COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal wants the whole of his squad to play their part in the coming weeks, as their gruelling run of games continues.
The U’s home game against Newport County tomorrow will be their 21st of the season, with their big Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at Crawley Town also on the horizon.
McGreal has made four changes to his starting line-up in four of their last five league games and insists he will continue to make the most of his resources, as his Colchester side battle for league and cup success.
McGreal said: “We’ve had to try and utilise a biggish kind of squad this year and also keep the harmony in the squad.
"That is important, as sometimes you can get players who aren’t involved and see their frustration.
“We have to keep them involved, because we’ve already played 20 games this year.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve tried to use my subs every week to keep that competition and that’s no different.
“It’s important to have a bigger squad, with all of the games that we’ve had.
“I think it was our 20th game (at Crewe) and we’re fighting on four fronts.
“We do need that bit of a squad to move people around.
“There were four changes at Crewe and there were a couple of changes before that (for Morecambe), so we’re able to do that with similar like-for-like personnel.
“The big thing we’re trying to keep hold of is the competitiveness.
"It's about keeping the boys who aren’t playing on the bit with their performances, which we’ve been able to do of late.
“The boys who have come in have done that to a really good level.”
Striker Theo Robinson will miss Colchester’s clash with Newport as he begins a three-match suspension, following his dismissal at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night.
Harry Pell, who is set to play for the U’s under-23s at Watford today and Paris Cowan-Hall are still sidelined but Colchester do not have any fresh injury worries, heading into the game against the fifth-placed Exiles.
Share