Right-back Kane Vincent-Young will be out for the next few weeks having undergone groin surgery during his time in Doha, Qatar last week. Meanwhile, manager Paul Lambert says Cole Skuse is among a number of players who will be assessed today ahead of tomorrow’s game at Rochdale.
As previously reported, 23-year-old Vincent-Young and physio Matt Byard travelled to the Emirate last week, the former Colchester man having suffered a recurrence of his recent groin problem at Southend 10 days ago.
Lambert says the injury is very similar to the nerve problem which required James Norwood to go under the knife last month.
"He had near enough the same injury as James, but hopefully, it’s the same recovery time, and he’ll be back hopefully in the next few weeks,” Lambert said.
"He had it, and we got him through the games, and the Southend game was just a game too much.
"But again, he’s another lad that’s been performing really, really well so he got it done and hopefully that will put that one to bed.
"He’s been brilliant. He came in really, really well and hit the ground running, but that’s football and that’s the way it goes.”
The Blues manager hopes Vincent-Young will come back as quickly - Norwood was in substitute action in just over a fortnight and starting in less than three weeks - and as successfully as the Town number 10.
"He scored two last Saturday, so if that was his reaction then brilliant,” Lambert added.
"He looked a lot more free last Saturday so I’m happy with his comeback with it and hopefully Kane will be the same.”
Luke Woolfenden moved out to right-back after Vincent-Young’s withdrawal at Roots Hall. Might the 21-year-old, primarily a centre-back, start there at Rochdale?
"It’s not something I sit and look at and say he’s going to play there,” Lambert said.
"I pick a team that will be ready for tomorrow, and I’ll pick the personnel that I think going to be ready to try and win us a game, so Woolfy did well at right-back, it’s not his natural position, but he did a job there.
Janoi Donacien is another candidate, along with Gwion Edwards, with the Welshman appearing more likely to get the nod having played that role in Vincent-Young’s absence on a couple of previous occasions.
"As I said, I’ll pick what team I want to pick, and I’ll do that between today and tomorrow, and I’ll run with that,” Lambert said, keeping his cards typically close to his chest.
Skuse limped off with a groin problem at Southend and Lambert says the veteran midfielder will be assessed today.
"I’ll see how he is this morning. A few of the lads have little knocks, so we’ll see how they are this morning,” he added.
Town will definitely be without Flynn Downes, who is suspended after reaching five bookings for the season.
"He’s been expectational,” Lambert enthused. "He’s been great, the lad’s been great and the way he’s been performing, he’s been on top of his game and every game he’s played at a really high level.
"The way he plays the game, he will get yellow cards at certain times, but I’m really happy with the way he’s performed.”
It’s not gone unnoticed that Downes missed the two league matches Town have lost this season, however, Lambert insists that wasn’t the key factor.
"We’ve just not played well in those two games,” he said. "It’s not through the fault of any individual as a team we didn’t deserve anything.”
Regarding the longer-term injured, Lambert reiterated fitness coach Jim Henry’s comments at the Supporters Club AGM regarding Freddie Sears, whose return to the very early stages of training last week was taken by some to indicate he was close to getting back in first-team action.
"You can’t expect him to go in right away,” Lambert said. "The lad hasn’t had any contact in training, he’s done little bits with us and been great, and if we can get him back to doing what he was before he got injured, then we’ve got a hell of a player on our hands.
"So, time will tell when he’s ready and the first big decision for Freddie is how much contact he’s going to have to take when the knee goes for a tackle and things like that — I think that’s always the barrier where a player will know if he’s right or not ready.
"He’s got to have that first blow on his knee to see if he can take that, but he’s not done anything like that.”
Lambert says the former Colchester and West Ham man is unlikely to feature before the turn of the year: "There’s no way, I don’t think he’ll play before that.”
Jordan Roberts is also among those currently injured having picked up a toe problem in the first half of the Leasing.com Trophy game against Gillingham a month ago.
"He got injured in that cup game. But every time Jordan’s played he’s done well so as I said before at this moment he’s injured, but he’s never let me down, Jordan Roberts.
"He’s been out for a few weeks, it’s his toe. He’s getting a lot better, but he’s still carrying it.”
With Sears still some way off and Roberts now injured, might a fourth striker be a priority in the January window?
"I don’t know, we have to wait and see,” Lambert continued. "Depending on what position we’re in in January we’ll see, but the team need strengthening.”
Fitness coach Henry suggested it was unlikely forward Jack Lankester would feature this season having undergone back surgery earlier in the campaign and Lambert says he’s putting no pressure on any of the injured players to return.
"Jack is still in the same situation as Freddie,” he added. "Where he’s not trained with us or anything like that.
"There’s no pressure from us to get those lads back, they’ll come back in their own time, and there’s no point in rushing or anything like that.
"They’ve had a hell of a time with injury and a long time out. The medial team and fitness team have done really well with the guys, and I’m happy with how their rehab has gone, and it’s just a matter of time.”
Regarding Emyr Huws and Will Keane, who have been fed in and out of the side as they return from spells out with injury, he says the pair will know when they're ready to step up.
"That’ll come from themselves and whether they feel really ready for that level of going Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday," he said.
"I think those two lads are in a good place. They had really, really bad injuries — different types of injuries — but they’ve come back a long way from where they were, and that’s important.
"They are a vital component to our team, the two of them, and I’m really happy they’re back with us."
He says they are players who could make a massive difference to the Blues' season.
They are, and they’re doing great," he added. "So I’m happy with the two guys and happy with how they go about it, happy with how they play and happy with their training, so I’m more than happy about it."
Armando Dobra will be serving the final game of his three-match ban for his red card at Accrington.