An angry Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has told his players they have to show more desire, determination and self-belief if they are to stand a chance of securing Champions League football next season.
A first defeat to Wigan at DW Stadium was their ninth of the season and left the side in real danger of failing to make the top four in the Premier League.
The Reds remain sixth, a point behind fourth-placed incumbents Tottenham but having played more matches than any of its rivals.
However, what is of more immediate concern to Benitez is the manner of the performance in which virtually the entire side was abject in its ability to pass the ball or compete against committed opponents.
The Spaniard was at a loss to explain just why his side was so bad during the first half against the Latics but has told his squad it cannot afford to reproduce such ineptitude.
Benitez insists Liverpool can still qualify for the Champions League but it is going to take an impressive run of results - it has to play Manchester United away and Chelsea at home in its remaining nine matches - to change its fortunes.
"It depends on us. If we don't show we can beat teams then at the end it will be the same [as the Wigan result]," he said.
"When you lose you have to be disappointed but the way you lose is sometimes more important and in the first half we were just not good enough.
"I was surprised. I don't know, really I don't. I cannot understand it.
"We couldn't afford a performance like that before and we cannot now."
Liverpool went downhill from the moment striker Fernando Torres volleyed against the outside of the post in the eighth minute.
But even despite its difficulties the Spain international, who has 13 Premier League goals this season, still had a further four decent chances and a player of his quality would have expected to have taken one of them.
Benitez, however, did not lay all the blame at the club record signing's feet.
"Sometimes he is the difference," said the Liverpool boss, who said the only positive to come from the game was right-back Glen Johnson's substitute appearance after more than two months out with a knee injury.
"Yesterday we had two or three chances but you cannot score if you do not win the ball, or give the ball away, and if you do not win the second ball you cannot create chances.
"If we don't change what we did in the first half we will have problems but in terms of the ideas and the quality I think we have enough offensive players on the pitch."
Liverpool now faces a testing trip to Lille for Friday's (NZT) Europa League last-16 tie, in which Benitez admits it cannot afford a defeat.
"We have to do it (against Lille) and I believe in the players," he added.
His belief may be mis-placed as forward Ryan Babel, one of the players who has been infuriating in his consistency since his 11million pound arrival from Ajax in July 2007, admitted confidence is fragile.
"We still have hope and faith that we can get fourth place," said the Holland international.
"It will be harder in every game. It was going to be difficult even before this game.
"We needed to get three points and that's why the disappointment