STEVE Bruce has admitted expecting "too much" for Birmingham's cluster of new signings to instantly blend together but pledged: "We will get better."

Bruce enjoyed instant success when he brought in Christophe Dugarry, Matthew Upson, Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence in the January 2003 transfer window, with the quartet all playing major roles.

But this summer's batch of newcomers - the likes of Emile Heskey, Mario Melchiot, Jesper Gronkjaer, Muzzy Izzet and Julian Gray - are taking time to settle into the way Bruce wants his side to play, despite some encouraging individual performances.

Bruce, who saw his Blues oversome their Premiership frustrations to beat Lincoln City 3-1 in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, said: "Of course, we get excited because people like Heskey, Gronkjaer and Melchiot are big names who have played for big teams.

"But it does not always mean that you are a big team just yet. We were very fortunate 20 months ago when we brought in four players who came straight into the team and made an immediate impact.

"This time we have found it very difficult, especially with the injuries we have had on the left hand side, to blood five or six new faces straight away.

"The one thing I have learned is that is too much. But the one thing I will promise is that we will get better as the season goes on. We will get better when we get used to what we want.

"What we need to try and do is find a settled team. We have never picked the same team twice yet. We have not been able to and we are only half a dozen games into the season."

Bruce was able to sign every player on the "wish list" he delivered to the Blues board at the end of last season, plus Darren Anderton and Dwight Yorke for good measure. But he has struggled so far to deliver the results to match the raised expectations.

He said: "Everyone's expectation of the Premier League rises through the roof but I will stress to everyone that we are not the only club who have strengthened."