Mandela Egbo is yet to play a minute of competitive action for Charlton Athletic due to a knee injury picked up in pre-season.
The 25-year-old, who played under Ben Garner at Swindon Town last season, was one of the Addicks' earliest additions in the summer window, but the team has dealt with his absence, with Sean Clare thriving in the right back position.
Egbo's confirmed return to fitness leaves question marks still over Steven Sessegnon, Chuks Aneke and Ryan Inniss heading into this evening's clash against Forest Green Rovers at The Valley, a match the side will be expected to yield three points from.
Garner mentioned an interesting potential switch to a three at the back formation, when asked about the option in his pre-match press conference.
He said: "I think we've got the option now, Mandela Egbo being back and being fit gives us the option of him and Sean (Clare) on the same side of the pitch.
"At the moment, one of our biggest strengths is our wide forwards, so if you go to a three you maybe lose that a little bit, unless we do it in a slightly different way.
"It's nice to have the option of changing formation and setting up in different ways to face different opponents with different strengths, and also different areas we think we can hurt them.
"I'd like to think by late November early December, we'll be at a point where the players will know the different systems and the way we're going to set up and play and it becomes more natural to them.
"Which is a process, there's no shortcut to that, it's time on the training ground, it's work in the meetings and from understanding how we play against different formations."
A three at the back formation could be a viable way to hide the team's weakness in the left back position, by adding an extra centre back to that section of the pitch and it will be interesting to see when Garner first switches up his system.
The Verdict
Given how well Sean Clare has been playing, and the competition for places present in central midfield, it is difficult to see how Egbo forces his way into the side, should Garner stick with a 4-3-3.
The Addicks have been among the worst sides in the division when it comes to their defensive process this season, and that could be something that continues to hinder them while deploying a 4-3-3.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has probably been Charlton's most influential player in the last few weeks, and getting the best out of him, ahead of Crystal Palace's recall option in January, could be a factor in deciding on which system to go with.