Jim Goodwin has sent a blunt message to St Mirren’s misfiring strikers, warning if they do not start scoring soon he will find others who can.
The Buddies boss is frustrated by the fact his team are the Premiership’s lowest scorers with just eight goals in 15 games.
Only four of those have come from open play but Goodwin insists they have created plenty of chances this season to have netted much more.
Despite their problems in front of goal, Saints are eight games unbeaten in all competitions but now find themselves bottom of the table after the Scottish Professional Football League opted to punish them for breaches of Covid regulations by awarding two 3-0 forfeits and a suspended £40,000 fine last week.
Paisley chiefs are appealing against that decision but Goodwin knows it is down to his players to find a solution to their scoring woes.
And if they do not, he will look elsewhere in January.
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the fact we’re the league’s lowest scorers because I believe we’ve got some very good players in the forward areas and I believe we’re now creating more opportunities than we ever have done,” said the Irishman ahead of Saturday’s trip to Motherwell.
“We’re aware of it and while I don’t want to bog the strikers down with unnecessary pressure, ultimately as a centre-forward you’re paid to put the ball in the back of the net. It’s as simple as that.
“If you’re not assisting and not scoring then you’re not really contributing.
“So we need to start being a bit tougher on each other and start being ruthless. That’s the bottom line.
“We need to put teams to the sword because our defensive record, without the six goals that we got chucked on by the disciplinary panel, is in the league’s top four.
“We’re doing well at one end, we need to do much better at the other. It’s as simple as that.
“The league is very tight but we can’t keep failing to kill teams off and that was the main message to the boys this morning.
“The game against Aberdeen last week and the Dundee United match last month, they were both two points dropped because we dominated but didn’t convert.
“Those four points could have put a totally different reflection on the table.
“We’re always looking to strengthen the squad. We can’t stand still or be satisfied with what we’ve got. We have to be on the lookout for better players than what we’ve got.
“I’ve been extremely fair to the group that’s here. I’ve shown a lot of faith, trust and confidence in a lot of them. But we need to start scoring goals and if the guys here aren’t doing that we’ll need to look for someone else who can.”
