Boss Mick McCarthy says he wants to see even more goals from centre-half Christophe Berra, who is currently this season's top scorer having netting twice in last week’s 2-2 draw at Birmingham, the second a last-gasp equaliser.

The 29-year-old, who failed to net during four and a half years at previous club Wolves, scored in his full league debut for the Blues last season, coincidentally also at St Andrew’s, and went on to total five for the campaign, one fewer than central defensive partner Tommy Smith.

“Christophe I think is a top class defender and I’ve said to him that he’s a big lad and he’s good in the air and he should get more goals,” McCarthy said.

“I think he’s taken it upon himself to make sure he does. It was great and it felt like a win at Birmingham in the last minute.”

He added: “I thought his second goal was fantastic, the cross and the finish. That’s Christophe, he has a sense of responsibility and took it.”

McCarthy and his players have come up with targets for the season but the Blues boss says he’s yet to see the extent of Berra’s ambition for 2014/15.

“I don’t know what he’s put yet. If he’s said two I’ll be bitterly disappointed! If he has I’ll tell him I’m not having that, he’s got to get at least five. He goes up for every corner kick and freekick for 46 games.

"There’s me saying that, who only got two a season. I don’t think I ever had two headers at goal in one game, I certainly never scored two in one game!”

Photo: Action Images

blues1 added 09:36 - Aug 28 guthrum. don't totally disagree with your comments about the prime responsibility of the midfield. but the fact is that no team will be successful without goals coming from the midfield. do you think we would have achieved what we did in 1981 without the goals from john wark, also muhren and thijssen? would man utd have done as well without the goals from the lies of keane, scholes, giggs? as for this story. yes, I don't disagree with ne1 that mm should be concentrating on getting more goals from midfield and the strikers, but don't see why hes being criticised for wanting more from berra. or t. smith for that matter. oh, brittaniaman, our ex team beat millwall? only 2 of our ex (on loan)players playerd in that match so hardly our ex team is it?

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bluelady added 09:38 - Aug 28 So Berra how about you hoof it up field, by pass the ineffective midfield, run like a demon and header it into the net???! Yes it's gr8 seeing our defenders score and better stir we are such a threat from corners BUT if the midfielders could manage even 15 between them we would be in a far far better place than relying on our CBs!
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brittaniaman added 09:49 - Aug 28 blues1 meant to say our ex midfield helped them to beat Millwall sorry . See Derby got Shotton on loan this week also should sign Jordon Ibe from Liverpool today ??? just in time to play against us if need be ????
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coyb99 added 09:55 - Aug 28 More goals?! Berra is our top scorer this season, maybe say this to skuse or tabb, not berra!
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kesgrave_bluey added 09:55 - Aug 28 murphy only 50 goals in whole career over ten seasons
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kesgrave_bluey added 10:34 - Aug 28 sorry that's 37 since 2000 average 3 goals a season
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cats_whiskers added 10:41 - Aug 28 McCarthy has been slurping on his home brew again, as he is coming out with another load of dribble.
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Pilgrimblue added 10:49 - Aug 28 Yes Michael he has. Its such a strange article as no doubt he will score as that's why he and Smith come up for corners/free kicks. But what about our inept midfield? Hyam has been given target of 6 goals (I believe) but i doubt he'll have 6 attempts as every time he's anywhere near the penalty area he lays it off. Wark and Holland didnt score goals by accident. As for Scuse, he should be sent back to Bristol. He's useless and couldn't score as he never gets near enough to even try! Against Norwich 90% of his passes were sideways or back to the player who had given him the ball. Blu or even Teddy Bishop would be worth a try until MM gets better options (if ever!)

