Boss Kieran McKenna believes Town are strong in midfield - if everyone is fit and available.

The Blues have five senior midfielders, skipper Sam Morsy, Kalvin Phillips, who is on loan from Manchester City for the season, Jens Cajuste, with Town from Napoli on the same basis for the campaign, Massimo Luongo and Jack Taylor.

McKenna is pleased with those options but found himself without most of them recently with Morsy, Taylor and Luongo all absent with knocks and Cajuste having only just returned to training following a spell out.

“Hopefully, we can get them all back fit as maybe a couple a weeks ago we had one and a half fit midfielders in the building for a couple of games,” McKenna recalled.

“We are now not too far away from having five for the two positions. Jack Taylor, for example, can play a bit higher up.

“I would much rather have the five than have the one and a half. It is a positive if we can have them all fit and available and competing. That’s good for the squad and good for us. And good for them as well as it will push them all to maintain their levels and raise their levels.

“With everyone fit and available, we are pretty strong in that position. Everyone has played their part already. Jack Taylor has come on and shown the big impact he can have off the bench and I thought Massimo started the season really well in the Liverpool game and we all know we can trust him in any type of game.

“Hopefully they will all be fit for the next month and if they are, I’m sure they will all have their part to play.”

Cajuste has impressed alongside Morsy in the last two matches with the Town skipper having said he sees the Sweden international as more of a number eight than a number six like Phillips.

McKenna was asked whether he believes Cajuste gives more fluidity when it comes to building attacks due to that more positive approach.

“Not particularly in terms of fluidity, all our midfielders have different traits, to be honest,” McKenna reflected. “We think Jens is doing well, he’s a profile that I really like for that position.

“We looked at him in the summer playing in a different role playing for Napoli but we felt in our system as part of a double pivot but with some licence to move on the left-hand side of the pitch, he could do really well.

“And now that he’s getting up to fitness and fully integrated into the group, he has done really well.

“Samy’s got different qualities from that, Kalvin’s got different qualities that he possesses and Massimo and Jack Taylor have their own qualities as well.

“That’s what you want to have in each unit within your team, you want players who can bring different qualities and different profiles to the position and we feel like we’re getting that now and hopefully we’ll have them all fit and then we can choose who we think’s going to be the best option for each game.”


TWTD

Suffolkboy added 17:40 - Nov 28 All is so well thought through,so calmly and clearly communicated and the positive air of confidence continues! COYB
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Lightningboy added 11:01 - Nov 29 Personally i'd stick with the Morsy/Cajuste partnership...I know some out there love Phillips but i'd be sending him back in January.
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londonben added 16:39 - Nov 29 We’d be mad to send Phillips back…Morsy is getting on a bit, and Cajuste is only just back from a long term injury. No chance they can play every game through the festive period, and we’re only one or two injuries/suspensions away from being light in that area again. I think Cajuste and Morsy are our best options there at the moment, but having Phillips ready to step in when needed will be massively important for our season. I’d also be tempted to bring Humphrys back in Jan for extra cover, particularly if Taylor might be used further forwards. I think as an U21 he wouldn’t count towards our squad limit.

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