It is time for a few home truths

The kid gloves are going to have to come off I'm afraid.

Readers of a nervous or sensitive disposition should look away now because it is time for a few home truths.

After last week's no show at West Ham I expected the air to be blue as Souey rollocked his team of underperformers.

Instead we heard basically how unlucky we'd been and how a couple of moments of naivety undid us.

At Craven Cottage the only difference was that we played reasonably well until Fulham scored. Heads then dropped and the second half became a carbon copy of the previous week's shameful display.

Fulham were magnificent at doing the one thing we never seem to have any appetite for. Closing the opposition down. They wanted it. We didn't.

Unfortunately we were treated to the same soundbites from the manager about how we'd done a lot of the right things and how on another day the same performance would have gained us a result.

I do hope that this is just the official stance for the benefit of the Press. The tea cups should be flying in the dressing room and down at Brockhall.

I don't know if the management or players ever read this column, but if they are satisfied with the results and performances this season I would like them to read, re-read and reflect upon the following statement.

We have been overtaken by a side (Bolton) that have just recorded their first home victory since August and their first win of any sort in 12 League games.

I find this staggering and if the players aren't ashamed of that fact then they blooming well should be.

With the talent in the side there is theoretically no way whatsoever that we should be in our current position.

However the table rarely lies and we are where we deserve to be as a result of letting things slide.

I really wish that the players and coaching staff could be locked in a room with a sizeable cross section of the fans to understand the immense dissatisfaction with the level of performance over the last couple of months.

We are hurting badly out here. Outwardly it just doesn't appear that the players feel the same.

The next fact that is almost impossible to comprehend is that we face the prospect of a Cup Final shorn of the services of three senior professionals due to rank stupidity.

Our captain misses out thanks to an X-rated challenge in a game that was to all intents and purposes already in the bag.

As if that wasn't bad enough we lose two more players in the dying moments of a game already lost at Fulham due to two further moments of sheer indiscipline.

Rather than defend him I would be questioning whether Craig Short has any long term future at the club following his second sending off in a month for elbowing an opponent in the face.

All in all not a happy picture. The good news is that with 12 League games to go there is still more than enough time to pull ourselves out of the mire.

It will however need a transformation in motivation and results.

On the managerial front I feel Souey needs to make a decision as to his best eleven and formation and stick with it.

On the pitch we must have 100 per cent commitment. As long suffering fans we expect no more but no less either.