Tony Mowbray felt West Brom “lacked a bit of courage on the ball” as their play-off hopes were all-but ended by a 3-1 home defeat to relegation-threatened Derby.
The visitors twice punished the Baggies from set-piece situations when Ebou Adams and Jerry Yates struck from corners in the first half.
Adam Armstrong’s goal halved the deficit and made for a nervy final 20 minutes until Nathaniel Mendez-Laing sealed maximum points for Derby two minutes from time.
Defeat left West Brom 10th in the Championship and six points adrift of the top six.
Mowbray insists his team’s latest run of five defeats in six has knocked confidence, and added: “I felt they lacked a bit of courage on the ball, too many backwards and sideways passes.
“Our situation over the defeats at Coventry and Bristol City have affected confidence.
“You need big characters when things are tough and tricky, so it was a disappointing day for us all.
“I feel disappointed for the fans and players, I’ve told them what I think is missing. They have to get together in the dressing room, root it out and turn up in the next two performances.
“I felt the team lacked a little bit of bravery and it was unlike us to lose the goals we did. It’s frustrating because however you try and inspire a football team with your words, it obviously isn’t finding the right buttons to push.”
With West Brom’s season looking like it is over, Mowbray feels it is an important close season for the club.
He added: “The summer is a huge summer for this club with the changes that are coming. Recruitment has to be right.
“I think it’s a crucial summer. I feel as if we need to sign some personality, character and confidence and play the way I feel West Brom should play.
“I think it’s going to be a fresh start with the players leaving. I’m assuming there will be half a team coming into the building. Our aspirations have to be minimum looking at the top six.”
Derby snapped a run of four games without a win with a crucial victory that keeps them outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Boss John Eustace felt the players showed character to earn just their third away win of the season.
He said: “We had a game plan coming into it and I thought we were spot on.
“We had a setback on Friday and were excellent in the second half, so to come back here with a performance like that is pleasing. We work hard on set pieces and I was pleased to see two come off today.
“The Championship is relentless. If you start worrying about the other teams you’ll cause yourself problems. I’m focused on my football team.
“To get a win now is really pleasing, we recovered from a couple of setbacks.”
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