THE sceptics who reckoned Youri Djorkaeff and Jay-Jay Okocha could not play in the same team will be eating their words if the flair pair help Sam Allardyce beat the drop.

It is no coincidence that Wanderers have hit their most impressive form of the season just at the time when their two most creative forces are at their influential best.

There were many last summer who questioned the wisdom of pairing up two so-called "free spirits" and expecting the team to function efficiently in the Premiership. But they aren't complaining now.

No-one can say at this stage whether Wanderers will be playing in the Premier League or Nationwide League next season but even the most pessimistic fan would fancy their chances of survival if they could bank on Djorkaeff and Okocha continuing in their current form.

It's a prospect that excites Phil Brown. "Truth be told, I've been waiting for this all season," the assistant manager said enthusiastically.

"We had a stop-start beginning - not just with the result at Fulham but with the injury to Jay-Jay. So we never actually got to see these kindred spirits blending together on the pitch until maybe four or five games ago.

"Our chief scout, Jack Chapman, has said many a time to me and Sam that our biggest problem this year would be finding a system that suited both players - and now I think we've found it."

Wanderers' form graph has shown a steady rise since the turn of the year with a marked upturn over the last six games which have delivered five wins and two draws to give the relegation picture a new perspective. The defence, strengthened by the introduction of Florent Laville, has been a major factor but it is the creative duo who have had the pulses racing - Djorkaeff with the control, vision and nous of a World Champion adding a cutting edge to the attack, Okocha with his fantastic footwork giving a new creative dimension to the midfield.

"There's no reason why they can't play together," Brown insisted. "I think Youri will be the first to admit that, although they are kindred spirits, the difference betweeen the two players is that one has the defensive responsibility (Okocha) and the other doesn't quite have that same responsibility.

"They do what we ask them to do when we've lost possession but creativity is high on their agendas."

The Wanderers management team have won widesperad admiration for not only attracting the likes of Djorkaeff and Okocha as well as Ivan Campo and Bernard Mendy but also integrating them into their squad without any hint of egos clashing.

Brown's delight in working with such talented internationals is enhanced by the fact that there are no "superstar" attitudes to contend with.

"We don't have a lot of time for superstardom here," he explained. "We just seem to get on with what they are good at and what we are good at and it seems to blend nicely together.

"I still get massive enjoyment from going out on the training ground every day knowing I'm working with these guys. Not just Youri and Jay-Jay but the likes of Campo and Gardner. They are all talented lads but we've also had the addition to the squad of the pace of Mendy and the defensive strength of Laville.

"It's a nice blend at the moment and if we can keep that going and keep them all on the pitch, I feel there's going to be a strong finish."