If going into the game against top of the League Two Leyton Orient with four fit defenders wasn’t bad enough for the Robins this past Saturday, then the news of Ellis Iandolo suffering a season-ending heel injury this week in training only adds to the crisis, as confirmed by the player via Instagram.
The versatile left-back has risen through the ranks of Swindon since his signing in the Summer of 2015, and despite rumours in January of a potential move to follow former manager Scott Lindsey to Crawley, he has been a crucial part of new head coach Jody Morris’ plans at the club.
Iandolo has started every game under Morris up till this weekend, where he was left out of the squad for Swindon’s 1-1 draw to Leyton Orient due to a heel injury.
When speaking to the media during the build-up to the game, Morris mentioned Swindon’s current longest-serving player was unlikely to feature at the weekend, and Iandolo broke the news on Instagram shortly after the game.
Posting on his story, the 25-year-old was pictured wearing a protective boot on his left foot with the caption: “Not the way I wanted to finish the season, hopeful the boys can finish it strong and get us into them play-offs. COYR.”
The injury only adds to a long list of defensive injuries for Swindon, as the numbers at the back start to get very low for a side looking to push late on during the season.
Iandolo will join central-defender Mathieu Baudry in being ruled out for the remainder of the season, with Frazer Blake-Tracy, Ciaran Brennan and Reece Devine all expected to miss significant time as well.
That leaves Swindon with only four natural defenders in the side, however, as exclusively mentioned earlier in the week on the site, Swindon is expected to announce the signing of defender Tom Brewitt next week.
Writer’s View
It’s no secret Swindon is in a crisis at the back and the big problem is that these injuries will now affect how Morris will want to line up tactically.
Morris has been flipping back and forward between a back-4 and 3, however, seems to prefer the latter. A back four-4 is still possible with one healthy player at each position, but as for the back-3/5, it starts to get a bit more complicated.
In some ways, it can be done with a centre-back partnership of Joe Tomlinson, Thomas Clayton and Harrison Minturn. Remaeo Hutton can play at right-wing-back, with the opposite wing-back spot being the issue.
Swindon has two options at winger to fill the void with Jacob Wakeling and Tyrese Shade. This season Shade has played a little bit everywhere, however during his time at Walsall last year that was his preferred position.
