Yeovil Town manager Billy Rowley has admitted it is "so difficult to pick a team" ahead of the Yeovil Town Vs Altrincham fixture, with returning players and a new registration giving him more options than he has had in recent weeks.
Rowley said Zain Westbrook is back after a slight knock, while Seb Naylor has been added as a new option. That added depth has made selection harder, especially with several players in strong form and others pushing for minutes. One of the biggest signs of that competition is that Brett McGavin has been named captain, with Joe Gubbins as vice-captain, while Rowley has also highlighted the contribution of players who may not always start.
More options, more decisions
The Yeovil boss said the squad is in a better place from a selection standpoint because of the way players are responding in training and the way the group is developing on and off the pitch. He said the team is working hard every day to become a better attacking side and believes the chemistry and relationships are starting to come together faster than he expected.
Rowley also pointed to the depth in the squad, saying Gubbs is a top professional and an unbelievable player who will play a lot of football for the club. He added that the team now has a strong enough group that five or six players are competing for spots in a way that makes every call more difficult.
Both sides arrive in good form
Yeovil come into the match in strong attacking form, having scored 20 goals in their last four games. Altrincham are arriving with momentum too, having won eight of their last ten matches. Rowley described them as one of the possession-based teams in the league, and said Yeovil fit that same mould alongside a handful of other sides that value the ball.
He added that, stylistically, this is a game he would rather play in the current weather than against a side that relies on constant balls into the box. In his view, both teams want to play football in a similar way, which should make for a balanced contest. Rowley said both sides will have to deal with the conditions, before adding that may the best team win.
For Yeovil, the bigger picture is simple: better availability has raised the level of competition inside the squad. That is usually a positive sign, even if it makes team selection more difficult for the manager.
