Curle reveals Anderson's half-time substitution at Cheltenham was tactical, not injury-related

Paul Anderson's half-time substitution at Cheltenham Town on Tuesday was made for tactical reasons and not because the midfielder was injured.
Paul AndersonPaul Anderson
Paul Anderson

Anderson took a knock late in the first-half and stayed down for a few moments but managed to continue without needing treatment from the physio.

But he did not re-emerge for the second-half as Scott Wharton took his place, with Jordan Turnbull moving into midfield.

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It was assumed Anderson had been forced off with the injury he suffered before half-time but Curle denied that was the case afterwards.

Instead the move was a tactical one with Turnbull asked to perform a man-marking role on the dangerous Ryan Broom.

"No, he wasn't injured," said Curle. "I just felt we needed more physicality as the game was panning out because they were getting a yard too much space and we needed to upset their rhythm.

"We needed a little bit more physicality in midfield. We started the game very well and then they had a few passages of play where they got away from our midfield and that's when they can cause you problems.

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"So we changed it at half-time and we tried to stop the supply line and stop the movement and I thought we did that.

"Jordan did a very good job. Ryan was having a go here, there and everywhere because he wasn't getting a touch of the ball.

"But Jordan did a good defensive job and added that little bit of physicality into midfield."

Curle also revealed that striker Vadaine Oliver missed Tuesday's game due to personal reasons.