Michael Skubala has confirmed that recently injured players have been training well ahead of our visit to Plymouth Argyle this weekend.
A 600-mile round trip faces supporters, a trip that is being broken up for the players as they travel halfway today and the second part of the journey tomorrow. That travelling party includes returning players, such as Ben House and Tom Bayliss, who will expect to be involved from the bench at the very least.
It is hard to change a successful side, and with Alfie Lloyd, Kamil Conteh and Ryan Oné all vying for a spot, those players coming back will have to impress in training as well as on the field. Of course, that’s something that Michael has seen, as he confirmed they’re working hard, looking to take their shirt back.
“They have been training well,” he said to BBC Radio Lincolnshire’s Callum Davis. “Tom Bayliss, Ben House, and Oscar Thorn has joined the group towards the end of this week as well. That gives us another body back who will be chomping at the bit.”
Thorn isn’t expected to trouble the first team this weekend. The summer signing from Colchester looked lively in his cameos earlier in the season, but has not featured since our 2-0 win against Barnsley in the EFL Trophy. He is a recent addition to grass training, putting his timescale a little wider than that of House and Bayliss.
“It is a bit longer for him, and the challenge is getting them enough minutes in games to keep progressing them,” added Michael. “We are looking really healthy and competitive, and long may that continue.”
City have won the last two times we have visited Home Park, Ben Hosue and Mide Shodipo giving us all three points in 2022/23. Prior to that, we had failed to win in ten matches in South Devon, losing both matches against the Pilgrims in the 2020/21 season at Home Park.
They come into the game 15th in the table, on the rise after a tough start, but with just one defeat in their last eight fixtures, and only two defeats at home since the end of November.