Source: Team_Talk
Jefferies has striking crisis
The Killie squad has been decimated with injury and suspensions with Irishman Conor Sammon the only forward available for the visit of the Edinburgh side.[LNB]New signing Kevin Kyle is suspended after being sent off against Inverness in the Homecoming Scottish Cup last week.[LNB]David Fernandez is also banned, Danny Invincibile is still out with an ankle injury and loan player Donovan Simmonds has returned to Coventry.[LNB]As Jefferies talked about his mounting injury problems, he watched striker Allan Russell hobble across the Rugby Park car park to be driven to hospital after injuring a knee in training.[LNB]The Killie boss said: "There's no point in appealing Kyle's sending-off.[LNB]"I thought he was unlucky and if we were in England we would have appealed, but not here with the way in which appeals are dealt.[LNB]"But that means we have only one registered striker available for this game, Conor Sammon.[LNB]"Allan Russell doesn't look great, as you can see, with his knee injury which he picked up after just coming back from flu.[LNB]"I can't see Invincibile coming back in time, Fernandez is suspended as is Mehdi Taouil and on top of that, James Fowler is out for about six weeks with a broken foot.[LNB]"Donovan Simmonds has gone back to Coventry where he will have an operation and so that leaves us with only one striker for Saturday.[LNB]"I don't know what I will do yet.[LNB]"We can work with the back four and the midfield but we will have to address the attack but there is not a lot we can do about it other than play someone out of position."[LNB]Sammon has not featured this year but Jefferies insists the former Derry City player is recovering his form just in time.[LNB]He said: "Conor might have been back in the frame anyway, not just because we are left with him as the only striker.[LNB]"He has settled down and has been doing better in training.[LNB]"It was a lot to ask from him at the beginning of the season when he was forced in early because of injuries.[LNB]"Things weren't going right for him so we took him out before he lost his confidence but he has caught our eye in training.[LNB]"He has shown a great attitude and you always get 100% from him and that is what is needed."[LNB]Killie have not won at home in the SPL since beating Dundee United 2-0 in November and are without a league win this year but a victory would put them one point behind the sixth-placed Easter Road side.[LNB]Jefferies is aware of the need for his side to rediscover their form before the league splits.[LNB]He said: "We are getting down to the nitty-gritty for getting in the frame for a top-six place but the games are running out.[LNB]"So this is a huge game for us and we are treating it like a cup final.[LNB]"If you get further behind then you make it difficult for yourself.[LNB]"So we have to go out there and give it our all."[LNB][LNB]
