Notts County boss Luke Williams faces a selection headache ahead of his sides trip to York City this weekend, with a number of his first-team squad potentially missing this weekend.
Ahead of the Magpies ' 3-1 defeat to Dorking Wanderers last Saturday, Williams named Connell Rawlinson in his back three at Meadowbank Park with Richard Brindley unable to overcome an injury he sustained against Aldershot in midweek.
With the severity of 29-year-old's injury still unknown, it is a race against time as to whether he will be fit for the trip to the LNER Community Stadium with Aden Baldwin also missing out last week after picking up an injury in training ahead of their clash with the Shots.
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Those potential absentees may allow Williams to perhaps tinker with his formation and personnel this weekend, albeit against a strong York side who have started well following their promotion from the National League North.
With injuries in defence the main source of Williams' problems, a change in formation could be something to ponder as, at times this season, Notts have shown they can adapt and play with a flat back four.
When changing to that formation, it has often been between a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, with an emphasis on partnering Macaulay Langstaff with an additional presence up front, with Cedwyn Scott largely operating in slightly wider positions for Notts this season.
At times last campaign, Langstaff tended to operate out wide with Scott down the middle at Gateshead, something we have yet to see during Williams' tenure so far.
In terms of defence, a back four could allow Aaron Nemane to push further forward and into the right-wing position and potentially enable Toby Adebayo-Rowling to come in from the start. Albeit not match-sharp, he has shown in his substitute appearances this season he is more than able to perform in that position.
As Williams alluded to post-match, Rawlinson is back sooner than what he would have liked, so resting the 31-year-old could be considered after playing 90 minutes against Dorking last weekend.
The emphasis on wingbacks getting forward would be lessened in that formation, but that attacking threat has been an increasingly positive in terms of how the Magpies have created chances this season, with Adam Chicksen and Nemane proving real dangers when operating in the forward areas.
There will be players on the bench chomping at the bit and ready to make an impression, none more so than Quevin Castro who has impressed since joining on loan from West Bromwich Albion earlier on this month.
Altering formation is an area Williams may not be looking to change and could insist on his side remaining in the 3-5-2 line-up that has brought his side success so far this season.
Ahead of the game this weekend, here are three potential formations Williams could use for Notts' trip to LNER Community Stadium.
4-4-2 - Slocombe; Adebayo-Rolwing, Bajrami, Cameron, Chicksen; Nemane, O'Brien, Palmer, Rodrigues; Langstaff, Scott.
4-3-3 - Slocombe, Adebayo-Rowling, Bajrami, Cameron, Chicksen; O'Brien, Palmer, Rodrigues; Nemane, Langstaff, Scott.
3-5-2 - Slocombe, Rawlinson, Bajrami, Cameron; Nemane, O'Brien, Palmer, Rodrigues, Chicksen; Langstaff, Scott.
