Bristol City assistant Curtis Fleming confirms the coaching staff are pulling their hair out at the way the side continue to concede set-pieces - but is adamant work is being done to rectify it.
The Robins' 3-1 defeat away at Blackpool means City have conceded two or more goals in nine consecutive Championship matches. It also threatens to equal an unwanted 60-year record of conceding two or more in 10 straight matches.
Defending set-pieces has been Nigel Pearson's biggest conundrum since Christmas but conceding from crosses, in general, is ensuring City are being forced to score two or more just to salvage a point.
Fleming is eager to emphasise how much work is going on behind the scenes to eradicate the "elephant in the room" but insisted there is only so much they can do before the players have to take responsibility.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday's clash with Reading, he said: "It's something that we have been working on and we have worked on. Looking at the stats for the Cardiff game we had 13 first contacts out of 15, and you would say that's unbelievable but that's only one game.
"You have to have that consistency and there's no doubt that we're working on the really finer details by talking to individuals about their blocking positions and how we defend, whether we defend zonal or with markers, we've looked at everything.
"The best thing about it is that we want to, more than anybody, is not to concede from set-pieces. So if I need to stay here until 9pm tonight, I've got no problem with that but sometimes it's the decision on the day.
"If I had any hair it would definitely be coming out. It's a big bugbear for us. You probably think it's because you're a (former) defender but it's because you're a coach.
"You want to do the job to the best of your ability. You give them specific jobs but sometimes it's just sheer bloody-mindedness.
"It's just saying 'you're not scoring today. You're not scoring today with these set-pieces and I don't care what happens, there's your man and you're not scoring today.'
"But if you switch off and they make a move or if this happens or that happens and sometimes you're like 'hold on a minute, just do your job'.
"We cannot tell you (the players) exactly what they're going to do, we can show you 50 of the last set-pieces and look at all the different movements that were made and all the different personnel and sometimes it's down to the individual and that's the frustrating bit."
Goals haven't been an issue for City, they haven't drawn a blank since November 28 when they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United.
Judging by the stats, Wednesday's contest with Reading is likely to be an entertaining one as the league's worst defences to go head-to-head.
Reading have the joint-worst record alongside Peterborough having conceded 55 this season and are without a win in their last nine matches.
While there must be a temptation to go straight for the jugular, Fleming is wary of finding the right balance between attack and defence.
"There has to be the right balance," he added. "At the end of the day we need to be a threat and I think we are a real threat in the games, although what happens when we aren't a threat?
"We can't have to score three goals every game to go on and win it. We have to have that solidity and backbone of steel.
"So yes we are playing attacking football, we have to be more organised when we're attacking, a lot of that comes down to communication and strength and a real determination and I think that's what he have to continue working on."
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