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Andy Webster and Danny Seaborne are set to return to training with Coventry City today which means that manager Steven Pressley should have a full-strength squad available for Saturday’s League One launch at Bradford.
And the Sky Blues boss will spend the next three days pondering the best combination for the back-line of the 3-5-2 formation that he has been developing through the pre-season programme.
Webster, who has recovered from his back problem, and Seaborne (thigh) shared those roles with newly-arrived skipper Reda Johnson and home-bred duo Jordan Clarke and Jordan Willis as City crammed in four friendlies in five days last week.
Clarke and Willis have also alternated in the wing-back berth, increasing the permutations open to Pressley as he strives to improve on last term’s damaging goals-against statistics, but he confirmed that he is still aiming to recruit another centre-back rather than the defensive midfielder he had originally made one of his targets.
“With the change of personnel at the club I think we’re covered in the midfield area,” said Pressley, “but if we’re going to play three at the back we probably need one more central defender.
“You tend to adjust your priorities as the summer goes on and I think that somebody who can play in any of the back-three positions would give us some depth.
“We’re very fortunate to have the two Jordans available because they are both comfortable playing in the centre or out wide. They’re both blessed with great athleticism and speed and if you look at the modern-day full-back / wing-back those are must ingredients.
“Jordan Clarke had established himself at centre-back and I’m on record as saying that I think Jordan Willis’s best position will be right-back.
“But there is quite a big difference between full-back and wing-back and looking at the Watford game, when they switched over, has given me food for thought. Clarke was magnificent in the wing-back role that night while Willis was excellent inside him.
“It’s a good selection problem to have but it might well be that Clarke plays more regularly as a wing-back this season.
“I’m not going to utilise the 3-5-2 system every week – although it worked well in pre-season there will certainly be times when we go with 4-4-2.
“From time to time you have to have that flexibility and there’s an element of horses for courses there, although I think it’s important we concentrate on our own strengths rather than adapting or changing because of how we think the opposition are going to line up. You have to have self-belief; if you think your system is working well you stick with that and impose yourself on the opposition – play the way you want to play.”
Whatever combination Pressley chooses he’s looking for a major contribution from Johnson whose pre-season preparations were disrupted by injury but who looked a formidable prospect during Saturday’s match against a rugged Stevenage side.
“There’s no doubt that when I reflected on last season that standing up to the physical aspects of the game was something that, as a team, we had to improve on,” said Pressley
“There were a lot of pluses last year but there were areas for improvement. We wanted that greater physicality and presence and Reda certainly tickle those boxes.
“I think the back three suits him because he spent a large percentage of last season at left-back so he’s got that experience of playing out to one side which is sometimes asked of you in this system.
“He’s won this league with Sheffield Wednesday so he knows what it’s all about and I’ve been really pleased with the way he’s settled in.
“Slowly but surely he’s getting to his levels, and when he’s fully pitch fit we’re going to have a tremendous player on our hands.”
And the Sky Blues boss will spend the next three days pondering the best combination for the back-line of the 3-5-2 formation that he has been developing through the pre-season programme.
Webster, who has recovered from his back problem, and Seaborne (thigh) shared those roles with newly-arrived skipper Reda Johnson and home-bred duo Jordan Clarke and Jordan Willis as City crammed in four friendlies in five days last week.
Clarke and Willis have also alternated in the wing-back berth, increasing the permutations open to Pressley as he strives to improve on last term’s damaging goals-against statistics, but he confirmed that he is still aiming to recruit another centre-back rather than the defensive midfielder he had originally made one of his targets.
“With the change of personnel at the club I think we’re covered in the midfield area,” said Pressley, “but if we’re going to play three at the back we probably need one more central defender.
“You tend to adjust your priorities as the summer goes on and I think that somebody who can play in any of the back-three positions would give us some depth.
“We’re very fortunate to have the two Jordans available because they are both comfortable playing in the centre or out wide. They’re both blessed with great athleticism and speed and if you look at the modern-day full-back / wing-back those are must ingredients.
“Jordan Clarke had established himself at centre-back and I’m on record as saying that I think Jordan Willis’s best position will be right-back.
“But there is quite a big difference between full-back and wing-back and looking at the Watford game, when they switched over, has given me food for thought. Clarke was magnificent in the wing-back role that night while Willis was excellent inside him.
“It’s a good selection problem to have but it might well be that Clarke plays more regularly as a wing-back this season.
“I’m not going to utilise the 3-5-2 system every week – although it worked well in pre-season there will certainly be times when we go with 4-4-2.
“From time to time you have to have that flexibility and there’s an element of horses for courses there, although I think it’s important we concentrate on our own strengths rather than adapting or changing because of how we think the opposition are going to line up. You have to have self-belief; if you think your system is working well you stick with that and impose yourself on the opposition – play the way you want to play.”
Whatever combination Pressley chooses he’s looking for a major contribution from Johnson whose pre-season preparations were disrupted by injury but who looked a formidable prospect during Saturday’s match against a rugged Stevenage side.
“There’s no doubt that when I reflected on last season that standing up to the physical aspects of the game was something that, as a team, we had to improve on,” said Pressley
“There were a lot of pluses last year but there were areas for improvement. We wanted that greater physicality and presence and Reda certainly tickle those boxes.
“I think the back three suits him because he spent a large percentage of last season at left-back so he’s got that experience of playing out to one side which is sometimes asked of you in this system.
“He’s won this league with Sheffield Wednesday so he knows what it’s all about and I’ve been really pleased with the way he’s settled in.
“Slowly but surely he’s getting to his levels, and when he’s fully pitch fit we’re going to have a tremendous player on our hands.”