M K Dons up next

Everything is not wrong but -

a) Carroll needs to be in there for Fraser and I think we would see a world of difference.
b) We have already got a mountain to climb in the league.

 

Says the man who brought milking cows into the conversation

 

and c) belief, momentum and winning habit are vital and we clearly don't have it under Cook.

 

Yet

 

Well for this season it's no good if it comes after 10+ games. It's too late by then and realistically I don't see a scenario where we're building the right mentality to get promoted next season from the bottom half of the table this.

 

Have we finished bottom half?

I hope there are not too many fans that are this negative or impatient that will screw this rebuild up by getting on the team's back.

 

Whenever there's a deficit to make up, we need to win matches over and above the other sides. It's always under-estimated how difficult that is to do. So far it's 3 points to the top half but if we haven't hit some form ten games in then we are going to be battling for a top half place.

 

Has anybody read the great blog on TWTD called 'Building a High Performance Team at ITFC'?

It's a good read and anybody in management will definitely be able to relate.

 

Back to the football if I may, after a promising 1st half when at times the team really clicked, it is clear we are fading in 2nd half. There were many good things happening, and several bad moments of plain silliness. Evans and Fraser were inconsistant, as was Woolfy who after a good 1st half let himself down. Burgess and Coulson played well.

Our schoolboy errors cost us the game, but tbh, the Dons are a good team and for much of the game passed the ball round and usually found their man.

And yes, we do need that all important first win. I didnt like some fans booing at the end. Nothing quicker saps a fresh new team's morale than being booed by your supporters.

Bring on the next game.

 

Yeah it was Jamie Clapham. It's the biggest load of rubbish I've ever read in my life.

 

Nope, not going that rabbit hole with you

 

All I will say is that I have created many teams and the best ones I have been a part of are those that have been together for a while.

 

I thought the booing was absolutely ridiculous and will not help us in the slightest.

Impatient, short-sighted fans who's thoughts about our club change after every bloody result, it's maddening

 

That's all wonderful if you think football is a science or tangible, but there is an element of art to it too. We are amongst 91 other clubs and in any given season in League One we are competing with a handful of clubs who have everything on paper that we can throw at it and others who have less on paper but will more than match us in spirit. Most of them will have graphs like these on the wall and all the bigger clubs have nice statues and murals.

As a club at this level to our detriment all of our players walk into Portman Road and think they've made it as footballers. Then a player gets a game against us who has been making ends meet as a lower level pro footballer, whose home dressing room is a portakabin and they battle.

 

Your point?

A team is a team and ones that have been together for a while function better than those that haven't.

 

Well, i only have this left to say.....
4
4
2

 

Chelsea came from nowhere with a group of new young players and a new manager half way through the season and win the Champions League. Where were Liverpool? Teams will always peak but maintaining a high level of performance is incredibly rare.

Stability is good but the defining factor for me in football is artistry.

 

KVY was better going forward today but needed cover from Burns which he didn’t get. Keeper is not overly commanding and Wolfe can’t concentrate for 90 mins. Central midfield is a strange one. Harper, Evans & Fraser are not bad footballers but there is so little movement from them. Harper has a great 1st touch but isn’t driving forward as I hoped he would. Edwards looks a real player and Bonne’s work rate ( not just his goals) was great. We need to beat AFC Wimbledon next week to get our season up and running

 

Anyone else think we look unfit, in every game we look dead on our feet after about 65 mins!!

 

My own two cents on seeing today’s game,the Club as a whole has pressed an almighty reset button and a lot of fans are going to have to be very patient (yes,you idiots who booed at the end!)

On the whole the type of football we’re trying to play is much more enjoyable and we are making 100% more effort to actually try and win games than we have for several years.Most of the players are a considerable improvement on those who’ve left, but it’s going to take time until they really click.MK Dons we’re the best team we’ve come up against so far this season and but for a real howler by Evans (and better finishing from some of Edward’s creative play)we’d be celebrating a win.

I’ve still got hope we’ll soon turn things around!