Captain Johnny Mullins admits Cheltenham Town must start games on the front foot and in the ascendancy if they want to start climbing the Sky Bet League Two table.
The Robins suffered a second successive 1-0 defeat in the league as they lost out at Tranmere Rovers.
Mullins was one of the key performers in the first half at Prenton Park as repelled waves of home attacks and he conceded after that the Robins needed to start games better and stop playing catch-up.
He said: "It was a very frustrating afternoon and the first half we didn't start anywhere near we needed to be.
“The first 15 minutes we were on the back foot and they were in the ascendancy. That set the tone for the first half.
"We've come out the second half and rallied and had some chances and had some more play. But if you start games like that it is like a mountain to climb.
"Scott (Flinders) has had way too much to do and he has played very well thankfully.
"We weren't on the front foot, from the defence to the strikers, then they are first to every ball and we were being reactive rather than proactive, which is not what we want to be doing.
"We are hurting, it is not nice to lose a game 1-0, but I assure everyone we will be fully ready to go come Tuesday.”
"It is still early days in the season and we are still gelling, still learning things out about each other, and we will get there and are confident we will get there,” he added.
"The gaffer has said his piece at half-time and we knew it wasn't good enough. We have then gone out and won more second and first balls.
"They have had a few chances on the breakaway as we have gone a little bit more attack minded. But that is what we need to be doing.
“We need to be in the ascendancy, going forward and creating chances and trying to take them.”