We’re unaware of what his choice of snack was as he watched England’s World Cup quarter-final against France at the Mem - not on the big screen, of course - but Joey Barton has had pizza on the mind this week, with his dig at Gareth Southgate and Bristol Rovers now preparing for the last 16 of the Papa Johns Trophy.
Having previously derided the tournament’s group stage as an annoyance, with the Gas three wins away from a Wembley final, interest and importance is growing with each passing game, especially because it is the last cup competition Rovers are competing in.
Managerless MK Dons are the visitors to the Mem in what is a slightly unique set of circumstances as the League One strugglers not only sacked head coach Liam Manning this week, but also three of his coaches leaving veteran defender Dean Lewington to lead what could be a sparsely populated away dugout.
You could make the assumption that for MK, this game is an embuggerance that distracts from their search for a successor to Manning and the real business of trying to stay in League One, but Lewington could well be angling for the job full-time and will want his players to make a statement.
Equally, Rovers won’t want to make the mistake of switching off again and allowing their performance levels to dip, akin to what transpired against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup, and Barton is set to select as strong a team as is possible, barring injuries and one or two players perhaps requiring a rest ahead of Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
Here’s how we think the Gas will line up on what is set to be a bitterly cold night in Bristol…
Goalkeeper and defence
All four of Anssi Jaakkola’s starts this season have been in this competition and there’s a strong argument to say that he’ll make it a fifth. The only doubt creeps in around the fact that the big Finn sustained an injury in the last round against Colchester United and Barton may want to handle him with a little care.
That being said, it was only a dead leg and Jaakkola should be fine to start tonight. With Jed Ward returning from a broken hand, the Gas also have that extra bit of security in case Jaakkola should suffer another injury as James Belshaw is left without a No2.
As for Rovers’ first-choice, he had a quiet but very effective game against Port Vale on Saturday, emphasising his importance once again with two big saves when it mattered. Preserving him, physically and mentally, over the Christmas period is of paramount importance.
With Barton likely to keep with a back three, based on the line-up that took to the field against Colchester, Bobby Thomas and James Connolly should remain in defence with no consideration for resting them.
Lewis Gibson however may sit this one out because he has suffered with some niggly injury issues over the course of the campaign and Charlton is ultimately the more important fixture, especially because Barton has three other defenders capable of slotting into the backline: James Gibbons, Alfie Kilgour and Luca Hoole.
Gibbons could well be required at right wing-back, allowing Sinclair a rest - another individual whose minutes need to be ever-so-slightly managed - so that leaves a straight fight between Kilgour and Hoole.
The former was an unused substitute on Saturday against Vale, although the latter was also at the Mem undergoing some fitness drills before the teams emerged alongside Harry Anderson, so both are available and it could simply come down as to who’s impressed most in training.
Hoole has experienced a bit of an up and down season and could do with a confidence-booster - and MK are potentially that - while Kilgour’s campaign has never really got going. We’ll take a punt and go with Kilgour simply because he is the more natural centre-back of the two and that is what is required. That said, as a disclaimer, Gibbons could also be in the middle and Hoole at right wing-back.
Midfield
We’ve kind of already discussed the right wing-back slot, as it would be a surprise to see Sinclair in the team - he was left out of the matchday 18 against Colchester in the previous round. Over on the left, Trevor Clarke’s injury means Barton’s only option is to continue with Lewis Gordon when, possibly, he might have liked to keep the 21-year-old in reserve and fresh for Saturday’s fixture at The Valley.
Clarke won’t play again until February 2023 - at the earliest - and Gordon’s encouraging form means he now has the role locked down for the foreseeable future, unless the manager makes some kind of system adjustment over the next few weeks.
In the middle of the park, Sam Finley is out with a calf injury, while Paul Coutts’ start against Vale probably rules him out. Barton admitted the Scot wouldn’t have been in the XI had Finley been fit, but needs must. Having put in 90 minutes for the first time in two months, and with his importance to the team, the captain will sit this one out.
That then opens up a place for Luke McCormick, who came on in injury time at Bolton Wanderers and didn’t feature at all at home to Vale. This tie, therefore, represents a good opportunity for him to push his claim ahead of the festive period in which the frequency of games will surely offer him more chances to play, if he earns it.
Barton would probably like to give Rossiter’s legs a rest, but unless he wants to put Glenn Whelan alongside McCormick - which, admittedly, is a possibility - he may ask the Scouser to play an hour or so.
However, the playmaking role complicates the situation a little because Antony Evans is another who could probably do with a rest and with MK Dons traditionally strong through midfield, the manager will want to retain a third central player. That could then lead to McCormick operating in the more advanced position, with Whelan and Rossiter holding.
Attack
Ryan Loft missed out on the weekend due to muscle spasms and with just a three-day gap between games, it seems a stretch to expect him to start. He could well be on the bench but Rovers will want to be careful with the big targetman and such has been Josh Coburn’s form, they haven’t needed to rush him back.
Coburn’s workrate and discipline was hugely impressive on Saturday, and the 20-year-old got through so many miles that he’s surely afforded a break, allowing John Marquis to come back into the side, as was the case against Colchester.
The summer signing has experienced a stuttering start to life in a Gas shirt and after playing the 25 minutes of the 1-0 win over Port Vale, and being credited with the assist for Aaron Collins’ winner, could do with a chance from the start.
As for Collins, the way he was speaking post-match on Saturday indicated he’ll be playing and he’s such an energetic individual, it’d be hard and probably counter-productive to ever leave him out anyway.
That then keeps Harvey Saunders on the bench, but he could find himself in a starting role if Barton thinks about switching to three up front and losing a central midfielder, but the profile of MK Dons renders that unlikely.
We should also mention that although Anderson was training at the Mem on Saturday, unless he's really proved himself to be 100 per cent ready to return at training on Monday, after injury and then illness, it could be a game too soon for the versatile winger.
Bristol Rovers (3-4-1-2, probable): Anssi Jaakkola; Bobby Thomas, James Connolly, Alfie Kilgour; James Gibbons, Glenn Whelan, Jordan Rossiter, Lewis Gordon; Luke McCormick; John Marquis, Aaron Collins
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