Hogg explains formation tweaks and personnel changes for Swindon opener

While Town’s shape has not differed significantly regardless of personnel since Hogg took over, Janoi Donacien generally played as more of an orthodox right-back in pre-season with an out-and-out winger ahead of him.

But against Swindon, as Hogg made four changes from the narrow cup defeat at Leicester last weekend, Joe Wormleighton played in an attacking wing-back role, Donacien tucked in more central and James Maxwell had license to get forward on the left side. Logan Briggs and Connor Evans operated as number 10s behind Matty Warhurst.

Asked if the reason for the switch was to get Wormleighton’s energy into the team, Hogg said: “It was a bit about that but all the stuff for us is principle based anyway so a lot of it didn’t change that much from what you saw in pre-season.

“It just looks a little bit different with Worm playing as a right midfielder who’s playing 15 yards deeper than how we would normally do it. It’s a matter of yardage so there was a slight difference but it was more about getting energy in the team and also make sure we were pretty compact through the centre of the pitch.

"I thought we dominated for the majority of the first half in terms of territory. It was a little bit open in the second half and they put some more balls into our box but we defended them well, and then we finished with a flurry.

“We’ll play a variety of ways this year in terms of our structure, it was just I wanted to have a look at this one today. We saw it in pre-season at Cambridge when I thought it worked really well. We take the point and move on. It's a good starting point for us.”

Cobblers were excellent out of possession against Swindon, limiting the visitors to just four shots all game, but their attacking play understandably lacked some fluency and cohesion - and Hogg felt the warm conditions at Sixfields played a part.

"I don't think the elements and the weather helped in terms of the pitch because it slows it down,” he explained. “The guys did a great job at trying to keep it wet for the game but it dries out so quickly in the conditions and that meant there was a bit of stickiness.

"Give it a few days of rain and I think those moments will be a bit slicker. The intentions are right, it's just the execution and the technical action and that can be hard when it gets sticky, but there's nothing you can do when it's so hot.

"Lots of things go into it but I want us to be in the attacking third and creating chances and putting goalkeepers under pressure. We forced their goalkeeper into a couple of saves but we definitely want to be working him a lot more.”