Liam Rosenior is determined to change perceptions of Chelsea's squad amid ongoing scrutiny of his players' conduct during a worrying slump in form.
Rosenior downplayed a potential issue with Wesley Fofana ahead of Tuesday's trip to Brighton, having previously been questioned about interviews given by Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella.
Defender Fofana has apologised for ignoring coaching staff when he was substituted late on in Saturday's 1-0 Premier League loss to Manchester United.
Midfielder Fernandez returned from an internal two-match ban in that game, following comments in which he seemed to court a move to Real Madrid, while left-back Cucurella recently questioned Chelsea's inexperience and the club's decision to dispense with Rosenior's predecessor Enzo Maresca.
"There's perspective and reality -- I've spoken to the players about this," Rosenior said. "You tell a story about yourself in moments sometimes, especially on a football pitch.
"You tell a story about your character and sometimes when you don't show yourself in the best light, the perception of you is probably different to what the reality is.
"We have a young group of players and that's a really positive thing at times and with that comes a responsibility to me and my staff to help them through difficult moments. That's what you get experience from.
"Enzo Fernandez, regardless of the two-game suspension or what he said or the mistake he made, I know the character he is. He's an outstanding character.
"There are perceptions of this group that I want to change. I want to change the perception of them because I've got to know them very well.
"That takes time and they need to learn quicker than maybe they have done in the past."
Chelsea are struggling to qualify for next season's Champions League and travel to the Amex Stadium seven points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool following four-successive defeats without scoring.
Asked if it was the responsibility of players to change perceptions of them, Rosenior said: "My job is to be accountable. The buck stops with me.
"I pick the team, I speak to them on the pitch, tactical things, cultural things. I'm willing to take accountability for that.
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"I want to protect them, not in a patronising way, but I believe in them and I believe that we [can] come through this period so much stronger but we have to get this part right now."
With just three points separating Chelsea and Fulham in 12th, Rosenior's side are in danger of missing out on European football altogether.
Cole Palmer said ahead of the defeat to United that "everything changes" if the club are not playing Champions League football next term.
"What I don't want to do is sit here and talk about us not qualifying for the Champions League because we're still fighting for it," Rosenior said.
"Does everything change? No. We're all aligned regardless of whether we're in the Champions League or not on what this team needs in the long term to be successful."