Micky Adams is confident his Brighton side will turn their fortunes around in the New Year after slipping into the drop-zone with Saturday's defeat to Tranmere.
The 1-0 loss left the Seagulls without a win in six League One games but Adams believes they will prove they are better than their position currently suggests.
Adams told The Argus: "We will get better in the second half of the season. I certainly don't see us as a bottom-four side but the facts don't lie at the moment."
He added: "We will be training on Christmas Day, as normal, preparing them right for a game against Colchester and trying to find our way out of this mess we have got ourselves in.
"We've got ourselves in this mess, we are going to get ourselves out of it, simple as that. I'm very, very positive. Let's hope we get a decent result against Colchester and the fans get behind the boys."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2008, All Rights Reserved.
