PAUL Peschisolido has warned there is no easy cure for Burton Albion’s League Two malaise.
The Brewers have dropped out of the League Two play-offs after taking only five points from seven games — including three straight defeats since the turn of the year.
Peschisolido said last night: “We’re in a slump and it’s not going to be easy to get out of it.
“No manager has a magic wand he can wave that will suddenly change results. All we can do is keep working hard until we come through it.”
The Brewers boss is prepared to surrender his footballing principles as Albion attempt to stop the rot against Bradford City at the Coral Windows Stadium tomorrow, kick-off 3pm.
He said: “Everybody knows I want us to get the ball down and playing entertaining, hightempo football.
“But Bradford will be all about getting a result at any cost — and we’ll probably have to sacrifice performance in the interests of grinding out at least a draw.
“It doesn’t matter how it comes really because we just need to stop this run of defeats.
“This is the first time we’ve lost three League games in a row and we certainly don’t want it to become four.”
Peschisolido is toying with changes in personnel and formation after a poor display resulted in a 2-1 defeat against basement club Plymouth Argyle.
He said: “We’ve worked on different things and formations in training and it’s now a question of deciding what will suit us best.”
Peschisolido has defenders Tony James (hamstring), Aaron Webster (knee) and top scorer Billy Kee (groin) missing, but still has plenty of scope to make changes.
Andy Corbett, Nathan Stanton and on-loan Tom Parkes all have a chance of call-up as the Brewers attempt to halt a run that has resulted in them conceding twice in each of their last five games.
And, despite this week’s Twitter furore, Peschisolido could bring Jacques Maghoma and Cleveland Taylor back into midfield, although the manager hinted that Andres Gurrieri could get another chance to impress.
Gurrieri carelessly conceded the decisive penalty at Home Park last weekend, but the Brewers boss said: “That was a bit of inexperience showing through, but I thought Andres was one of our few bright sparks on the day.”
Peschisolido is believed to mulling over a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Adam Bolder and skipper John McGrath sitting in front of the back four.
It is a system he has employed with mixed results in the past — or he could opt for a bank of five in midfield.
The Brewers boss said: “The bottom line is that I want to pick a team that will compete all the way and run their socks off.
“We’ve stepped things up in training and we’re doing everything we can to challenge the players to get us out of this run of results.”
Bradford boss Phil Parkinson has bolstered his squad by bringing in striker Deane Smalley on loan from Oxford United.
Smalley, 23, has put pen to paper on a deal until the end of this season and, subject to receiving the relevant clearances, he could make his debut against the Brewers.
Smalley helped Chesterfield to the League Two championship last season while on loan at the b2net Stadium from Oldham Athletic.
He featured 29 times for Spireites and scored 12 goals.
Peschisolido believes the Bantams have turned the corner under Parkinson as they attempt to climb away from the lower reaches of the table.
Like Albion, they are still looking for their first win of 2012, but they ended last year with a run of three successive victories to ease their relegation worries.
The Brewers boss said: “It’s going to be a difficult one because I don’t think of them as a struggling team.
“They’ve got quality players in their squad with the likes of Craig Fagan, who was playing in the Premier League with Hull a couple of years ago, and (on loan) Andrew Davies, who Stoke paid £1million for.”
“It’s going to be a heck of a tough game, but I still think our spirits are good and I think we’ve got a positive mindset.”
City also recently signed experienced former Derby County defender Rob Kozluk, who trained with the Brewers earlier in the season but was not offered terms.
Kozluk is a doubt for tomorrow’s game after picking up a calf injury in last week’s 2-2 draw at home to Morecambe.
Parkinson could also be without Ricky Ravenhill and Luke Oliver, who were hurt in the same game.
