HOLD on tight because we could be in for a bumpy ride. It's still a bit too early to call the two upcoming home games as make-or-break, but they could certainly shape the coming months.

Last weekend's defeat at Derby hardly helped matters. I don't think many Burnley fans, or players for that matter, anticipated going down there and not getting something.

But the worst thing was that quite a few of the other teams near the bottom also won to tighten things up.

That's what makes the games against Rotherham and Reading so important because we could easily now find ourselves in the bottom three with two bad results.

The reasons for the slump have been well documented. Poor defending has cost countless points, while at the other end the goals seem to have dried up all of a sudden.

But look at it like a game of snooker. It's all good and well playing defensive shots all day long, but eventually you will leave a chance and your opponent cleans up.

To win frames you have to pot balls; to win games you have to score goals.

I think it's becoming apparent that we are lacking a natural goalscorer, and you have to look back at the sale of Gareth Taylor as a pivotal moment.

With the natural width back in the side now that Glen has returned to compliment Luke Chadwick, big Gareth would have had an absolute field day.

I know Stan is hopeful of signing Delroy Facey, but I'm not sure he's quite ready to take on that mantle.

He is still young enough to prove me wrong and no-one would be more delighted if we signed him because he is the right age and has the potential.

But just now he doesn't carry the same aerial threat as someone like Gareth, while his physical game is still developing.

Gareth loved a bit of rough and tumble and Del has to start influencing defenders a bit more than he has.

Unfortunately, there are not too many players of Taylor's ilk knocking about - and even if there were, could Stan afford them?

In the meantime, we have to soldier on with one of the smallest squads in the country and trust the players to come up with the goods - starting tomorrow!