Pre-match preview blues - more belief needed ?

Final mega moan then I'm done but it's a really crucial point for the future (mainly next season) IMO.

Given S&H plenty of credit in the past and was as positive as I could be right until KO.
So didn't want to say anything before KO but I'll say it now - didn't think Scott had a good pre-match interview and didn't enjoy it either tbh.  
Why ? Cos it's the same tired old script I've heard for years but on steroids.

But firstly, did he miscalculate what was required pre-match ?
He said:
"6 points off the playoffs, we're well in with a chance with game in hand of Mansfield so it's all to play for."

Blimey, it was and IS tricky enough 4 pts off !  
If he thought we were well in with a chance 6 points off, sounds like he didn't look at run in too closely.
Did he decide to set up for a point ? (yes I know some are happy with a point but I didn't hear anyone say it before KO  )

Anyway...
Not too chuffed on how he and Dale make sweeping generalisations about EVERYONE writing the team off.   
Scott says "that's just the nature of sporting mentality in this country unfortunately it's always negativity but we remain positive..."

You're having a laugh ?
Almost every time you switch on MP we're expecting a tough game regardless of the opposition. (not this time but we regularly seem to play it down beforehand)

"They're[Luton] very expectant. Whether it puts pressure on them I don't know but it certainly takes a bit of pressure off us cos Luton are expected to win at home aginst Grimsby. Luton are the bigger club by all accounts according to Luton so we'll go there not expecting to get anything."  

Spot on - who realistically EXPECTED anything ?
But you're seriously telling me went to Luton with total positivity and belief ?  
Sounds like we set up (at least initially) for a point !

Wouldn't it have made a refreshing change to hear JUST THIS ONCE:
"We've got nothing to lose. We're really looking forward to it and really hopeful about our chances !  " ?

If you want to be positive Rob, be positive, what's stopping you ?
To be fair he was but I NEVER get a buzzing feeling of optimism pre-match like we really mean business.
And god knows what the opposition (or our players) think when we often talk up other teams too.  
What's the point of doing it anyway ? I really don't get it ...

I can understand the tactics of keeping it tight early today even if I regularly think we can start being positive on the pitch much sooner.
Had we attacked from the off I'd have defended our approach whatever the scoreline cos IMO, there needs to be a seismic shift in BELIEF and less worrying what fans might think if things do go horribly wrong (and especially for one off games like this !).  

So what if we went down 5-0 to Luton ?
If we give it a bloody good go from the off, you can't ask for much more !
One of these days we might just realise it pays to be positive sooner rather than later !   (said that under Woods too)

Sure, no one wants to raise expectations unnecessarily through the roof or make people look foolish.
But to expect managers to never look like they're getting anything horribly wrong is asking way too much - it certainly aint helping IMO.
You never know, talking up our chances might even brush off and have a more "positive" effect on players, fans, even attendances and results ?  

Think fans have also got to realise, we aint gonna sweep eveything before us without taking a few risks !
Should we have gone for the jugular vs Fleetwood at 1-0 ?
Should we taken the game to Luton from the off ?
Eveyone knows the problems over the last 10-20 years(slow starts, deep defending, lack of midfielders supporting the front players etc etc etc).
If that means an occasional thrashing or exposing gaping holes needing fixing then so be it, let's find out and fix 'em !
Not paper over the cracks, pretend everything is hunky dory and that "positivity" on the messageboards combined with defensiveness on the pitch is gonna take us all the way !  

Think we're far too focused on potential moaners in case of a bad "result" (blimey how negative is that ?!!  ), that we're losing an opportunity to create more positive tactics/feeling ALL ROUND to help boost the clubs long term success and take us to where we all want to be.

But it seems everyone's branded "negative" and it's a bit pot-kettle black from Scott himself.

Bottom line is whilst people (including a lot of fans) are constantly worrying about backlashes and "negativity", we've been dropping down over the years (WITH backlashes and negativity)
How ironic is that ?  

Don't get me wrong, I'm still reasonably hopeful for the future and next season. (not ALL over this season either)

Bottom line you can be positive as you like on the messageboards but if you're negative out on the pitch you'll never climb to the very top of the tree.
More likely fighting to squeeze in via the back door. Let's be honest, it's trying to do it the hard way and we've been guilty of it for years !  

The most ironic thing of all is that we're not far off !!!
Let's start realising how good things could REALLY be if we collectively stopped worrying about every criticism or potential failure and had more positivity and belief (mostly out out on the pitch) and started aiming for the stars.

And that includes "But what will some fans say if we do but it goes wrong ?"
Errrr, have things been a bowl of cherries over the last few years ?  
Has the same approach ever worked before?
Not a criticism but have S&H cracked it THIS year ?
Sure you can say getting there/nearly/unlucky but the more positive you are out on the pitch, the luckier you tend to be !

We've gotta try to change IMO or as a club, we'll just keep repeating the same old mistakes and never truly turn the club around, talented managers or not.

Mega-rant over.
UTM.

the something else is failure to use basic English and grammar

80's, simple questions, do you honestly believe that what S&H say to the fans via the media matches the conversations they are having with the players?  Do you honestly think that the managers give a rats behind about what the fans think with regard to the way they set out their team?  

Get a grip man.  

Quoted from Devonmatt

80's, simple questions, do you honestly believe that what S&H say to the fans via the media matches the conversations they are having with the players?

Never really thought about it tbh.
All I know is we sometimes have this habit of starting slow and only playing when we go a goal down.

