Glenn Hoddle will tonight tilt the angle of his pre-season balancing act towards the big kick-off.

The first four warm-up games have been mainly about giving fitness work-outs to as many players as possible but at Gillingham tonight the emphasis will shift slightly towards shape and personnel.

With just three friendlies remaining, the manager is beginning to look ahead to the new Premiership campaign although his hands are still tied slightly by availability.

Moroccans Tahar El Khalej and Hassan Kachloul have resumed training following thigh injuries while Matthew Le Tissier is hopeful of shaking off a locked back. But Hoddle has to decide whether to risk them.

Marian Pahars and Jason Dodd picked up minor calf strains at Reading but should be fit for tonight's match at the Priestfield Stadium.

Francis Benali (pictured right) though is ready for a first senior run-out since fracturing a leg in La Manga. He has now come through one-and-a-half reserve games and is looking to step up his pre-season programme.

Dean Richards is recovering from a calf problem and Hoddle will include him in his preparations even though the centre-back is suspended for the first two Premiership fixtures. He said: "Pre-season is a fine balancing act which is probably more difficult than people would imagine.

"You have players coming back from injury or picking up knocks and you want to get them all fit while at the same time looking at the style of play and personnel you want to use.

"It is a case of balancing the team pattern with individual fitness levels and making sure they are not overplayed and tired before the season starts.

"We now have three tough games which will be a barometer for us. If we do well we will know we are on the right lines."

Hoddle is looking ahead not just to the curtain-raiser at Derby but to the home games against Coventry and Liverpool which follow in quick succession.

He added: "We have got to think about how we might perform in the first three matches. For instance we have Dean Richards to come back in our third game.

"It may be that certain systems will suit certain players and we might have to change - as we did in the last 15 minutes at Reading when we put three up front and it all clicked.

"The only thing concerning me at the moment is our sharpness in front of goal but that is often the last thing to come in pre-season and I have been happy with the way we are passing the ball."

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