Boxing clever!

JOHN SHERIDAN...training-ground work

ATHLETIC have been handed a solution to their scoring woes - flood the box.

At least for now, boss John Sheridan will not be making any fresh moves to bring in a new striker on a free transfer outside the window, having failed to land a target before last week's cut-off.

Instead, as he hunts down a fourth win in seven matches as manager against visitors Coventry tomorrow, Sheridan wants his side to provide more ammunition for his existing forwards.

'SHARPNESS'

"My thought process is I will be trying to get something out of what I have got," said Sheridan, who has the number nine shirt free due to Billy Mckay's departure to Inverness CT.

"A free transfer is not going to be playing well somewhere and scoring goals is he? He will not have been playing and will need to get to match sharpness.

"If something did crop up, I'm sure that if I fancied it I would probably go with it. But at this moment, I go with what I have got.

"It's a case of playing 10 or 15 yards higher up the pitch, being more positive. I feel as though we need more crosses into the box and more players in the box. It's something I will work on in training."

After back-to-back away games yielded three points, Sheridan could change tack tomorrow and make changes for the Sky Blues clash.

Anthony Gerrard is likely to step straight back in at centre-back following his one-match ban, but there is a doubt over left-back Rob Hunt, with the on-loan Brighton man suffering from an illness. Lee Erwin could miss a third straight match due to a virus.

Cameron Dummigan (hamstring) and Charles Dunne (pelvis) are not expected to be back in contention until early March, while Sheridan confirmed the expected news that fit-again winger Lee Croft, whose short-term deal expired this week, has signed an extension to the end of the season.

"I might not play the same team as I played the other night," Sheridan said. "We are at home and I look at players who may be more effective at home than they will be away.

"So I won't be frightened of changes and there possibly will be one or two as we go out to win the game."

Athletic will also be reminded not to take Coventry lightly despite their lowly status.

Russell Slade's side were boosted this week by booking their place in the Checkatrade Trophy final thanks to a 2-1 home win over Wycombe.

"Coventry had a good result in getting to Wembley and with that attraction to look forward to, they can concentrate on the league," added Sheridan.

"They have a good experienced manager in charge and he will put belief into his players they can still get out of the position they are in.

"You don't think Coventry City should be bottom of the division and they have some good players.

"But they are not winning games for a reason. We have to do what we can to get a result."

Coventry are reportedly making moves to sign former Everton striker Yakubu (34) on a free transfer.

The Nigeria international, who most recently played in this country for Reading, could make his Sky Blues debut tomorrow.

Athletic (probable, 4-4-2): Ripley; Wilson, Clarke, Gerrard, Hunt; McLaughlin, Fane, O'Neill, Taylor; Amadi-Holloway, Obadeyi. Subs (from): Kettings, Law, Reckord, Edmundson, Green, Croft, Banks, Flynn, Erwin, Osei, Ngoo.