Hartlepool United manager discusses formations and team selection ahead of Torquay United clash

Hartlepool United manager Craig Hignett during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Bromley at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 17th August 2019. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

The Hartelpool United manager changed things up over the Bank Holiday weekend by starting both matches with three centre-backs as they picked up four points from a possible six.

Hignett tends to prefer playing a variation of a 4-3-3 formation, but with the current injury situation at Pools, things needed to be changed up in order to accommodate the players available.

“Playing three at the back does bring out the best in us defensively, we have looked more solid with it,” admitted the 49-year-old.

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“It is a problem when you’ve got as many attacking players as I’ve got to try and fit them all in. Moving forward, it’s not really what I want to do but it’s horses for courses and I’ve got to do what I think is best for the club.”

Ahead of today’s match at Torquay, Hignett didn’t rule out the possibility of changing things up once again at Plainmoor.

“There’s every prospect of changing things up, there always is,” he added.

“I’ve been talking to Ged [McNamee], Ross [Turnbull] and Sweens [Antony Sweeney] about it but it’s difficult after playing so well and winning to go and change things but I always think we can improve it as well.

“We left people like Ryan Donaldson and Nicky Featherstone out on Monday so potentially they could come back in.”