by Martin Spinks
martin.spinks@thesentinel.co.uk

SO HOW does Tony Pulis solve one of the biggest selection headaches to confront him since winning promotion to the Premier League?

Andy Wilkinson’s thrilling display at right-back last Sunday, together with skipper Abdoulaye Faye’s return from suspension, leaves the City manager with an embarrassment of riches in defence ahead of tomorrow’s clash at Blackburn.

Martin Spinks looks at the options open to Pulis at Ewood Park...

Plan A: Leave well alone. In other words, do the unthinkable and leave Faye on the sidelines for the first time during his inspirational Stoke career.
Wilkinson played so well at right-back that many would say he deserves another crack, while dropping £6m Robert Huth goes against the grain, especially after seeing him fit in so well at centre-half, his most natural position, during last Sunday’s clean sheet against Portsmouth.

Plan B: Drop Wilkinson, recall Faye and shift Huth back to right-back. This is how many will anticipate the manager going because Wilkinson has tended to be the fall guy.
It would be hard on him, particularly after that man-of-the-match performance last Sunday, but the argument goes that you have to stick with your bigger and more experienced players.
You cannot leave out your captain, even if his form hasn’t quite hit the consistent heights of last season, while Huth’s retention is essential because of the additional height he offers at set pieces in both boxes.

Plan C: Drop Huth, recall Faye to centre-half and leave Wilkinson at right-back. An outside option, in truth, because the manager has so consistently talked up Huth’s performance and influence since signing in August.
The advantage would be to leave a natural right back in place – and one able to get forward with potentially devastating consequences judging by last Sunday’s barnstorming run and shot – while returning Faye to a successful and proven central defensive partnership with Ryan Shawcross has its obvious merits.

Plan D: Don’t drop any of them. Come again? Simple, leave Wilkinson at right-back and play with three centre-halves.
The manager did this at home to Chelsea and, given Blackburn’s penchant for being direct and dangerous at set pieces, he could argue the wisdom of three centre-halves against such opposition on their home turf.

Plan E: Leave the back four well alone and keep Faye happy by throwing him into central midfield.
The real outsider of the five options so far, you feel, as Faye has only played there once for Stoke ... in a 3-2 home defeat by Everton 14 months ago.

Plan F: Spike one of three drinks, call the trio in for a quick cuppa ... then let nature takes its course.