Last Updated: Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:55
Sunderland manager Roy Keane has blamed himself for not being brave enough to make substitutions during the midweek defeat at Stoke.
The straight-taking Stadium of Light chief was furious with the effort of certain individuals in the first half of the Britannia reverse - and has since declared he will not hesitate to haul players off if it happens again.
"I should have been braver and made substitutions after five minutes, the way two or three of them started the game." Keane revealed to the Daily Star.
"I knew straightaway it was going to be a long night because you can't start sluggishly, especially away from home.
"Players turn up and think it is going to happen automatically, but what I saw was sloppy passes, wrong angles, weak tackles and bad decisions.
"I gave them the benefit of the doubt, which was a mistake."