Lincoln City head coach Michael Skubala looks ahead to the trip to Wycombe Wanderers, while also providing an interesting transfer update.
He said: “We’ve got Wycombe, which we need to be positive in and try and go after the win of course. Then, we’ve got two oppositions who are tough in Derby at home and Peterborough, who are doing really well obviously.”
“To freshen the group up with some bodies coming through the door, I think is an advantage in January,” Skubala added.
The Imps confirmed the signing of Jack Moylan last week, recalled Freddie Draper from his Walsall loan and secured the signature of Luton Town’s Joe Taylor until the end of the season.
He said: “Every game we go out to win, and I think we need to make sure we’re ready and we’re set to get the points. If you look at Derby and Peterborough, I still think they’re winnable at home. You can even look at Bolton, and without that sending off, maybe a draw would’ve been a good result for us there against a team we’re absolutely flying.”
Saturday’s trip to Matt Bloomfield’s Wycombe side will be Lincoln’s first game since New Year’s Day, after they had a weekend off competitive action.
Skubala said: “You’ve got to take the opportunities in the season where you get those windows to do some work with them that’s not completely focused on one opposition really.”
“It’s important to get some principles and tactics, but more importantly for me to get my way of playing across to them and educate them without over-loading them. Also, to have a good couple of training days because usually it’s been recovery or match-prep and you can’t do much.
“We’ve actually been working quite hard as well in the three of four days before we come off them a little bit ready for Wycombe. It’s been good to work with them,” he added.
Experience needed… “We’re working on it”:
Michael Skubala told LincSport after the Northampton Town defeat in December that he is looking to add “experience” to his squad.
Speaking this week, he reaffirmed that: “It’s one thing I’d like, and we’re working on it, but it’s not easy. I’d would like to add a bit of experience to the group.”
He said: “I think we’ve got some really good youngsters in the building and we’ve brought in Joe [Taylor] and Freddie [Draper] back, who are young, but sometimes I think in League One – Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday to Saturday, some old, experienced players who have done it for a few years.”
And added: “I don’t mean old. I don’t mean 35 or 30, but 26 or 27, that have got lots of minutes and games under their belt, I think would be really important to the group.”
Skubala has a reputation of developing young players and believes his youthful squad would benefit from some more experienced heads.
He said: “I think sometimes we always think youngsters playing with youngsters is the way forward, but actually youngsters with experience around them, they progress even quicker for the club. We’re working on that at the minute and what that could look like.”
Asked if there would need to be any exits to allow for more January recruits, the head coach said: “Maybe, that might be the situation. We’re Lincoln City, we’re not blessed with millions and millions of pounds, so there will have to be a bit of movement.”
He hinted that players who are struggling for game time may be loaned out until the end of the season, to allow for new recruits, adding: “It might be that we need someone who is sitting on the bench and not getting many minutes that can go out and play for the next sixth months, and then bring them back in pre-season would be the way to do it”