| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack 11:58 - Mar 28 with 2048 views | Dubtractor |
How to fix a team mentality that has become so conservative? A team that doesn't take risks, as Cook states a team of players waiting for someone else to make things happen.
This isn't new to this season either. Someone on twitter earlier posted that we have averaged just over one goal a game over 5 or 6 seasons now - this mentality goes back to the latter part of Mick's time too. It was understandable then, as an underfunded Championship team, but utterly inexcusable now.
Can we fix it with the players we have, with extended training? Lambert evidently failed at this, but watching his teams you got the impression that he actually made us worse on this front - the phrase 'no threat football' seemed designed for his team this season.
Or can this only be solved by clearing a lot of this squad out and starting again? |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:17 - Mar 28 with 1999 views | hadleighboyblue |
Worst thing for me is the players , with very few exceptions , are not busting a gut to make it happen .
Within touch of top 6 , new manager and new contracts to play for , what more do they want to kick them into action ? |  | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:23 - Mar 28 with 1984 views | lazyblue |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:17 - Mar 28 by hadleighboyblue |
Worst thing for me is the players , with very few exceptions , are not busting a gut to make it happen .
Within touch of top 6 , new manager and new contracts to play for , what more do they want to kick them into action ? |
What I can’t get to grips with is how any of our midfielders can’t drive past an opposition player abd have a shot from the edge of the area. | | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:41 - Mar 28 with 1936 views | chicoazul |
It might help if he shook things up a bit and got them playing in a different/adjusted formation. As things stand they seem to be leaning on the familiar and like you say, not taking risks. |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:56 - Mar 28 with 1917 views | Jermynblue |
I agree with Paul Cook's comment that we have a team of players waiting for someone else to make things happen and that this has been the case for several seasons. The midfield in particular has been very guilty of this for a long time.
It does seem that we have had inadequate offensive coaching and drilling of patterns of play under Mick, Hurst and Lambert. I am not sure that we had much of any proper coaching under Hurst and Lambert, whilst under Mick there was evidence of good defensive coaching, but nothing when we had the ball.
I recall that when we played Leeds in the Championship, the warm-ups of the two sides before the game spoke volumes. As part of their warm-up Leeds set up a session of attack against defensive at pace using their half of the field and it was really good to watch. It was high pace, excellent movement and you could see how it could benefit them in a game. I have never see us attempt to do this. Equally, it always used to amuse me that in our session, when the defenders were working in a four with their heading, passing on the ground and long passes, the attackers and midfielders would be having shooting practice. Meanwhile, Skuse when playing would be doing neither and instead did some stretches and would chat to the ground staff /spare coaching staff. No intention that it would be even worth his while practising shooting as he had no intention of having a shot during the game or was not expected to need to. Skuse was great defensively, but what would have helped him and the team is some time being spent improving the weaker areas of his game in terms of offering more when we had the ball or even shooting. He was definitely a midfielder that when we had the ball was waiting for someone else to make things happen. | | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 13:05 - Mar 28 with 1885 views | Garv |
I just don't think the quality is there.
If you look back over the last five years, or more, you can probably count on one hand, maybe two, the number of genuinely 'good' individual goals we've scored. We're scored the odd good team goal (e.g Dozzell against Leeds 2019), but you can arguably put that down to patterns of play and coaching (I know Lambert never coached the players etc etc.)
I would love to know our stats for goals scored from outside the area compared to other sides. I can only imagine it's utterly dreadful. |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 13:09 - Mar 28 with 1874 views | Garv |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:23 - Mar 28 by lazyblue |
What I can’t get to grips with is how any of our midfielders can’t drive past an opposition player abd have a shot from the edge of the area. |
The only player really capable of beating men consistently is Bishop, but all that seems to happen is he goes over easily and wins a free kick. That's often seen as superb play but invariably it just ends with a speculative shot from a free kick that doesn't end in a goal. Hate to knock him because he's one of the best of a poor bunch but it's an example of where we need to improve. | |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 13:38 - Mar 28 with 1845 views | Ace_High1 |
It has been the conservative, safety first culture of the club over the last decade that has now consumed our play.
