Blues boss Paul Hurst says he’s not concerned by Town’s lack of goals and currently isn’t considering switching to two strikers.

So far Hurst’s side have scored only three times in their first four Championship matches, just one of those in their last three. In addition, Kayden Jackson, the only striker to score so far this season, netted in the on-penalties Carabao Cup defeat at Exeter.

Asked whether the dearth of goals worries him, Hurst responded: “No, and the reason being Derby scored two goals with two shots, two deflected shots. Are they going to be concerned about their goals? I’d say maybe not.

“We want to score goals, of course we do. It can be misleading but we have had more attempts in the games than the opposition in the last four games [in all competitions]. I’m not sure about the Blackburn game, I think we may have been even in that.

“So that side of it is positive. The negative is converting some of those chances. We could have a million shots but if they’re all hitting the fans in the stand, it counts for nothing.

“But at the same time, in a lot of the games that I’ve watched and when you look at data from games, I’m not sure that there are as many attempts at goal as sometimes people think.

“But if one goes in the net that’s then forgotten about. We need to score a goal to win a game, of course. Hopefully we can do that at Hillsborough on Saturday.”

He says he’s happy with his system which has seen Ellis Harrison, whose only Blues goal came in the pre-season friendly against West Ham, up front on his own in all four Championship matches while Jackson filled that role at Exeter, and isn’t considering a switch to a two-man attack.

“I’m not saying it won’t be the way always and there might be at a time where we do look at that and it might seem that it suits us better,” he added.

“But at the minute I don’t think personally there’s a reason to particularly change. When’s all said and done we’ve only got two real out and out strikers at the club at the minute.

“If you start as 4-4-2, and maybe Freddie Sears would come in as an option to do that and one or two others potentially, but not just simply strikers, and I think a lot of the other play has been pretty good, in all honesty.

“But, as I say, we do need to make sure that we’re getting bodies forward in the box and when we get there we’ve got to try and work the keeper.

“That was the frustration having watched the Derby game back in the cold light of day. A lot of people said there was nothing in the game and on the night I was thinking maybe Derby, although they did have most possession, were more threatening than they actually were.

“Maybe that’s just the nature of being involved in it and hoping that they’re not going to score.

“But we were well in the game. It was some final little passes and really taking care of the ball when situations arose that resulted in us maybe not having an attempt at goal.

“That’s certainly something that can be better rather than particularly just having two strikers on the pitch or things like that.

“We all get obsessed with systems. I’ve done it before, played with two strikers up front and gone through spells when you don’t score.

“What do you do then? Three on? Four on? I think at the minute it’s too early to really start worrying about.”

Photo: TWTD

dukey44 added 19:33 - Aug 23 We were useless in second half at Derby and don't look like scoring as there's no supply for just 1 striker? Is he already watching different games and I honestly thought he was going to be good well anyone was better than keeping mick!
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itfchorry added 19:39 - Aug 23 Hopefully Harrison can get on the score sheet on Saturday- leading to a hatful of goals - COYB
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geminimustang added 19:41 - Aug 23 It would appear that dukey44 doesn't realise MM could be the only manager to turn this around come Xmas! PH hasn't got a clue!!
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dukey44 added 19:43 - Aug 23 Hahaha his football was terrible
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WaltonBlueNaze added 19:49 - Aug 23 Strange comments from PH, I'm definitely concerned about our lack of goals, lack of creativity and lack of experienced championship players to support our new players. As I have said before we face a relegation battle and at the moment I'm looking to find 3 teams that will be below us come May!
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rfretwell added 19:56 - Aug 23 Yes of course PH must be given enough time to get us firing. And he wouldn't be human, despite what he says in the interview, if he wasn't getting a bit worried about our lack of goals. This time last season we had plenty of firepower and really got amongst the goals. Even without our leading midfielders available. QPR also have been having striker problems but have just strengthened hugely with the capture of Nakhi Wells and Hamed. If we are not careful the divisions poorest team to date will be overtaking us in the next few weeks.

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cat added 20:10 - Aug 23 Good to see PH is keeping a cool head when a few are losing theirs. I still think Harrison and Jackson will come good, specially the latter, but failure to pick up a win in the next 2 games then I'm afraid it's gonna be carnage time on here.
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RRanger added 20:12 - Aug 23 Last season we started with 4 wins and looked where we ended up. Brentford didn't win a match for 8 games at the beginning of last season and they ended up just short of the playoffs.....and look at them now. Four games at the beginning of a season is nothing and it is ridiculous the amount of moaning and panic from some of the posters here. Just be patient and see where we are by Christmas. I bet we are climbing the table.

