Head coach has happy selection dilemma at Inverness Caledonian Thistle
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BILLY Dodds admits he is facing a selection headache for tomorrow’s Championship tussle with Morton – and couldn’t be happier.
Barring costly mistakes for goals lost, the Inverness manager was pleased with the team’s performances away to Hamilton Accies and Elgin City.
Individual displays in the respective 2–1 league defeat and 4–2 Trust Trophy victory, though, have left the former Rangers and Scotland striker deep in thought over the ideal starting line-up for this weekend.
Of six changes made for the Elgin victory, strikers Billy Mckay and Lewis Jamieson looked razor sharp and made a goalscoring impact. Reece McAlear also performed very well in the heart of midfield.
Shane Sutherland and Danny Devine were also restored to the side at Borough Briggs, along with a rare bow for keeper Cammy Mackay.
But the likes of Tom Walsh, Manny Duku, Michael Gardyne and Kirk Broadfoot have a strong case for recall.
“It wasn’t just Billy Mckay, I thought Lewis Jamieson was excellent at Elgin, Reece McAlear too. They are good players,” Dodds said.
“There are a few players asking questions of me again, but I’ve also got to heed the fact that my team was also doing well before the Elgin game.
“That’s not to say I won’t make changes. I’m definitely having one or two thoughts. To be honest with you, it has been taking a bit of my time up, but that’s good. It is the way it should be.
“We’re still doing well. We’ve won a lot of games. Hamilton was disappointing, but even the reaction during the Hamilton game was good. It was just a bridge too far in the end.
“My players are doing well, but we’ve lost silly goals.”
Morton are chasing a first league win since early August, but have drawn their last two in the league and went through in the Trust Trophy on penalties against Arbroath.
“They have a wee bit of momentum,” Dodds stressed.
“I know Andy Millen and Gus Macpherson well and I know they have a hard-working team.
“If we’re not at what we’re supposed to do then we could be in trouble.
“But I keep on saying that and my players keep answering it, and take heed of my warnings.
“It is a home game against Morton and, if we play well, we’re more than capable of winning it.
“If we don’t start well and give away bad goals again, we’re capable of being in trouble.”
Dodds has one or two minor undisclosed injury concerns, but added: “I’m looking for that Elgin performance but without the mistakes defensively. If we do that and keep a clean sheet, we’ve shown we are more than capable of scoring.”
