The 'honest' 50-minute dressing-room inquest which Portsmouth players hope can galvanize their sinking season

And he’s hoping the 50-minute meeting will galvanize Danny Cowley’s struggling side to succeed at Accrington on Saturday,

The Blues slumped to a 4-0 defeat on Tuesday night, representing another abject display during a worrying period.

Stung by the low quality of their performance, the players afterwards held clear-the-air talks in the absence of Cowley.

According to Curtis, the occasion was straight-talking, yet constructive, after collecting one win in their last 12 fixtures in all competitions.

And the Irishman is banking on a positive response, starting from Saturday.

He told The News: ‘After the game in the dressing room we spoke for 45-50 minutes among ourselves.

‘The manager initially spoke for 10 minutes, then left the room – and we then spoke as a team.

‘We talked about what we could do better, why we aren’t winning enough games. You can say people’s mindsets or whatever, but every lad in that changing room works their socks off and gives it 100 per cent.

‘There’s just something missing – and we’ve got to find what.

‘The meeting was honest, we shared our true feelings about what we thought of the game, what we could do better, who could do better. We took everything on the chin, that’s what football’s about.

‘It’s not about criticising players, it’s about helping each other out on and off the pitch, it’s constructive.

‘Those sort of meetings don’t really happen often, but we’ve had two bad results, conceding eight goals. That isn’t good enough.

‘Obviously we’ve got to change what it is that we’re doing wrong.’

Since starting the season with three straight League One wins, the Blues have subsequently triumphed once in the next two.

In addition, there have been losses in the two Papa John’s Trophy fixtures – AFC Wimbledon and Sutton United.

But Curtis is adamant there remains plenty of talent in the dressing room.

He added: ‘I wouldn’t swap any of the lads in there for another team in League One. We’ve got a great team, great team morale, but football is never straight forward.

‘It’s never plain sailing reaching for the top, it is always a roller coaster, up and down, you’re going to have tough moments, great moments, win trophies and not win trophies.

‘We’re not getting the results we need, but it brings us closer together. We are the only ones inside these four walls and on these training pitches and have to do the best we can.

‘Accrington away is a great test for us. It's going to be tough conditions, they will come out all guns blazing and we’ve got to adapt our game.

‘We have to do the best we can to beat them.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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