Manager Mick McCarthy says defenders often get more stick than they may deserve when teams are conceding a lot of goals. The former Ireland international, a centre-half in his playing days, says it’s ultimately down to the whole team.
He said: "When you’re conceding goals it’s always the defence [that gets the blame] - it's always the ones behind us, then the keeper. He can’t point at anyone else, he’s knackered.
"It’s a team effort. If you’re in a defence and the ball keeps coming back at you, eventually you’ll concede.
"If you put it up the park and it keeps coming back and we don’t have chances [which has been the case].
"There were times in the Palace game and even at Birmingham when we got in good positions and we should have ended up with a corner kick, a freekick or a throw-in in their final third, but we gave it away and it ended up back here.
"The poor old defenders are all getting it in the earhole from everybody. Actually, it’s a team game. Keep the ball.
"And the defenders deserve all the plaudits from Saturday because there were some great blocks.
"Conceding goals is not just about defenders and keepers, it’s a team, and everybody’s got to be made aware of that, which I have done.”
Asked how long it would take him to make a difference regarding the number of goals being conceded, he added: "PDQ, I hope. We’ve got no game next week, so we’ll be at it [on the training ground].”