The reason why we are doing well?

[JOEYDEE]

That is all !

 

[Dellas Cowboys]

Interesting that it’s Southend’s manager that has been the catalyst for this “momentum” debate.

I’ll always insist our turnaround started with the 0-3 defeat to his Southend side last year, our change in style, formation, and the introduction of one specific individual who has been very much at the heart of this transformation.

UTB

I was behind the goal on the Kop that fateful day. Had to reassure my eldest son as we left on John Street that we would hit better form and it was early days. Haven't been on the Kop since.

 

[stringer]

I don't know why momentum is such a dirty word and Phil Brown has been slaughtered for saying we have got momentum which is something we clearly have.

I associate momentum with confidence, I associate it with a squad that is slowly but surely continuing to improve and getting better and better with each game.

He was correct when he said we had a lot of momentum, but we also have so much more as well

He said it is down to momentum. It isn’t.

 

[PokerBlade]

"Momentum" can never be a satisfactory explanation for success because it always needs explaining where the momentum came from.

It always reminds me of the "hot hands" idea in basketball (that a player who has scored his last one or several shots is more likely to score the next one), which seemed to be debunked for a while but there's some evidence now that it does have some small impact, which isn't too surprising given human players are subject to all sorts of complex psychological factors.

Of course form and confidence play some part in a game that is at some level not only about skill but about key individuals making good decisions. But those decisions (movement, passing, marking etc.) also come from being one of the most organised, hard working, tactically sound teams in the game. At times we're approaching total football when you see centre halves on the overlap, central midfielders covering full-backs, and strikers tracking back to the edge of our own box.

There's too much of a tendency to talk about football in terms of pyschology. You can look at under-performing teams and say that those things obviously matter, but I'm not convinced they matter as much as the things we do so well; having hard working players, disciplined in the system, who go for the win every single time.

 

[NuddysGloves]

I don't know why momentum is such a dirty word and Phil Brown has been slaughtered for saying we have got momentum which is something we clearly have.

I associate momentum with confidence, I associate it with a squad that is slowly but surely continuing to improve and getting better and better with each game.

He was correct when he said we had a lot of momentum, but we also have so much more as well

This ^^^^^^^^

People seem to say it is our momentum which is gaining our results, as if the momentum that we have hasn't been earned by our hard work and good football. You don't just happen to come across a patch of momentum, it has to be worked for and built up.

Substitute the word momentum with the word success.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

I've pinpointed it all down to one finite factor that youve all missed...

It has to be due to all the unseen work Hammond is still doing surely?!

 

[Argentinemanager]

Would just like to say a very well done to danny , a good article, thanks, i know you sometimes get a bit of grief on here but i would like to give you praise
Still wouldnt buy the paper

 

[GodricBlade]

As you say it's a lot of things. To add to your list confidence and self belief. Plus I think that winning can become a "habit". We have developed that habit and expect to win every match. Losing can also become a habit. Look at teams like Sunderland. Teams get "sucked" into the relegation zone and can't get out. This of course is lack of momentum. We definitely have bags of momentum.

Just used that word 'habit' on the Fun With Round Numbers thread.
Whether it's the habit of winning, of not losing, of playing good passing football etc, habits are the things we humans rely on to just 'happen' - and they're especially important when we're under pressure. Get into the right habits and when the pressure comes, we instinctively apply all the stuff we really need - not all the stuff that makes things worse. Like Sunderland.
Momentum comes when the habits are right and muscle-memory takes over. Example from 1st half on Saturday - Baldock bombs from right-back to left-midfield to close a ball down after (I think) a Reading corner. Bashambauer just slots in until he's back. No-one needed to point/shout/organise - it just happened.
And it'll keep happening and so it creates momentum. Which in turn supports the value of the habits. Which in turn means it'll keep happening. Which in turn......

 

[stringer]

Would just like to say a very well done to danny , a good article, thanks, i know you sometimes get a bit of grief on here but i would like to give you praise
Still wouldnt buy the paper

Can't win 'em all I guess!

 

[ucandomagic]

The use of momentum is fine as long as you define the parameters. Classic definition of momentum is mass times velocity, and a body continues at that velocity until an external force changes it. If that force slows it and/or reduces its mass then the momentum is reduced and so the body becomes easier to stop. So if a ball of mud bounces off a post it slows it a bit, might knock a bit of mud off and so reduces the momentum.

