Brady facing selection and tactical dilemmas for Hartlepool United fixture

Cobblers boss Jon Brady admits he has some thinking to do before the weekend as he weighs up whether or not to name the same starting XI for the third league game running.

Brady conceded that his side’s performance at Grimsby last weekend was disjointed and substandard, and he then saw several fringe players provide glimpses of what they can do during Tuesday’s cup tie with Wycombe.

Brady has decisions to make across the park in terms of who starts against Hartlepool United on Saturday and which formation best suits his players after experimenting with both 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1 this week.

"We are flexible with our formation and it’s something that will be a work in progress over the next 10 games or so,” said Brady. "Sometimes, it will be what we need in the moment but we have that agility and that flexibility within our thinking and that is part of our make-up and part of our DNA.

"I needed to see some different options on Tuesday to see what we have and what the players can do.That’s something I have not been able to do as much but Tuesday was a great opportunity and although the result wasn’t what we wanted, there were some really strong performances, especially in the second-half.

"That has given me some food for thought for the weekend.”

The big dilemmas for Brady are in central midfield and up front but he has not been helped by injuries to Aaron McGowan and Akin Odimayo, both of whom would offer balance to the team on the right side, either at full-back or wing-back.

"It has hampered our flexibility in way but that happens in football and you have to find another way,” Brady added.

"We have tried to find a way to get results in the last couple of weeks and maybe one or two players have not played in their natural positions but you look for solutions and we do have players who can play in different positions.

"It’s about adapting at times and finding another way until players are fit. It's unfortunate that we have two injured in the right-back position but we have worked through it so far.”