Jon Brady on how tactical flexibility and payers' ability to adapt are helping Cobblers cope during injury crisis

Tactical flexibility and players’ willingness to take on board new information and do a job in unfamiliar positions are the key traits that have helped Cobblers navigate their way through a crazy injury crisis.

Manager Jon Brady has been forced to switch between formations on a regular basis in recent weeks in an attempt to find new solutions to different problems. Last Friday, his side played 4-3-3 at Newport but the loss of two defenders meant he had to change to 3-5-2 against Gillingham just three days later.

Harvey Lintott, a natural right-back, and Canadian David Norman, who had never played in England before, both started at centre-half before an injury to the former meant midfielder Jack Sowerby had to slot into the back three.

"We give the players a clear way of what we want to do against the opposition and how we want to exploit them and how we can nullify them,” explained Brady. “It’s all about results but I thought our performance was very good against Gillingham and we were really good on the ball.

"The group are really receptive in terms of taking things on board tactically and they are always up for the fight and always up for doing a job for a team even if that's out of position.

"It's all hands to the pump at the moment and everyone is giving their all to help us sustain a push right until the end of the season.

"To go from a Friday to a Monday and play a different way with a different shape, and really only have one session to take certain things on board, shows they are hugely adaptable.

"That's how we have been during my time here and if you are the opposition, I think you are always wondering how we are going to play and what we are going to do.

"I feel that is a strength to our game and it's part of our DNA."