Squad morale

[PistolPete]

More of a question than a statement, but is squad morale ok?

Early season Yaks was posting so many videos of the team dancing etc, these have stopped, but generally a few things seem amiss.

Joao has (understandably) stopped smiling
Olise scored against QPR and didn't smile (Ejaria has been the same)
Richards (understandably) form has dropped off massively since signing for Bayern

Many key players have been injured (not easy for them or others) and we're not winning games - I guess lower morale it's normal.

But, does anyone else get the feeling that the morale might have caused the form rather than the other way around?

[Snowflake Royal]

Nope

[PistolPete]

Nope

'Nope' to the first or final question?

[Barney]

Let's be honest. The morale is NOT good. The players have looked uninterested recently. When one scores, there isn't
the frenetic celebrations you see when other clubs near the playoffs score.
It FEELS like eleven individuals going about their daily job.
There isn't the passion, or belief, or togetherness.

I know this will turn out to be about our 9th or 10th best ever season in terms of league positioning, but it just doesn't feel like it.

Why were mid-table Luton more up for it than we were ?

Get rid of those that want to go, and try and build a team that WANT to do well. Easier said than done I know.

[Simmops]

I know a lot of the team actively read this forum and see the negativity on the team board, and it really has a bad effect on them

Gunter was one who read this place a lot and constantly saw the negativity

[muirinho]

I know a lot of the team actively read this forum and see the negativity on the team board, and it really has a bad effect on them

Gunter was one who read this place a lot and constantly saw the negativity

More fool them if so, but I guess it would be hard not to, when you know it's there.

[Snowflake Royal]

Nope

'Nope' to the first or final question?

second

[Westwood52]

They were not exactly pedal to the metal against Luton were they.

[Millsy]

Good question and yes of course it's possible.

Especially with finance revelations.

So you're doing well, clear top of the table and news of financial woes, possible points deductions hits. And then inability to strengthen squad, laughable contracts probably being offered to the likes of Richards, Olise etc... they start thinking "screw this my future isn't here" and start dicking around looking elsewhere.

Suddenly players are playing alongside people who don't want to be there, Add injuries to that, lose a couple of games, bubble bursting.

Yes of course morale and performance go hand in hand, and not in a clear A --> B one way relationship but they feed off each other.

Squad morale has been shite as you say for quite some time. Players being miserable arrogant sods not celebrating goals because they weren't started etc doesn't help.

[Snowball]

I think we also have to recognise that Norwich, Watford, Bournemouth, Brentford, are, in all honesty a lot better than the rest over the season.

I recognise that Swansea and Barnsley are there on points (God knows how) but when I watch the top-four on-form I think they are very good indeed and the rest of us were fighting over scraps.

I have no idea whether players "know these things" or convince themselves they are a bit better and those sides at the top are not quite that good, but it must be wearing (especially this year) to have to be on top of your game and then some.

I also think we miss bite, the occasional hard tackle. Yiadom fouls a bit but he's more "sneaky". Sometimes a game (with fans) lights up when someone clatters in. I miss the Shane Longs, Noel Hunts, guys that would run through a brick wall for RDG. How many times was Noel Hunt concussed?

By this I don't mean I wish we had a bit more thuggery (though I do) I mean that sometimes, challenges like this put fire in the belly of the whole team. We are way too nice. Not a single red card in a season? Really?

I like Pauno and hope we keep him, but I fancy Warnock would have forced this lot into the top six by sheer will-power, a touch of aggro, a bit more of the dirty stuff, a few extra stolen penalties..

+++++++++++++++++++++

From appearance it does look like Joao is a big sulking baby... it appears that Olise is "above it all"... and it appears that Omar Richards believes his publicity and is maybe avoiding getting hurt before his big move.

Three out of eleven is a large percentage in a team game and if the other players see what we think we can see, then, in a game of small margins, wins can become draws, draws can become defeats.

I also worry about Moore who I think doesn't captain that well, and is, to some extent, coasting a bit. He isn't a bad CB but it seems like his positional sense is not so good as it used to be. I would rather have another (allegedly) limited Morrison-style CB, although I would like to see Holmes and McIntyre brought through as first choice asap.

[Zip]

Yeah that’s a good post Snowers. I feel the same. When we play well we are a nice, easy on the eye team to watch. Nice being the operative word. We need to be a bit more cynical and have a bit more of an edge when we need it.