Too much victim, all the other clubs spend more, we are little Ipswich, a point is a good point (at home to Rotherham), worrying about matching up, clean sheet, run a lot mentality.
The whole club is in decline, until Evans goes we are doing one way, and that is down.
Football is about scoring goals and winning, yet our whole mentality is just to survive. If we were an animal we would be put down. |  | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 13:58 - Mar 28 with 1808 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 13:38 - Mar 28 by Ace_High1 |
It has been the conservative, safety first culture of the club over the last decade that has now consumed our play.
Too much victim, all the other clubs spend more, we are little Ipswich, a point is a good point (at home to Rotherham), worrying about matching up, clean sheet, run a lot mentality.
The whole club is in decline, until Evans goes we are doing one way, and that is down.
Football is about scoring goals and winning, yet our whole mentality is just to survive. If we were an animal we would be put down. |
This. |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 18:04 - Mar 28 with 1710 views | BlueBadger |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:56 - Mar 28 by Jermynblue |
I agree with Paul Cook's comment that we have a team of players waiting for someone else to make things happen and that this has been the case for several seasons. The midfield in particular has been very guilty of this for a long time.
It does seem that we have had inadequate offensive coaching and drilling of patterns of play under Mick, Hurst and Lambert. I am not sure that we had much of any proper coaching under Hurst and Lambert, whilst under Mick there was evidence of good defensive coaching, but nothing when we had the ball.
I recall that when we played Leeds in the Championship, the warm-ups of the two sides before the game spoke volumes. As part of their warm-up Leeds set up a session of attack against defensive at pace using their half of the field and it was really good to watch. It was high pace, excellent movement and you could see how it could benefit them in a game. I have never see us attempt to do this. Equally, it always used to amuse me that in our session, when the defenders were working in a four with their heading, passing on the ground and long passes, the attackers and midfielders would be having shooting practice. Meanwhile, Skuse when playing would be doing neither and instead did some stretches and would chat to the ground staff /spare coaching staff. No intention that it would be even worth his while practising shooting as he had no intention of having a shot during the game or was not expected to need to. Skuse was great defensively, but what would have helped him and the team is some time being spent improving the weaker areas of his game in terms of offering more when we had the ball or even shooting. He was definitely a midfielder that when we had the ball was waiting for someone else to make things happen. |
Mick, along with the side he created has been gone three years, but it's all his fault.
Peak TWTD. |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 20:30 - Mar 28 with 1632 views | itfcjoe |
You've got to try and instil some confidence in the forward players, they play scared and no surprise when that has been how they've trained for best part of 2 years.
The goal records of our forward players are woeful - bar Norwood - everyone who has played in the 3 behind the striker has barely scored a goal for 20 games - and the players we brought in hadn't either in January - Thomas, Parrott and Harrop now have a combined 2 goals in 75 games this season.
I think you've got to do something brave in next few games - Dobra doesn't have the fear play him. Free Lankester up to do something. But you see that 3 yesterday of Sears, Judge and Edwards and you know what you are getting - and realistically that is f**k all |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 21:04 - Mar 28 with 1603 views | BlueBorn86 |
I have worked for the club previously for a number of years. I would suggest this isn’t an isolated issue to the squad. This conservatism and lack of ambition is deep rooted through all of the club like a disease! For me it all starts at the very top and reached out into every nook and cranny of the place.
Sometimes when your house is rotten you have to knock it down and start again. | | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 21:24 - Mar 28 with 1583 views | Plums |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 21:04 - Mar 28 by BlueBorn86 |
I have worked for the club previously for a number of years. I would suggest this isn’t an isolated issue to the squad. This conservatism and lack of ambition is deep rooted through all of the club like a disease! For me it all starts at the very top and reached out into every nook and cranny of the place.
