(Warning, long post ahead) Are getting off very lightly for me in this 6 match losing run. They're young, yes, some of them are inexperienced, and it was Johnson who brought them together without the necessary older head(s) to guide them. But the one thing they should have, being young, is ambition and a desire to compete. Can anyone honestly say during this 6 match losing run (and indeed all season bar the odd game here or there) that they've shown this? Our defenders aren't tracking their men, talking to each other or geeing each other up, shipping 2 goals a game despite the likes of Roberts and Mawson apparently being too good for this level. Our midfielders don't offer any support to our forwards, none of them save Hourihane can put in a decent ball to save their life, and none of them can be bothered to jump on any loose balls on the edge of the box or follow up a blocked cross/shot. None of them get a shot off when it opens up for them, they go sideways or take a couple of extra unnecessary touches instead. Our forwards, Winnall aside, look like they can't be bothered. None of them (Winnall included) make an effort to attack the few balls we put into the box, none of them ever take a touch, turn and have a shot, none of them have a predatory instinct to pounce on any loose balls in the box. And as a unit, they don't support each other, gee eachother up or comfort anyone who makes a mistake (Digby last Saturday for instance). I watched highlights of Walsall vs Gillingham this morning. Strikers trying and succeeding in being first to balls into the box, midfielders bombing on and supporting the attack, forward passes, players getting shots off as soon as it opens up. We're not on about Barcelona and Real Madrid, we're not on about Man City and Arsenal, we're on about two middling League One teams with far fewer resources but a desire and passion far in excess of our own players. Our board hired Johnson, he hired the players, so the buck will ultimately stop with them. But this team, young as they may be, are badly letting our club and its fans down. I'm not asking or wanting anyone to make 100s of threads calling them out or singling out individuals for personal abuse, that would be unfair and unnecessary. I've usually plenty of things to say on the manager/board but by and large they've usually already been said a hundred times over by others. But the players, collectively, seem to have escaped criticism recently. I just want to vent a little on a big part of the reason we are where we are at the moment.
good post, its like we are playing at under 21 pace, the lads need to step up and realise its first team football, you got to bust a gut, your earning money we can only dream of, some folk are getting their arse kicked by an hairy arsed manager for not packing boxes fast enough day in day out,those folk are earning netx to nowt, for a few grand a week, a bit of desire and blood sweat and tears should come easy
It seems to be the pattern of way players are brought on tbh. The desire,pride and be bothered attitude seems to drain away when things are going south and replaced with coaching manual mode only see manager. It seems coaching manuals are only for the winning mentality, desire is when players feel its appropriate. Imo
Agree on the whole. However it is up to the Head Coach and his assistants to do the motivation. Mawson is not a leader in my opinion. He doesn't strike me as someone who can 'jizz' his colleagues up, if they go a goal down. What a pity we got rid of Ramage and Bailey.
And Berry, not for experience but he had desire and effort by the bucket load (and wasn't lacking talent either).
His contribution in terms of goals/assists was poor for a midfielder. But you're right, he did have passion and looked like he was genuinely doing his best every game despite being played out of position. We're certainly lacking in passion at the moment.
