GARY Bowyer hopes his tinkering days with the City system are behind him now the transfer window has shut.

The Bantams boss has employed four different formations in the opening month of the season.

It has been a source of frustration with fans who want Bowyer to find a successful set-up and stick with it.

But as City look to bounce back from successive defeats when they face Northampton tomorrow, he confirmed that he has got a preferred plan in mind.

Bowyer believes teams have to be flexible over a season but said: “I know where I want to get to.

“Initially at the start of the season we looked at how we played in pre-season in one or two of the games behind closed doors.

“We played the diamond formation and obviously did that again at Rochdale. The number of chances we created in those couple of games was frightening.

“It didn’t quite happen for us in the two games at the start, Doyler (Eoin Doyle) left and then you’re tinkering. Now the window is shut, we know where we are in terms of bodies in and out and we can get cracking properly.”

Bowyer has played three centre halves for the last two games to accommodate Paudie O’Connor alongside Ben Richards-Everton and Anthony O’Connor.

The young Irishman scored against Bolton in the Leasing.com Trophy and Bowyer can see him returning to form after sitting out the first five league games.

“There were no complaints from Paudie (about being left out) because the competition is what we want,”

“He’s had to bide his time but the signs on Tuesday were that he is getting back to how he was at the back end of last season. He’ll be a big player for us.

“You could see the difference in him in those two performances. He looked rusty at Crewe and on Tuesday against Bolton he was really good.

“He’s back to how I know because obviously it’s the second time I’ve signed him.

“And he scored a goal from a set-play as well. We’ve spent a lot of time on them and it was the first one this season, so there is more to come.”

Aramide Oteh and Dylan Connelly are both in the mix for the Northampton clash. But Jamie Devitt faces a couple of weeks out with his hamstring injury.

Bowyer added: “The disappointment on Tuesday night was obviously losing Devs. We brought him in because we saw him as a creator for us.

“Now the window is closed, you’ve got everybody in and it’s about getting their minutes up to speed and getting going."

Shay McCartan has trained all week and Adam Henley will be back involved on Monday.