Birmingham City: Matt Mills stays on Alex McLeish's wanted list

Mar 14 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

“I hope he has an off-day Saturday but he has certainly impressed us this season. I have watched him a number of times. But the whole Doncaster team have impressed us.

“Really, we have got to go and stamp our own identity on the game, pull off another great away victory as we did at Swansea, Cardiff and Bristol.”

Mills should be fired-up for the encounter. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything else,” said McLeish.

“I hope I have not put his confidence up ten-fold but, at the same time, I would expect him to be a professional and put in a performance.

“But I am looking for our players to rise to what’s at stake for us. If that means it’s players starting the game, or players coming off the bench – we’re looking to players making a better impact coming from the bench – they have to be on the front foot.”

Before, and since, the failure to add a new centre-half Blues have relied on Liam Ridgewell, Rahdi Jaidi and Martin Taylor in the heart of the defence.

And McLeish said that they had acquitted themselves well, and should be praised for their displays.

Blues have the best defensive record in the Championship.

At present, with Ridgewell injured, Jaidi and Taylor form the centre-half pairing, with Stephen Carr and Franck Queudrue excelling in place of Stuart Parnaby and David Murphy at full-back, both of whom are also crocked.

“I was quite pleased the last three games, the goal aside at Barnsley,” said McLeish.

“I think they have been pretty much on top of their game.”

Live match chat from Doncaster v Birmingham City - click here for details