What do you think they;'re saying to the players ?

Go out there are put Luton to the sword from the first whistle ?
Sorry I don't buy it.

Quoted from Devonmatt

Do you honestly think that the managers give a rats behind about what the fans think with regard to the way they set out their team?

A good question.

I guess they do to an extent yes.
Take the 0-0 Newport after the 5-0 Braintree thrashing.
It seemed like a "backs to the wall" approach to grind out a point and put us back on course. (one which I actually could see the sense in cos they were obviously under pressure from the fans)

Quoted from Devonmatt

Get a grip man.

Even if they're setting up without a thought of what the fans think, then it makes no difference what the motivation is, my concerns remain.

Who knows, maybe there IS something fundamental about the club cos the same defensive approach/tactics have been around for decades.

[quote=1600]
Never really thought about it tbh.
I doubt that.
All I know is we sometimes have this habit of starting slow and only playing when we go a goal down.
As we sometimes have a habit of starting quick and going a goal up, as we sometimes have a habit of starting at an even pace and remaining level.  It's called football.

What do you think they;'re saying to the players ?
I think they are giving them a game plan to work to.  Sometimes that plan is right, sometimes it is wrong.  Sometimes the players aren't able to carry out the plan.  For the future success of GTFC I choose to believe that S&H will, armed with all the prevailing, relevant,  information get their decisions more oft correct than 80's Glory!


A good question.

I guess they do to an extent yes.
Take the 0-0 Newport after the 5-0 Braintree thrashing.
It seemed like a "backs to the wall" approach to grind out a point and put us back on course. (one which I actually could see the sense in cos they were obviously under pressure from the fans)
Great example.............NOT.  New to the club, stuggling for form, desperate for any kind of result  to start the season proper.

Quoted from Devonmatt

All I know is we sometimes have this habit of starting slow and only playing when we go a goal down.
As we sometimes have a habit of starting quick and going a goal up, as we sometimes have a habit of starting at an even pace and remaining level.  It's called football.

Well I think we start slow more often than we start quick. I'll leave it there.

Quoted from Devonmatt

I think they are giving them a game plan to work to.  Sometimes that plan is right, sometimes it is wrong.  Sometimes the players aren't able to carry out the plan.  For the future success of GTFC I choose to believe that S&H will, armed with all the prevailing, relevant,  information get their decisions more oft correct than 80's Glory!

Hundreds of posters post their views on here but few get this response.
If you think I'm talking rubbish then why be so worried about it ?

All I'm saying is with a more positive approach we can do even better. (IMO)
If you think people should never criticize that's another question but that's exactly what I mean about being worried about every criticism.
Understand if you don't agree but surely a bit of honest criticism can be healthy ?
Or do you prefer to think there's no point questioning their approach ?
At the end of the day, what's the issue ?

Quoted from Devonmatt

Great example.............NOT.  New to the club, stuggling for form, desperate for any kind of result  to start the season proper.

Maybe so but why were they "desperate for any kind of result" ?....
Plenty of games left !

But this is my point - I said there were positives to take out the Braintree game.
I just hope the disaster of that result alone didn't have an effect on S&H for the rest of the season, making them more defensive.
(And I don't mean when the floodgates open at home with a 2 goal cushion)

Anyway, I'm not apologizing for having an opinion.
Don't know if others are ambitious, but I'd prefer we improved leaps and bounds to finish top of the league.
Pardon me for wanting the very best for my club !  

Maybe so but why were they "desperate for any kind of result" ?....
Plenty of games left !

Because 'you have to stop the ball rolling down the hill before you can start to push it back up the hill'

But this is my point - I said there were positives to take out the Braintree game.
I just hope the disaster of that result alone didn't have an effect on S&H for the rest of the season, making them more defensive.
(And I don't mean when the floodgates open at home with a 2 goal cushion)

Agreed, but if it did then they will learn from the poor decisions they make this season and we'll all move forward together the better for it.

Anyway, I'm not apologizing for having an opinion.
Don't know if others are ambitious, but I'd prefer we improved leaps and bounds to finish top of the league.
Pardon me for wanting the very best for my club !  [/quote]

Nor should you (apologise for having an opinion). I'm sure we all want the best for the club 80's and in particular I'm sure that S&H have their own road map for how to achieve success.  

UTM

And how do you quote different pieces of a message at different intervals within a reply????!!!!

Clunk!


That is the sound of my jaw hitting the deck.


80's, have you ever considered that maybe we just aren't good enough to go to Luton and dominate a game?


Not yet at least. I'm sure that we will continue to improve as time goes on and better players are acquired.

Quoted from ginnywings

80's, have you ever considered that maybe we just aren't good enough to go to Luton and dominate a game?

Absolutely !
It's been on my mind bigtime and partly the reason why I feel slightly guiilty posting.

But reading the just back thread some are saying Luton were there for the taking ?
It was only ONE game today and we weren't completely outplayed ?

My point is it's tough but do help ourselves ?

I remember that post you put up the other day - yes we may not be good enough, but look at the raw facts (i.e. sh1t refs, poor goals, late goals etc, the ground we've made up after a bad start etc) don't you think we're not quite as far off as you think ?

Quoted from ginnywings

I'm sure that we will continue to improve as time goes on and better players are acquired.

Absolutely I agree.
But there's something that been at the club for ages that makes us make hard work of it.
I think it's all about having a winning attitude.

Forget the last god knows how many years - can we honestly say we had it today ?