The Brentford defeat

kirsikka

kirsikka

UTC Legend
How pivotal does that look now? We actually looked like a good team then, playing the ball around and putting in a good performance that, despite the result, left some hope for what might come next. There was an inkling that Tindall might actually be getting it together despite the three points not coming home with us.

Instead, it looks like the defeat shattered confidence as we've been very poor since.
 
Confidence amongst this squad has always been frail.

They either play like the world is on their shoulders weighing them down and sapping all energy from their play or they believe they’re world beaters...sometimes they even look it, sometimes they believe it too much and lack effort to prove it and then confidence is crushed once more.

There’s rarely any middle ground with this set of players.
 
I'm not sure it is the Brentford game, as we beat Stoke away in the next game. I'd say the second half of the Milwall game where we barely mustered a shot and let the lead slip may be more of a turning point, which was then followed up with Lerma's red against Luton. 1 point from those two was not a good return.

The problem has been in front of goal. It's a catch 22, in that to get Danjuma back we need to play the rust out of him, ditto Stani. Solanke and Brooks have been below their normal standards. Sky showed a conversion rate of 4%, in the 6 games before Reading which is not good.

But flair players will blow hot and cold, if we can't accept the cold spells then we should look for steady players, but not expect any moments of magic. Fingers crossed we are due a hot streak.
 
kirsikka said:
We beat Stoke but we weren't good. We ground out a win but were uninspiring.
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agreed, re Stoke I think the expected goals were level. But it seems a little inconsistent logic that when we play well against Brentford but lose, it’s the result that is more important for confidence than the performance, but when we beat Stoke playing poorly it’s the performance that matters most not the result.

I’d still say it was the Millwall game, but that’s only my view. For that one both the performance and the result were below expectations.
 
Matt Stevenson said:
agreed, re Stoke I think the expected goals were level. But it seems a little inconsistent logic that when we play well against Brentford but lose, it’s the result that is more important for confidence than the performance, but when we beat Stoke playing poorly it’s the performance that matters most not the result.

I’d still say it was the Millwall game, but that’s only my view. For that one both the performance and the result were below expectations.
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I agree with you. I think one point from Millwall and Luton knocked the confidence big time, also in those 2 games we hardly created a clear cut chance. We then go to Derby where Solanke misses a tap in in the opening couple of minutes and from that point on we offered nothing again. Add to that the bizarre situation of Billing's injury/non injury, the Jones departure to Newcastle, it's been a strange few weeks.
 
DJ said:
Confidence amongst this squad has always been frail.

They either play like the world is on their shoulders weighing them down and sapping all energy from their play or they believe they’re world beaters...sometimes they even look it, sometimes they believe it too much and lack effort to prove it and then confidence is crushed once more.

There’s rarely any middle ground with this set of players.
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This. It always looked a young squad without the experience of likes of Pugh, Daniels, surman, boruc,franno, Callum who know how to ride a tough patch confident it will come back. Relegation may be fatal for some players for a season or so.

Getting in Wilshere and ritchie may help address this. Same with Stan back in the side now.

I do think getting to half time in the lead at Brentford would have got us the points.
 
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I just can’t believe one game (Brentford) could shake the confidence of a team firing on most of its cylinders at the time...

I tend to agree now that this spell has damaged a lot of the good work done at the start of the season.

My gut tells me the inclusion of King back into the fold hasn’t done much to help... Also, I think Brooks thinks he’s better than what he actually is. His little tantrum at being subbed V Luton (I think) showed a little sign of where he could be at.

Too many players either believing they’re better than they are or simply want away... That is the problem we have. To used to the highs of the PL and simply don’t have it in them to roll their sleeves up.
 
We had the little wobble against Sheffield and Derby in late October, but then righted things, so you have to think that we can do it again.

For me, the first Luton game feels like the beginning of the poor stretch, scoreless draw and completely dull effort.
 
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