Reds Manager Danny Wilson met with the press today ahead of this Saturday's FA Cup 3rd Round tie at home to Coventry City.~
Starting regarding team news, off the back of a one-all draw at Birmingham on Wednesday, Wilson said, “Injury-wise, Bobby Hassell had a calf injury, I think other than that we’ve not a great deal really. I think we’re okay in that respect.
Starting regarding team news, off the back of a one-all draw at Birmingham on Wednesday, Wilson said, “Injury-wise, Bobby Hassell had a calf injury, I think other than that we’ve not a great deal really. I think we’re okay in that respect.
“We got Brek Shea in at the last minute, whether he’ll be eligible to play, we’ll have to wait and see on that.
“He wants people to see him play first-team football, at the highest possible level.
“It’s not an experimental time. It’s not a time where we can say 'have a look at him’ and if we go out of the cup it doesn’t matter, because it does matter a great deal.
“We’ll be fielding the strongest side we possibly can.”
Wilson might be tempted to include the returning Chris Dagnall, who comes back to Oakwell from a loan stint with the Sky Blues.
“He’s our player and I’m sure Dags himself would want to do well for his club that pays his wages and certainly for himself as well,” he said. “If it means him playing against Coventry and scoring a hat-trick then we’ll take it.”
USA international Brek Shea was Wilson’s first signing since taking over of the Reds, and he’s hopeful more will follow, as he continued, “There’s a good chance others will follow. We need a bit of a spark. I think the players do as well. It’s been difficult when you’re not winning games and there’s pressure on you at the bottom of the league, there is a confidence factor in there. Every game you play well and don’t get anything out of is a bit of a blow.
“The likes of Brek gave the lads that spark the other day. As soon as he walked in the dressing room it was a real surprise to them, it was tremendous.
“I’d like to get at least three or four in.
“I’d like to strengthen everywhere. If you look at the positions we have in the team and the lack of cover if somebody gets injured. Realistically, we’ll not be able to do that – we’ll have to prioritise.
“There’s a few positions where we need to look at, and the striking department is that. We’re not scoring enough goals. We’ve got to get a threat from different areas and I think that’s where we’ll be looking at.
“We need some pace in the team, if I’m quite honest. It’s nothing against the boys that're here as I’m sure they’ll agree with me. It frightens the life out of defenders.
“We’ve had Derby here recently and you can see what pace can do to a team. In the early exchanges their pace really hurt us.”
Coventry City arrive at Oakwell as League One’s highest-scoring team, and Wilson is full of praise for Steven Pressley and his side.
“They’d be fourth or fifth at the moment if the ten-point deduction wasn’t there,” he added. “It’s a little bit of a conundrum, would they be there or would they not be there? Is it the fact that it’s a siege mentality type of thing that gets them in that area? I don’t know. But what you can say at this moment in time is that Steven Pressley has done a fantastic job.
“To get to where they are in such difficult conditions they’re having to work in is a real compliment to all the football club. Having to play at Sixfields is not easy, some of the fans don’t want to go there so they’re playing in front of 2,000 people when you know they can get 15/16,000 in at the Ricoh.
“They’ve got some players highly-regarded in the game.
“Although they’re one league lower, they’re not many places below us at the minute.
