SWINDON Town head coach Luke Williams could be targeting arguably the toughest game of the season to attempt one of his more audacious formation moves.

With Bradley Barry set to miss tonight’s match with league leaders Sheffield United, serving a one-game suspension for his red card in Saturday’s defeat to Port Vale, Williams will be forced to shuffle the pack.

However, rather than bringing in a like-for-like replacement in the form of Chelsea loanee Fankaty Dabo, Williams, who has had just two full days to prepare for the game, has hinted at doing something more radical and line-up in a formation that could be more flexible during the game.

“There are other options there,” he said, with Nathan Thompson a possibility to fill in at right-back, giving Town the option of moving to three at the back, should they feel the need.

“There may have to be a change depending on the flow of the game.

“To try to keep some level of consistency will be good but for this game, with Bradley out, you have to be dynamic and be able to change during the game, which is always a huge gamble.

“We didn’t get time, as much as we would like to work on both formations or both changes and we have to be very smart about the way we get our work in and try to give as much information as we possibly can, even if it is not tearing around on the pitch.”

Dabo has not featured since being substituted for a first-half horror show at Northampton Town, having picked up an injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly the week after.

However, while Williams has no doubt in the full-back's ability, he concedes that a return to the starting line-up against the Blades may not be the wisest of moves.

“Fankaty is a very talented player and I think I have got to make the right decision, whether or not it’s the right time to put another young player into this environment or whether it’s a time for somebody with a bit more experience,” he added.

“It’s a lot to think about between now and the final team selection.

“The last game he played for the first team was one you would expect from a young player.

“I have no doubt that Fankaty is going to go on to big things, he is very much cut-out for modern football.

“It is only that experience thing. It’s a balancing act of whether it is the right moment to put him back into the firing line.”