We Have Surrendered

[Bert]

15 points from winning positions this season.

Now I think that's quite bad. Stuff like this must be cut out next season.

[Ilkeston_Fox]

[THEFATBASTARD]

15 points from winning positions this season.

Now I think that's quite bad. Stuff like this must be cut out next season.

not so much a surrender, more a strategic withdrawal....

[tewkesbury-fox]

To many times this season we have lacked the self belief and mental toughness to compete for a play off spot,particularly against so called inferior teams,at the end of the day this is partly down to the manager but largely down to the players he inherited,he certainly needs to be given the chance to sort it out.

Primarily, successful teams personify a culture of success and at the same time a belief in self, like an invincibility. Successful teams that develop a winning streak seem to have a major hold over their opposition because of the belief they have in themselves and their performance. They may often treat their opposition with seeming arrogance and intimidation. This is further reinforced by the fact that the superior team seems to be able to win from any position, no matter how hopeless it may seem

[Guest BlueBrett]

I'm more concerned that every time results elsewhere have presented us with a chance to make significant gains in the league we have bottled it. What does this say about the mentality of our players and the ability of the management team to prepare them psychologically? (Rhetorical question I'm aware it says it is rubbish).

[Scow]

Reminds me of the 2003/2004 Premiership season. I could be wrong but I'm sure I saw a statistic somewhere that if games had finished on 80 minutes, we'd be challenging for the Champions League...

[wellyfox]

To many times this season we have lacked the self belief and mental toughness to compete for a play off spot,particularly against so called inferior teams,at the end of the day this is partly down to the manager but largely down to the players he inherited,he certainly needs to be given the chance to sort it out.

Primarily, successful teams personify a culture of success and at the same time a belief in self, like an invincibility. Successful teams that develop a winning streak seem to have a major hold over their opposition because of the belief they have in themselves and their performance. They may often treat their opposition with seeming arrogance and intimidation. This is further reinforced by the fact that the superior team seems to be able to win from any position, no matter how hopeless it may seem

Have said it for a long time. It's not the quality of our players thats the problem but we really don't have any Walshie's Elliots muzzy Lennon's or Savage.

And more than anything thats what we have missed. The fvck it n sleeves up attitude.

[Steven]

Reminds me of the 2003/2004 Premiership season. I could be wrong but I'm sure I saw a statistic somewhere that if games had finished on 80 minutes, we'd be challenging for the Champions League...

So’ton (h): led 2-0, drew 2-2.

Spurs (h): led 1-0, lost 2-1.

Wolves (a): led 3-0, lost 4-3.

Ch’ton (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Everton (a): led 2-1, lost 3-2.

N’castle (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Bolton (a): led 1-0, drew 2-2.

Boro (a): led 3-1, drew 3-3.

Bolton (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Spurs (a): led 4-3, drew 4-4.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

So’ton (h): led 2-0, drew 2-2.

Spurs (h): led 1-0, lost 2-1.

Wolves (a): led 3-0, lost 4-3.

Ch’ton (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Everton (a): led 2-1, lost 3-2.

N’castle (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Bolton (a): led 1-0, drew 2-2.

Boro (a): led 3-1, drew 3-3.

Bolton (h): led 1-0, drew 1-1.

Spurs (a): led 4-3, drew 4-4.

So we'd have had 56 points, missing out on the UEFA Cup on goal difference then.

[Bluefoxtim]

So we'd have had 56 points, missing out on the UEFA Cup on goal difference then.

Obviously not, every team could produce a list like that - with games against us no doubt - Hignet vs. Arsenal!?

[FrankieADZ]

thats kinda of annoying....still I hold hope we improve this fact next season.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Obviously not, every team could produce a list like that - with games against us no doubt - Hignet vs. Arsenal!?

Sure, but that's just about our own inability to defend, not decisions. Other clubs are barely affected by it other than the points they won off of us, which admittedly I didn't take into account.

[Zingari]

I blame Kermorgant

He left a stench of Gallic capitulation behind

[21st Century Fox]

I blame Kermorgant

He left a stench of Gallic capitulation behind

[Grey Fox]

15 points from winning positions this season.

Now I think that's quite bad. Stuff like this must be cut out next season.

To add some balance, we have come from behind to win 3 times, so technically we have gained 9 points from losing positions, leaving us with a net loss of 6 points.

I see what you are saying though. We are not good enough at defending, as a team or otherwise.

It's interesting that the best defence played the best attack on Friday (Reading and Southampton). The best defence came out on top.

Defence is where our focus should be in the summer in my opinion.

[Donut]

I think in all fairness, we lost a lot of points late on in the premiership because we must have had one of the oldest, if not the oldest average squad ages in the league.

Tired bodies and tired minds led to losing winning positons late on.

[Thracian]

To add some balance, we have come from behind to win 3 times, so technically we have gained 9 points from losing positions, leaving us with a net loss of 6 points.

I see what you are saying though. We are not good enough at defending, as a team or otherwise.

It's interesting that the best defence played the best attack on Friday (Reading and Southampton). The best defence came out on top.

Defence is where our focus should be in the summer in my opinion.

Football is a combination of both and it's a long time since we've had team that attacked and defended as a unit. Despite introducing a bit more pace we're still Policeman Plod in much of our build up and downright lazy when it comes to getting bodies in the box.

It's fine tuning we need rather than a total rebuild and that needs to include improving our threat from corners/free-kicks, more players with the pace and stamina to drive theselves forward into the box and a much greater goal threat from certain areas of defence and midfield.

Then there's the question of a striker with the power and pace to retain position and play colleagues into scoring situations as well as scoring some himself. Beckford has talent, that's obvious, but he's not the full package in terms of what we need. Howard has no pace and can't leap. We can't expect to win things with major weaknesses and we still have at least four.

[flowwolf]

Is this a competition for stating the bleeding obvious ? if so you win Bert. :trumpet: :trumpet: