Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Sykes, Twine and Pring could all feature at Owls
LIAM Manning has indicated that Scott Twine and Mark Sykes are both ready to start against Sheffield Wednesday today – while Cam Pring is back in training.
Twine and Sykes were among the substitutes for last weekend’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to QPR, having recovered from quad and hamstring injuries respectively.
Sykes did get on the pitch for the final 15 minutes, but looked slightly off the pace out of position at rightback, with the Republic of Ireland international winger having not played since January 1.
Playmaker Twine remained an unused substitute despite City’s need for an equaliser, with Manning confessing that there was concern over how many minutes the 24-yearold could play and the need to make changes earlier in the game.
With both having trained fully this week, and Sam Bell’s hamstring injury creating at least one vacancy in the line-up, it looks likely that Manning will name at least one of Sykes or Twine in his starting XI at Hillsborough this afternoon.
“They’re much closer; Syksey, he’s had a couple of sessions this week, so he’s in a much better place. Twiney trained too. Time is a big thing with those guys. Now they’ve had a bit more training time, they’re in a much better position to get more minutes,” Manning said. “Cam’s returned to training, so hopefully he can be involved as well.”
Pring has begun working with the squad again after a knee injury sustained at Middlesbrough two weeks ago. In his absence Haydon Roberts has performed well at leftback, especially on the ball, albeit leaving space for Lucas Andersen to cross for Ilias Chair’s deciding goal in the QPR game. Roberts’ efforts against the Rs and the win over Southampton followed another strong display earlier in the month at Nottingham Forest when Pring was suspended. In short, having been a near-automatic pick throughout Manning’s time at the club, the Cheltenham-born full-back now has serious competition on the left.
The head coach admits, though, that there is a possibility of fielding both left-footers, with Pring as wingback and Roberts tucked inside as a third centre-back. The 21-year-old experienced most of his academy life at Brighton & Hove Albion as a centre-back before being converted into a full-back during his loan at Derby County last season.
Manning has started in a 4-2-3-1 for City’s last four fixtures, in League and cup, but has previously shown an inclination for three at the back, a system which also opens up the possibility of starting two number tens behind a lone striker, something which is more likely now that Twine is fit. The head coach was speaking hypothetically, rather than in direct reference to today’s game, but Pring and Roberts in the same team is very much a possibility for the future.
“If you played a back three, you could play Haydon on the left of a three and Cam wing-back, if you wanted to,” Manning added. “It’s studying the opposition, being clear on our principles, how we play and the structure we work off, who fits the slots best to get us success. If that’s Haydon and Cam playing together and you want that, then it might happen in the future.
“If you look at how we play our three, the outside tends to be higher. What he’s got is the qualities where he can go and play and support and join from behind.
“For me, it’s less on the position and more on what strengths do they bring and do they fit for the criteria for what we need in that game.”