Boss Mick McCarthy says returning striker Alan Lee isn’t far off the Blues first team, having rejoined on non-contract terms last month. The Town boss admits that his side’s lack of goals this season is a concern.
Lee himself has played down his chances of involvement, but McCarthy says he’s been impressed with the 35-year-old Irishman, who initially came back to Town in the summer to coach in the academy.
"He’s close, he’s training with us and he’s fit,” McCarthy said. "He’s as bright as anything, he was out with TC finishing this morning. He’s training regularly with us and he looks good and fit, no problems.
Town have scored only six goals in their five games so far — three of them against Millwall — with David McGoldrick’s opener against Leeds the only one to come via a striker, something McCarthy admits needs to improve.
"It’s a concern, we’ve had the stats. We don’t give teams a lot of chances but the conversion rate against us has been pretty high, given the few chances we give away.
"Our balls in the final third, balls in the box and chances created are pretty high, but the conversion rate is low, and that’s why we are where we are. So, it is a concern, of course.”
He says the Blues haven’t always had the rub of the green, Birmingham’s late equaliser a fortnight ago was the latest in a number of deflected goals, but he believes these things balance themselves out eventually.
"Keep playing the way we are, the luck will turn,” he said. "The little decisions will turn and providing we keep playing as well as we are playing, we’ll be fine. The question is, can we put the ball in the net?”
And if the goals don’t come, he says he can bring players in on loan: "I don’t need any now, but the potential is there to get them, of course it is.
"The loan window is open and if I have injuries or results don’t improve, then the facility is there. I can do it, yes I can.”
McCarthy hopes this week’s back-to-back home matches, Yeovil are in Suffolk on Tuesday, will give supporters something to cheer about: "We’ve got two home games and the last one we lost to Leeds, having played fabulous football for 30 minutes and having gone one up, should have been two up.
"Our fans want to see us win, they’re no different, by the way, to the Republic of Ireland fans, Sunderland, Wolves, Barnsley, Millwall, Lyon, wherever I’ve been, they all want to see us win.
"And I’m no different, and I want to be higher in the league. The only thing you can take care of is how you deal with the players and with play and with performances.
"And, as I keep banging on, if we keep playing as we are, things will turn around. If we were playing rubbish, I’d be worried.”
Meanwhile, Town's chief scout Steve McCall was spotted at Roots Hall on Friday night, watching Southend lose 1-0 to Scunthorpe in League Two.