Nicky Summerbee reckons a bout of soul-searching is needed to salvage City's "desperate situation".

Bryan Robson's side turned in an abject display at Ipswich on Saturday - their fifth loss in a row.

It keeps them eight points adrift of safety and seven behind nearest rivals Nottingham Forest, who grabbed a last-minute equaliser against Walsall.

Summerbee admitted: "All the lads are very depressed, I'm depressed. I've got to look at myself and sort my game out and it's the same with the rest of the team as well.

"That's all you can do and keep plugging away hoping that things will come right. The situation we are in is desperate."

Neither Robson nor Colin Todd attended the post-match press conference but Summerbee said the finger should be pointed at the players.

"You can't fault the manager and his assistant. They are doing the best that they can.

"But whatever they say it's down to the players and we're not doing it. It's getting more difficult with every result that goes against us.

"When you're at the bottom of the league it's very hard. We want things to happen but the more and more you try to force it, it doesn't go that way.

"I've been in the opposite position when you're the team at the top playing a bottom side. Things do work out for you when you are comfortable in the table. It's all down to confidence and that only comes with getting the right results."

Summerbee, who was subbed midway through the second half, held up his hand for City's poor display at Portman Road.

He added: "It was awful, none of the lads can say they did themselves justice.

"We got back into the game when we didn't really deserve to. But to concede again straight away was a sickener.

"In the second half we weren't there at all, we never got going."

Danny Cadamarteri and Michael Branch were named in the reserves to face Barnsley at Oakwell today.