Jason Tindall admitted Bournemouth are suffering a confidence crisis after losing 2-1 at home to struggling Sheffield Wednesday.
Jordan Rhodes' last-minute header earned Wednesday a first away win in 10 matches as Bournemouth's slide continued with a fourth successive defeat.
Manager Tindall said: "The first half highlighted that there are a lot of players lacking a lot of confidence and a lot of belief. We had a lot of players who looked like they are going through a bad moment with their decision-making.
"The second half was a much better performance.
"I have identified the type of characters we needed to bring in during this difficult time. The additions of Ben Pearson and Shane Long in the transfer window, with their characters and experience, will help us a lot.
"We have a lot of players who are very young and very inexperienced. Their leadership and quality will certainly help."
Striker Long was not eligible to play after completing his move from Southampton 10 seconds before the window closed and his new side fell behind just before half-time due to some slapstick defending.
Chris Mepham's poor back-pass was seized upon by Callum Paterson and the Owls' top scorer gleefully poked the ball underneath a despairing Asmir Begovic, who had already saved well from Elias Kachunga and Barry Bannan.
Junior Stanislas equalised for Bournemouth in the 65th minute from the penalty spot after substitute Sam Surridge was hauled down by a clumsy tackle from Sam Hutchinson.
The Owls were lucky not to end the game with 10 men after Chey Dunkley escaped with only a yellow card after hauling down Surridge when he was clean through on goal. To add to Bournemouth's sense of injustice, Rhodes popped up to head the winner from a Kadeem Harris cross.
Wednesday interim manager Neil Thompson hailed match-winner Rhodes.
Thompson said: "Jordan has had a tough time but he has come on and put a shift in and got his just rewards with a great goal.
"I thought in the first half we were really bright. We played aggressively, nicked the ball in good areas and could have been a couple of goals up before we scored.
"They got the penalty to get back in it. For the lads to show the character they did at the end is brilliant."
Thompson refused to be drawn on whether he wants the manager's job on a full-time basis.
He said: "The games are coming thick and fast. We have not got time to breathe.
"It is not for me to decide what happens; it is up to the powers that be.
"This win will help us because we have to pull away from the bottom and the one thing the lads are doing is putting a real shift in."
