Derby County manager Paul Warne has claimed that the entire Derby squad need to improve after the international break.
The Rams are not near the top of the table as expected before the season started, as they are sat in eighth place, ten points off of Portsmouth in top spot after eleven games.
They are top of their EFL Trophy group though, after beating Notts County 2-1 on Tuesday night as they near qualification to the knockout rounds.
Paul Warne says Derby are failing
But Warne still says the players need to do better.
“Fundamentally, we’re failing, we’re not in the top six where we need to get,” Warne told the BBC.
“They need to go away and have a think, come back and improve with the standards, all of them.
“If the lads want to achieve something then we have to improve. Everybody has to be spot if we’re going to be successful in all aspects of their game.”
The Rams have had their game on Saturday afternoon at home to Charlton postponed due to international call-ups, so ended their league campaign before the break with a 1-1 draw away at Cheltenham.
“If you miss that many chances in a game and you win, you’re probably luckier [rather] than good”, Warne added.
“They could have scored a hatful of goals, which is my only frustration.”
Paul Warne demands players to come back after break better
Warne has now demanded the squad look at themselves over the break and come back better.
“A bit of rest, a bit of honesty and I’ve just told them straight.
“There hasn’t been a game yet, apart from Blackpool at home in the cup, where we’ve come off as the worst team.
“It’s goals that matter. There’s no point having all of the ball and 10 shots on target that don’t go in.
“We need to be ruthless, we have to demand more of each other in training, myself included. All of us just need to increase our standards a little bit, so it’s an ideal time to have that chat because we’ve won.
“We’re not far off being great, we just have to not worry about outside noise and keep it in house, try and help each other and try to improve.”