KEVIN Davies reckons a spot of self-analysis is required in the Wanderers camp.

The normally constructive Wanderers skipper could find precious few redeeming features of an afternoon at Villa Park where it all appeared to go wrong.

After emerging late from the dressing room, and one would assume a verbal ear bashing from his manager, Davies had no trouble putting his finger on exactly where improvements need to be made.

“We’re shipping goals,” he said. “We talked about it before the game, our clean sheet record is absolutely terrible. It’s the worst in the Premier League, and we know that.

“We can’t achieve what we want to unless we start keeping clean sheets. We are scoring in every game but we leave ourselves needing two or three each time.”

The sheepish expression etched on virtually every Wanderers player’s face as they skulked back onto the team coach suggested that Gary Megson might well have divulged a few home truths within the confines of the away dressing room. Indeed, some reports over the weekend suggest a few cross words were exchanged between the manager and his senior players.

And while reluctant to go into details, Davies admits his appraisal struck quite close to the bone.

“The manager has had his say and been spot on,” he said. “Jussi has made saves and kept it down to five, we didn’t protect him.

“I have nothing positive to say at all. They scored early, we managed to get ourselves back in the game against the run of play, but the second half performance was unacceptable from pretty much everyone.

“I can hold my hand up and say it was my worst performance for a while. I’ll go home and make sure I come in next week to work harder.”

Jaaskelainen was one of the few players who presumably escaped the hairdryer treatment, his performance being one of the few positives to take from a game that is unlikely to make the final edit of the end of season DVD.

“He’s the only one who can go home with his head held high,” Davies conceded. “He’s frustrated, and so should everyone else be. I am.”