Ian Holloway said that using Harry Smith at the back was still a possibility for Swindon Town after trialling it against AFC Wimbledon.
In a surprise tactical decision on Tuesday night, Smith was used as the central defender alongside Will Wright and Billy Kirkman as Town ran out 2-1 victors over the promotion chasers.
The decision was taken amidst Swindon’s injury struggles, particularly at the back as Ryan Delaney, Ollie Clarke, Harrison Minturn, and Grant Hall are all out injured, and Kirkman has now joined them ahead of the game against Fleetwood Town.
Smith said after the game that he would be happy to play anywhere for his manager, such was his affection for the work that he has done.
When talking about his options for the game on the Fylde coast this weekend, Holloway said that he would not hesitate to field Smith at the back again if he believed he needed that physicality at the back again.
He said: “[Can you play Smith at the back again?] The question you could ask me is: do I need to?
“If you look at why I did it, it was because of Wimbledon’s forwards. The first two or three balls they hit long, they couldn’t get down the channel, and it got headed back into midfield.
“That is what I needed in that game, so who is to say what I need in this one?”
Holloway added that he liked the option of playing Smith in the defence because of the avenues it offered to him.
He said: “What it gives me is the opportunity to have another forward on, but in a defensive area.
“And how vital is it to have an aerial presence in your back line? A natural aerial presence. Ollie Clarke is an aerial presence, the shortest bloke that is brilliant in the air that I have ever seen.
“We lack that aggression sometimes, and Harry can make up for that; he did a brilliant job there, and it caused them all sorts of problems.
“I knew that I could move him back up front, and he was difficult to deal with there; their centre halves either pulled his shirt off his back or had to dive on the floor. It is nice to have those changes.
“If anyone wants to try and sit on what they think is a victory, then I think we have proved we will keep swinging, and it will be difficult to deal with us.”
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