Huddersfield Town loanee left 'unbelievably frustrated' after big injury setback
Joe Hodge is set to be out for two months after pulling groin off the bone in an "unbelievably frustrating" blow for Huddersfield Town.
Head coach Michael Duff provided an injury update at his pre Bristol Rovers press conference where he also confirmed Josh Koroma is "a good bit away" from returning to the starting line up.
On Hodge's injury, Duff said: "We didn't think it was great at the time. In terms of timescales, we have sort of been told eight weeks as a start point. He has basically pulled a little bit of his groin off the bone.
"It's unbelievably frustrating. He has had to wait a couple of weeks, he gets his chance, he does well, we are trying to make a sub for three or four minutes to bring him off and he does the mechanism in that three or four minutes. It is unfortunate for him and for us but he will have to just get his head down and work hard now.
"Josh is still a good bit away. He's started to do a little bit more. Because it's his back, it's one of those. Normally with an injury you can strengthen, keep your CV and all that but he's literally been on total rest. In terms of starting, I think he is a good bit away yet."
Duff revealed the international break has provided an opportunity to work on a rejigged midfield. Asked how it has been, he said: "It's been good. Obviously we finished with back to back wins, both against Barnsley. We tweaked the shape in the two games so we have been working quite a bit on that.
"It's a rejigged midfield but there's certain nuances within it that we have been trying to work on. We played two deep-liers for the last two games, we've been playing with one deep and two eights but we found that they have been getting a little too high too early so they have been hard to find and they are a big part if you want to play like that.
"The beauty of the personnel that we have, we can quite easily flip back into that so it gives freedom within a structured 11. Because of the profile of the players we signed, they can all play two positions in midfield. It's just that balance.
"We didn't feel the balance was quite right. When they were good, we were really good but we felt it was a bit too inconsistent. If they are inconsistent and go missing too often, you go long periods of the game with things that we work on not coming out. Just trying to get a bit more structure to it. We just needed to tweak something. We weren't on a great run. Luckily we have had two wins since."
The Terriers' FA Cup tie away to National League side Tamworth has been selected for TV coverage, live on BBC Two on Friday, November 1.
Commenting on the tie, Duff said: "A potential giant killing which is probably why we are on TV! So we need to make sure that doesn't happen. Obviously we are a big name in this part of the draw. We want to get further so we can go and take on the bigger teams.
"We have to accept the challenge. It's part of a mindset, part of the whole thing we have been talking about in terms of dealing with that expectation and the pressure of going there and being expected to win but it's the FA Cup and that's why the cameras are there.
"It's one of those. You deal with what you are dealt with. It will be a big game for them and we have to make sure it isn't more important to them than it is for us."