Since Dominic Ball’s temporary departure to acclimatise himself to League One, Dael Fry’s recall back to Middlesbrough from what was initially a season-long loan, Aimen Belaid’s re-emergence from the woodwork, and finally, Kirk Broadfoot’s long-awaited return from injury, Rotherham United’s back-line has experienced a shake-up of late. Furthermore, it often slips the mind that Tom Thorpe is still on the clubs’ books – albeit out on loan at the Macron Stadium. The Millers are currently enduring a bit of a defensive crisis. How many different centre-back pairings could they experiment with?
1. Aimen Belaid and Richard Wood
It had been working for the Millers up until recently. A blend of youth and promise, versus age and experience. Although the supporters are claiming that Belaid looks like ‘a player reborn,’ he never really looked a bad player in the first place. However, of late, he’s been incredibly composed, and Wood has proved as solid as ever before going missing under Alan Stubbs.
2. Aimen Belaid and Kirk Broadfoot
Didn’t show its potential in the Yorkshire Derby against Leeds. However, Broadfoot was fresh from the treatment table and was centre-half out of the two that looked rusty. Broadfoot was one of the standout performers from last campaign so is likely to return to form soon enough.
3. Richard Wood and Kirk Broadfoot
Another strong link under Neil Warnock in the back-end of the 2015/16 season. Perhaps a little too sluggish to compete with the pace of the second tier this year but the two veterans didn’t do too badly in the earlier stages of the season side-by-side.
4. Aimen Belaid and Kelvin Wilson
When it was reported that the Reds would have the latter fit and available for selection shortly, it was greeted with quite a few moans and groans. The former Forest man had one good game for Rotherham where he was even named in the team of the week. Since then, it hasn’t been any great loss that he has retreated from the line-up.
5. Richard Wood and Kelvin Wilson
We’re not likely to see these two guarding the Millers’ flanks together, what with them both being similar no-nonsense type of players. A little risky. Their combined ages don’t bode well, either.
6. Kirk Broadfoot and Kelvin Wilson
As above. Coupled with the fact that both Broadfoot and Wilson haven’t had much combined game time, also.