If you ask any strikers worth their salt about goals then they should be able to tell you in microscopic detail their record.

Mikael Forssell is no different and Birmingham's studious centre-forward could probably recall his record whilst playing for his local Under-11 side in Finland.

Within 30 seconds of this interview commencing he was quick to reel off the statistic of five goals in his last nine outings for Birmingham.

That may come as a surprise to some people who are still hankering for the Forssell of two seasons ago when he snared 19 goals as Steve Bruce's side finished tenth in the Premiership.

A serious knee injury and a struggling side have all combined to make the fanfare surrounding Forssell's return fall flat.

You might have to go back to April 25, 2004 to find his last Premiership goal from open play, but you can't deny the facts.

He is currently Blues' joint leading scorer alongside Jiri Jarosik and has scored more than Emile Heskey, Chris Sutton and DJ Campbell's combined total.

But the perception of Forssell is that he isn't quite firing on all cylinders. That is a theory he is happy to agree with.

The Finland international is a perfect gentleman with impeccable manners, but don't labour under the impression he is a soft touch.

Behind the public persona lurks an inner steel to be the best in his profession.

And boy, do Birmingham need him back to his best against Tottenham tomorrow in a fixture they cannot afford to lose.

"I have never been short of confidence," stated Forssell unequivocally.

"I don't feel pressure, as I always put the biggest pressure on myself.

"I have got the biggest expectations as I am looking to score a hat trick in every game

"My fitness is improving but the only thing that matters is doing the right thing on the pitch and when it starts automatically.

"I want to get ball around the box to do my thing. Maybe I haven't had the ball around the box to do produce that. Hopefully that will be improved.

"The way we go forwards has to be a little bit more innovative and play to player's strengths a bit more.

"Jermaine Pennant is a great player but we can't rely just on just the wingers or the long ball.

"We have to have midfielders playing the ball forwards.

"We also have to play quicker whether it is a long ball or through midfield.

"If we have a few passes and then try to play their defence knows and if when Emile wins the header it isn't easy for him and me if the build-up takes time, as the opposition have a chance to regroup."

Forssell is a fierce critic of his own performance and will seriously analyse his own performances on a daily basis.

Yet he refuses to be downbeat despite the travails he has endured during the campaign thus far.

And he also rejects that blame lies solely at the feet of the strikers for their dearth of goals.

"It has been one of the problems but not the only one," he added. I have had to look at myself and I have had a disappointing time. Mostly because I have been getting back to full fitness

"We as a team haven't played well and that hasn't helped, but I always look at myself first.

"These kinds of periods are where you grow as a person.

"I don't see it is a negative. This phase has made me stronger and I enjoy my football a lot and I want to produce that feeling on a Saturday.

"However, we also have to start defending as a team and not letting in goals. I'm not having go at defenders as we start defending from up front and we have let loads of goals in.

"We have to score but 0-0 is always a point. We haven't had too many of those."