HULL City lost the battle in midfield against Watford on Tuesday night and in the end that proved costly as the visitors secured a priceless 1-0 win to close within a point of the Tigers.
In hindsight, it is easy to look at manager Steve Bruce's team selection – and especially his attacking midfield selection – and say that is where the game was lost.
I have to say I don't agree with that though. I feel some players let themselves down, and for the first time this season Bruce protected them afterwards when saying they didn't deserve to lose.
Watford were the better side. They did what City have done to so many others this season by sitting and waiting and then hitting their opponents with a bit of quality.
They passed the ball better and dominated in the middle, and that will have posed some questions for Bruce ahead of Middlesbrough's visit to the KC on Saturday.
As I say, I don't think the manager should beat himself up about his team selection.
It was a big game, and Bruce went out to take the game to their opponents with a positive team selection to try and take all three points. Nobody can criticise him for that.
The problem was City had no bite in midfield. They were second all night.
With David Meyler suspended and Stephen Quinn on the bench as he was coming back from injury, City needed some bite and aggression in midfield, and in captain Robert Koren, they didn't have that.
He was the one who Bruce needed to be getting on the ball and pushing City forward, but unfortunately, the game completely passed him by.
Perhaps Bruce should have known Koren is not the kind of player to fill the void left by the likes of Meyler and Quinn, but he is the team leader and he should be doing that.
Of course, City will be without Meyler again as he serves the final game of his ban as City face Boro at the KC on Saturday.
I have no doubt Quinn will come back into the side, and the decision then is who drops out.
I would say Koren could be at risk, but having seen George Boyd struggle for the first time having dropped him back into a midfield role, I'd expect him to go back up front to partner Jay Simpson, with Gedo perhaps dropping to the bench.
That is harsh on the Egyptian, as the poor service on Tuesday night meant he had no chance to add to his five goals so far.
Elsewhere in the side, I felt Alex Bruce came in for a bit of unfair criticism after the game from a small section of fans.
I am sure this is linked to his father being the manager, and although he admittedly didn't have his best game on Tuesday, he has done a very good job for the side, especially when playing a role he is unaccustomed to, particularly away from home.
His place could be under threat in the starting line up though, as Steve Bruce may want more creativity in there, which makes me wonder if Tom Cairney will be given his chance.
I'm sure there will be changes, but Bruce won't go making big alterations as he knows his system works, and that his side are comfortable with it.
The result was a set-back on Tuesday, but it was far from a disaster, and I don't see any reason to get too worried.
City are still in the place the chasing pack want to be in, they just have to stay calm and not panic.
To me, there have been no signs of the players not being able to handle the pressure.
They ground out a win at Huddersfield, and were simply edged out by a side who played better than them on the night on Tuesday.
I see no reason why City can't bounce back as they have before against Boro on Saturday, then they will be just five games away, with the Premier League still in sight.
