Blues boss Mick McCarthy says striker Brett Pitman’s recent lack of game-time is simply a matter of him having preferred the other options at his disposal to last season’s 11-goal top scorer, who last appeared when he started the 3-0 home defeat to Derby on January 31st, his 29th birthday.
"I had a chat with Brett yesterday, he hasn’t come on for four or five games and I just said to him I’m pretty fortunate, I’ve got other options and that’s what I’ve tried,” McCarthy said.
"And sometimes that’s what it amounts to. It’s nothing he’s done wrong. But we’ve had the physical presence of Kieffer Moore and we’ve had that energy and pace and that ability to run in behind of Freddie Sears, and that’s just what I’ve chosen to do.
David McGoldrick and Tom Lawrence, both more number 10s than out-and-out goalscorers, are McCarthy’s preferred front pairing at present. Does he believe he needs to play someone who is a more recognised goalscorer?
"They’ve been our goalscorers and arguably for the last few weeks our best players,” he added. "We always need a goalscorer, everybody needs a goalscorer.
"Where are we going to get that one from? Freddie was knocking them in for fun at one stage and then it’s been sparse for him.
"Pits has scored four goals, he’s done OK, Didz has done OK, Tom’s been the shining light in terms of scoring goals.
"We need to find them from elsewhere as well. Emyr’s added to it, we need to get defenders back scoring as well and share them around.
"If it’s not a season where we’ve got one outstanding goalscorer then let’s spread them around and get more from elsewhere.”
Huws has scored twice since joining on loan from Cardiff and McCarthy has been pleased that the midfield has scored more regularly this season, Grant Ward has five, although he would like more.
"And Jonas Knudsen has added a couple of goals. The centre-backs have normally had more than that from corner kicks and freekicks.
"The midfield have contributed, a couple of them, and then I guess we need more assists from them and more goals.”
McCarthy has previously said some of the younger players in the squad will get their chance once the Blues are safe and he says the same is the case with some of the more senior players on the fringes.
"Players that are in the first-team squad as well,” he continued. "Kieffer, does he warrant a start? Yes, probably, but not in front of Didz and Tom Lawrence.
"Danny Rowe’s impressed everyone in training, would he be able to start, yes he would, and Tristan Nydam.
"Playing in the way we’re playing might suit Andre Dozzell better, it would suit him better playing as one of three.
"I’d like to get Teddy Bishop back in it as well. There are a few things that I’d like to see but I’m not going to do that at the expense of us being as organised as we’ve been and playing like we’ve been playing.
"I’m not suggesting it would cost us, but why change it when it’s been going OK, let’s make sure we’ve got enough points.”