BOSS Nelson Jardim admits that durability means Newport County AFC might have to rotate their midfield rather than having a like-for-like replacement for injured captain Aaron Wildig.
The Exiles started life without the 32-year-old with a 0-0 draw at League Two promotion hopefuls Notts County last Saturday.
Wildig’s season-ending knee injury meant that head coach Jardim had a midfield reshuffle, dropping Kieron Evans into a deeper role from the right alongside Bryn Morris with Kai Whitmore further forward.
The trio did well and look to be in pole position to stay in the XI at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday with Cameron Antwi the other option and loanees Noah Mawene (hamstring) and Jamie Miley (back) on the comeback trail.
Wildig made 32 and 41 appearances in his first two seasons with County – a back problem had caused occasional issues – and was a firm fixture at the start of this campaign.
He had played in all but one League Two game until he ruptured knee ligaments making a rash tackle against Grimsby, which will sideline him for at least nine months.
The loss of Wildig could – should? – make owner Huw Jenkins consider a more experienced midfielder addition to his squad to join Morris with the other contenders all EFL novices.
Versatile Shane McLoughlin would be an option there but is needed at full-back.
“We have young boys that can step up and they are capable of doing a good job. It's their time to show their value,” said Jardim.
“The Christmas period will be tough. We will play a lot of games and have a lot of young boys playing who are not used to this level.
“We don't know how they will cope with this intensity, then we will have to adjust a couple of things in January.”
No County players are able to match Morris' feat of starting every League Two fixture with striker Courtney Baker-Richardson the only man to have played in all 17 games, eight of them as a sub.
Of the midfielders, Morris has started 15 games, Kieron Evans has played 15 times (nine starts), Antwi 14 (eight starts), Whitmore 8 (three starts), Mawene 7 (four starts) and Miley 3 (all starts).
Cardiff prospect Evans has previously spent time at Linfield, Torquay and Gateshead but this is a first proper taste of the Football League.
Comfortable on either flank or at '10', the 22-year-old showed another string to his bow at Meadow Lane when breaking up play and showing composure on the ball... plus the fitness to drive forward at the death and nearly create a winner.
"When you have got this turnover of players with a lot coming into the club with different ways of playing football and different beliefs, it’s hard to get them all on the same page," said Jardim about Evans.
"Kieron is one who I have played in different positions to try to get to know him better.
"I felt that [playing centrally] was the right position for him at Notts County and he did very well.
"Of course, I wasn’t completely happy with everything but that was the first time playing there at this level against that strong opposition. He deserved congratulations."
Whitmore has made an impression with his energy and appetite since earning a chance as a pro after shining in Cymru Premier with Penybont and Haverfordwest.
However, Jardim urges caution with the 23-year-old as he gets used to the rigours of the Football League.
“Kai is a player who has come from a different level. He has only had a few months in a professional environment,” said the head coach.
“He has been used to training twice a week and it takes a little bit more time for his body to recover and get used to this level.”
One player who County fans will hope steps up is Antwi, who hasn’t really had the impact that was expected after arriving from Cardiff.
The 23-year-old has shown flashes of talent – and almost conjured a winner from distance as a substitute in Nottingham – but needs to improve his tracking and concentration in defence.
The hope is that will come with experience, fitness and training ground education.
“Cameron has had his ups and downs. He has been injured and when he joined us he had been out for nine months with a knee injury [at Cardiff],” said Jardim.
“He has already been out three or four times for us. At the moment he is not physically ready to cope with the demands of this level.
“Technically, he has shown he is a good quality player. There are other areas of the game he doesn’t dominate quite so well, so we are trying to help him so that he can help the team perform.
“On the ball, yes, but off the ball there are areas that he needs to improve a lot. Then when you put everything together with his physical problems, he is a player we have to help grow.”
- County are not in action this weekend but will hope for a boost in their bid to stay well away from trouble at the bottom.
Carlisle, surprisingly propping up the table, host promotion-chasing Crewe on Saturday while 20th-placed Colchester, another performing below their budget, travel to Fleetwood (both 12.30pm kick-offs).
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