The psychology of managing the next few weeks

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

It's an interesting one. Ultimately the circumstances are very disappointing. Although, as I said in another post here, not surprising IMO. Burnley and Leeds ought to go up, given the resources and squad depth/stability and their disposal. We have done tremendously well, in the overall context of the rebuild that was needed and the state of the relegation last season. You can't take anything away from that. In fact, the squad need to take a shed load of heart from it.

That said, the nature of the outcome is crap; with three disappointing results against team we were expected to do well against. The fall off and total loss of form was hard to take. We let Oxford become a thing, and then it affected both Millwall and Plymouth. Wiser, more experienced squads park the Oxford result and get it out of their system.

And so, to the coming weeks. We need to get our heads together, we need to regroup. The bonus of losing today is that it gives us a few weeks to play with/use, and it also stops the disappointment of losing out on autos coming on the final day. I don't want to hear blaming of the fans, I don't want to hear anything further about the -2. We have to try and play into some sort of form, composure, confidence. I want togetherness for the Playoffs, optimism and a sense of attacking the game in front of us. Get back to being at our best, even if that is imperfect or not particularly exciting at times.

Losing on the final day would affect the mindset, we would be deflated whilst the other 3 x Playoff sides will be arriving into the Playoffs riding a wave of confidence, exuberant about the chance at the shot at the 'big time', free from pressure or expectation. To be honest, that may still be the case, as far as the opposition are concerned, but the blessing of these few weeks is that they give us a possible opportunity to shake some of that possible dark cloud off, and to be resilient once more, to give the semi final opposition sumat to worry about.

We also need to use these coming games to manage minutes effectively. Rest some legs, get much needed minutes into others. We ought to have enough to hold on to 3rd anyway. I want to see all 5 subs used in each game. I don't to see any spats, or any petulant fouls or unnecessary bookings. They can sod off with that.

Oh and the best bit about today? I watched my first game with my eldest in her United shirt and my newborn lad in his United babygrow. That means the world.

Onwards and upwards, Blades

 

[Houston_Blade]

given the resources and squad depth/stability and their disposal

If we’d have signed a few more players who weren’t injured or had a bit of match fitness in both the Summer and January we’d have been able to compete. We didn’t though and we’ve been found wanting.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

If we’d have signed a few more players who weren’t injured or had a bit of match fitness in both the Summer and January we’d have been able to compete. We didn’t though and we’ve been found wanting.

100%, the obvious one being the lack of quality additions at centre half. Burnley and Leeds are notably stronger, more consistent, and injury free in that position.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

It all comes into whether the players buy into Wilder's philosophy and methods. If you have players who want to take risks and play with instinct but are being held back as the manager is telling them to play safety first possession football, then anything he says in the dressing room and on the training ground will have no impact. They'll just be thinking "here we go again."

It does beg the question why don't players follow their instincts and make the right decisions for themselves? If you go against the manager's "tactics" but it creates a chance or a goal, you're hardly going to get the hairdryer in the dressing room. When did footballers become these robotic, mindless drones that Didsy recently referred to.

 

[PrestwichBlade]

It all comes into whether the players buy into Wilder's philosophy and methods. If you have players who want to take risks and play with instinct but are being held back as the manager is telling them to play safety first possession football, then anything he says in the dressing room and on the training ground will have no impact. They'll just be thinking "here we go again."

It does beg the question why don't players follow their instincts and make the right decisions for themselves? If you go against the manager's "tactics" but it creates a chance or a goal, you're hardly going to get the hairdryer in the dressing room. When did footballers become these robotic, mindless drones that Didsy recently referred to.

Data innit

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Data innit

I saw that moment when Campbell made an off ball run between two defenders and you attempted a through ball to him. Now that may have seemed the right thing to do but our sports analysts have studied the read out from your sports bra.......

 

[CPB]

It all comes into whether the players buy into Wilder's philosophy and methods. If you have players who want to take risks and play with instinct but are being held back as the manager is telling them to play safety first possession football, then anything he says in the dressing room and on the training ground will have no impact. They'll just be thinking "here we go again."

It does beg the question why don't players follow their instincts and make the right decisions for themselves? If you go against the manager's "tactics" but it creates a chance or a goal, you're hardly going to get the hairdryer in the dressing room. When did footballers become these robotic, mindless drones that Didsy recently referred to.

I'd argue that Hamer follows instincts. In fact I think CW has alluded to that in the past

 

[CornwallBlade]

He has to give game time to players who are striving for match fitness and rest anyone with the slightest niggle. Souza looks miles off it so don’t play him, Hamer needs a rest. O’hare, Brooks, One, Seriki? - get them all starting.

