Penney takes a wider view

Peter Gilbert

DAVE Penney admits Athletic's problems on the flanks have been causing him a few headaches at the start of this season.

The Athletic manager has had to rejig his defence and midfield following the absence of key players.

Penney has lost Neal Eardley and Joe Jacobson, who were widely regarded as the first-choice full-back pairing, going into the new campaign.

Athletic sold Eardley to Blackpool for a fee of around £350,000, while Jacobson picked up a hernia problem pre-season.

Andy Holdsworth and Alex Marrow have been playing at right-back, while on the opposite side Peter Gilbert – released by Sheffield Wednesday in April – has been filling in on a week-to-week contract.

Athletic have been similarly affected in midfield where Deane Smalley and Chris Taylor have also been troubled by injuries.

No sooner had Smalley recovered from a groin strain picked up pre-season than he was ruled out by a back injury.

Taylor, meanwhile, is playing through the pair barrier with a groin-muscle problem.

Penney said: "We have had to change things round after losing the full-backs.

"We have also had problems in the wide midfield areas and while Danny Whitaker did well for us at Carlisle, he is not a natural wide player who can go past opponents and put the crosses in like Deane does.

"Rob Purdie (injured at present) can also play in those wide areas so we are a little light at the moment.

"I think it has affected us because you need to get the ball out wide and get round the back of opposing defences.”

Penney is happy with the spine of the side, however, with Reuben Hazell and Sean Gregan at the heart of the defence, Dean Furman and Jon Worthington in the centre of midfield and Pawel Abbott and Keigan Parker the strike pairing.