The pair have contributed 40% of the Blues’ goals this season, Clarke leading the way on 14 and Philogene on 10, but getting them in the same team has been a struggle given both prefer cutting inside from the left wing.
McKenna tried each of them on the right side during pre-season and the early stages of the campaign before conceding the ‘balance wasn’t right’. He then experimented with Clarke in a more central role for the FA Cup win against Blackpool in January.
Philogene’s recent 11-game absence with a knee injury removed the headache for a spell, but the tricky winger’s recent return to fitness has seen the question raised yet again.
Jaden Philogene has just returned to action following an MCL knee injury.
“It’s been more of an asset than a problem over the course of the season,” insisted McKenna. “It’s a 46-game season, so having one of them coming off the bench has been a big asset for us.
“Obviously, Jaden’s missed a lot of time in the last few months so having Jack ready has been a help.
“But when you get to the run in then, of course, you want as many of your best players on the pitch as possible.
“We have tried to find ways – Jack’s played on the right a bit, a little bit as a 10 too – and we will use that at times.
“On the other hand, we have got eight games in the last 28 days, so none of the them are going to play every minute.
“Subs making a difference has been a strength of ours this year. With a schedule like ours, depth will be really important. It’s not going to be just about quality and having good players, it’s about their motivation, engagement and being ready.
“With a run like this I can look the boys in the eye and say that everyone has got a really big role to play. Whether that’s one appearance or eight appearances, one minute or 90 minutes, when you’re at the business end of the season every minute counts.”