Moore is an odd one because Jnr who is far sharper than I has been saying the same about him and doesn’t think he is a good captain. Yet when we went to the two games in December you could hear him constantly barking out orders to the team. I was impressed. Having said that I don’t think he would be in the side if all four of our centre backs were fit. It would be Morrison as first choice with TMac alongside him. Failing that Morrison and Holmes would then be my second option.

[Snowflake Royal]

They were not exactly pedal to the metal against Luton were they.

I get the fans want to see a sence of urgency and hell for leather attack.

But it's simply not what the players are asked to do by the manager. So having a go at them for playing the patient game is picking the wrong target.

[Snowflake Royal]

Yeah that’s a good post Snowers. I feel the same. When we play well we are a nice, easy on the eye team to watch. Nice being the operative word. We need to be a bit more cynical and have a bit more of an edge when we need it.

Moore is an odd one because Jnr who is far sharper than I has been saying the same about him and doesn’t think he is a good captain. Yet when we went to the two games in December you could hear him constantly barking out orders to the team. I was impressed. Having said that I don’t think he would be in the side if all four of our centre backs were fit. It would be Morrison as first choice with TMac alongside him. Failing that Morrison and Holmes would then be my second option.

He may be vocal, but that doesn't mean he's a good captain (not meant as a dig at you). Criticism of his positioning and organisation of the defence seems valid when we've let in a fair few goals from defenders caught in no mans land (Holmes, Esteves) and I suspect the reason Moore throws his body on the line for so many good blocks is because the defence and he isn't organised well enough to have prevented the opportunity in the first place.

I think he's stale and he's seen his ambitions die with us. He should have left a couple of seasons ago.

[Zip]

Yeah that’s a good post Snowers. I feel the same. When we play well we are a nice, easy on the eye team to watch. Nice being the operative word. We need to be a bit more cynical and have a bit more of an edge when we need it.

Moore is an odd one because Jnr who is far sharper than I has been saying the same about him and doesn’t think he is a good captain. Yet when we went to the two games in December you could hear him constantly barking out orders to the team. I was impressed. Having said that I don’t think he would be in the side if all four of our centre backs were fit. It would be Morrison as first choice with TMac alongside him. Failing that Morrison and Holmes would then be my second option.

He may be vocal, but that doesn't mean he's a good captain (not meant as a dig at you). Criticism of his positioning and organisation of the defence seems valid when we've let in a fair few goals from defenders caught in no mans land (Holmes, Esteves) and I suspect the reason Moore throws his body on the line for so many good blocks is because the defence and he isn't organised well enough to have prevented the opportunity in the first place.

I think he's stale and he's seen his ambitions die with us. He should have left a couple of seasons ago.

Yeah I didn’t take that as a dig and didn’t really expand on his vocal stuff. I liked the way he was talking to the players. He was pushing at them throughout and it seemed right. Having said that I tend to agree that he is not so hot at organising the defence. His positioning is also a concern. Morrison is definitely better in this respect.

[Snowball]

One thing, why hasn't our former brilliant Man U and international CB
got this back five purring?

[Snowflake Royal]

Agree. Morrison has been an absolute revelation. A proper centreback of the old school.

Bowen got an awful lot right. He was bang on when he said we needed to be nastier, and make opponents hate playing against us. Morrison (who we now know he was involved in bringing) and Laurent both fit that bill. As does Tom "Crunching tackle leaving a bit in" McIntyre. And Yiadom and Rino tbf.

[Snowflake Royal]

One thing, why hasn't our former brilliant Man U and international CB
got this back five purring?

Because playing ability =/= coaching ability

[morganb]

Forget team morale, what about Hob Nob morale? How is everyone?

Are you in the happy camp (7th is so much better than last year) or the unhappy camp (we were top by umpteen points, can't believe we've fallen out of the play offs)?

[Lower West]

I'm indifferent. We've stuttered along for the majority of this season. There's little discernible improvement on many of last seasons performances, in terms of developing a style of play. With too many of the squad inconsistent in terms of performance game to game. Attacking threat is often extremely limited and blunt. We are far too easy to play against. Predictable and easily exposed to pace down the flanks.

[Royalwaster]

I'm indifferent. We've stuttered along for the majority of this season. There's little discernible improvement on many of last seasons performances, in terms of developing a style of play. With too many of the squad inconsistent in terms of performance game to game. Attacking threat is often extremely limited and blunt. We are far too easy to play against. Predictable and easily exposed to pace down the flanks.

That doesn't sound indifferent ... that sounds very negative. Just saying.