Totally unacceptable.

No pace all over the park, no creativity going forward and, judging on the woeful 5-2 home defeat by Southampton, no defensive idea.

The poor, long-suffering home fans have seen many midweek nightmares in recent times including three goals conceded against Reading, Watford and Middlesbrough.

And while the 5-1 humiliation at the hands of arch rivals Norwich City was the deepest low, last night ran it close.

Enough is enough. And both Paul Jewell and his shell-shocked players need to take a long hard look at themselves today. The manager’s decision to play without any recognised wingers backfired, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ superb second half showing suggested he should have started.

And the train-wreck Town defence, both the back four and those in front of them, made for truly horrific viewing for the fantastically vocal 18,000-plus inside Portman Road.

Young left-back Aaron Cresswell said: “The manager is not happy at all. He is not going to accept that and we’re not going to accept it. We have to pull our finger out and turn it round massively.

“Five goals at home is totally unacceptable. “Obviously you have to point the finger at the defence, not just the back four, but the whole 11. We just weren’t good enough.”

And after predictable – and understandable – boos rang round Portman Road, Cresswell added: “The fans pay their money to come and watch and they have got their own opinion.

“We didn’t start out the blocks and it was disappointing. “We got ourselves back to 3-2 and we lifted and the crowd lifted, but we just went to pieces.”

And Jewell added: “Their goals came from our attacks. I knew there was a lack of pace in our team but that becomes even more of a priority.”