Newport County manager Hayden Mullins is pleased with the club’s business during the transfer window and believes the latest additions have added further quality and competition to his squad.
County brought in four players before the transfer window closed, with Michael Adu-Poku and Tanatswa Nyakuhwa joining on season-long loans, while Kion Etete also arrived on loan from Cardiff City. Matty Jacob joined on a short-term loan from Hull City.
Mullins revealed that Adu-Poku and Nyakuhwa were players the club had been tracking for some time, with both identified as players capable of fitting into the club's style of play.
“Michael, firstly coming from Watford, we identified Michael as a powerful winger with pace, someone who we feel could really help us and fit into our style,” said Mullins.
“He was involved heavily with Watford's squad, coming on and playing, so we had to be patient with that one. We were glad we secured Michael.
“Tan is another player who, at Cardiff, we know pretty well. He was here last season as well, so we know Tan. Again, he was just getting back into it, so we had to be patient with that one.
“Those two guys, we’ve definitely been looking at for a while and identified them as players who can definitely help us.”
Etete provides another option in attack, with Mullins highlighting the forward's physical presence, ability to hold the ball up and goal threat.
“He can threaten behind and he's a big lad, holds the ball well. I think he's a goal threat as well, good aerially,” Mullins added.
“Kion will definitely help our attacking options. Shaq can go through the middle as well and we've still got Ged Garner, and Cole Jarvis has come on and been in that position before as well. Obviously, we've got Doigey (Christian Doidge).
“It gives us more options, which is good. Sometimes if you want to put two up top, we've got options there, which will help us throughout the season.”
Three of the deadline-day arrivals trained with the squad, although Etete is currently recovering from a hamstring issue picked up while playing for Cardiff City Under-21s.
“All fit, except Kion,” Mullins explained. “He's got a bit of a knock. He picked up a slight twinge to his hamstring in an Under-21 game last weekend, so he's been doing his rehab at Cardiff.
“All the boys trained today. It was a long trip after the game on Tuesday, so today's session was a little bit reduced, but everyone trained and trained well.”
The manager was also pleased to secure Jacob, who provides another option at full-back following an injury to Tom Davies.
“Matty Jacob is a very good signing for us as well,” he said. “Good age, a player who wants to play games, which is good.
“I think that shows the character of Matty, coming into League Two and prepared to come and roll his sleeves up with us. That's brilliant.”
Mullins confirmed Davies is expected to be sidelined for an extended period after rolling his ankle against Bristol Rovers.
“Tom's out for a little bit longer than what we thought,” he said. “Tom's injury was a bit of a tough one against Bristol Rovers. He rolled his ankle, so he's going to be a lengthy time on the sidelines.
“We definitely needed someone in that area to help. You've seen Alfie Merritt's been in there and he's done really well. He's 18 years old, he's done fantastic from Bournemouth. But what Matt gives us is another option, a different type of player and one we're happy to have.”
With six loan players now in the squad but only five able to be named in a matchday squad, Mullins admits selection decisions will be made on a week-by-week basis.
“It's a good problem to have,” he said. “It's better to have more bodies, I think, and a lot of quality and more quality around it, rather than not have the lads in the building.
“We've got a lot of selection, probably doubles in most positions, which we wanted. We wanted to create competition in all the areas of the pitch, just to keep people on their toes.
“I think we've added that and we've done that really well.”
Mullins also believes the size of the squad will prove important with a busy period of fixtures ahead, including the EFL Trophy and FA Cup.
“We've got a lot of games this side of Christmas, we've got the EFL Trophy, we've got the FA Cup and there's a lot of games now, which is good where we can actually mix the squad up and give people game time,” he said.
“A lot of the Tuesday games are coming into play now as well, so we're going to need this squad.”
Looking ahead to Saturday's trip to Northampton Town, Mullins expects another difficult test but remains focused on taking each game as it comes.
“It's the normal cliché, but we do. We take every game as it comes,” he said.
“The one thing we look at is the positive performances. Even the Wimbledon game, I think we were really good in the Wimbledon game as well.
“We've faced some really good sides, but we've gone toe to toe with them. We looked them in the eye and we haven't really been scared of anyone, which has been good.
“This division is tough and to get anything out of it, you have to be a strong team, good in those tough moments and definitely have to stick together as an 11.”
Mullins also backed the approach that has seen Newport County remain an aggressive and direct side, rather than becoming overly concerned with possession statistics.
“I've been involved in games where you've got 70% of the football and you lose,” he said.
“I think this division is about trying to gain momentum, trying to get results. However you get it, is the way you get it.
“I want the team to be focused on what we're trying to do and at the moment we are quite effective. To have less of the ball and score as many goals as we have, we've doubled a lot of teams' outputs in our goal-scoring charts.”
And with Shaquille Gwengwe continuing to lead the way in front of goal, Mullins believes his approach is helping the team make the most of its opportunities.
“We're trying to be more aggressive, linear and going towards the opposition's goal,” he said. “If they want the ball and leave space, then we'll attack the space that they leave.”
