EVEN as I sit down to write this column, the horror show of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth is still fresh in the memory.

Pompey travelled north just hours after going into administration with question marks over their futures and relegation a certainty once the nine points are chalked off.

A easy home win then?

Erm, actually no. My pre-match predictions of the Clarets finally taking a team to town crumbled before my eyes high as I sat yards from John Motson.

Individual errors have again cost us but that is not my main gripe.

I have no problem with accepting that we may not be good enough for this league - it’s the best in the world for crying out loud - but what I cannot accept is players not having the desire to win football matches.

Saturday’s performance, one or two players aside, was as far from acceptable in terms of effort and if I was Brian Laws, a few of those in the starting 11 wouldn’t even get as far as North London next week, let alone walk out onto the Emirates pitch. The players have to earn the right to pull on the claret and blue of our proud club and at the minute too many are not fit to wear the shirt.

Maybe the glamour of the Premier League has gone to their heads.

The trouble is, if they don’t pull their socks up, they won’t be Premier League players come August.

Clarke Carlisle’s defending was rank bad on Saturday, and there is no excusing his performance, but the stand-in skipper showed no lack of desire or commitment.

Similarly, the returning Martin Paterson tried to gee-up his team mates at every opportunity and ran himself ragged over 90 minutes.

It’s a shame a few more of his and Carlisle’s comrades didn’t follow suit.

I don’t want it to seem like I am constantly criticising Andre and Kevin for the sake of it.

But the fact remains, many of our problems at the moment are a result of our midfield being, quite frankly, lacklustre when we don’t have the ball.

Time and time again our midfielders track their men so far and then just relax, pointing for a team mate to pick him up.

I’m sorry but that is just schoolboy stuff.

They are both paid very handsomely and the least they could do is do their job properly.

Switching off when all you are required to do is stay focused for 90 minutes every week is The fast I saw Andre move on Saturday was when the fourth official’s board went up to signal the fact he was been hooked in place of Jack Cork.

Laws’ team selection was a little odd and both Cork and Eagles being on from the start may have tipped the game in Burnley’s favour but we’ll never know and the gaffer’s reasons for going with the formation and team he did seemed sensible enough.

What he cannot compensate for is those players not doing their job and I think now, Laws has to be ruthless.

Too many players are not good enough and even if it is a case of forcing square pegs into round holes, changes need to be made.

None of the defensive five would be lining up for the pre-match handshake with Fabregas, Campbell and Gallas at Arsenal on Saturday.

Neither would many of the midfield.

We have plenty of players sat waiting for their chance and I am damn sure they would grasp it with both hands given the opportunity.

If we don’t arrest this slide, we’re going to be back in the Championship before we know it.

None of us want that but the fact is, without changes being made to the side - or at the very least to certain players attitudes - we’re going to be planning trips to Barnsley, Scunthorpe and Sheffield United rather than Old Trafford, Anfield and the Emirates!