We all want to improve - Crewe midfielder Thomas

Conor Thomas signed for Crewe from Cheltenham ahead of the 2022-23 season and is approaching 100 league appearances for the club

Crewe midfielder Conor Thomas says though they understand supporters' frustrations over results, they have had a "positive" week discussing how to improve on recent performances.

The Alex have lost their last two matches in League Two - at home to Bromley 1-0 and last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at MK Dons.

The loss at Stadium MK led to boss Lee Bell calling for more leadership from his side, fearing they had become a "nice team" and wanted to see who was "up for the fight".

Thomas told BBC Radio Stoke the squad have taken on board all the messages they've been given.

"As a collective, we all want to improve - whether we're winning or losing," he said.

"Obviously we're in a results business and when results aren't how they should be generally, you look towards what things need to be fixed quickly.

"It's been a positive week and we need to implement the right things."

Some Crewe supporters have vented their frustrations at recent performances.

"Fans pay and they want to see good performances and results and we understand the frustrations," Thomas said.

"But we're trying to do everything we can during the week and weekend.

"Since I've been here, the fans have been really good and they've been on the journey with us.

"It's not easy. It's not 'turn up at the weekend and it's guaranteed wins'. You have to fight every week

"We just need to find a way to fall the right side of these tighter games and hopefully we'll be ok."

'We've shown it before, we can go on another run'

Crewe's recent stutter is in sharp contrast to their excellent start to the season, when they won their first four games.

That was followed by five matches without a victory before that run was ended by back-to-back successes.

Thomas says the fact that they have gone on good runs before gives the squad confidence they can do so again - starting on Saturday as ex-Crewe boss David Artell brings his Grimsby side to the Mornflake Stadium.

"We have the ability and the mindset to win games and we need to find a level of consistency," Thomas said.

"Winning breeds confidence. I think the games we're good in, we win. When our performances aren't so good that's what we need to improve to stay in games and maybe have a scrappy 1-0 win.

"We've shown it before and hopefully we can go on another run again.

"I don't know him [Artell] personally but I'm sure he'll have an eye on this fixture and a bit more on this game. We've got to be prepared for that."