Alex McLeish backs misfiring Birmingham City strike duo

Dec 14 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

ALEX McLeish has insisted Blues’ strikers should be praised, not pilloried.

Current front pair Cameron Jerome (one goal) and Christian Benitez (two goals) have yet to net at St Andrew’s this season.

Jerome had two golden opportunities against West Ham United, but it was left to dead-eye Lee Bowyer to pounce for the decisive strike yet again.

However, McLeish said people had to understand what else Jerome and Benitez brought to the team. And since they came together, Blues have gone seven matches undefeated.

“I think you’ve got to compliment the strikers for their hard work-rate and maybe because we ask them to do so many other things in the game, I hope we are not taking an edge off them.

“There are goals in them and Cameron was really unlucky at the end there. He got a little nudge in the back as he was firing off his shot but he will get more of his opportunities as will Benitez, who did really well for the goal.

“He laid it on a plate for Lee with a little deft reverse pass and they’re like everybody, they’re doing their utmost for the team.

“Lee’s famous for those supporting runs and he’s got six goals – what a return.

“It would be good to see the strikers getting on the score-sheet but they’ve been unlucky, they’ve been grafting away up front.

“If we are not scoring goals as a team, if Lee is not getting all these goals, then there would be more concern but we’ve got to keep encouraging the boys.

“They have to keep working hard on the training ground with their finishing and their movement and try and penetrate defences, but it is a team game and we appreciate the job they are doing.”