Because Valerien Ismael’s press conference after the defeat to Huddersfield covered many key topics in a short space of time, we’re publishing it verbatim and in smaller chunks.

This is the second part of that press conference.

In the first 20 minutes the team seemed to lack intensity, desire and all the things that have been the hallmark of your team. Why is that? As you said we’ve had a week off, no midweek game, everything should have been in our favour.

VI: “I think it’s the story of the season.

“Every time when we have the possibility to take the next step, we are not doing it.

“It’s one step forward and then two steps back. You win at Rotherham and now we have a game like that at home, with an opponent who for sure will fight for their lives but it’s not an opponent where I would say we should lose the game.

“That’s why we need to work on that because clearly today it was the mental side, it was not technical, it was not physical, it was not tactical. Just the mental side.

“So it seems that we need to work on that with the players.”

You made the two early substitutions. Kone seemed to go straight down the tunnel without talking to anybody, and then he took a short cut through the Media Suite on his way out of he ground. Was that a negative reaction? Did he react badly?

VI: “I think that he was frustrated, but everyone was frustrated. Our fans were frustrated and we can understand that.

“I think the players need to understand they are football players, and it is a privilege to be a football player.

“The only thing you have to do is to play with your heart and to leave everything on the pitch, and you get paid for that.

“So you are healthy, and other people have another type of like which is more difficult.

“If you are not happy after a game like that, yes I understand – but look at yourself, look in the mirror and if you are really unhappy then you have the chance next week to get your frustration out and to put the performance you are able to do.

“All the players are able to do much better. It’s clear. We saw it – everyone saw it already this season.

“But it seems we have two faces this season, and today was the bad one.”