Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale is expecting his squad to be slightly stronger this week as they head into a match against in-form Wycombe Wanderers.
Last time out, Tis was forced to make six changes to his starting XI – most of them in defence – as the Grecians fell to a 1-0 loss at Luton Town.
However, the likes of Craig Woodman, Pierce Sweeney, Ryan Harley and Troy Archibald-Henville could be in line for a return to the starting XI while Jordan Moore-Taylor, Luke Croll and Troy Brown – who have yet to play a game in 2018 – are getting closer to a return.
“I think we are a bit better than we were,” said Tis. “That was a tough ask going to Luton.
“We were very, very confident off the back of previous results but with the changes we had and the personnel, especially in the defensive areas, there were so many things to talk about other than just playing the game.
“There was a lot we found to talk about in how to put our team together, against a really good team in Luton, and we almost got there.
“If we had got something I think it would have been against the run of play but I really admired the way we played.
“The players really put themselves about and dug in and tried really hard. I congratulated them (the players) on the way they played because there will be lesser teams that we could play that way and get results against. With one or two players returning, hopefully this week we will be stronger.”
City dropped to sixth in the table on the back of the result, but they do have a game in hand on the four teams directly above them and two on league leaders Luton. However, City’s position in the table is not something the manager is getting too worked up about.
“I have not really been looking at our position in the table for a while,” said Tis. “I know we are up there somewhere and it is really tight and there are lots of games to go.
“We also have got one or two games in hand on one or two other teams. However, it is about consistency over a period of time and that is what will be still focusing on. I’m sure we won’t win every single point but we need to win enough and this Saturday it is about those three points.”
Wycombe are on a good run of form going into the match. They have won their last five League Two games to rise to second spot in the division. It is not a shock to Tis though.
“I am not surprised (by their recent run),” said Tis. “Every year I am more and more impressed by them. They continue to get results, they play as a team, they score goals and they are tough to play against.
“It is hard not to respect and admire what they do because every year it is a continuation. It is no flash in the pan. They are on a really good run. They have shown in the last week – by beating Luton and then coming back and beating Carlisle with ten men – that they are a really good team. So we have to be wary of them.”