Head coach Grant McCann was frustrated by Hull's first-half performance in their penalty shootout defeat to Wigan in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
Manchester United loan signing Di'Shon Bernard missed the key spot-kick for the hosts as they lost 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
McCann said: "The first half was very poor. We were nowhere near where we can be and should be – there was a lack of energy and a lack of aggression.
"There was also not enough sprinting and not enough zip about us.
"In the second half we improved. We conceded early, but the response from the young group was great.
"After that, I thought the game just petered out.
"We've been on the winning end of those penalties last season, but unfortunately for us we've lost this time.
"But the players know that's not the standards we set here. That's not the way we go about things here."
Stephen Humphrys gave Wigan a 50th-minute lead but Keane Lewis-Potter equalised five minutes later.
The Latics prevailed on penalties as Bernard's miss allowed Jordan Cousins to score the winning spot-kick.
Wigan manager Leam Richardson was thrilled with the result but remains concerned that his squad is light on numbers.
He said: "The lads have done excellent – it's fantastic for the lads and it's fantastic for the squad.
"People are working hard behind the scenes trying to bolster our squad.
"We saw small signs tonight of certain fundamental things we've been trying to do – things we've been working on around the pitch.
"We are in the infancy of the season but we are five, six players short of a squad to compete within a campaign – especially with Covid around.
"At any given time you can have four, five, six players out with just that. We can't be ignorant towards it – we've got to be mindful of it.
"That's why we've got to work hard to get to the place where we want to be."
