Saturday’s 4-1 capitulation at Portsmouth set the alarm bells ringing for many Sky Blues fans when the team’s defensive frailties were laid bare with several individual mistakes and an unacceptable overall level of performance, particularly in a second half that lacked character and fighting spirit against a side that started the afternoon in third from bottom of the Championship.

Club owner Doug King said last month that there would be scope for the new head coach to strengthen the squad in January, with the loan market an option to operate in, saying: “We are always trying to do good deals,” he said. “I mean, obviously any purchase of a player is coming in externally from me at the moment, but yeah, it depends how we go in the next ten or 12 games.

“Dean Austin (head of recruitment) and myself will work closely with the head coach and try to fill the gaps that come up in the next window to ensure that we get what’s required to provide cover or add sparkle, whatever is required or whatever we think is the right thing to do.”

Asked if Saturday’s performance, particularly the second half, has brought into focus more sharply areas of the team that need help come January, Lampard said: “Not really. I think to react off one 45 minutes, I would say would be reactionary. I think it’s a case of learning every day with the group so that’s not drastically changed my thought process.”

Asked whether the players need picking up after the weekend’s deflating defeat, the City boss said: “We’ll see. I think we work together and understand the things that we did wrong. That’s our job, to see that but also to understand the positives of the game from the first half and what may have been the moments in the game that clearly changed it for us, and some individual mistakes which you can’t legislate for.

“But we’ll work together. We’re a group now. This is it. We were all together and what they feel, I feel, and vice versa. So the only important thing is the next one in front of us.”