Michael Skubala has said there are three key areas he’d like to add depth to over the coming weeks, as City look to cement a promotion push.
Sitting second in the table, we have a guaranteed opportunity to steal a march on two of our rivals this weekend. Luton, still a rival for a promotion place, are our opponents, while Cardiff City and Bradford meet at Valley Parade in a huge game for us.
That’s the short-term gain, but with 21 matches to go, there is also a long-term game to be played. Michael Skubala wants to see some depth added to the squad, but the right moves that strengthen for the duration, not a couple of matches.
“The reality is, with the injuries we’re a bit short and some of them aren’t going to be fit until after the window shuts,” he said in his pre-match interview.
We’ve got to make some really shrewd decisions in terms of who we add to the group to really strengthen us and really support the lads that we have already.
“I keep saying I’m overly happy with everybody that we’ve got. Obviously, we’ve some of the loanees have gone back, so it makes our squad a little bit shorter. But we’ve got to make the right decisions.”
He stressed that it isn’t just someone to make an immediate impact and fizzle out, but instead, players who could add value between now and the start of May (hopefully, not being required after the first weekend of May).
“We need to make the right decisions to bring the right people in for us that’s going to play the last 20-odd games of the season, not just one or two.
“So we need to get that right. Myself, Jez, Joe Hutchinson, we’re all working really hard on the recruitment. There will be things that we need to do, and we will do. But we’ve just got to make sure it’s right, not just for one or two games. It’s going to be right for us for the run-in to the end of the season.”
When pushed, Michael admitted there were three key areas that he would like to add depth, but he stressed that is to support the existing group, who have got us to second just past the halfway stage.
“At the moment, there’s probably three key areas I’ve got in my head that I want to support the lads with and add some depth to. Maybe a bit of experience if we need it in certain areas, but we’re in a good place. We’re calm. We have our lists. We know what’s going on.
But like I say, it might not be something that we get done for the weekend. But we think we’ll start to move with one or two as we get going.”
Which areas? That’s open for debate, but one would assume if Lewis Montsma goes, then perhaps we might be looking at the central defensive players and adding something there. Maybe wide attacking cover could be useful with Oscar Thorn out and Rob Street ideally played through the middle. Of course, fans would very much like to see something in attack, but cover at full back could also be important.
What is worth stressing is that yesterday’s news about the change of chairman shouldn’t be seen as a golden ticket to spending big. There is a feeling among serious commentators and pundits that we won’t change our current strategy just because we have a new face at the helm, and we shouldn’t suddenly expect big transfers just because of Ron Fowler ascending to club chairman.