Ten crucial league games remain, with Middlesbrough at home on Tuesday evening igniting the touch paper for a very nervous period for Blues supporters. Whatever the reasons for this latest unnecessary and dire situation, one that has smacked us firmly between the eyes, players being paid by the club need to produce. And quickly.

Sadly, we are once again only asking for the bare minimum which, of course, is the pathetic target of finishing outside the bottom three by final day fixtures.

Unlike previous relegation seasons which saw us fight with the likes of a David Davis or a Maikel Kieftenbeld, it seems to me that we lack that ‘digging in ’mentality that bullied the opposition. This season is showing that failing very clearly in my view. Somehow our stand-in manager Mark Venus needs to get these qualities out on the pitch and in the hands of genuine leaders. And without the reckless yellow carding that takes away the competitive nature of the players, who need to impose and get the better of their counterparts.

As for Middlesbrough and Watford this week, I would like to see Jutkiewicz restored as captain and played as much as possible. And Dembele brought back in as the serious goal threat that he can be, to relieve the late, late opposition pressure to our fragile defence. Dembele is for me the extra defence mechanism that we need when seeing out games. Whether Mr Venus sees it that way is another matter.

After the miserable defeat last Saturday by Millwall, my immediate thoughts turned to Tom Wagner and Tom Brady and the dire need for their presence in the changing room from now till season end. A few days later, with emotions calmed a little and a bit of hope having emerged with West Bromwich Albion doing us a great favour by beating Huddersfield on Sunday, am I still of that mind for a Wagner/Brady intervention? Absolutely yes. Digging in by everyone at the club has never been more important, especially with the promise of a whole new summer of change.

Mitchell Bray