Goals Galore, Please

Trevor Brooking has set the non-strikers in the squad the challenge of weighing in with more goals - while recognising that the side has defended well this season.

With Jermain Defoe suspended for the games against Derby and Norwich, Trevor's last in charge, and David Connolly also missing the Norwich game, he feels it is incumbent on the other players to share the goal scoring duties.

"Our strikers are scoring most of our goals and one area I am sure that Alan will want to focus on is getting more goal scoring opportunities from our midfield players, full backs, or whatever.

"Matthew Etherington has got one at Crewe, Christian got the header against Reading, but other than that we are relying on the strikers too much.

"On the other side of the coin we have got the best defensive record in the league so it is a balance between the two, really."

One boost is that midfielder-cum-forward Don Hutchison returns to the squad, replacing Youssef Sofiane in the party that travels to Derby.

Trevor feels that steady progress is being made and explains:

"Wednesday was a better performance but you still have to be realistic.

"Where we are at the moment is satisfying, in the top half a dozen, within touching distance.

"There were the traumas of the Glenn situation and the crowd and understanding all that we are now starting to pull in the right direction and to try and focus on automatic promotion - playoffs at worst.

"We are trying now to get the targets for the next few weeks; the games come thick and fast and the encouraging factor is that the spirit has been good and the fans fantastic.

"We are all starting to think 'come on, we can have a good run in this division and we can achieve it.' "Naturally things have got to be worked on and I am sure Alan will be having a look at that, watching his videos and so forth.

"Hopefully it will be an exciting few months ahead."

SQUAD: James, Bywater, Lee, Repka, Dailly, Pearce, Connolly, Quinn, Alexandersson, Horlock, Defoe, Etherington, Mellor, Hutchison, Noble, Ferdinand, Garcia, Kilgallon.