I’d imagine that among the issues being knocked around by Jones and his team are two that have recently arisen and which could also influence priorities before the transfer window slams shut. First, the very welcome return from injury of Ramsay (and Watson too) but the related issue of how to accommodate him; and second, the evidence of the past two games that we have gone on score and win only when the formation has been changed with replacements from the bench.
I did comment during our lean spell, when we were suffering from an extensive injury list, that surely some way needed to be found to get Small into the team, even though the excellent Edwards was holding down the left-side wing-back slot. He was too good an asset not to be utilised. As it transpired, Jones – absent Ramsay and Watson, Mitchell(Z) too, and with Edmonds-Green and Asiimwe not considered strong enough for the position - has asked him to switch sides and he’s grown into the role, providing us with a powerful attacking weapon (even given the desire for sometimes a better end product, which he admits himself). It’s worked so well that we will all breathe a little easier if he is still with us when the window shuts, ideally with a new contract signed.
The (welcome) problem now for Jones is that if Ramsay is ready and able to start games, and to last through them, how does he get accommodated? If we stick to 3-5-2/5-3-2 and wing-backs, he has to take Small’s place – and then the decision would be whether to have Small or Edwards on the other side. Either way, with that formation one of the three misses out, at least to start, assuming that the central defensive positions are not adjusted to include Edwards.
Of course, with also Watson seemingly available again there can be an element of rotation as and when, giving players a breather and resting tired legs. We’ve gone from having one true wing-back option for two positions to four, with cover on both flanks (assuming Ramsay and Watson are - or soon will be – capable of playing a full game if required). Any thoughts of needing to get cover for these positions have surely gone out of the window.
There is a way of accommodating Small and Ramsay on our right side, but it involves changing the formation, to some form of 4-4-2 with Small operating in the wide role. That would also need Campbell(T) to revert to an outright winger’s slot. I don’t know about anyone else, but the thought of having Ramsay and Small down one side and Edwards and Campbell on the other sounds exciting to me, even if it would risk being overrun in central midfield (nothing’s perfect in football). Would be a case of sacrificing the third central midfielder (in this case Berry) and going with Coventry and Docherty to shore things up. Risks involved for sure, but the line-up would cause problems for the opposition.
That all feeds into the formation consideration. Against Bolton we were losing with 70 minutes played but scored twice to win after the formation was changed (it began with Anderson coming on to bolster midfield and a switch to a back four) and Aneke and Godden were introduced from the bench. Against a determined Shrewsbury we struggled to make things happen in the final third despite dominating possession, despite the best efforts of Campbell and Small, and once again turned to Aneke and Godden to provide something different. They caused the Shrewsbury back line more problems and we went on to win the game.
Nobody’s blaming Shrewsbury for their approach to the game, but they’re not going to be the last team to come to The Valley and try to shut up shop. When that happens and space is restricted, the physical presence of Aneke and the more astute running and anticipation (and finishing) of Godden are more likely to open up defences than balls lofted forward for Leaburn. I’d even suggest that if we had Ramsay/Small and Edwards/Campbell down the flanks, it would be reasonable to expect better and more frequent quality deliveries into the box, which might even allow for Ahadme to show us more than he has to date.
Here too there’s nothing wrong with deciding to stay as we are but being ready to switch the formation and personnel during the game, as we have done in the past two games (and in the previous two league games: against Reading, Aneke and Godden came on in the last 10 minutes, against Rotherham Aneke was introduced at the break, Godden not long after). Ramsay and Small ended up together down our right when the formation changed. To some extent that is forced on Jones by not wanting (for good reason) to risk more than 30 minutes or so from Aneke, but I'm sure there's also his impact on tiring defenders in mind.
When it comes to what player(s) we need before the window closes, the clamour normally goes up for a creative attacking midfielder, one to prise open defences. That’s fine in principle, we could use a fresh option. But in effect it means a replacement/alternative to Berry. With Campbell(T) tending to roam across the front line, often out of instinct I guess ending up on the flanks, and at least not yet a real poacher, we are relying on Berry in the 3-5-2 to be up quickly in support of Leaburn. So we want his new rival to combine the box-to-box energy of a young Bowyer, the creative passing powers of a Zidane, and the goalscoring instincts of a Messi. Also, Jones will require him to chase and tackle and generally work his socks off. If such a player is out there and available I’d love to see him brought in.
We are in the thick of it now and can focus on those immediately above us in the league. For sure we have to keep standards as high as possible and go out and beat Bristol Rovers, having lost 3-2 at their place at the start of October (having been 3-0 down until late in the game). Neither grounds nor room for any complacency. After all, if fine margins had gone the other way we could easily have found ourselves with four fewer points from the last two games, even six, and bemoaning a season lost.
As it is, we hope for Bolton to slip up at home against Northampton, Reading away at Burton, Leyton Orient at Exeter, and Barnsley at Wycombe (let’s leave Stockport out of it for now, but hopefully Shrewsbury will put up as determined a display against them as they did against us). Doesn’t look on paper like a set of fixtures likely to materially change the picture, but who knows? And looking ahead to the weekend, Leyton Orient will be at home to Stockport and Reading to Bolton. Where will we sit in the league come Saturday night (and isn't it a pleasure to be thinking in these terms)?
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