Steve Morison questions Cardiff City players over key aspect of performance in defeat to Middlesbrough

Four defeats in a row has left the Bluebirds 19th in the Championship table with only two games left to play.

The latest loss came in a 2-0 away trip to the Riverside to face Middlesbrough.

Cardiff have suffered the third most defeats of any team in the division this season, meaning it is only the points deductions of Derby County and Reading that has helped keep the team out of a relegation battle.

Two more defeats in the final games of the season could see the team fall to their lowest league finish since 2003.

Morison is unhappy with the performance levels in his side and has called into question their desire to compete for the team.

“I’m trying to pick a team that is filled with people that are going to be here next year and that are in the best form,” said Morison, via Dai Sport.

“Motivation has to come from within; the staff and I can only do so much. 

“When you step over the white line, you have to have that inner burning desire and belief to win, to be the best version of yourself you can and we’ll keep asking them to do that every day and hope we get a result in the last two games.

“We were the masters of our own downfall, I think. In two-thirds of the pitch, I thought we were really good, but we just didn’t have anything in the final third.

“And then we turned the ball over a couple of times and they punished us. In transitions, they were better than us and the chances we did get, we didn’t take.

“The question I asked them in there is; ‘Does it hurt enough to lose?’ But you always have to take yourself away and look at the bigger picture.”

Cardiff have a number of players in the first team squad who are set to leave the club this summer as free agents.

There are also a number of players who are set to return to