Ashley Barnes: Norwich City striker says players to blame for Canaries' poor form
- Published
Ashley Barnes spent almost eight weeks out with a knee injury
Norwich City striker Ashley Barnes says he feels sorry for head coach David Wagner after the Canaries lost at Watford in the Championship on Tuesday.
The 3-2 loss has once again increased pressure on the City boss, 52, who has been in charge since January.
"You want to win for him. He gets a lot of criticism, but it's not him, it's us who are making stupid mistakes," Barnes, 34, told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"We need to put the basics right as soon as possible."
After missing almost two months with a knee injury, Barnes returned to the starting line-up against QPR on Saturday and was hugely influential in the 1-0 win.
During his time out, the Canaries managed just two victories in nine Championship matches.
"The manner in which we are conceding goals is the same all the time - we keep switching off," Barnes said. "We need to stand by each other, grab your mate next to you and stick together.
"It doesn't matter if you're old or young, you win together and lose together. This league is relentless and does mad things to you and you have to dust yourself down and go again," Barnes said.
With Josh Sargent still out injured and a concern over Hwang Ui-jo, who was forced off with a hamstring problem on Tuesday, Barnes could be in line for more minutes at Bristol City on Sunday.
He continued: "I didn't expect to play as much as I have done after coming back. I'm big enough and ugly enough to take any criticism on the chin, fans aren't going to be happy.
"We have to rally together, see the mistakes we are making and move on as a group."