From hero to zero

[doubleo]

4 hours ago, Ante's Bubbly said:

 

4 managers have tried pushing Bannan up the pitch, but a) he can't shoot, even from a deadball and b) he keeps coming back to hold Dawson's hand and kick the ball long. We have been after another creative midfield player since everybody decided that Bannan had been found out at Wembley! 

 

 

I appreciate what you’re saying, and in your connected post. I just feel Bannan is ineffective and almost a passenger playing alongside his centre half, bar the 1 in 100 Hollywood ball that pays off. I remember the intricate 1-2’s round the box but those days seem to be gone, likewise Reach’s screamers. As for Winnal up front I think he’s drawn the short straw. He’s usually on his own playing against 2 CH’s both 6” taller than him, and we hoof it up to him. To be fair he didn’t do bad against Bristol in holding the ball up but it seems a bit desperate to me. All you can say is it isn’t Monks team. Now then, this 10 year season ticket, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.?

[Ante's Bubbly]

14 hours ago, doubleo said:

I appreciate what you’re saying, and in your connected post. I just feel Bannan is ineffective and almost a passenger playing alongside his centre half, bar the 1 in 100 Hollywood ball that pays off. I remember the intricate 1-2’s round the box but those days seem to be gone, likewise Reach’s screamers. As for Winnal up front I think he’s drawn the short straw. He’s usually on his own playing against 2 CH’s both 6” taller than him, and we hoof it up to him. To be fair he didn’t do bad against Bristol in holding the ball up but it seems a bit desperate to me. All you can say is it isn’t Monks team. Now then, this 10 year season ticket, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.?

I actually think that Bannan needs to be more consistant and we need another creative mdfielder to push him and for when he is off form.

[doubleo]

1 hour ago, Ante's Bubbly said:

I actually think that Bannan needs to be more consistant and we need another creative mdfielder to push him and for when he is off form.

I agree and The players seem to rely too much on Bannan. The trouble is I, like most fans, am trying to bring back that 1st Carlos season, and get these players to play attractive winning football. Monk is probably looking at the squad thinking “not good enough” for what he wants to do.  He’s inherited some big earners that either refuse to play, not fit enough to play, or not good enough to play and  we can’t move on. Oh for the likes of Hoops and FF in their prime. 

[Ante's Bubbly]

5 hours ago, doubleo said:

I agree and The players seem to rely too much on Bannan. The trouble is I, like most fans, am trying to bring back that 1st Carlos season, and get these players to play attractive winning football. Monk is probably looking at the squad thinking “not good enough” for what he wants to do.  He’s inherited some big earners that either refuse to play, not fit enough to play, or not good enough to play and  we can’t move on. Oh for the likes of Hoops and FF in their prime. 

 

Yes, and that is where the big problem lies. A lot of people that follow all aspects of football (outside their own club, or maybe even the history of what has happened within your own club), recognise that sometimes a group of players, young and old, can sometimes gel and play at a very high level and consistency that gets the team promoted, wins them a cup, or keeps them playing at a high level for a period of time. We have seen it with several teams that have got promoted, won the league, or had some other good successful run, when a group of individual players have peaked, or hit their personal peak again (maybe for the last time), either physically, skill wise, determination wise, whatever and that group of individuals have also had a peak in their levels of team play, such as understanding their duties and abilities and the same for their team mates, including the differences within the squad, which are also a positive. When all that comes together it can be such a positive and powerful combination that incredible levels of success can come along and if the team is refreshed with similar levels of talent and personality, the team can be successful for a long time.

 

There are many books written by players and managers that mention these times of success, or lack of it and unfortunately, groups of people can also carry with them the opposite of that positive vibe, where there are discords within a group, mismatches of personality, pecking orders, clicks and ways of doing things, or of carrying on that are negative to the team, like the feeling of inadequacy, or fear of trying to be successful, or appearing to be trying to be successful, or trying to do something again, whether you failed or were successful before. That last bit sounds a bit stupid, but there is a deep rooted resistance, especially amongst us working class, a kind of stigma that is felt strongly by some people, when they, or someone around them tries really hard to improve themselves, or to rise above their peers to operate at a higher level. We've probably all experienced it in some way or other and maybe even helped to perpetuate it, especially those people that have booed players that are clearly trying hard to do something good, but are just failing, because of the fear and the negativity of people who are consciously or subconsciously, half waiting, or half expecting them to fail. Unfortunately each side can recognise that and for many the obvious way out is not to show that you are trying your best, instead to look like you are operating well within your capabilities and not chase what you have already decided (or had decided for you) is a lost cause. Getting that mental strength back is very hard and instilling that mental strength in others is harder still. The group of players that we have must really desperately want to succeed and be capable of doing the things that are expected of them by their team mates and their manager. We almost had that lucky blend of youth, experience, stamina, hope, expectation and skills when Carlos very nearly dragged us into the prem with a team that was still coming together and still had a few holes in it. Unfortunately the physical and mental knocks suffered during that failure and subsequent failures, have had their effect on our huge squad and there are still a handful of that original squad that really need to shake off their hang ups from that period and get on with having another good go at it, or get out the door, because Monk is not going to be able to move forward if that kind of mentality is allowed to prevail. I strongly believe that we could struggle for a while to come if we do not have a big clear out this summer and as much as players like Bannan, Forestieri, Lee, Hutchinson and Westward have served us well in the past and very nearly got us there, none of them have shown the same levels of skill, effort and consistency this season and really need to change now, or go. Bannan, out of those five is probably the only one that could possibly recapture his mojo and levels of consistency, but it has to come from him and he has to be physically able to do it. I really hope that Bannan and a few of the other players, like Reach and Harries, can get back to their best form and that we can get a coulpe of good players in to complement the way we play and help us to finish teams off, by scoring more goals. We could still be in with a chance of the play offs then.

