Pretoria - SuperSport United goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse believes the club must start showing huge improvement in the ABSA Premiership after a recent slump in form.
United have proven themselves to be a solid cup team in recent seasons having won the MTN8 this season as well as the Nedbank Cup in 2016/17.
In addition, coach Eric Tinkler's men made a heroic effort to reach the CAF Confederations Cup final where they lost narrowly to Congolese giants TP Mazembe.
However, league form has suffered as a result and it appears fatigue may be a contributing factor. Matsatsantsa are in 11th spot having won just once in their last 10 league outings. The departure of Jeremy Brockie to Mamelodi Sundowns has also created a void in the goalscoring department.
Nonetheless, Pieterse takes the view that a big effort is needed to improve fortunes. United face Bidvest Wits in a PSL clash on Saturday at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium in Pretoria.
He said: "I think the disappointment from CAF, the journey has been a tough one you know. But obviously that is no excuse.
"With the personnel we have we should be doing much better. We need to be pulling up our socks. We need to be more positive, more clinical and more structured at the back.
"We all have to take account for what's going on. From our perspective it is not good enough, but I guess we will rectify all of these things and we will bounce back.
"It does take time, Rome wasn't built in a day. We need to obviously come back to earth. We were flying high, we were unstoppable at the time. We were collecting three points even if it was scrappy and now we are just in a bit of a slump.
"I believe it takes time and this wave of events, it will turn and be more positive in the next few games we have. We have to turn it around as players."