Now we can think of footy teams and take their mass as the sum of skill plus character plus confidence. Their velocity is the rate of gathering points. If you have a team with little character and confidence then, if they lose a match, their velocity (point gathering) drops but this also hits their confidence (reducing momentum further) and increasing likely future losses. Conversely wins increase their confidence and momentum and hence increase likely future wins.

With Tufty teams, which are built on character and confidence, a loss or two reduces momentum (point gathering) but doesn’t have a big effect on confidence so the momentum effect, and likely effect on future results, is less. In fact in a team of really strong character a loss can be an inspiration rather than the opposite.

So I guess momentum is important, but it is actually less important to teams built on character and driven by the likes of Tufty and Fergie than by the likes of Southgate or Carcrash.

Sorry about the length of this - but it just confirms that Tufty is Magic!

 

[Jonboy60]

If we were to lose a couple of successive games(can't see it), would the pundits be saying, Sheffield united not playing well at the moment, or, they've lost their momentum.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

The man who built the momentum in the first place. And who continues to make it snowball.

(And, no - I'm not talking about Clem.)

 

[TTMeysh]

In hindsight I think we weren't quite 'on it' for the first three games and that itself gives the lie to the idea it is all about 'momentum'.

I think it is much more about a regime of incredibly purposeful training.

I loved the Bassett years but there were Saturdays when you would wonder whether the players had actually seen a ball during the week as opposed to doing all-in wrestling drills. The degree of passing precision and subtlety of off the ball movement we are seeing is testament to superb training: the players must love turning up at present.

 

[madeinsheffield]

It's all built from the ground up, sheer hard work being the foundations. From that comes the success and confidence is a direct result.

Confidence breeds confidence and belief. Every game though there's still that hard work every time underpining it all, each player knowing there's another ready to take the shirt meaning complacency is never an issue.

I spoke with a mate who played for Chris at semi pro level years ago not longer after he started here and he said every player would run through a brick wall for him, you knew if you didn't the player taking your place would do and you would struggle to get back in the team. It's the Wilder way!

 

[Bayingblade]

The Desso 'helps'. It doesn't provide anywhere near the whole answer and if we were so reliant on it, we wouldn't win away, ever.

pommpey

Blimey Pommps, finally an admission that the Desso was a positive move from the club

Joking apart, I think it certainly contributes to the fact that we can bring players like Coutts, Fleck and Duffy in rather than the likes of Bob Booker (love him as I did/do), Paul Rogers and Vinny Jones. Some of the football we play is sublime and it would have been a real challenge to replicate that on the old pitch once winter descended and it began to resemble a newly ploughed wheat field rather than a football pitch

 

[cahill]

In hindsight I think we weren't quite 'on it' for the first three games and that itself gives the lie to the idea it is all about 'momentum'.

I think it is much more about a regime of incredibly purposeful training.

I loved the Bassett years but there were Saturdays when you would wonder whether the players had actually seen a ball during the week as opposed to doing all-in wrestling drills. The degree of passing precision and subtlety of off the ball movement we are seeing is testament to superb training: the players must love turning up at present.

I hope you’re right that “ we weren’t quite on it” for the first three games . We’re great at home, however, I think it’s a mixed bag away. Hate to be a bit reserved and hopefully not negative but we have won three away against poor teams. That said you can only beat what’s in front of you. We were apparently unlucky at Boro. Leeds might be a better test of “ where we are “

 

[super_pig]

I don't know why momentum is such a dirty word and Phil Brown has been slaughtered for saying we have got momentum which is something we clearly have.

I associate momentum with confidence, I associate it with a squad that is slowly but surely continuing to improve and getting better and better with each game.

He was correct when he said we had a lot of momentum, but we also have so much more as well

he got slaughtered because he referred to ‘momentum’ in a rather curmudgeonly way and didn’t actually give us any credit

 

[Lil red rooster]

momentum works both ways as we should know and the piggies are finding out,
we've been doing alot of good things off the field these last few years and now we're seeing some results for that.
the academy seems strong and well run ,commercially we're better we're professionally better from top to botom.the club has raised its standards throughout and must be gaining a reputation for being a good employer to work for .
I think our standards are better than alot of prem clubs and its inevitable that in time thats where we'll be.

