He points to the example of the clubs around West Ham as illustrating that technical ability alone will not be enough to get the side out of trouble.
"In the six pointers we have got coming up, like the trip to West Brom, unless we scrap and fight it will be difficult; you have got to give everything and that has to start at Leeds.
"These other clubs like West Brom, Sunderland, and Bolton are going to show effort and the will to scrap, chase and run giving their all for 90 minutes, but doing it in a controlled way, keeping the shape of the team.
"If you look at the other sides down there they have 7 or 8 scrappers and their problem is scoring goals.
"If they do that, they do manage to try and keep things tight at the back.
"Sometimes we are not scoring, and the defence is not just about the back four and the goalkeeper; it is a shared responsibility and our midfield is criticised in some quarters for not keeping its shape, tracking back defensively, and helping out.
"So it is that balance between the two, and you need something from each game now as each time it doesn't come you are running out of games - and you can't lose belief as quickly as we have in some games recently.
"Everyone in the side now has to fight for their place as the bench is getting much more competitive - there are crunch games coming up where you have to give everything.
"Everyone should be up for it and if there are one or two on the day are struggling there are players to come in now.
"It is important to show desire and belief week in, week out, and hopefully some of the technical skills the players have will come to the fore as well.
"We have got to - or it will be a very bleak summer."
Looking back on recent games, he says:
"I think the Blackburn win was half a step forward but just as you are looking to kick on from there you actually take a step back, and you couldn't see where the comeback was going to come from against a Liverpool side playing well.
"The whole ground erupted when Jermain scored the late winner and you could sense the belief coming back.
"The big shame was that Glenn couldn't pick the same team against Liverpool with Steve Lomas suspended and Gerrard and Murphy playing magnificently.
"And to lose Ian Pearce on Saturday with flu was a blow as well - it was a case of losing two of your most competitive players.
"The set pieces we let in were frustrating to concede, and you would think they don't work on them, but I can assure you they do.
"The Manchester United game was dreadful really, frustrating for everyone, but none more so than the 9,000 fans who hauled themselves all the way up there early in the day - and the players didn't do them justice.
"The one brightest spark of the whole week has been Glen Johnson who had two good full games, has responded magnificently, has concentration, works hard - and we have got to get more doing that."
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