Burton Albion have the quality needed to thrive in the Championship again - they are just struggling to find it at the right moments.
That is the view of Tom Flanagan, who featured as an early substitute in Albion's 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
It was their fifth game without a win, and they have failed to score in that time, despite enjoying some promising spells and creating a couple of gilt-edged openings against Forest.
Lloyd Dyer saw the best chance go begging as his shot from eight yards out was blocked on the line by Eric Lichaj, while Lucas Akins and Jamie Allen both came close to turning home a wicked Sean Scannell cross - but to no avail.
At the other end, Albion's defence were undone on the road for the first time since September 9 as Nigel Clough's side stayed a point adrift of safety.
Flanagan believes there is no lack of desire or ability anywhere on the park for the Brewers, despite the fact that they have scored the fewest goals in the division and conceded the joint-most.
But the Northern Ireland admits they need to start showing the quality they possess if they are to get their points tally ticking over again.
"Everyone is giving everything they've got," said Flanagan after the City Ground defeat.
"We just need that little bit of quality.
"That isn't down to the players not having it, it's just finding it on a Saturday afternoon.
"There were spells against Forest, the ball that went across the six-yard box - that just needs someone to be there at the right time, right place.
"It's just one of those things.
"There's no-one letting the side down, and I don't feel that anyone in the dressing room would say there is anyone letting the side down.
"Like I say, they (other teams) are just finding that extra little bit of quality, which we know we have - it's about unlocking it."
No Albion player has scored more than one goal in the League so far this season.
Akins, Dyer, Marvin Sordell, Joe Mason, Stephen Warnock and now-Hull City midfielder Jackson Irvine have each registered one apiece.
Those numbers clearly need to improve across the squad.
And Flanagan says that the onus is on every player to start finding the net, not just those upfield, as they look to improve on a record that currently has them as the lowest scorers in the EFL.
"We can't just look at Lucas to score a goal, or Marvin, or Luke Varney - it takes everyone," added the Burton defender.
"Sometimes you see the defenders scoring more goals than midfielders, and that's what we need.
"If we can get five players scoring five goals, it's such a big difference, rather than just one who gets 20 and no-one else scores.
Nottingham Forest 2 - 0 Burton Albion
"We all need to chip in, and that's like what I was saying about finding that little bit of quality, that goes down to everyone.
"I felt like I should've done better with a bit of a half-chance on Saturday.
"We are all critical of ourselves, but it is what it is now. We get on with it and find it for the next week."
