Grant McCann happy to put up with selection headache as Peterborough United players return to fitness

Ronnie Edwards will have to work his way back into the Peterborough United starting line-up. Photo: Joe Dent.

Peterborough United have an almost clean bill of health ahead of the visit of Burton Albion on Saturday (October 8).

Posh boss Grant McCann has a selection headache but is insists that he is happy to have the problem.

Dan Butler has returned to full fitness, Ronnie Edwards has returned from international duty, Kel Watts is training with the side now and ready to be considered, David Ajiboye and Ephron Mason-Clark are struggling to make the matchday squad and one-time League One Golden Boot winner Jack Marriott has been benched for the last three games.

With Posh now putting together a run of three straight wins in all competitions, scoring three in each, the temptation must be to stick with what is working but McCann says that he is open-minded and willing to make any changes necessary to have the best chance of success against each opposition.

He said: “Things get a bit more difficult in terms of team selection when you get lots of players coming back but that’s what we want. It’s pleasing to have the options we have coming back into the building. We want that competition for places and we’re pleased to have no issues from last weekend.

“We go into every game thinking what is the best solution to hurt the opposition, sometimes that may mean the team has to change. We try to keep the style of play similar but we might need to change the formation or the personnel.

“We’re very open and flexible with what we want to do. We understand it’s been three decent performances from us and that we have players in good form but we take into consideration what the way to best hurt the opposition is.”

There was criticism of the changes last time out against Milton Keynes, however, with Posh bringing on five new faces and changing to a wingback system, which allowed the visitors to almost steal an improbable point.

EFL Cup and Trophy losses to Stevenage earlier this season also invited questions about the club’s back-up men and McCann has admitted he wants to see more from his benched players.

He added: “The competition within the squad keeps players on their toes; the ones that start on Saturday should know that those behind them can come on and make a real impact. That’s something we want to try and do more; when the subs come on we want them to make more of an impact than they have done recently.”