Gillingham manager Neil Harris is expected to revert to a more favoured formation next season but has ruled nothing out.

Harris was forced into playing with five at the back this season as he was devoid of attacking options because of injury and the team struggled to cope whenever he reverted to his preferred four-man defensive unit.

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The Gills had conceded seven goals in the match before Harris took charge. Their defensive record was much-improved although it meant the goals were in short supply.

His recruitment will be key to making the changes he wants but admits being flexible will be key, whatever he prefers to do when the new season kicks off at the end of July.

“You do have to be flexible,” he said. “You can’t just pigeon-hole yourself with one system anymore, you have to be adaptable.

“I certainly learned in my time off [Harris had a year out after leaving Cardiff City in January 2021]. I was travelling around clubs and speaking to managers and studying the game, I learned about flexibility and adaptability, in game mode, but then also not having an open or shut in my mind that I am playing 4-4-2 and that’s it.

“I don’t want to play a back five, ideally, but would I? Could I after 10 games next year? Yes. I will go with what suits the players or suits an opponent but ultimately I would like to revert back to a back four.”

He’ll certainly be hoping the club can start banging in some goals again, having finished the 2021/22 campaign as the division's lowest scorers. In no game during the season did they score more than twice.

Harris knows what he has to do.

He said: “I have to try and balance it all, the balance with flexibility in the group, playing proper positions is vital.

“What we have seen with Olly Lee, we know his ability as an eight, for me he pretty much played holding midfield and even before me, he is more of an eight for me, or a 10, but we have also seen him do it (playing defensive midfield) quite a lot, he played 17 times and we had seven clean sheets, so he has capabilities to play deeper, having flexibility in players is going to be vital moving forward.”