Shrewsbury v Burton: Basement boys Burton in a false position insists Steve Cotterill
Burton Albion do not deserve to be propping up League One according to Steve Cotterill – as the Shrewsbury boss insisted his players need to step up their performance levels in a bid to get back to winning ways.
The Brewers head to the Montgomery Waters Meadow bottom of the table with four points from their opening nine games.
In that time they have already gone through one manager, with Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink departing and being replaced by Dino Maamria.
However, Albion picked up their first win last week against Exeter City, who Salop beat just four days earlier.
Cotterill, whose side missed the chance to make it three wins on the spin last week at Port Vale, believes the Brewers are in a false position at the bottom.
However, the Salop boss, who scored 44 times for the Brewers during his playing days, believes if his side step up their performance levels from last week’s disappointment, then the result on Saturday will take care of itself.
He said: “Sometimes you might say it is good they have got their first win, but then it might give them confidence to get another. But it really doesn’t matter, it is about us this weekend.
“Last weekend there was not enough of us in a performance, and we need a performance this weekend – and the result then will take care of itself, but we need a performance.
“I love Burton Albion, I had a great time there and I know a lot of people there, the chairman, Dino, Jimmy. I spoke to Jimmy the other week.
“I actually think they have been unlucky in games they’ve played. We have played a few of the teams Burton have played, and Burton have played very well this year.
“When they got the win last week down at Exeter, I had spoken to Matt Taylor at Exeter about who they play next and I said, Burton are decent, and definitely don’t deserve to be where they are in the table, so that is the challenge this weekend.”
Cotterill is going to be forced into a change at the back this week with defender Tom Flanagan away on international duty with Northern Ireland.
That could mean Taylor Moore, who played at the back alongside youngster Declan Hutchings in the midweek Papa John’s Trophy game, could slot in if Salop go with a 3-5-2 formation.
At the other end, Christian Saydee could be in line for a recall after he was rested in midweek.
Cotterill added: “He is a great lad. He had a tough day on Tuesday with the other boys.
“We are trying to get him up to speed and it is a nightmare not having them all from the first day.
“Christian needs fitness work, that is what he needs. On Saturday, he was excellent for an hour then all of a sudden he came down with a bump. That is just lack of games.
“He really impressed me, he is incredibly strong, you can’t move him, it is like trying to move concrete and he was really good and scored a great goal as well.”
