Shine A Light - Shrewsbury Town

Last updated : 07 September 2012 By Jacob Daniel

SHINE A LIGHT - SHREWSBURY TOWN

THE BOSS - GRAHAM TURNER

As one of the Football League's oldest and most experienced managers, Shrewsbury certainly won't be lacking in know-how as they look to survive in their first season at League One level for over a decade. Having returned to Shropshire for a second spell in charge of the club last summer, Turner wasted no time building a young, attacking side that surged to automatic promotion last season. This year is likely to be more of a test for the 64 year-old, though, as he looks to contend with both a higher level of football and the loss of key players Nicky Wroe, Shane Cansdell-Sheriff and James Collins. If you put a top hat on him, Turner would look like a Dickensian mill owner, but behind the furrowed brow and greying hair lies a modern, expansive footballing philosophy that should make the Shrews one of the division's more entertaining outfits this year. A rigid 4-4-2 man he may be, but Turner preaches passing football and fluid wing play to his side, with the Shrews valueing possession of the ball and looking to outplay their opponents - Turner has preached to his side that they should look to impose their style on the opposition, rather than the other way round. Turner also has a point to prove, having seen the inevitable consequences of earning a promotion on the back of loan players when his Hereford side were relegated following promotion to League One during his last stint at this level. Early signs are mixed, with Shrewsbury dominating games but struggling to put away their chances. Victory over Preston at the New Meadow was welcome, but a frustrating opening day defeat to Sheffield United and the recent draw at Stevenage were both games that the Shrews had enough of the play to gain something more from.

STAR MAN - MATT RICHARDS

In a team who look to play football on the ground, it is former Walsall midfielder Matt Richards who is central to Shrewsbury's hopes of success this season. Without a hair on his head, Richards has the appearance of your run-of-the-mill lower league destroyer, but is actually one of the most cultured and talented midfielders in the division. Alongside the more defensively minded Luke Summerfield and Rob Purdie, Richards is charged with creating chances for Town's front two and also stands over the majority of set pieces awarded to the Shrews. A trainee at Ipswich Town, Richards made over 100 appearances for his first club along with a handful on loan at Brighton, before finding himself released and moving to Walsall. A mainstay in the Saddlers' side for two years, Richards surprisingly left the Bescot Stadium to join Shrewsbury, where he won the player of the season award in his first year at the club and was awarded the captaincy for the 2012/13 season. He will certainly be a player who Notts will have to mark closely if they're going to get back to winning ways at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

TACTICS BOARD

PROBABLE NOTTS COUNTY SIDE:-

Bartosz Bialkowski

Julian Kelly - Dean Leacock - Gary Liddle - Alan Sheehan

André Boucaud - Neal Bishop

Jeff Hughes - Alan Judge - Francois Zoko

Yoann Arquin

PROBABLY SHREWSBURY TOWN SIDE:-

Chris Weale

Jermaine Grandison - Darren Jones - Reuben Hazell - Rob Purdie

Mark Wright - Luke Summerfield - Matt Richards - Paul Parry

Terry Gornell - Marvin Morgan

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Notts are likely to be more happy with facing an open looking Shrewsbury side after they were frustrated and beaten by a compact Walsall side who flooded the midfield and suffocated the influence of Alan Judge and Jeff Hughes during the Magpies' last home game. Graham Turner is likely to come to Meadow Lane and attack, with two out and out wingers in Mark Wright and Paul Parry providing the key threat for the visitors. This means that Jeff Hughes is likely to continue out wide on the right to marshall the dangerous Parry, who is returning to his best form under his former mentor, whilst Francois Zoko will be expected to track back to help deal with Wright, who is perhaps Shrewsbury's clearest goal threat. Upfront, Gornell and Morgan provide a physical threat and will never stop working, but Notts will face more potent attacks this season. Where Notts will be looking to exploit the visitors will be in central midfield, where the extra man in Alan Judge will be looking to find the space that he was denied against the Saddlers. Neal Bishop and André Boucaud must do enough going forward to occupy Summerfield and Richards, allowing Judge to drift into the space that a 4-4-2 inevitably leads between the defensive and midfield lines. This is a space that Hughes and Zoko are also likely to look to exploit - whilst the interchanging wingers will both be looking to get some joy out of makeshift left back Rob Purdie. A lot of onus will also be put on full backs Alan Sheehan and Julian Kelly to get forward and provide width, with Wright and Parry not being the most defensively minded of wide players. Central defensive duo Darren Jones and Reuben Hazell are strong and solid but may be susceptible to the pace of Yoann Arquin, who may return for Notts upfront after his suspension, but Lee Hughes and Enoch Showunmi will also both be vying for starts after goals this week.