Saturday’s stand-in skipper Mark Kennedy says it’s the players who are to blame for the Blues’ poor form and not manager Roy Keane. Kennedy returned to the side for the 3-1 home defeat to Barnsley after a hamstring injury, only to suffer another one during the second half.
Kennedy said: "This is nothing to do with the manager. The team that goes out there is well prepared. He sets us up well.
"When we cross that line we have to do the business, and at the moment we are not doing it. We’ve got to stop giving away such silly goals. Conceding a third goal early in the second half killed off the game.
"It was just one of those days. But we are still only two points off the play-offs. I think the division is more open this year. With the exception of the top two, it’s much closer between the top and the bottom.”
After Saturday’s game Keane said Kennedy and midfielder Luke Hyam both sustained hamstring injuries and would miss the trip to Hull next Saturday. Central defender Gareth McAuley (achilles tendinitis) and David Norris (ankle) will also be miss out. Despite the injuries Keane said he had no immediate intention of adding to his squad.