IT has been less like football and more like dominoes around the Reebok in recent weeks, with confidence looking so brittle at the back.

I can understand how frustrated Owen Coyle must be feeling because I think performances have been perfectly fine, in the main, up until the point we concede a goal. Then it all comes toppling down.

Now this isn’t just a cheap pop at the back four, even though there are obviously areas that need to be improved there.

Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture when you concede a goal. It isn’t just about who let a cross come in, but where the ball came from, or who lost their runner.

There is a lot of anger around the fans at the moment and it is being directed at the defenders like Matt Mills and Zat Knight – and they are all going to have to deal with that now in-house.

The whole team has to rally round. If someone is having a bad game, then one of your team-mates picks you up. It can’t just be about individuals, or ‘he’s having a bad game’.

You can point fingers all you want, or target individuals at the back and say they are not good enough, but unless they find a way to forge a unit then the problems are going to continue.

Everyone has got a theory on where it is going wrong – pick him, or play that formation – and every little mistake can be dissected any way you want.

People also think it can be ironed out on the training ground, but you can practice all you want at Euxton and it’ll never prepare you for coming up against an opponent in the heat of battle.

A game situation is unpredictable. When you go on to the training ground, you know what is coming up. You know the people you are playing against, and regardless of how hard you train, no-one wants to give 100 per cent because they don’t want to get injured and miss the game Saturday. That’s just a fact of life.

When it comes to the game it’s a totally different prospect. Sure, you can sort out who you are picking up and make sure you are organised. But when it comes down to the nitty gritty – putting your head where some wouldn’t put their feet – then that can only be done on out there at the Reebok when it’s off the cuff.

We need the experienced lads to come out and show themselves now. If something needs to be shanked into Row Z then put it there, and don’t be afraid of it.

Conceding a goal a minute before half time against Leeds was criminal. You should be shutting up shop at that stage in the game and making sure that anything that comes anywhere near your penalty box gets put into the stands.

It isn’t pretty and maybe it’ll be unpopular with some people but it’s what we need right now.

There are enough old heads around on that pitch to know what is needed.

 

*****

 

IT’S no use me putting on a brave face or trying to kid people that things are fine at the moment.

It isn’t a happy place and until the team starts to get results, then everyone is going to stay on a downer.

But one look at the table tells me it is retrievable.

The top two, Cardiff and Leicester City, are there because they haven’t been beaten at home, and yet neither has got what you’d deem a great away record.

Nigel Pearson was apparently under pressure a couple of weeks ago, and look at him now!

If – and I know what you are going to say – but if we had won the last two games at home, then we’d be sitting sixth. That’s how close it is.

All those ifs, buts and maybes mean nothing at the moment. Everyone is looking for a reason for why things aren’t going our way and Owen is getting flak because he’s at the head of it.

But going back some years, to when I first signed at the club, I hope he finds some solace in the face that we were sitting 18th and looking at a difficult season.

Myself and David Lee came in, we got a couple of results and the enthusiasm went up a notch. It snowballed from there. We were very hard to stop, and look where we ended up.

The bottom line for Owen, and for the team is that they have got to play their way through the problems.

 

*****

 

SO, we’re a team looking nervy and on edge... the last place we want to be going is Millwall.

If you are feeling the pressure and looking a little fragile, then The Den is the kind of place that can chew you up and spit you out if you let it.

It isn’t a nice place to play – and I know, I’ve done it. The atmosphere is unforgiving, the fans will be on your back from the moment the first ball is kicked and there are no luxuries as you’d get at the Reebok.

On their day, the support at Millwall can be ferocious. I have seen the crowd win games that the team couldn’t.

On paper we have a far stronger squad, but as we’ve seen many times already this season, reputations count for absolutely nothing in the Championship. We’ve got to earn points in that part of London, they are not given away for free.

From what I have seen of Kenny Jackett’s side, they have looked quite poor so far. They are looking for something to spark their season, and a result against us would do the trick nicely.

I think we’ll go and get a result regardless of how intimidating the place is. And if we do that, maybe the international break isn’t going to be as daunting as it looks right now.