Kenny Jackett talks to Millers Player HD...
Rotherham United manager Kenny Jackett says his main focus in the coming weeks will be to rectify the club’s Goals Against column in the Sky Bet Championship standings.The Millers boss says he will be putting an emphasis on shutting out the opposition as his side look to climb the second tier table but insists the whole team will have to contribute in order to start racking up the clean sheets.
“Our goals against is the standout one that does need to be improved on,” Jackett told www.themillers.co.uk.
“The obvious stat that needs to improve is the goals against column and that’s not just the defenders, that’s the whole side making sure they can adapt from one shape to another because you do need to do that and to take their responsibility in defending all over the pitch.”
However, Jackett insists the signs were positive in his maiden outing in the Rotherham United hotseat against Reading on Saturday with the only goal of the game coming just under five minutes from time.
“If we’re looking at last week against Reading, they had very few clear cut chances and we conceded one goal that was in the 86th minute,” he explained.
“That’s slightly better and it needs to be zeros and ones against, unfortunately we didn’t put any of our chances away and we did have some chances to make sure that we got something out of the game.”
The Millers boss has had his defensive options boosted by the return of Tunisian defender Aïmen Belaïd and could also reintroduce Stephen Kelly to the squad this weekend after his recovery from injury, but will have to wait at least a fortnight before the return of long-term absentee Kirk Broadfoot.
“He’s [Belaïd] okay and over the last couple of weeks he’s worked hard in training and he’s fit, as today has Stephen Kelly who is fit and available after missing out last week.
“At the moment he’s [Broadfoot] not there on the training ground so we have to make sure we work hard without him. When that’s the case he’ll have to be 100% but we’ll welcome him with open arms.
“I think over the next two or three weeks, I don’t think he’ll play. It’s a shade of grey his injury but his return isn’t imminent.”
Jackett finished by adding that on loan midfielder Tom Adeyemi will also remain sidelined as the Millers travel to Ipswich Town on Saturday.
“We think he’ll maybe two weeks away in terms of his own progress and making sure he’s ready for first team football."