GARY Waddock is caught between a rock and a hard place this week.

While trying to boost the fragile confidence levels of the strikers he has to rely on against Rochdale on Saturday, he is also scouring the market for their replacements.

Marcello Trotta’s decision not to stay at Wanderers after a life-giving return of eight goals in eight games during his loan from Fulham means the Blues boss must go back to the same strikers that been a major disappointment in League One this season.

Stuart Beavon and his 11 goals aside, Scott Rendell (one in 16) and Ben Strevens (two in 19) haven’t caught fire this year but either of them – or the fit-again Matt McClure – can expect another run in the side now.

Waddock said: “Opportunities crop up for players and if they do you have to make sure that you take them.

“It changes in football, it changes day by day and week by week.

“Players sometimes are out the team, they get their opportunity and take it and then they get a run in the team.

“I know what I’m going to do for the weekend and as long as the player that comes into the team has that strong mentality to turn it around for himself then it will be ok for him and for the club.”

And despite their paltry goal return, Waddock insist the strikeforce he has assembled can do the job.

He said: “I’m confident in the group of players we’ve got. If we can create the opportunities I believe that we’ve got the people who will finish them off.”

That said, Trotta’s impact in the two months he was at Adams Park was in stark contrast to that of the strikers he replaced in the starting team, and Waddock admits he’s actively seeking another attacker.

He said: “It’s an option to go into the loan market and we’ve been looking. We looked for a long time and got Trotta in so we’ll continue to look because we are down a striker.”