As a player or manager, you're on a hiding to nothing when you come out and speak to the media after a dismal defeat. Whatever you say is unlikely to be well received.

So it would be wrong to criticise Joe Morrell for anything he said in the aftermath of Pompey's woeful showing in their 4-0 Fratton loss to Ipswich on Tuesday night. At least he faced some questioning - and at least he did not emerge from the game itself with as many brickbats being chucked his way as most other players.

The Welsh international told the Pompey website: 'The best teams don’t lose 4-1 away and then 4-0 at home. That just doesn’t happen — it’s unacceptable. There’s nothing that I can say that will make it any better for the supporters. We’re a long way short at the minute.

'It’s not a quick fix or an issue in one area — we understand that’s way off what’s required to play for this football club. We have to take responsibility for that and it’s a collective effort to make sure we don’t let this season pass us by.

'There’s still a long way to go, but we want to turn things around instantly because it hurts at the minute. I don’t think we respond well enough to going behind and as players, we have to be accountable for that.

'The manager’s quick to praise us when we do well and so do the supporters, so we have to take the criticism we’re going to get. It’s deserved. The dressing room was obviously flat and I understand the fans are going to be frustrated. We accept that.'

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