Birmingham City: Strikers told to score eight more goals

Feb 14 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

BLUES boss Alex McLeish has handed striking trio Cameron Jerome, Marcus Bent and Carlos Costly a target of at least eight goals each before the end of the season.

McLeish’s biggest concern at the moment is his side’s lack of goals – they have scored just seven times in their last 11 games before today.

Luckily for Big Eck, he does have the ever-prolific Kevin Phillips in his ranks and the evergreen striker is Blues’ top scorer by a country mile with 13 goals.

However, McLeish wants the rest of his misfiring forwards to start finding the net on a regular basis and that includes new boy Costly.

And with fellow goal-getters Garry O’Connor and James McFadden on the treatment table, he’s laid down a target for Jerome and Bent to build on their respective tally of six and two goals each.

“We need Costly, Cameron and big Benty to be getting us eight or nine goals between now and the end of the season,” said McLeish.

“Kevin is way out on his own and we need the other lads to start firing some goals.

“It’s time that we put a strong run together and we are capable of doing it.

‘‘We brought in Costly to further the competition up front. The rest need to help Kevin Phillips, who is scoring a lot.