JAY Spearing hopes some fresh blood in the camp can help Dougie Freedman’s side get out of a rut in the New Year.

Wanderers kick-off 2014 with a home clash against Middlesbrough this afternoon desperate for a change in fortune after an inconsistent December saw them sink to 18th in the Championship table.

After Sunday’s 5-3 defeat at Leicester City it could be a case of out with the old, in with the new, as Freedman signalled his intent to make at least two new defensive signings a priority in the January transfer window.

Cardiff City’s Kevin McNaughton tops the manager’s shortlist after his successful loan spell, while the Scot is also hoping to bring Neil Danns back from Leicester until the end of the season.

Last year the addition of Craig Dawson from West Brom signalled a distinct upturn in form – and Spearing believes a few new fresh faces could again do the trick.

“If new players come in during January and make us better then I’d hope they can have a big impact for us,” he said.

“I do think we have got a good squad but we are disappointed in ourselves at the moment because we are letting sides get their own way. Maybe it needs something.

“We are giving up an advantage and it’s not good enough, we know that.

“We’ve got 2013 out of the way now and there’s nothing more we can do about it.

“We just have to push on for the next six months and try to get out of this rut.

“They are fine margins but we need to start killing people off, not the other way around.”

Wanderers had been eight games unbeaten until they met Middlesbrough at the Riverside at the end of November but have since taken just seven points from seven games.

The slide in form was accentuated by the apparent gulf in quality at Leicester on Sunday, where the lead was twice thrown away against the league leaders.

It was a result that hit the camp hard but Spearing does not think it will prove to be a defining point in the season.

“The lads were devastated but we have to learn from those mistakes and try to push on,” he said. “That’s what they were, mistakes. And over Christmas we have picked up points here and there but we have made too many of them.

“No team has come and dominated us – we’ve played well but those silly goals have cost us. We have to stop them happening.

“The only way we can do that is to work harder in training and try to keep our concentration if we score. Against Leicester, every time we scored we seemed to concede, so it’s that concentration that seems to be the problem.

“We created three good chances in the first half at Leicester and took all three – that’s the kind of side I think we are. But at the back we were doing stupid things, every single one of us.”