Rafa Mir obviously needs a goal to get him off the mark at Nottingham Forest.
The Spaniard also needs time on the pitch.
I always say, and it’s not because I was a striker, I speak as an observer - forward players need more time on the pitch than anybody else in the team, to get into their rhythm, their stride and find their sharpness.
If you’re sat on your backside or playing in the Under-23s, you can’t get that awareness of what’s going on around you, to get up with the pace of the game at Championship level – it’s so, so difficult.
For me, it’s unfair to expect to him to come straight into the team and start doing what Lewis Grabban does so well, and put the ball in the net with such regularity.
He did have his chances in the 3-0 win over Derby, and if you asked him, I have no doubt he’d want one or two of them back to get himself off the mark.
The plus point is that he was able to get himself in those positions to have a go at goal, if he wasn’t then you’d be a bit more concerned.
I must commend his effort, though, because he never stopped working hard for the team and such was Forest’s good pressing, he played his part in leading from the front and putting the Rams under pressure at the top of the pitch.
He didn’t stop trying to be part of that team ethic.
Yes, he needs a goal, but he also needs to play and that’s going to be tough at the minute given the form of Grabban.
Mir needs support and he needs fans to give him time.
He worked tirelessly for the cause and I’m sure once he gets off the mark, he’ll feel a great deal more confident and prove to be a good signing.
