IT HAS been said that the Sky Blue dressing room is too quiet and perhaps lacks enough leaders willing to put their words into action on the field.
And while skipper Kevin Kilbane believes there's more than enough experience in the squad, he admits that communication has let them down in recent weeks.
“We have got plenty of experience throughout the team with Richard Wood, myself, Stephen Elliott, Steven Jennings, Carl Baker and Gary McSheffrey as well, so we do have players who will talk but sometimes it's not just a case of going out onto the pitch and screaming at each other.
“It's about communicating with each other and passing on the right information to each other, especially at the level we're playing at now.
“People are probably sick of us saying the same things over the last couple of weeks. Being totally honest, we gifted Stevenage three points on Sunday.
“We should have won the game.
We had chances in the first half but when we concede we look like we're going to crumble and that's been the common denominator through our first five games, certainly in the league.
“We went in front on Sunday and were totally dominant and we should have had two goals because I could see clearly that Steve Elliott wasn't off-side. I was in line with it but you can't allow a decision that goes against us to dictate the rest of the time left on the clock. But I think we did that and gifted them the win.
“They didn't do enough to come away with three points and yet they will have gone back home on the bus as happy as Larry because they stole the win that we have allowed them to take.“
And while City look like they have got goals in the team they continue to struggle to keep them out at the other end.
Kilbane agreed: “Stevenage's first goal was disappointing because there were a few errors and the one thing we can say about the goals we've conceded this season is that they haven't been quality goals that we could look afterwards and say, `that's a really top goal,' that has allowed them to get back in the game.
“We are conceding poor goals from our point of view, from a defensive point of view. We are gifting possession and goals and I think Stevenage came here and looked strong against us.
“Again, in the second half we shouldn't be conceding like that from a set-piece and you are looking around and scratching your head. We are working hard for our goals and we scored a wonderful goal at the weekend.
“So we were 1-0 up and cruising and we spoke before the game about closing them down and trying to get on the front foot and make a few tackles to get the crowd up for it and I think we did that at the start but we just couldn't maintain it. And as soon as they scored we crumbled a little bit.“
He added: “Sometimes quality is not just from the creative side but the quality of defending and doing the job right. If I am being honest I thought Stevenage looked well organised and very solid. We created chances and should have scored more goals than we did but I think in this league you can be very organised and get results.
“We've got quality players who can get results for us and carve open defences but we need to be a bit more solid.
“Perhaps it's a mental thing and we have to be a little bit stronger up top and think about the game a bit more because I think we have been a bit naive at times by gifting teams goals and putting us under more pressure. “The crowd are not happy and, ultimately, we're not happy because it just has that knock-on effect through the game.“
And while skipper Kevin Kilbane believes there's more than enough experience in the squad, he admits that communication has let them down in recent weeks.
“We have got plenty of experience throughout the team with Richard Wood, myself, Stephen Elliott, Steven Jennings, Carl Baker and Gary McSheffrey as well, so we do have players who will talk but sometimes it's not just a case of going out onto the pitch and screaming at each other.
“It's about communicating with each other and passing on the right information to each other, especially at the level we're playing at now.
“People are probably sick of us saying the same things over the last couple of weeks. Being totally honest, we gifted Stevenage three points on Sunday.
“We should have won the game.
We had chances in the first half but when we concede we look like we're going to crumble and that's been the common denominator through our first five games, certainly in the league.
“We went in front on Sunday and were totally dominant and we should have had two goals because I could see clearly that Steve Elliott wasn't off-side. I was in line with it but you can't allow a decision that goes against us to dictate the rest of the time left on the clock. But I think we did that and gifted them the win.
“They didn't do enough to come away with three points and yet they will have gone back home on the bus as happy as Larry because they stole the win that we have allowed them to take.“
And while City look like they have got goals in the team they continue to struggle to keep them out at the other end.
Kilbane agreed: “Stevenage's first goal was disappointing because there were a few errors and the one thing we can say about the goals we've conceded this season is that they haven't been quality goals that we could look afterwards and say, `that's a really top goal,' that has allowed them to get back in the game.
“We are conceding poor goals from our point of view, from a defensive point of view. We are gifting possession and goals and I think Stevenage came here and looked strong against us.
“Again, in the second half we shouldn't be conceding like that from a set-piece and you are looking around and scratching your head. We are working hard for our goals and we scored a wonderful goal at the weekend.
“So we were 1-0 up and cruising and we spoke before the game about closing them down and trying to get on the front foot and make a few tackles to get the crowd up for it and I think we did that at the start but we just couldn't maintain it. And as soon as they scored we crumbled a little bit.“
He added: “Sometimes quality is not just from the creative side but the quality of defending and doing the job right. If I am being honest I thought Stevenage looked well organised and very solid. We created chances and should have scored more goals than we did but I think in this league you can be very organised and get results.
“We've got quality players who can get results for us and carve open defences but we need to be a bit more solid.
“Perhaps it's a mental thing and we have to be a little bit stronger up top and think about the game a bit more because I think we have been a bit naive at times by gifting teams goals and putting us under more pressure. “The crowd are not happy and, ultimately, we're not happy because it just has that knock-on effect through the game.“
