Graham Alexander makes most of Bradford City's free week

Having no midweek game has allowed the squad to focus on the formation change that has been forced on them because of the number of injuries.

Alexander hopes to have Jamie Walker and Lewis Richards back for today’s training session as they build up for the Saturday lunchtime showdown at Harrogate.

The City boss said: “Players look around the changing room at each other and get strength from what they see. I really do believe in that.

“They know there are good players and good characters, fit players. It’s good when you are in an environment like that.

“There are lads who are stepping up to the plate. We had young Gabe Wadsworth on the bench for the last two games and the lads have seen him in training and trust him as well.

First-year pro Gabe Wadsworth has been on the City bench (Image: Max Lomas)

“There are a lot of players that maybe haven’t had the minutes but we know they are desperate to play.

“But I love to have choice and decisions to make. Having those two players back in will give me that option.”

Centre halves Aden Baldwin and Neill Byrne are also getting closer to a return to training.

Alexander is optimistic about seeing the pair back with the group in the coming days.

“They are both out on the grass. This week will be too soon but we’re hoping that they will be ready to join in training at the start of next week if they continue the trajectory they are on.

“They are both at a similar stage in recovery time and training-wise, even though Aden dropped out a week or two before.

“There might be a little setback in between, which we are okay with and would understand, but they are on for next week at the moment.”

Alexander has welcomed the extra time at Apperley Bridge to work on their switch to playing 4-4-2 – particularly sharpening up on the attacking side.

“It was definitely needed just to give the team that’s played the last couple of games a little bit of respite.

“It makes sure we can fully recover and touch more on the in-possession stuff.

Neill Byrne could be back next week along with Aden Baldwin (Image: Tom Pearson)

“The lads have done really well defensively, created a lot of chances against Mansfield last week but less so at the weekend.

“But we have to give Wimbledon credit because they are a very hard team to break down. They’ve got one of the best records in the whole Football League for that.

“We know we could have done better but I can see why that understanding wasn’t there.

“Obviously it was the different formation and we only had limited time. We wanted to use that for our out-of-possession stuff because that’s where the major changes were.

“But there are some things in our attacking play that we have to work on. It’s good that we’ve had a free midweek to be able to do that and build up towards a big game.

“There are a couple of changes we can make in our shape going forward. But we need to have a little practice first this week before going forward with it on Saturday.”