MARTIN Paterson is targeting a happy Easter for his Brewers team by taking points from Wigan and Barnsley.
The Brewers face Wigan Athletic away tomorrow and then Barnsley at home on Easter Monday. Wigan are 12th in the table but having had eight points deducted would still be in the promotion hunt if they had not been penalised. Barnsley are fifth and well placed for at least a play-off berth making it a tough Easter double header for the Brewers.
The manager said: “If we have a good Easter we wrestle the momentum back our way and we have to have that belief.
“Every game (however tough) is an opportunity to get points in this league. There should be no difference in how we approach games. We are passive against good teams and should be more aggressive and against teams where perception wise people think we should beat them we don’t penetrate them with the ball and play in front of them.
“We should play our own identity – aggressive, on the front foot and attack their goal every opportunity we get regardless of the opposition.
“I don’t disrespect the opposition, but we should be going to win every game. We have capability to affect most teams in the division and I think what has crept in has been being caught in two minds. I have cleared that this week and the players know we are playing one way and one way only. That’s positive and front footed.”
The Brewers have had a week in training to put to bed the defeat at home to Port Vale on Saturday.
Paterson said: “We played the youth team, and everyone got a practice match in. I got the outcomes that were required in terms of corrections from the last game but also things we need to improve going forward.
“Port Vale was an outlier in terms of the first time I have been critical of the group and I was quite vocal in terms of the non-negotiables being met. That can’t happen for Burton Albion and won’t happen again for a Martin Paterson team. That’s been remedied I can assure you of that.
“This group need to play football and practice the things I’m asking of them and I need to figure out why the translation from the training field to the Pirelli isn’t working and that’s on me.
“There has to be some change as you can’t keep trying to do the same things. But what I will say is that sometimes it’s just about being better at what you do; reinforcing what we do well and making sure we are better at it.
“I like to think that’s the last shock we need. It looked like they needed a shock. I’m devastated we got it but now we get to work, we deal with it; coach them and keep pushing and stay positive.”
Max Crocombe is back with the squad after being on international duty with New Zealand and Sam Hughes and Mason Bennett have had no reactions after coming back from injury against Port Vale. Ademola Ola-Ademobi and Antwoine Hackford, who both missed the Port Vale game through injury and illness are also ready to return.
Paterson said: “Mola and Antwoine are both back in training and fingers crossed they come through as it was disappointing to lose them at week.”
