St Johnstone may soon be a two-up-front team, manager Steven MacLean has revealed.
With Chris Kane back, Nicky Clark 50-50 to be included amongst the substitutes for this weekend’s clash with Rangers and Luke Jephcott building up his fitness day by day, MacLean’s attacking options are on the rise.
And going with a partnership rather than a lone centre-forward is one that will be seriously considered from now on.
“Nicky has trained again,” MacLean reported. “We just need to assess him.
“He’s tired today. That’s three days on the bounce so we need to see where he is if he’s available for selection.
“He is still pushing but he was sorer today. Three hard days’ training was important.
“He wanted to play yesterday in a bounce game on Tuesday but I just didn’t think it was right for him, given the amount of time he’d been out.
“I am 50-50 whether I put him on the bench. I’ve said that to him as well.”
Jephcott better with a partner
On Jephcott, whose one league start was away to Celtic, MacLean added: “He just needs to get an opportunity and to take it now.
“I may play two strikers going forward. We’ve worked on different things.
“Luke will probably enhance that – he’ll probably be better in a two. That happened in the Dundee game.
“It’s about what games I choose to do that.
“I’m hopefully going to have four strikers to choose from with Nicky coming back.
“If I play two, I’ll have two to change. I’ve four wide players, central midfielders too so boys need to be ready to play and be good to keep the jersey.”
Loan recruit from Charlton, DJ Jaiyesimi, is “touch and go for the weekend”, while Sven Sprangler has yet to return to Scotland following his work permit exam.
Dimitar Mitov and Dan Phillips are back from international duty, with Sam McClelland expected at McDiarmid Park on Friday.
“Dan took a knock, that’s why he didn’t play the second game (for Trinidad and Tobago),” said MacLean.
“He’s fine. He trained today.
“Dimi trained as well.
“Sam played 90 minutes two games in a row with Northern Ireland (under-21s) and came through them.
“With Sven, we’re hoping he’ll be back in the country on Thursday or Friday, then we just need to get that clearance from the Home Office.
“I don’t think he’ll make the weekend. Fingers crossed for Hibs.”
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