Sometimes when your house is rotten you have to knock it down and start again. |
We hear this a lot but have you any (anonymised) examples? |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 21:44 - Mar 28 with 1569 views | BlueBorn86 |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 21:24 - Mar 28 by Plums |
We hear this a lot but have you any (anonymised) examples? |
Like what? Any examples I could give are things that are fairly obvious for us all to see.Not trying to side step the your question.
I was there some time ago and I heard my fair share of things but clearly I was low enough on the food chain to be kept out of most chat.
My point was, having worked there it’s not just the squad that has been left and abandoned pretty much the whole club has been left to rot. Lack of ambition and lack of funds will see to that.
There are a lot of people there who deeply care for the club. But I think once you get to the real upper reaches..I don’t know how far that concern goes OR whether they have any real idea of how badly the club is suffering for it. | | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 06:54 - Mar 29 with 1451 views | chrismakin |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 20:30 - Mar 28 by itfcjoe |
You've got to try and instil some confidence in the forward players, they play scared and no surprise when that has been how they've trained for best part of 2 years.
The goal records of our forward players are woeful - bar Norwood - everyone who has played in the 3 behind the striker has barely scored a goal for 20 games - and the players we brought in hadn't either in January - Thomas, Parrott and Harrop now have a combined 2 goals in 75 games this season.
I think you've got to do something brave in next few games - Dobra doesn't have the fear play him. Free Lankester up to do something. But you see that 3 yesterday of Sears, Judge and Edwards and you know what you are getting - and realistically that is f**k all |
If we were to play some players without fear
I'd stick Bennetts on the left, Lancester on the Right, Dobra behind Norwood
At least it would be direct! |  |
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| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 09:26 - Mar 29 with 1342 views | tractorboy1978 |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 20:30 - Mar 28 by itfcjoe |
You've got to try and instil some confidence in the forward players, they play scared and no surprise when that has been how they've trained for best part of 2 years.
The goal records of our forward players are woeful - bar Norwood - everyone who has played in the 3 behind the striker has barely scored a goal for 20 games - and the players we brought in hadn't either in January - Thomas, Parrott and Harrop now have a combined 2 goals in 75 games this season.
I think you've got to do something brave in next few games - Dobra doesn't have the fear play him. Free Lankester up to do something. But you see that 3 yesterday of Sears, Judge and Edwards and you know what you are getting - and realistically that is f**k all |
This is why I think a huge clear out is needed in the summer. Not taking risks, hiding and playing negatively seems to be absolutely ingrained within most of these players, for whatever reason.
I think arguments around 4-2-3-1 vs 4-4-2 vs any other formation on the whole are rather redundant. We aren't going to suddenly become a free flowing team overnight.
Cook will be playing 4-2-3-1 next season so why not give Dobra and Lankester a run in that formation now to see what they can do? It's a formation that should suit both. The others have proven that they don't deserve to be here next season for me. | | | |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 12:44 - Mar 29 with 1256 views | jayessess |
| 5th best defence in the division, 4th worst attack on 20:30 - Mar 28 by itfcjoe |
You've got to try and instil some confidence in the forward players, they play scared and no surprise when that has been how they've trained for best part of 2 years.
The goal records of our forward players are woeful - bar Norwood - everyone who has played in the 3 behind the striker has barely scored a goal for 20 games - and the players we brought in hadn't either in January - Thomas, Parrott and Harrop now have a combined 2 goals in 75 games this season.
I think you've got to do something brave in next few games - Dobra doesn't have the fear play him. Free Lankester up to do something. But you see that 3 yesterday of Sears, Judge and Edwards and you know what you are getting - and realistically that is f**k all |
Plan A definitely seems to be "get as much experience out there as possible, regardless of whether they're doing it" and I'm not sure it's justifying itself right now. |  |
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