Walsall manager Jimmy Mullen has demanded a show of toughness from his team as they try to lift the Saddlers gloom at Colchester.

The Banks’s Stadium boss has called for resolute defending from his players, as they look to recover from a nightmare fortnight by getting their League One campaign back on track.

Exits from two cup competitions, the departure of coach Eric McManus in a cost-cutting move, falling attendances and the sacking of Ishmel Demontagnac have bred despondency among supporters.

Some of these supporters are now are openly questioning the manager.

Mullen is demanding a reaction, starting at the back after eight matches without a clean sheet.

He said: “It is a matter for concern. We have conceded goals and sometimes they have been sloppy goals at important times.

“As individuals we have to tighten up and as a group we have to be more resolute, especially when we get our noses in front and have a chance to defend a lead.

“We have to cut down on individual mistakes that are allowing teams to get back at us. The spirit in the camp is very good. There is no problem with that.

“I just think that we are getting punished for individual mistakes. The annoying thing is it happens when we have our noses in front. As a team we have to tougher and more difficult to break down.

“If you look at the situation we’re in now, six points off the play-off places with a game in hand, we’re not a million miles away.

“It’s important that we try to stay on the tails of those play-off places. We know what we have to do and what we want to achieve as a group but we have to be more hardened and resolute, to get into a situation where we can win games.

“We proved we could do it earlier in the season. If we can string a couple of wins together, I’m sure we can put together a run of results to get us back among the play-off places.”

Mullen faces an enforced change with the star of the opening weeks of the season, Jabo Ibehre, suspended after accumulating five yellow cards.

The boss seemingly has has a three-way dilemma over who partners Michael Ricketts in attack.

He said: “That’s something we will work on today in terms of team discipline but I’ve got people like Troy Deeney, Alex Nicholls or Marco Reich who could all come into the reckoning to partner Michael.

“I have one or two options available to me.”

Mullen has braced his team for a tough examination from Colchester in the Saddlers’ first visit to the Us’ new Weston Homes Community Stadium.

He said: “They are a big strong side. They will want to continue how they played against Carlisle and scored five. They lost to Orient in the cup last week but it was a tight game and the report I got said they could easily have won last week.

“They are a big, physical side and about six of their 11 are over 6ft 2in tall. But we have done well on our travels so far this season and we’re looking forward to the game.”