Shrewsbury verdict: Resilient Town are managing the situation well

It felt like a softer way of saying that Town had an eye on damage limitation as midfielder after midfielder added themselves to the casualty list and Shrewsbury began to look very light.

And it has to be said that, while Shrewsbury have not set their home supporters’ pulses racing due to some fairly dull stuff at Montgomery Waters Meadow so far this season, Ricketts and his staff deserve credit for picking up points along the way.

The damage has been limited. Eight points from 15 on offer is no bad return. Shrews will take ninth at this stage, in the context. It keeps things ticking over nicely while they manage this unfortunate period while injured players recover and transfer targets decide on their future.

It might be a case that things remain somewhat turgid, a little broken up and out of sync in attack until all of Ricketts’ pieces are together and the squad is completed.

Dave Edwards had surgery this summer. Ollie Norburn, Josh Laurent, Romain Vincelot, Luke McCormick, Sean Goss, Louis Thompson and Brad Walker have all been injured or had fitness concerns.

Ro-Shaun Williams is also out while Daniel Udoh was sidelined and is now just returning.

It is a freak scenario and you wonder if there is a concerning pattern emerging or whether the luck has genuinely been desperate.

Laurent is back but Goss is the latest to pick up a knock. Fortunately, he may be OK for the trip to Ipswich next week, ditto Vincelot.

This squad – and club as a whole – is a work in progress at the moment. Ricketts pointed out last week there has probably been 30 changes in playing and coaching staff since his appointment some nine months ago.

Almost the entire starting XI for the most of the first six games is new, almost the entire bench is new.

This squad is in its very early days and the treatment room is packed to the rafters with injured players, Shrews are down to the bare bones and it is encouraging they are solid enough to pick up points.

There should be no getting away from the positives such as the well-drilled defence and its organisation and commitment to ensure Town are now a hard side to play and score against.

Likewise, it is also clear that something is missing going forward.

That is due partly to personnel and is why Ricketts and Shrewsbury are working on new additions before the deadline a week today.

In addition, players are getting used to the system and what the manager demands.

Even an injury-ravaged squad showed the desired character – and quality from the bench – to come back and win at Accrington, which put Ricketts in a much better position in this difficult period of knocks and niggles.

Burton, like Rochdale seven days previous, are not a poor side. They are a club aiming high and Town have at least not rolled over and been beaten.

Like the previous week it was an even game where the points were probably best shared.

Like the previous week Town looked largely solid at the back and failed to create much at all in attack. And when they did carve out their big opening they needed to be more clinical. Edwards’ miss was a poor one.

Burton, like the hosts, were pretty toothless going forward and their only dangerous attempt on goal was a Lucas Akins header from a corner.

Town looked sluggish when trying to launch an attack at times. It was in those moments, in transitions from defence to attack, that they were too slow in their decision making and action.

Steve Morison was guilty of it, and there were times he was on his heels and not ready to react. At one stage Edwards had the ball ready to come away from his own third with precious few options in front of him.

All too often Shrewsbury looked for Ryan Giles and it was to the detriment of the exciting young wing-back.

Giles is such a regular outball that it did become predictable and his bursts down the wing in a bid to deceive wily old defender John Brayford stopped working. That should come as a lesson to Giles and his team-mates.

Donald Love, on the opposite flank, was a plus point. The summer signing from Sunderland was Shrewsbury’s standout player. He is very strong in the tackle and a committed runner with a good attitude.

He does not have the offensive capability of Giles but he is looking every bit as valuable.

Laurent’s return to midfield was a big boost. His two muscle injuries have been most untimely and he has been missed. Laurent showed in a few flashes that he has something other midfielders don’t before tiring and cramping late on. Now it is about getting fit and finding consistency.

The back three did themselves justice again. Ethan Ebanks-Landell got his head on everything and Aaron Pierre, bar one uncharacteristic wobble, was his usual solid presence. A word on Omar Beckles who has slotted in seamlessly for Williams and done his first-team hopes no damage.

Town fans hope that more attacking impetus will be injected into the side before the transfer window shuts.

Ricketts has said he is in the market to improve the firepower after sorting out the defence and midfield.

He has done some good work in minimising the damage his side have felt during this mini injury crisis and Town look solid.

They are a couple of factors away from this new-look work in progress side really clicking into gear.