Blues boss Paul Jewell says he’s told his players to expect him to make the odd change to his side during this month’s run of eight fixtures. After Saturday’s 3-0 home victory over Bristol City, Town face leaders Southampton at St Mary’s this evening.
Jewell, who switched midfielder Luke Hyam for Grant Leadbitter and keeper Arran Lee-Barrett for Alex McCarthy on Saturday, said: "I’ve said to the players that the likelihood is that not everyone is going to play in all eight games.
"I’ve never been one to really rotate things for the sake of it but I just felt that in training Grant has been outstandingly sharp and Luke has looked a little tired.
"He’s very unlucky and I had a long chat with him. I’m very pleased with Luke and he can count himself unlucky. But that’s why training’s important. I want there to be an edge to training.”
He says the gruelling run will inevitably take its toll with players on the fringes perhaps getting their chance: "Because of the nature of the number of games, you pick up injuries and we will need the squad.
"What I’ve said to them is that you only need to look at Andy Drury, Luke and Tommy Smith to see that if you’re out of the team — and you might even think you’re out of the picture — if you get a call, make sure you’re ready.
"The three lads I’ve just mentioned have certainly proved that by training properly every day to the best of their ability and were ready when they got the call, and have more than done themselves justice.”
Jewell was delighted with his side’s fifth win in six against Bristol City on Saturday, particularly the extent they controlled the game: "In games this year, certainly for periods of games, we’ve dominated and created chances.
"I thought on Saturday for the large, large majority of that game we were in the ascendancy and were the better team.
"Often, we’ve had a really good 45 minutes where we’ve played well and in the second half we haven’t. Or we’ve played badly in the first half and played well in the second.
"But for 90 minutes on Saturday we were more like where we want to be. You’re never going to dominate all a game but from start to finish we were good in all departments.”
The Liverpudlian says there are a number of reasons for the upturn in form: "It’s hard work and confidence. We also changed the team around a little bit. Luke Hyam, Andy Drury and Tommy Smith have come in, Daryl Murphy’s come in in a different position and taken to it really well.
"Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has come in as well and Lee Martin’s also playing in a different position. There are a lot of factors and there’s a bit more of a buzz about the place and the team.”
Despite the run which has seen his side climb to a relatively safe 14th in the table, Jewell is keeping his feet on the ground: "Winning five games out of six is a good run but we’re not getting carried away. We know there’s an awful lot of work to do.
"When you start getting complacent, [that’s where the danger lies]. If we’d have lost on Saturday against Bristol City we would have been going into two tough away games. You can easily lose three games in a week in this league, but you can also win three games."
He says his side is still in the early stages of the building process, joking: "We’re just laying the foundations, the first bricks, actually we’ve only just got planning permission after an awful lot of toing and froing with the council!
"I think there is a long, long way to go, but what we are doing is playing with confidence at the moment, with renewed vigour.
"We want to try and have a good finish to the season. There are obviously lots of ups and downs in any season and we seem to have had more than our fair share both on the pitch and off the pitch. Next year it would be nice to get a clear run at things on the pitch.”