The time for talking is over. Words are cheap, now is the time for action.

That is Stuart McCall's blunt assessment of City's alarming demise over the past month.

And the skipper is demanding results must improve immediately - with some reward from the New Den.

McCall said: "It's no good sitting around wondering where we've gone wrong. The bottom line is that everybody must play better, up to 50 per cent better.

"It's a massive worry. The more this run goes on, the more confidence will drain but we've got to do something about it.

"We can't be seen to be too pessimistic. We've got a lot of experienced lads here who have been through these sort of runs before and come out the other side.

"Tonight is the time to stand up and be counted and grind out the result we need to claw back some ground."

City have spent the last couple of days holed up in the Forest of Arden, the perfect place to chew over their recent dip.

McCall said: "It's been difficult because, of course, the mood has not been great. You can usually escape from a bad result by going home to your family but we have all been in it together.

"But it's given us the chance to discuss a few things and its perhaps brought everyone a little bit closer as a group.

"I think we've realised that our performances are not only letting down the fans and the club but each other."

Saturday's 4-0 loss at Birmingham was City's fifth in the last six league games - a slump which has dumped them into 15th spot.

And although they remain only five points off the fourth play-off position, City are also only seven clear of the bottom three.

McCall said: "I thought in the second half at Crystal Palace last week we showed enough fighting spirit to definitely get something from Birmingham.

"But once they scored the first goal we just caved in and that's what is so depressing.

"When we played Stockport and Grimsby, while we were giving goals away we were always looking like scoring. But that's dried up as well and we've gone three games without a goal.

"But we must not feel sorry for ourselves or nothing will change. We have to believe that tonight will be the night when we stop this run and start going back up the table."