Boro's drab goalless draw with Wigan left them languishing second from bottom of the table and facing the daunting visit of title-chasing Liverpool to the Riverside Stadium next week.
Southgate: "We showed a little bit of fear and we've got to be a little bit braver. We've got enough attacking talent on the field to pose questions and although we gave everything we didn't have enough.
"We've got to work with these players and encourage them and get the best we possibly can out of them. It's not that they don't want to do it - they know what they want to do but it's not happening for them.
"Every one of the players and staff is up for the fight. We know it's going to be extremely tough and everybody outside our club thinks we are gone but there's a lot of football to be played and points to go for."
PREMIERSHIP GAMES COMING UP ...
Monday 23rd February 2009
Hull City v Tottenham 20.00 Saturday 28th February 2009