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trncbluearmy added 20:15 - Aug 23 I don't want to be critical of PH generally with him 100% but ONE up front does not work,get over it it has failed it is bollicks you will never score enough goals to win a match believe the evidence in front of you change it NOW We have good players PH is a decent manager why have this hang up with a system that does not work?
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cat added 20:25 - Aug 23 trncbluearmy - new systems take time and patience and if PH was to change it cause of a few disgruntled posters, it wouldn't say much for his character. He's got a vision and I hope he sticks with it, at least for a few more games.
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Carl2588 added 20:31 - Aug 23 I think after 10 games is when we start being concerned but agree Harrison needs support up front but his performances so far suggest he's not out of place in this league and I'd like to see us bring in some championship experience in on loan or free as there are quite a few players out there that would be a coup ie Gareth mcauley, nedem onhua or Victor anichebe maybe even Darren bent might be worth a punt at the right price.

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NoCanariesAllowed added 20:34 - Aug 23 Hurst clearly has a conviction over the system he wants to play, and he's prepared to persist with it at this time to try and produce results. We can all sit here and say "it's not working", but none of us can say with certainty whether the players will - given time - adapt successfully to it. If they do, we could flourish. They might not. Hopefully, if they still haven't after a while, he'll reconsider. But four games in, it's absurd for us as fans to think we can instantly make better tactical judgements about the prospective merits of Hurst's system than the man himself can.

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trncbluearmy added 20:57 - Aug 23 Give me an example were one up front works
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herfie added 21:06 - Aug 23 I think lack of goals should be a concern; sticking dogmatically to a team set up that's struggling to create and convert the chances needed to win football matches will obviously attract concerned comments. If persisting with a single striker, then the main effort must be to get midfield support in and around him as soon as an attack develops. Isolated, and struggling to hold the ball up, ain't going to get us goals at this level. Not a moan - but commenting on what we're currently watching.

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dirtydingusmagee added 21:07 - Aug 23 at the moment 3 points can make quite a difference to table, so no panic,but if it gets to be that we are 6, 9 points adrift then it would be cause for concern, im not expecting great things this season,if we can get through it and have a strong base for next season that would be acceptable imo.
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trncbluearmy added 21:13 - Aug 23 Harrison is a clever footballer,Jackson has pace to burn, Edwards is just brilliant play him in a Eric Gates. role just behind a front two.
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afrodids added 21:14 - Aug 23 How about 4411 as a compromise pH 😂😂 give the man some time to implement his style /formation. Yes the lack of goals is concerning however it's early days yet.
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cat added 21:23 - Aug 23 trncbluearmy - “The 4-2-3-1 is perhaps the most balanced and universally used formation in the modern game. It provides teams with adequate structure to defend effectively and quickly transition moving forward. The 4-2-3-1 is most often used in the English Premier League.
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Stato added 21:43 - Aug 23 @cat quickly transition ? You been to any games this season ? What game you seen us quickly transition ? I think its never too early to be worried about a lack of goals.
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cat added 21:56 - Aug 23 BossMan - I saw patches of at the villa game. The system relies on quick midfields breaking with pace and that's why he's signed Edwards, Nolan and the Fulham lad to play off the frontman. It clearly ain't worked so far, but let's give it s chance. The classic 442 is old hat, PH System gives you more flexibility and if it works it's great to watch.
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ArnieM added 22:08 - Aug 23 People keep banging on about “ one up front”. But if the two wide men got forward more in support ( which is what PH wants), we don't have “ one up front” , we have THREE !!
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Palestine added 22:11 - Aug 23 I just love to hear PH talking about 'taking care of the ball'! Seems a million miles away from the previous system which was get rid asap! COYB
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Lightningboy added 22:16 - Aug 23 Slightly concerned that Hurst's Shrewsbury didn't bang in many goals at league 1 level...so far the majority of our play has been neat & tidy but ultimately pretty ineffective - that needs addressing quickly.
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Pezzer added 22:42 - Aug 23 At least PH has mentioned the idea of 2 up front so he perhaps consideing the option if we continue to struggle to score. But after 4 games the formation should start to show potentual, maybe a couple more games but if still firing blanks will surely need a rethink. Personally the odd references to MM are completely pointless as that was the past and things have moved on. I think its fair enough to praise or criticise the current coaching team if it's constructive but whether MM would have carried on grinding the team into the ground or risen as some reborn football messiah purveying entertainment and creativity is complete conjecture now as he is no longer with us......

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Pezzer added 22:45 - Aug 23 Ps shame we can't edit posts as I post on an iphone and my spelling isn't normally this poor!!!
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