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battyblue added 11:17 - Aug 28 We Desperately need a Jonny On The Spot
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AbujaBlue added 11:25 - Aug 28 It is nice that amongst all this hysteria, there are still some sensible posters like Souper Jim here. What do people thing, MM calls a press conference on Thursday morning especially to tell the world how Berra is now the key to his new 6-4-0 formation? The question about Berra and goals was obviously put to him, surely people can see that?
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larrylamb added 11:53 - Aug 28 Very seldom post on here as soooo many moaning git,s..entirely agree with Souper, many of you really need to think about how this statement came about , not just leap on it to berate MM. Nothing wrong with MM wanting more than 2 goals from a big C/HALF from set plays and is a appropriate response to a question about his goals scored so far. i honestly do not believe many on here actually support town you just like moaning about them...and yes i am aware that the football we watch is dire in the main..but many on here just use any post from Phil / or statement from MM (without knowing the context is was said in) to put across you own negative views and slag of MM

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parhamblue added 12:34 - Aug 28 How about more stories hitting the target from the PR PR machine? This one clearly has not! We already know Luke Hyam's target is 6. How many more thrilling installments? - by the time we get to the fringe players we will all have given up.
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juniorblue added 12:55 - Aug 28 This is a strange comment. It's bad if we are now relying on the defence to score goals. Obviously anyone scoring is great, but more contribution from midfield/attack is important too.
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FarringdonBlue added 13:15 - Aug 28 Just wanted to put into context where the goals have come from over recent seasons: Cole Skuse - 46 apps 0 goals - 0% goal to game ratio Luke Hyam - 86 apps 2 goals - 2% g2g Paul Anderson - 33 apps 5 goals - 15% g2g Stephen Hunt - 23 apps 0 goals - 0% Jay Tabb - 39 apps 2 goals - 5% g2g Anthony Wordsworth - 18 apps 2 goals - 11% g2g Paul Taylor - 16 apps 1 goal - 6% g2g Frank Nouble - 55 apps 4 goals - 7% g2g Daryl Murphy - 138 apps 31 goals - 22% g2g David McGoldrick - 47 apps 19 goals 40% g2g Luke Chambers - 94 apps 6 goals - 6% g2g Christophe Berra - 45 apps 7 goals - 16% g2g Tommy Smith - 150 apps 15 goals - 10% g2g Aaron Cresswell - 132 apps 6 goals - 5% g2g I think this goes to prove that the defence and forward are chipping in with their share of goals, whereas the midfield 'could do better!'

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BigHibbs added 13:40 - Aug 28 If we put in a decent corner..... like Cresswell did last year then they may score a few. Don't forget also anderson was credited with the 1st at Birmingham due to no touch from berra
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blueboy1981 added 17:47 - Aug 28 .......... our Forward/s and Midfielders get dizzy anywhere near approaching the 18 yard line - so what chance has a centre back got ? Yet another weird statement from McCarthy, which seem to be increasing.
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Guthrum added 17:47 - Aug 28 @Blues1 - I take your point, but you're citing some pretty exceptional midfielders. We aren't playing at that level any more and don't have (can't afford to buy) midfielders of that calibre. As long as the forwards are putting the goals away (as McGoldrick and Murphy are well capable of doing), I'd rather the midfield were concentrating on keeping the supply flowing, rather than playing at being strikers themselves. If in on goal, by all means have a pop - if they don't shoot, they'll never score and it's better that and maybe miss than letting an attack break down or lose momentum. But midfielders are primarily there to feed the ball forward and stop the opposition doing the same in the other direction plus, of course, set pieces. If a midfielder is challenging to be the highest scorer in a team, it means there's something wrong with the forwards.

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blueboy1981 added 17:52 - Aug 28 kesgrave bluey ............ that qualifies him as 'prolific' in McCarthy's assessment.
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oldegold added 03:47 - Aug 29 With the soccer being played under MM,we are lucky to get the ball in the opponents half.Route one,hoofing style won't get us promoted or make us challengers.If change doesn't happen quick, we will be facing relegation as we know that only open,attacking and flowing soccer will get us out of the Championship.That will not happen under MM.He was good to steady the ship but now we need to be step up and play a modern and bold football and work hard at changing our philosophy.

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