Positivity and work ethic are the keys to our survival, says City star Forssell

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• More Premier League news club by club

Forssell has four goals to his name this season, but he is confident he can improve on that tally especially now he has the creativity of £4.75million January signing James McFadden to feed off.

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Starting to shine: Mikael Forssell (right) is thriving under Alex McLeish at Birmingham

Discussing the impact Alex McLeish has had since leaving the post of Scotland manager for a Premier League relegation battle at St Andrew's, Forssell said: "He has told the forwards to express themselves more and to have the freedom in the last third to do stuff. I personally like that.

"We perhaps take more risks and try things. If we lose the ball, he does not bully you for that and trying stuff. That is good. You need that as a striker."

The former Chelsea striker is relishing the chance of putting his ideas into practice alongside McFadden.

He added: "James has great qualities. He is great with the ball. I like the ball into my feet and he can play one-twos in and around the box. Both of us are very attacking minded and that helps.

"I should have scored at least one against West Ham, I had two chances. I have not played that much but I need some games and I know that will come."

Birmingham's point away to West Ham courtesy of McFadden's first for his new club lifted McLeish's side out of the bottom three.

And Forssell is convinced McLeish's positive approach can ensure Birmingham retain their Premier League status.

He added: "If we get a bad result we don't mope around for three or four days thinking about the game. We react immediately. Work hard on a Monday to get it right. It is a positive atmosphere.

"It is nice to be out of the bottom three but at this stage it does not mean anything. We have put in the effort and it was disappointing to let the goal in at the beginning, because that is what we have been doing all season and we haven't been able to recover from that.

"We did against West Ham which was very good. For us it is about maintaining this level of work. We play Arsenal in two weeks at home so that is a big game. But we know that with this work ethic we have a chance."