Mike Dodds' every word after Sunderland vs Southampton

The four goals are avoidable goals so that's a real disappointment from my perspective. Nothing really changed from a tactical perspective from first half to second half, the difference was that we were more aggressive and that's the frustration that I have.

I want to try and spin a load of positives in that we've come up against two really high-quality teams against Leicester and Southampton and for large periods gone toe to toe with them, but we need to do that consistently and we also need to make sure that we get results. I am frustrated but I do see a group that is really trying and committed to what we're trying to do, it just feels like things aren't falling for us.

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It's been said too often this season having spells in the game, it's an ongoing struggle?

The first half, there were pockets and moments where someone didn't commit to the press or an element of the game plan, and when you play against a team of their quality you can't have that. My biggest disappointment in the first half was our quality with the ball, we didn't have enough quality in terms of retaining it.

From a technical perspective and an individual perspective, I thought we gave them the ball back too easily whereas in the second half we had more energy and quality - and it was that which gave us a foothold in the game. It's been labelled at the group in the past in terms of the inconsistency, for me today the frustration is with what we did technically in possession rather than it being about the mentality out of possession.

Update on Dan Ballard?

Dan tried to play on, I don't want to add any fuel to the fire because at this point I don't actually know. He's come off with a hamstring injury, which isn't great. I don't want to comment at the moment whether it is minor or major because he'll come in and be assessed on Monday. He's strapped at the moment and he's OK within himself at the moment, he's not overly panicked but we'll have to see. We'll just have to wait and see. 

First half struggle - not first time...mindset issue?

To a degree. When I watch it back I'm sure I'll think slightly differently. When I say aggression I'm not questioning the group in terms of did they run around? I just think when you commit to the game plan on Tuesday night it's high risk and high rewards. In the first half in particular I just felt there were pockets and moments where an individual - and it's not one individual - didn't commit to that phase of the game.

When you do that against top quality opposition, you'll get damaged. That being said, the two goals are set-pieces so it's not from them beating our press or beating the way we've set up that they scored. The point I made to the group was when you do fully commit to what we're trying to do, which we showed in the second half, you can see the rewards.

Their last two goals were a by-product of that commitment to what we're trying to do but on the flip side we also scored two really good goals because of that commitment. I'm super positive that at some point this is going to change for us. I need that to be sooner rather than later, that is definitely not lost on me, but I see a group fully committed to what we're trying to do.

How important things turn soon?

Massively. There'll be loads of things I get asked around the football club that are not related to the pitch and I always say the easiest way to alleviate those things is win football games. We have to do our bit, myself and the players, we have to do our bit to try and help the football club as a wider business. At the moment that's not happening. I know that's not acceptable but at the same time, as I've said a thousand times, I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me.

I don't think there's been a fair hand dealt in terms of the fixtures in relation to the squad selection but it is what it is. I think the group are all in and we'll keep working and trying to improve.