New skipper Joe Burnell says Oxford United's players are probably too nice for their own good.

If they were a bit more aggressive and nasty, opposing teams wouldn't find it so easy when they come to the Kassam Stadium.

After Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Crawley, he said there were no divisions within the dressing room, but maybe there was a lack of toughness.

"We've got a great bunch of lads, for me probably the most honest bunch of lads I've ever played with, but maybe with that honesty, we need to turn that round and make ourselves a little bit more nasty," he said.

"We're maybe a bit too honest at times, which you can be in football.

"Maybe, if we had a bit more aggression and nastiness about us, and a bit more self-belief, we'd be all right."

Crawley's win represented a second successive defeat for the U's, and Burnell said: "It's just not happening for us at the moment.

"I think we can all give a little bit more. Having said that, you couldn't really criticise the effort again, it's quality again in the final third we need."

Crawley's two goals came after Billy Turley, making his first appearance of the season following summer shoulder surgery, had to hobble off with a groin strain.

But Burnell insisted: "We can't use injuries as an excuse and I don't think it affects the way we play."