Paul Trollope admits that his team have a lot of work to do after being beaten 4-0 by Southampton this afternoon.

The manager knows that the problems in Rovers' defence need to be sorted immediately to stop them shipping goals.

Southampton are favourites for promotion from League One, but Rovers did not trouble the visitors during the game at the Memorial Stadium.

Trolls told bristolrovers.co.uk: "They are one of, if not the, best team in the league, with the best players, and we knew it would be a tough examination today.

"We went into it with confidence and belief, but unfortunately we didn't carry that into our play.

"We were disappointed to concede from a set piece early on, and then for the rest of the first half we didn't really play. There was an anxiety about it, but it was not quite a fear."

Rovers were pushed back by Southampton and not allowed to play the passing game they favour. Although the manger had some sympathy for the two front men.

Trolls said: "There needs to be more movement to be able to pass it, we cannot just except it and go long all the time, that is not what we are about.

"It is not what the players were brought here to do, that is not their strengths, and we look a very average side if we do that.

"There were a lot of frustrations, because I thought when we did pass it, which was sporadic to say the least, we caused them problems.

"When we got any sort of quality in to the front two, they did pose some serious questions to the Southampton defence. I felt sorry for the front two.

"We didn't get the goals today we probably deserved but the front two showed today that they can cause problems for one of the best defences in the league."

The manager will now aim to address some of those defensive issues, and says that his team have to take some responsibility for the bad form.

He said: "In the back we need to address a lot of issues, there may be a change of personnel, but we need address it and we have to arrest it and bounce back quickly.

"We put Oxford down as a blip, and today's opposition was vastly different, but we are still shipping too many goals, and that needs to be sorted.

"You cannot defend like that against any team, especially Southampton, and they punished us.

"They had bits of fortune, but we had some chances and half chances to get back in it and get one back before the break, which we didn't take.

"Ironically during our best spell, we started the second half quite well, a rash decision in a defensive area cost us a penalty and probably put the game beyond us.

"It was a rash challenge with the player facing his own goal. It was a shame because we had upped the tempo and started in quite a positive manner.

"The front two were getting a bit of ball earlier in the half, but that killed the game.

"I don't think there will be any defensive players coming in before Tuesday, but we need to work and players have got to take responsibility and take on board what we are doing.

"Some of it may not be pleasant work, but it needs to be done. We are confident we will be able to do it, and we have a free week which is a Godsend."

The manager now wants to see an improved mental strength from his side.

He said: "It takes mental strength when things go against you at home to continue to pass and move and not take easy options.

"That is the way the team is set to play, and that is the way we have to do it with the personnel we have got, but it takes bravery.

"There is bravery to run and bravery to tackle, and if you get half the team not doing that it soon breaks down."

The manager was also frustrated not to be able to use his new loan striker John Akinde in today's game.

The big striker picked up a slight niggle in a Bristol City reserve game in midweek.

Trolls said: "It was a frustrating one with John, we rushed about yesterday afternoon to get the paperwork done, but a tight hip flexor that he picked up in a reserve game on Tuesday meant he trained yesterday, but we weren't 1000% sure and he wasn't 100% comfortable with it.

"As he hadn't trained with us he would have only had a place on the bench, and coming off the bench with a slight niggle is not the ideal thing, and we would not have liked to have lost him for a longer period."