 

[Kev Gee]

Weve finished on around 90 points.... Miles ahead of the rest.
Lets stop with this slate wiped clean bollocks and get a marker down that WE deserve to go up. Over the season we have got more points apart from the top 2.
We should be drumming it into the players that we are better than the rest of the play off teams.......So go out there and show it.

 

[Toronto Blade]

It's an interesting one. Ultimately the circumstances are very disappointing. Although, as I said in another post here, not surprising IMO. Burnley and Leeds ought to go up, given the resources and squad depth/stability and their disposal. We have done tremendously well, in the overall context of the rebuild that was needed and the state of the relegation last season. You can't take anything away from that. In fact, the squad need to take a shed load of heart from it.

That said, the nature of the outcome is crap; with three disappointing results against team we were expected to do well against. The fall off and total loss of form was hard to take. We let Oxford become a thing, and then it affected both Millwall and Plymouth. Wiser, more experienced squads park the Oxford result and get it out of their system.

And so, to the coming weeks. We need to get our heads together, we need to regroup. The bonus of losing today is that it gives us a few weeks to play with/use, and it also stops the disappointment of losing out on autos coming on the final day. I don't want to hear blaming of the fans, I don't want to hear anything further about the -2. We have to try and play into some sort of form, composure, confidence. I want togetherness for the Playoffs, optimism and a sense of attacking the game in front of us. Get back to being at our best, even if that is imperfect or not particularly exciting at times.

Losing on the final day would affect the mindset, we would be deflated whilst the other 3 x Playoff sides will be arriving into the Playoffs riding a wave of confidence, exuberant about the chance at the shot at the 'big time', free from pressure or expectation. To be honest, that may still be the case, as far as the opposition are concerned, but the blessing of these few weeks is that they give us a possible opportunity to shake some of that possible dark cloud off, and to be resilient once more, to give the semi final opposition sumat to worry about.

We also need to use these coming games to manage minutes effectively. Rest some legs, get much needed minutes into others. We ought to have enough to hold on to 3rd anyway. I want to see all 5 subs used in each game. I don't to see any spats, or any petulant fouls or unnecessary bookings. They can sod off with that.

Oh and the best bit about today? I watched my first game with my eldest in her United shirt and my newborn lad in his United babygrow. That means the world.

Onwards and upwards, Blades

I just hope that the fans stay positive our trips at Wembley seem surrounded in we will lose while the other side seem more excited.I really think thre pressure is on the players and the negativity in the crowd washes over them.This might be the year this present group breaks the playoff hoodoo

 

[Mattblade68]

It's an interesting one. Ultimately the circumstances are very disappointing. Although, as I said in another post here, not surprising IMO. Burnley and Leeds ought to go up, given the resources and squad depth/stability and their disposal. We have done tremendously well, in the overall context of the rebuild that was needed and the state of the relegation last season. You can't take anything away from that. In fact, the squad need to take a shed load of heart from it.

That said, the nature of the outcome is crap; with three disappointing results against team we were expected to do well against. The fall off and total loss of form was hard to take. We let Oxford become a thing, and then it affected both Millwall and Plymouth. Wiser, more experienced squads park the Oxford result and get it out of their system.

And so, to the coming weeks. We need to get our heads together, we need to regroup. The bonus of losing today is that it gives us a few weeks to play with/use, and it also stops the disappointment of losing out on autos coming on the final day. I don't want to hear blaming of the fans, I don't want to hear anything further about the -2. We have to try and play into some sort of form, composure, confidence. I want togetherness for the Playoffs, optimism and a sense of attacking the game in front of us. Get back to being at our best, even if that is imperfect or not particularly exciting at times.

Losing on the final day would affect the mindset, we would be deflated whilst the other 3 x Playoff sides will be arriving into the Playoffs riding a wave of confidence, exuberant about the chance at the shot at the 'big time', free from pressure or expectation. To be honest, that may still be the case, as far as the opposition are concerned, but the blessing of these few weeks is that they give us a possible opportunity to shake some of that possible dark cloud off, and to be resilient once more, to give the semi final opposition sumat to worry about.

We also need to use these coming games to manage minutes effectively. Rest some legs, get much needed minutes into others. We ought to have enough to hold on to 3rd anyway. I want to see all 5 subs used in each game. I don't to see any spats, or any petulant fouls or unnecessary bookings. They can sod off with that.

Oh and the best bit about today? I watched my first game with my eldest in her United shirt and my newborn lad in his United babygrow. That means the world.

Onwards and upwards, Blades

I suggest we use the upcoming games to try and shoot on sight and up our shots on target per game as we may need that stat improving to have a hope or winning play offs , funny things can happen and we may even to come back from 2 or 3 goals down, we need to show we can put 3/4 goals per game in the back of the net.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

We need the right Wilder to turn up.

