Internazionale coach Roberto Mancini was disappointed after the goalless draw away at Empoli on Saturday afternoon.
The Nerazzurri were coming from back-to-back positive results against Juventus and Genoa but failed to show the same determination and work-rate against Maurizio Sarri's side.
"We're still going through a difficult moment," Mancini explained.
"We have to understand the moment. Hernanes, just like [Rodrigo] Palacio, [Lukas] Podolski and [Xherdan] Shaqiri was static. But it's not one player who makes the difference.
"I didn't get carried away after the Juventus and Genoa games. This [Empoli away] is not an easy place, I am disappointed because I want the team to create more but today we lacked in that department. We needed more personality.
"I don't know [if all the praise we received lately was damaging].
"But we have to be aware of the fact that we have to change, today we had to win."
The draw means Internazionale drop points in the battle for a top-three finish but Mancini says nothing changes for his side.
"Nothing [changes for a top-three finish]," the Italian says.
"A win would have been better but we could have lost. The clean sheet is a positive thing."
