Lewis Travis believes Blackburn Rovers should be challenging at the top of the table and would be higher if they were more clinical in front of goal.
John Eustace's side sit ninth in the Championship table at the third international break, just three points off the top-six.
After last year's close shave with relegation, many would have accepted cosy mid-table before a ball was kicked. Yet Rovers have not been below 10th in the table this term and that should not be forgotten.
Standards inside the dressing room have been set much higher. Travis is firmly of the opinion that Rovers could and should have more points on the board, with results not always following performances.
READ MORE: EUSTACE'S 'HARSH' ADMISSION ON ROVERS DISPLAYS
“I think we’re in a good place. At the start of the season, people would’ve taken where we are," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"We had been tipped to go down and we believed we'd never be that. We're ninth and that doesn't do us justice. We're disappointed with some results.
“I think after our performances, we are disappointed not to be in the top six. That Watford and Stoke game especially, we dominated and should be six points better off. That means we are in the top six, at least.
“We have to keep working and carry on how we’re doing because then we will hopefully be right up there.
“All the lads are a very tight-knit group and I think it helps win us games sometimes.”
Rovers' four-game goal drought is ultimately what cost them valuable points in those fixtures. The underlying numbers told of similar levels of chances creation from their first seven games to their last seven.
Yet the conversation rate dropped from 17.5% to 2.5%. It is not rocket science to work out what the caused a run of one win in seven.
“You could put it down to being ‘one of those days’ but it happened against Watford too," Travis reflected on that frustration.
“I feel like we dominated the game and we have to be more clinical. There is no sugarcoating it, we massively dominated the opponents in those games but the last bit was missing.
“That isn’t singling anyone out, it’s the whole team. A lot of us had chances but we need to be more clinical and put the ball in the net. If we had, we’d be six points better off.
“To be honest, I said to the boys that we could take massive confidence from the game against Stoke. They have some good players but we dominated them and yet lost 2-0. Two mistakes at the back and we had 20 plus shots. It should’ve been 4-2.
“We need to play the way we are and be more clinical in both boxes as we were today. I think if we were more clinical, we'd be around the top three."
Rovers went someway to amending their errors at Cardiff. It felt as though all of their frustration was unleashed on the Welsh side as they scored three times with quality moves.
Travis was at the heart of the first two and is playing out of his skin. His availability, reliability and engine in the midfield make him indispensable to Eustace.
“It felt really good. We needed a win and for that to be our first away was magnificent. We’re all buzzing," Travis said.
“I think we played some very good football at times and created some great opportunities. We were very clinical which we haven’t been in the last few games. I think we could’ve seen it out a tiny bit better.
“I felt we were the better team and didn’t need to get a bit shaky at the end. It's always very important to win before the interntional break because you don't want to be dwelling on a defeat.
"I think our form in the last three games hasn't been good enough but performances have. We got those rewards today.
"I think the levels have been very good. I am someone that would rather play badly and win but if your performance levels stay consistent you will come out on top."
He added: “I think someone said it was 46-odd passes which was a great team effort. We have worked on it a lot in training, playing out from the back and through the lines.
"They had one sitting midfielder so myself and Todd (Cantwell) made it tough for them and we burst into the openings.
"You see a lot of people saying that I'm playing my best football and this is the position I have always wanted to play. As a holding midfielder alongside someone else, I feel at home with Sonny (Tronstad) alongside me, he has been excellent.
“We have players that are good enough to handle the ball. It came out today and looked fantastic.
"You have to take those chances and to get that first away win is massive. We've had the chances but we haven't been clinical enough.
“It was a very good feeling for Andi to score his second. As I’ve said in previous interviews, if I can chip in with a few more goals or assists, it’ll help the team.
“He’s massive and brings fantastic experience to the group. The more chances that come to him, he puts them in the net. He’s a cool head to have on the pitch.”
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