Gareth Ainsworth outlines his key Shrewsbury Town focus

The 51-year-old is due to take charge of his first match today against Birmingham City at the Croud Meadow.

Salop are rock bottom of the League One table having taken eight points from their first 15 games of the season. 

One of their Achilles heels this campaign has been the number of goals they have managed to concede - they have kept just one clean sheet - and have been breached 27 times in league action alone. 

"I think we've conceded way too many goals," the boss said. "And that's absolutely not aimed at anyone except Shrewsbury Town as a whole, we have to be better. 

"I defend from the front, I'll defend with all the players on the pitch, and so it's not just one person, it's not four people, it's the whole team, we need to be more solid as an outfit, and that's something that I'm working on, although again it's been tough to get on the grass this week so we're doing it on screens. 

"Hopefully, the boys are visual learners, but kinesthetic learners, those who like to actually do it, that's what a lot of footballers are."

There are not too many things for Shrewsbury fans to be positive about right now. In fact, Ainsworth's appointment and the hope he may be able to turn around their season, which has been awful to this point, is one of the only causes for optimism. 

But since the new man has come into the football club, he has been enthusiastic about Town's prospects for the remainder of the season.

And when asked about the things his side need to improve, he acknowledged there are plenty of areas to work on, but he also added there are a lot of things the players do well. 

"Working on them is different with the conditions, it's been really tough," he said about the things Shrews have to develop. "Negatives is a strong word. It's things I believe that the boys can be better at. 

"When the players are on the pitch, it's 11 v 11, and you have to bring your game. It's about knowing what you're good at. 

"I think some people have tried things they're not good at, some people maybe playing in positions that they're not good at. 

"For me, it's just about going forward now, and there are huge positives here, there really are. 

"Now if I can look at them and improve them, then we'll have some good players, especially going forward."

The clash against Chris Davies' Blues side this weekend is the start of a vital run for Shrewsbury between now and the New Year. 

If Town are to have any chance of beating the drop, they need to collect points from their next seven games. 

A home clash against Wycombe is sandwiched between matches against Blackpool and Lincoln. 

Matt Bloomfield's side were top of League One before today's fixtures and are in fine form. 

But the meeting with Blackpool and Lincoln are games Salop could get something from. 

Ainsworth's side make the trip to Abbey Stadium on the first week in December to take on Gary Monk's Cambridge, and that really does have a huge feel about it. 

The key to staying up this season is getting results from those around them in the division.