 

[Davalon]

Be interested to know that if those small minority of fans who thought the last decade was largely down to bad luck, now feel the last 2 seasons have largely been down to good luck

 

[Davalon]

He said it is down to momentum. It isn’t.

It is. As well as other things too.

Most managers in the game talk about the factor and importance of momentum.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Blimey Pommps, finally an admission that the Desso was a positive move from the club

Joking apart, I think it certainly contributes to the fact that we can bring players like Coutts, Fleck and Duffy in rather than the likes of Bob Booker (love him as I did/do), Paul Rogers and Vinny Jones. Some of the football we play is sublime and it would have been a real challenge to replicate that on the old pitch once winter descended and it began to resemble a newly ploughed wheat field rather than a football pitch

Completely right mate. Imagine a snooker table where the green baize hasn't been laid properly, top quality players would struggle with this, and so it is with the Desso. As you've identified, we have players who respond to the surface they play on. It feeds their confidence and allows them to use their skill to the best of their capabilities.

For many of us laying this pitch was a first step in providing the type of surface that would suit skilful players. In time the investment in the pitch will be seen as a no-brainer, and it can't harm when it comes to bringing in the type of players we're becoming used to. When you look at the likes of Baldock, Stevens, CCV, Brooks, and whoever else can be added to the list of players who benefit from having this type of surface, then we surely have the beginnings of an infrastructure that talented players will respond to.

 

[Davalon]

I'm no great fan of the orange eat himself if he was chocolate former Bolton player, but the fuss over his comment is a tad silly.

He got a few seconds to give his reasons why we've set off well this season. He wasn't tasked with giving a 2 hour lecture.

Momentum covers a number of factors but it's a reason many football people give for continuing success.

Like Brown or not, he's better placed than anyone on here to talk about 'momentum' in professional football. He didn't say it was the only factor, just a key element in a few sentences describing why we're doing well so far.

Real mountain out of molehill stuff imho.

 

[Harrisblade]

Like Brown or not, he's better placed than anyone on here to talk about 'momentum' in professional football. He didn't say it was the only factor, just a key element in a few sentences describing why we're doing well so far.

Actually I thought he pretty much did!

 

[stringer]

He didn't say it was the only factor, just a key element in a few sentences describing why we're doing well so far.

He did, pretty much. “I think it’s momentum with United. It’s a big club and the whole support is going along with it.”

Edit, just seen Harrisblade is thinking on the same lines!

 

[LSF]

He did, pretty much. “I think it’s momentum with United. It’s a big club and the whole support is going along with it.”

Edit, just seen Harrisblade is thinking on the same lines!

Bit harsh there.... As Davalon reflects, he was summarising why we are doing well in a sound bite, not dedicating the whole programme to Sheff U.
Quite why people get so offended and precious about an off the cuff (praiseworthy too) remark escapes my senses.
You of all folk too Danny lad!

 

[BushBlade]

Bit harsh there.... As Davalon reflects, he was summarising why we are doing well in a sound bite, not dedicating the whole programme to Sheff U.
Quite why people get so offended and precious about an off the cuff (praiseworthy too) remark escapes my senses.
You of all folk too Danny lad!

I wish he'd have just said 'they're a well organised bunch of athletes, big lads, good in the air and effective at set pieces'.

 

[LSF]

I wish he'd have just said 'they're a well organised bunch of athletes, big lads, good in the air and effective at set pieces'.

Now that might just have irked me slightly

 

[stringer]

Bit harsh there.... As Davalon reflects, he was summarising why we are doing well in a sound bite, not dedicating the whole programme to Sheff U.
Quite why people get so offended and precious about an off the cuff (praiseworthy too) remark escapes my senses.
You of all folk too Danny lad!

I'm hardly offended and precious, just wrote a piece offering my point of view alongside mine.

 

[LSF]

I'm hardly offended and precious, just wrote a piece offering my point of view alongside mine.

Didn't say you were Danny, more others who get a bit twitchy about it.
Just surprised you edge towards agreement that Brown was a bit one dimensional with his comments, the number of times you've (unfairly) received pelters on here for little or nothing other than your profession and employers.
I always respect your posts and work generally speaking.

 

[Harrisblade]

I'm hardly offended and precious, just wrote a piece offering my point of view alongside mine.

Same here, it seemed to me that he implied that our success so far this season was essentially down to 'momentum' and not much else,especially not high-quality football.
Better just put me down as Harris(Precious)Blade from now on