But just as important is that the midfield start contributing to a side that has scored just 10 goals in their last 11 league outings.

Much of that is to do with the poor record from the strikers but a distinct lack of goals from midfield isn’t helping.

Oliver Norwood broke his drought for the club against Cardiff City but that’s his only goal in 29 appearances, while Danny Williams and Hope Akpan haven’t scored this season in a combined 29 appearances.

With the majority of those appearances in games where Reading played a 4-4-2 formation it makes for a poor tally from central midfield.

The stats don’t read much better in the wide positions either, with Jamie Mackie and Hal Robson-Kanu contributing three goals between them in 39 appearances this season.

Robson-Kanu grabbed his first goal from open play against Cardiff and will be hoping to push on and add a few more to his tally in the second half of the season, and it’s imperative that he does.

Garath McCleary is only just finding his top form after a long lay-off and is often out wide creating chances, but he is yet to find the back of the net in nine games.

The most profilic of Reading’s midfielders is Nick Blackman, who has five goals from 21 appearances this season, though only three of them have come in the league – with two from the penalty spot.

In total, those seven key players have contributed nine goals in 127 games this season, averaging a goal from midfield once every 14 games.

Quite simply that isn’t good enough for a team with promotion ambitions and it must be addressed if Reading are to improve.

The lack of contribution was evident against Millwall where Royals were crying out for someone to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

You could count on one hand the amount of times a Reading midfielder burst into the box to try and force an opportunity.

Clarke has four days to add to his squad and you can only presume he is working tirelessly to bring in a goalscoring midfielder as well as a forward to boost his side.