A month away from their World Cup showdown against El Salvador and Bermuda?s football team still lacks some essential elements ? better concentration and quality finishing.

This assessment by national coack Kenny Thompson follows three defeats in away friendlies to Panama and Nicaragua last week. Bermuda went down 4-1 to the former before being blanked 2-0 by Nicaragua twice.

?The main thing, at this time, is the inability to concentrate for the entire 90 minutes. Many of the goals we conceded were the results of lapses in concentration. In the first match against Panama ? who were an extremely difficult opponent ? we scored against the run of play and then relinquished the lead before half-time,? he told .

?We discussed keeping the score at 1-1 ? which is a score you would be happy taking back home ? and we were going well. Panama didn?t create many chances but there were some lapses in concentration and suddenly we were 3-1 down.

?That was the trend in all the matches. We were punished for the mistakes we made.?

While also highlighting the Island?s continued inability to hit the back of the net regularly, he gave his players points for improving their game up front and being more creative.

?In the first two matches we didn?t make much of an impact in attack. I discussed the need to be more forceful and determined in that aspect of the game because it?s the only way you can win a match.

?The team certainly improved in the final match. Although we didn?t score, we had numerous chances. Players were in position to score but were wasteful in their finishing.

?I was pleased that we moved from two matches in which we didn?t create any chances to situations in which we did.

?The next step is to make the most of those chances and, at this level, we also have to learn to make the most of very few chances,? stressed Thompson, adding that in international football players cannot assume other scoring prospects will come if they squander one.

As for those who excelled on the tour, he praised Stanton Lewis saying the central defender was ?tremendous? in all three matches.

?He had to make an adjustment for these games as a result of Kentoine Jenning?s unavailability through injury and he did very well.

?I don?t recall him being outplayed at any time by any of his opponents. He was certainly a stand-out player.?

Striker Stephen Astwood also got the thumbs-up from his coach though he suffered some fatigue in the third game.

Thompson also said goal-keeper Timmy Figueiredo acquitted himself well on his recall to national duty and termed veteran Shannon Burgess? performance ?pretty steady?.

Retired pro Kyle Lightbourne also stood out though he struggled a bit in the first match before coming into his own.