Second string will play in cup

Tomorrow night the Potters face the lengthy trip down south to Fratton Park where they will meet Portsmouth in the 4th round of the Carling Cup.

The team that will play has been much debated over the past few days as we wait to see whether the first team will keep there places against a fellow Premier League club or a second string 11 will be drafted in.

Well, perhaps not surprisingly, the second team are set to start as they attempt to prove to Tony Pulis and Peter Reid that they are capable of becoming a regular fixture in the firsts.

This will see the expected full return of Mama Sidibe, missing for the last 7 months he played an hour in mid-week for the reserves but he will now make his competitive come back.

Whether Sidibe will start is a mystery but if not than we have two suitors in Dave Kitson and Tuncay. The Turkish international is yet to start a league game for the Potters since his big money move as TP doesn`t think his fitness is quite there, now is his chance.

Also Dave Kitson, who after a scoring his first two goals for the club has sort of slithered away in the last few games and has had to be contempt with a place on the bench.

Others expected to play are out of favour full-backs Andy Griffin and Danny Higginbotham, rare games for midfielders Michael Tonge and Tom Soares beckon and the may be a start for summer signing Diego Arismendi.

Its set to be an entertaining encounter down south where the Potters went down 2-1 in the league last year, but since then both clubs have gone in opposite directions and its because of this that I think we might just sneak this one. Just……………..

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.