Striker David McGoldrick has claimed that Ipswich Town have "got to be horrible" if they are to improve their recent results in the Championship.

The Tractor Boys have earned plaudits for the football that they have produced in their opening four matches of the campaign, but they have only been able to pick up three points from a possible 12.

Speaking after his side's 2-1 home defeat to Leeds United at the weekend, McGoldrick has urged his teammates to show a more ruthless side to their game.

"We can't keep performing okay and not getting anything," the 25-year-old is quoted as saying by the East Anglian Daily Times. "It's happened in the two away games and it's happened again today. That's got to change. We've got to be more ruthless.

"We haven't been bossed off the pitch by anyone, but three defeats are three defeats – it doesn't matter what the score is. We've got to go to Birmingham [on Saturday] and grind something out now. We've got to be horrible and really grind something out."

Ipswich's only win this season came against Steve Lomas's Millwall.