Steve Cotterill praises Shrewsbury's Rekeil Pyke for adapting to new position
Steve Cotterill thinks Rekeil Pyke’s best position is on the right wing – but he is pleased with how he has adapted to playing a deeper role.
Pyke has featured in all 19 of Salop’s League One games this season, 11 times from the start and eight times from the bench.
He got his first league goal for Town in the away win at Forest Green Rovers playing on the right wing in a 4-3-3.
But with Julien Dacosta out injured and the news that Elliott Bennett could be out for up to 12 weeks, Cotterill’s options at wing-back are getting fewer.
And it is a position Pyke has played a couple of times this season and done well – with his pace offering Town an outlet.
“He has played up front for me in a two,” the boss said on Pyke.
“But really I think Ricky’s best position is off the wide really. Certainly right wing if we were playing a 4-3-3, but I would say that is Tom Bloxham’s favourite position as well.
“Over a period of time Ricky has ended up going into that right wing-back slot, and he has done well there.
“Whether it is every game he is going to play there or not I don’t know the answer to that.
“Our options are narrowing very much in that position so it might be a per game that I need to look at that.”
In Town’s last league home game, a 1-0 defeat to Barnsley, Pyke played at wing-back, but on Saturday, Taylor Moore filled that position so Cotterill still has options.
