Considering The Options

As we gird the loins for the next test of our revival - one that will in some senses complete the mini-challenge: tough away game against team around the top, win against the odds; need to blow away a struggling team and avoid what would have been a banana skin; now a real test of our improvement against a team in a play-off spot which has won four and drawn one of its last five – it was interesting to hear Curbs talk of how those being pulled into team/squad through injuries have both an opportunity and a challenge.

So far, leaving aside for now Forster-Caskey (whose welcome return will hopefully give JJ a real selection headache before long), we’ve lost Inniss and his replacement Lavelle to injury, had Matthews not available against Doncaster, now face the prospect of Leko being sidelined (also hopefully not for long). The immediate replacements were pretty straightforward: Pearce in for Lavelle/Inniss, Gunter in for Matthews, and DJ on the right side. It would be surprising to see changes for Rotherham (possibly Matthews back in of course, possibly not). The greater issue is, with us playing better and seemingly finding our feet, who is going to fill places on the bench – and who is left in the cold for a while longer.

The players currently not in the starting X1 and not automatic choices for the bench are (leaving aside the goalkeeping position) Soare, Watson, Arter, Morgan, and Kirk. You can’t include Clare, Blackett-Taylor and Davison as they are all involved, in and around (by the way, to ensure I wasn’t forgetting someone I did check the first-team squad on the club site and was a tad surprised to see Alfie Doughty included), nor Elerewe. The real question I think is whether we can maintain the style of play under JJ in the event that we lose another player to injury or suspension.

We might have a large squad now but we are not entirely blessed with options in defence and up front. If Pearce or Famewo become unavailable (before either Lavelle or Inniss returns) either Elerewe is given his chance or we press Gunter into a more central spot (or ask Orient for Pratley back). At the moment up front Stockley and Washington are starting and Davison is (for now) a replacement. Nobody else if Leko is injured.

The options we have are really in the wide positions and central midfield. For the former, DJ played well against Doncaster after Leko was forced off and CBT is next in line. Kirk really only gets a look-in at present if either of those two are not available. That’s as it should be, he had some games and I think played poorly. I hope there’s a good deal more to come from him, up to him to prove it to JJ and to perform when he gets his chance again. Much the same can be said of Morgan. He started the season as a No.10 but that position requires goals and he has since been pushed out by a combination of Lee becoming indispensable and Gilbey playing better. The Adkins experiment of playing Morgan in front of the back four, like that of Kirk in Lee’s position, simply didn’t work.

Watson we know can do a reasonable job, but Dobson has set a high standard; if Watson gets called on to replace him it will require greater energy and drive than before for us to maintain the pressing game higher up the pitch. Arter was unfortunate to drop out through injury when playing well. Losing Dobson would be a serious blow, but one of Watson, Arter or Clare would have the opportunity to step up and be asked to do what he has done in the last two games. Replacing Lee would be more problematic, probably you’d move Gilbey into his slot and perhaps bring in Clare; the alternative would be to give Morgan the chance, if he is impressing in training.

If you assume the same starting X1 for Rotherham except DJ in if Leko is unavailable, with six places on the bench up for grabs (excluding Henderson) you’d assume Elerewe plus one from Matthews (or Gunter if the starting positions are reversed) and Soare. Davison and CBT take up another two. Watson and Clare presumably the final two spots, unless Arter is available and preferred to either of them. The two that you’d say are still likely to have to remain patient are Morgan and Kirk. Hopefully they will take a look at Dobson and think ‘my turn will come and I will be ready for it’.