Miyoshi.
We will have to wait and see whether Miyoshi and Bacuna keep their places against Albion. Here is our predicted line-up…
Goalkeeper: John Ruddy
Ex-Wolves glovesman Ruddy will have been disappointed to lose his clean sheet in midweek. He has three shut-outs from Blues’ opening 10 games.
Right-back: Cody Drameh
Drameh has made the right-back slot his own in the absence of Ethan Laird.
Centre-back: Dion Sanderson
Sanderson is the only player who has played every single minute for Blues in league and cup.
Centre-back: Kevin Long
Irish defender Long is excelling to keep Emanuel Aiwu and Marc Roberts on the bench.
Left-back: Manny Longelo
Longelo showed his qualities with the ball against Huddersfield. He is taking his chance to replace Buchanan.
Midfield: Krystian Bielik
Bielik netted in Blues’ second win over Albion last season.
Midfield: Ivan Sunjic
Sunjic was superb against Huddersfield after a couple of below-par performances.
Right-wing: Juninho Bacuna
Bacuna is more effective in this system when he plays further forward and combined well with Miyoshi and Drameh on Tuesday.
Number 10: Koji Miyoshi
Miyoshi is in Blues’ best XI and will be desperate to keep his starting run going.
Left-wing: Siriki Dembele
The man-of-the-moment will be one of the first names on the team sheet when fit this season.
Striker: Jay Stansfield
It was nice to watch a Blues side not reliant on Stansfield’s goals on Tuesday. He offers so much irrespective of whether he scores or not.