The Sky Blues also praised striker Marc-Antoine Fortune following the 2-1 defeat at the Greenhous Meadow...
Coventry City manager Tony Mowbray has bemoaned the quality of his side's defending after the 2-1 defeat to Shrewsbury Town.
The Sky Blues suffered defeat at the hands of the Shrews despite a dominant display at the Greenhous Meadow as City slip to 8th.
Aaron Martin put the Sky Blues ahead but goals from Sulley Kaikai and Shaun Whalley before the break sealed the three points for the home side.
Mowbray said: "It feels like a kick in the teeth. I thought there were signs tonight that the side were back to where we're meant to be.
"Particularly in the first-half, we played really well going forward and created plenty of chances which we should have taken.
"However, the defending tonight just wasn't up to scratch. I don't like criticising my players but it wasn't what we expect tonight and it has to be better.
"I feel as though the rest of the team functioned pretty well tonight and were really deserving of the victory. We looked pretty fluent, looked a threat but then again, we also need to score more goals."
Marc-Antoine Fortune made a rare start for the Sky Blues and turned in a Man of the Match performance as Mowbray denies it is the biggest challenge he's faced.
He added: "I've said it all season to be honest, we need to defend directness better. We can't keep losing goals from simple balls into our box, we've got to do better.
"I like my team to control games but I'm not going to sit here and say my team deserved to win the game because of the possession, we need to create more chances.
"This isn't the biggest challenge I've faced, I've been in similar spells like this and it is difficult to turn things around when it feels like it is going against you, which it did tonight. We just have to keep going, it's as simple as that.
"I thought Marc showed his qualities tonight and he was probably one of our best players out there tonight. He used his body very well and he was a definite positive tonight."