 

If not we could possibly change 8 or more players this summer and if Monk is given the opportunity to bring in the players that he wants, we may be able to give it an even better go next season with a new look team and new hope.  

Edited January 23, 2020 by Ante's Bubbly

[doubleo]

2 hours ago, Ante's Bubbly said:

 

If not we could possibly change 8 or more players this summer and if Monk is given the opportunity to bring in the players that he wants, we may be able to give it an even better go next season with a new look team and new hope.  

Yep. I also get the impression that’s there’s a little clique of the longer serving players that could be members of the “awkward squad” if it suited. It didn’t help with Abdi’s situation dragging on for so long, and then when we let FF get away with his antics the club set a precedent. For all his shortcomings I think Jos had a go at addressing this but failed. I agree, if this squad isn’t successful we need a major clear out to change the culture. 

[Swiss Toni]

10 hours ago, doubleo said:

I agree and The players seem to rely too much on Bannan. The trouble is I, like most fans, am trying to bring back that 1st Carlos season, and get these players to play attractive winning football. Monk is probably looking at the squad thinking “not good enough” for what he wants to do.  He’s inherited some big earners that either refuse to play, not fit enough to play, or not good enough to play and  we can’t move on. Oh for the likes of Hoops and FF in their prime. 

 

Thing is we were a dark horse in that first season under Carlos and caught a lot of teams by surprise on the counter. Take things on another season or two and we were trying to play the same way with teams deciding to sit back against us. Add to that the expectation that the club had and the job was just too much. 

 

Truth is, we still haven't recovered from that.

[Socialist_Owl]

On 20/01/2020 at 17:08, bobowl said:

Football is getting depressing, lets go to the pub. 

The Wednesday Tap!

[doubleo]

27 minutes ago, Junk Smuggler said:

 

Thing is we were a dark horse in that first season under Carlos and caught a lot of teams by surprise on the counter. Take things on another season or two and we were trying to play the same way with teams deciding to sit back against us. Add to that the expectation that the club had and the job was just too much. 

 

Truth is, we still haven't recovered from that.

Well that sums up Carlos - no plan B in a match or a season.  Whether his fault or not, spewing millions on like for like players is still hurting us and will for years to come unless this lot can creep over the finish line in what is a pretty poor division.

[Swiss Toni]

55 minutes ago, doubleo said:

Well that sums up Carlos - no plan B in a match or a season.  Whether his fault or not, spewing millions on like for like players is still hurting us and will for years to come unless this lot can creep over the finish line in what is a pretty poor division.

Personally think we won’t have enough this season. It’s not the fault of Monk either, just circumstances.

[Animis]

11 minutes ago, Junk Smuggler said:

Personally think we won’t have enough this season. It’s not the fault of Monk either, just circumstances.

 

I tend to agree - I thought the opportunity of a big promotion bonus or enhanced future contract value would spur these players on to a top 6 this season. 

 

However, their recent energy and commitment levels don't demonstrate that to me unfortunately. I think some of them have mentality zoned out.

[Swiss Toni]

17 minutes ago, Animis said:

 

I tend to agree - I thought the opportunity of a big promotion bonus or enhanced future contract value would spur these players on to a top 6 this season. 

 

However, their recent energy and commitment levels don't demonstrate that to me unfortunately. I think some of them have mentality zoned out.

Plus it’s not as if it’s just one or two teams In the running. There's probably ten clubs in with a shout of finishing 2nd-6th.

[Ante's Bubbly]

1 hour ago, Junk Smuggler said:

Plus it’s not as if it’s just one or two teams In the running. There's probably ten clubs in with a shout of finishing 2nd-6th.

 

On the bright side, we are one of those 10 and we are trying to bring the right players in. You never know we might get it bang on this time!

[Swiss Toni]

21 minutes ago, Ante's Bubbly said:

 

On the bright side, we are one of those 10 and we are trying to bring the right players in. You never know we might get it bang on this time!

 

If there was a fingers crossed symbol I would have used it.