Robinson eyeing timely cup tonic

STEPHEN ROBINSON

ARMED with a new signing fresh from the Premier League, Athletic are hunting a rare success in the EFL Cup tonight against Wigan.

Former Liverpool right-sided player Ryan McLaughlin has become manager Stephen Robinson's 16th signing of the summer, agreeing a one-year contract with the option for another 12 months.

McLaughlin is earmarked to play on the right of midfield in order to provide thrust and a supply line for the strikers.

He could feature against the Championship side tonight.

Robinson is set to shuffle his pack and will make at least one enforced change, with on-loan Wigan forward Billy Mckay unable to play against his parent club. Mckay is eligible for later rounds, should Athletic get through.

Robinson wants his side to improve on their defensive concentration following on from the 3-0 loss at Millwall and is seeking to take the club through to the second round of the re-branded competition after seven successive failures at the first hurdle.

"Every game is important. People pay to come and watch and there is a responsibility to give everything you can - give 100-per-cent and you can be forgiven for a lot of things.

"We are looking to be better. We want to be more clinical in the final third and tonight, we might change things up a little bit.

"I am still finding out about players we have brought in and with some of them, we have only worked with them for a week or 10 days.

"Nobody is expecting miracles, but we have our own aspirations and expectations that weren't met at Millwall due to simple things."

Robinson remains confident of signing a Premier League striker on loan within the next week and has also stated his desire to trim his squad by allowing players to leave.

For now, he is happy to have added McLaughlin to the ranks.

"Ryan gives us something we haven't got at the moment which is a bit of pace and energy out wide," Robinson said.

"He is a lad I've known since the age of 12 so he brings a lot of pace, energy and quality.

"He's had a good grounding at Liverpool so we are looking for Ryan to make a big impact during his time here.

"He has only trained four days at this moment in time so he will be someone that we have to take gradually and not someone we can rush but he will be a very good addition to the squad."

The brother of fellow international Conor, who also plays in League One with Fleetwood, full Northern Ireland international McLaughlin (21) only left Anfield at the end of last season.

He had a loan spell with Aberdeen last season and has also spent time out at Barnsley, though injuries have hampered his progress.

Jamie Reckord is out of tonight's game after suffering a broken nose and concussion in the opening stages of the game at Millwall.

THE Rochdale Road Stand will be closed tonight for all except wheelchair users.

Athletic (possible, 4-4-2): Ripley; Law, Clarke, Burgess, Wilson; Croft, Klok, Green, Flynn; Cassidy, Osei. Subs (from): Kettings, Brown, Edmundson, Mantack, Banks, Winchester, Fane, Woodland, McLaughlin, Erwin.