Lack of confidence

[Buzzard]

After yesterdays game, well done lads, Gus and the management team. Back to winning ways and three points. My point is that were forever having idiots coming on here saying that different players in the team are not up to it, but after watching the game yesterday, our passing game has gone backwards. Last year our passing game was spot on, so forget about whether players are good enough to step up to the next level, balls were being played behind players, they were having to check back and take a first touch just to control the ball. So we are not even at the point we were last season which we know these players are capable of. It appears that the confidence has gone out of the team and half the players look like they are at the end of the season. It all appears to stem from the five games in ten days. Does Gus need to take the players away during the next international break to get players back on the boil. What are others opinions.

 

[Acker79]

When is the next international break? I can see none listed before the end of the season.

We need a run of games against beatable opposition. The southampton game came at the wrong time. If we'd had Barnsley then Coventry that would have been back to back wins that would have given us confidence, the loss to southampton prevented that. If we get something v Derby (which is more possible than I thought - I still thought they were top 5, but they are four places below us, so we should see them as a team we could get something from), we then face a forest team who we have a good chance of getting something against, and there you have it; four good results out of five, and the confidence will start coming back.

 

[pasty]

After yesterdays game, well done lads, Gus and the management team. Back to winning ways and three points. My point is that were forever having idiots coming on here saying that different players in the team are not up to it, but after watching the game yesterday, our passing game has gone backwards. Last year our passing game was spot on, so forget about whether players are good enough to step up to the next level, balls were being played behind players, they were having to check back and take a first touch just to control the ball. So we are not even at the point we were last season which we know these players are capable of. It appears that the confidence has gone out of the team and half the players look like they are at the end of the season. It all appears to stem from the five games in ten days. Does Gus need to take the players away during the next international break to get players back on the boil. What are others opinions.

I tend to agree. There just seems to be a lot of nerves at the moment. Too many passes going astray, and even worse there must have been nearly half a dozen yesterday that were passed straight to a Coventry player.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't think it is a good idea to compare our passing game (or lack of it) now to last season. Players in the Championship can read the game better and intercept passes that League 1 players couldn't. The pace is also faster so players have to think quicker or try to lose their marker in a better way. We've also had so many injuries that we aren't playing with a settled team and have had to play 'walking wounded' as Gus called them.

 

[Beach Hut]

You should take into this equation that teams are a lot better in the Championship at closing down defenders.

 

[andyconor]

When is the next international break? I can see none listed before the end of the season.

We need a run of games against beatable opposition. The southampton game came at the wrong time. If we'd had Barnsley then Coventry that would have been back to back wins that would have given us confidence, the loss to southampton prevented that. If we get something v Derby (which is more possible than I thought - I still thought they were top 5, but they are four places below us, so we should see them as a team we could get something from), we then face a forest team who we have a good chance of getting something against, and there you have it; four good results out of five, and the confidence will start coming back.

This is just what I was thinking when I was seeing us get humiliated by Southampton and Peter Walton. I feel a lot more confident with Derby and Nottm Forest as they are a lot more beatable than Southampton. I believe, if we get positive results, we can go back to winning ways.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I think that you can't compare last season to this but most of us saw us before the season started as a mid table team. That's seems to be how it is panning out so we wil beat those below us and lose to those above us with maybe some improvement over that should we get over the injuries and have a settled side

 

[SittingbourneSeagull]

Think there are a multitude of reasons for the way we are playing.

No settled team due to injuries/poor form.
Crowd getting restless very quickly at home.
The pace of The Championship being that much quicker then Div 1.
The players in the Championship can read the game better.
Opposition Managers have worked out to play against us and we don't have a decent enough target man to play the long ball.

Having said all of that would not have expected any more then mid table this season so am quite happy and see us as a work in progress.

 

[Surf's Up]

I don't think it is a good idea to compare our passing game (or lack of it) now to last season. Players in the Championship can read the game better and intercept passes that League 1 players couldn't. The pace is also faster so players have to think quicker or try to lose their marker in a better way. We've also had so many injuries that we aren't playing with a settled team and have had to play 'walking wounded' as Gus called them.

This + the real examination of our credentials will come soon when we have Buckley, Vicente, Reyes, Hoskins and El Abd back - actually, come to think of it, with these five back in contention I feel strangely optimistic and with the wisdom of hindsight we may well conclude that we've done bloody well since the Leeds game to stay in contention!!

 

[Chicken Runner61]

The pitch is too hard that's why we are getting so many injuries -it's going to be relaid in the summer - that's what I heard yesterday

 

[Dorset Seagull]

To be fair there possibly is a confidence thing in that Gus wants the players to receive the ball under pressure and continue to play a short passing game. This is ok if you are a top prem player but less ok if you play at our level. This means that the players are potentially scared of receiving and giving at pace while under pressure in case they cock up so end up not playing this way

 

[Albion Dan]

I think there are two simple words that explain why our passing game isn't as effective as last season.

ELLIOT BENNETT.

 

[The_Viper]

I said this at the start, I'll say it again now, if someone offered me 12th when we were top I'd of bitten their hand off. I'd do the same now. With a fully fit squad I can see an outside push for the playoffs if we keep in contention until the end, but this and probably next season are works in progress, let's just build and probe the league, Gus is only into his SECOND full season of management, let everything settle, then push for the Prem.

 

[e77]

I think there are two simple words that explain why our passing game isn't as effective as last season.

ELLIOT BENNETT.

Yes, plus his nearest replacement Buckley hasn't really got going yet.

 

[cirC]

WE are in the championship and given that the premier league has so many overseas player,the championship is not far off being like the old 1st division of the 1980s.
I think we are not doing to badly at all.In fact compared to the end of the Goldstone era we are doing bloody well.

 

[Munkfish]

I think there are two simple words that explain why our passing game isn't as effective as last season.

ELLIOT BENNETT.

This This This and This.

 

[LamieRobertson]

WE are in the championship and given that the premier league has so many overseas player,the championship is not far off being like the old 1st division of the 1980s.
I think we are not doing to badly at all.In fact compared to the end of the Goldstone era we are doing bloody well.

f*** me ..soz lingo..but what a sensible post ...how many games hav we played? less than 20...and som exciting carling stuff in the mix as well....o such early days...i'm loving championship footie...consolidation name of the game..and i still say we r capable on the day of beating top sides if we hav strongest/settled side out