Stephen Robinson says he felt sorry for his three midfielders after Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Milton Keynes Dons at the Mazuma Stadium.
Alfie McCalmont, Callum Jones and Shane McLoughlin were singled out for praise and Robinson admitted that those three players deserved more from the team.
“I said to them after the game that I felt sorry for them after their performance, they didn’t get what they should have done from other players on the pitch,” he said.
“They did didn’t get the hold up play, they didn’t get the runs and they didn’t get the work ethic, until it was too late.
“They started to show it at two-nil down, you need to do that right from the start and we did that for 10 minutes, created chances and then for some reason decided to sit off.”
Two goals either side of half-time handed Liam Manning’s side all three points, and the gaffer says his side must get back to basics.
“They need to learn quickly, we are repeating ourselves over and over again to some people, they need to learn what they are very good at,” he added.
“The hardest thing in football is simplicity and realising what you are good at, and some think they are good at things they are not.
“We have worked with them and we will continue to work with them as the season goes on, but they really need to learn quickly.