The spirited, energised Wilder who would back his club to go toe to toe with anyone and win. He gets us rocking.

But he needs to stop sulking about his tactics, feeling that we've fallen short, blaming others, moaning about the -2 points, being rigid and inflexible. He needs to get his big boy pants on, and play like he has the third best squad in the division.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

If you search for Wilder on X, wow. He really, really has got under the skin of many. Leeds, Burnley both tweeting about him more than their own success, Pigs getting in on the act too. Rent free.

 

[Davalon]

Bamford getting his own back

 

[Bladesman]

Bamford getting his own back

Only taken several years.

 

[Davalon]

Only taken several years.

But not several goals I'd guess

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

I really, really, really want to go up though, just to fuck Leeds and Burnley off.

 

[Davalon]

Hopefully what happened at the end yesterday and all the piss-taking and abuse will engender a siege mentality and deep desire now.

I know there's an argument to say what goes around comes around and I'm not surprised at the reaction, it's been clear for a while now that Wilder has a different standing and profile than the last time we got promoted under him that would lead to this if we missed out.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Only taken several years.

Ah yeah, the same Bamford who played regularly when they bottled it, but has barely played this time around. Him. Sound.

 

[Bartleby]

We ought to have enough to hold on to 3rd anyway.

We can't finish lower than 3rd - mathematically.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

We can't finish lower than 3rd - mathematically.

Ha, of course. What a chuffing wally!

 

[GreenhillBladeinToronto]

I just hope that the fans stay positive our trips at Wembley seem surrounded in we will lose while the other side seem more excited.I really think thre pressure is on the players and the negativity in the crowd washes over them.This might be the year this present group breaks the playoff hoodoo

If…. They can get through the semis, a good chance that Sunderland may be waiting which would mean the fans would have to step it up like never before. Withe average 44K home gates, Sunderland would sell out their 38-39k allocation immediately. We have struggled to sell 32K. Unless we can believe this is the year and fill out allocation, not scrap amongst ourselves at The Green Man but leave all our emotion to offset the wall of sound from the Mackems, we would have a handicap right from the start.

 

[Melbourne Blade]

What's the history with Bumford btw?

He looked like he'd had a few lines from the footage. He'll be playing for Bradford or York next season but fair play if his beef is big enough to embarrass himself on social media.

I hope it motivates wilder to nail the play offs now. Then I'm sure he'll respond by saying only one of them is in the premier league next season.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

What's the history with Bumford btw?

He looked like he'd had a few lines from the footage. He'll be playing for Bradford or York next season but fair play if his beef is big enough to embarrass himself on social media.

I hope it motivates wilder to nail the play offs now. Then I'm sure he'll respond by saying only one of them is in the premier league next season.

The 2019 promotion, their squad were trying mind games during the run-in.

 

[Need4speed]

I am not being critical but we waste a lot of opportunities to put pressure on the opposition from set pieces just inside the opponents half and further forward by taking it quickly and knocking it two feet to the left or right. Anel should never be taking free kicks or receiving the ball from them, unless he is going to run forward with the ball because he looks clueless. We should be spending the next few weeks working on options from dead ball situations in all areas of the field, with one or two players who are going to take all of them.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

We need to win.

I’m old enough to remember fans on here complaining about us winning ‘badly’ by playing crap football…

 

[Pintor75]

I am not being critical but we waste a lot of opportunities to put pressure on the opposition from set pieces just inside the opponents half and further forward by taking it quickly and knocking it two feet to the left or right. Anel should never be taking free kicks or receiving the ball from them, unless he is going to run forward with the ball because he looks clueless. We should be spending the next few weeks working on options from dead ball situations in all areas of the field, with one or two players who are going to take all of them.

We still haven't got a proper system imo, even though we have quality players they need fine tuning by proper coaching, we've come this far relying on players we have being good enough but playing out of position or looking confused. The next few games why not put Hamer in the middle with Peck, Diaz on the left and 2 up front, we can't lose 3rd so why not?. Promoted teams are now able to plan for next year from here on in, we have anther potential 5 games so we're behind already if we go up

 

[MojoMuffin]

Bamford getting his own back

Pulled his hamstring doing that. Muppet.

 

[Need4speed]

We still haven't got a proper system imo, even though we have quality players they need fine tuning by proper coaching, we've come this far relying on players we have being good enough but playing out of position or looking confused. The next few games why not put Hamer in the middle with Peck, Diaz on the left and 2 up front, we can't lose 3rd so why not?. Promoted teams are now able to plan for next year from here on in, we have anther potential 5 games so we're behind already if we go up

I agree but we really need to rest Peck and we can't risk Hamer getting booked which he will if he plays

 

[Stretch]

Bamford getting his own back

I am surprised he didn't injure himself in the process.