Looking more and more like pragmatism with a shit squad rather than a conservatist footballing philosophy. Too many of this squad are uncomfortable on the ball, do not move off it or play out from the back, and we're getting pressured into stupid mistakes because of it.
Yeh but they are like that because Kenny & Joe spent 4 years making that happen.
Cowley seems to lack some of the pragmatism that Kenny had but at least he wouldn't put on a 5th defender against 9 men ;-)
It is incredible how bad this squad is though. A huge amount of work to do in Jan.
mind you an extra defender when 3 down and not remotely in the game might have been pragmatic.
All the same, Jackett must be having a quiet chuckle to himself right now.
We could go back to a 4 man defence but that would mean adding another bad defender to the team. Hard to know what to do next.
(20-10-2021, 03:55 PM)ForeverPompey Wrote: [ -> ]We could go back to a 4 man defence but that would mean adding another bad defender to the team. Hard to know what to do next.
A back four of Romeo, Raggett, Ogilvie (or even Williams) and Brown does not add anyone to the team, it just moves them to different positions, and in the case of the fullbacks positions that they are more used to.
After the Rotherham debacle he should have done that yesterday IMO.
(20-10-2021, 04:09 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ] (20-10-2021, 03:55 PM)ForeverPompey Wrote: [ -> ]We could go back to a 4 man defence but that would mean adding another bad defender to the team. Hard to know what to do next.
A back four of Romeo, Raggett, Ogilvie (or even Williams) and Brown does not add anyone to the team, it just moves them to different positions, and in the case of the fullbacks positions that they are more used to.
After the Rotherham debacle he should have done that yesterday IMO.
Agree with that Deep. Makes the most sense with what we have available at the moment. Back 3 just not working
Agree about four at the back. We also feel we need to find someone in the squad to try and drive us forward through the middle.
setting up with the full backs as part of the defence might remind them that it is their job to stop crosses, starting as wingbacks half way up the pitch takes their responsibility from them.
I couldn't believe the side he put out yesterday after the thrashing at Rotherham. He's got no-one to blame but himself for that team choice.
I concur the three at the back must be dropped from now on. It simply isn’t working. A change in formation should bring about a more resilient Pompey. Although this doesn’t make up for the desire, endeavour and sheer will to win a game. That motivation comes from Cowley. Unfortunately, this is where Cowley comes up short. He simply does not have the soft skills to man manage a team.
He does not posses this in his locker. That is plainly evident for all to see. The clue is in his job title..head coach and not manager. He is too wrapped up in player data and analytics. I can’t see him giving a player the hairdryer treatment. Nor do I like his negative comments made about player performances in the press. That shows real weakness and is not what you do in senior management role regardless of what industry you are in.
Time will tell, but the writing is already on the wall. It’s not ‘if’ but ‘when’ the Cowleys will be sacked in the months ahead.
Does motivation come from the manager?
I would say that has to come from within the individuals.
BUT it is whoever buys the players' responsibility to make sure those they sign have that desire.
Alan Ball only bought in players with that desire, Curtis is similar in some ways I guess but misuses it a bit like Kevin Dillon (Stalking off after a sending off)
I do think part of the lack of motivation at the moment is the players not believing in what they are being asked to do as per Jacobs not being picked at all.
No one in their right mind can say Curtis doesn't give a toss. Him and Brown are probably the only two that do..
How Curtis channels it on the other hand...
Perhaps we should make Curtis captain.
Either it will calm him down a little or
he will go round nutting the other players who give up.
I don't think he'd even wait to get into the tunnel. Could be entertaining!
Motivation is an interesting one. Fundamentally it should come from the player. However that Manager has an impact on getting the best out of a player. The term 'man management's is often used a lot on here.
A manager can help a player navigate the psychological aspects of a football match and help them to respond in the right way to different situations. Whether that is motivation or mentality, potato-potarto. They're intrinsically linked.
As I recall, Sir Alex didn’t have too much trouble motivating the ManU team packed with very decent players with considerable egos.
He just let them know who was boss, and that things were done his way or you would get one of the many variations of ‘The hairdryer treatment’….and spend a couple of games in the wilderness.
Not only a brilliant man-manager but one of the best referee-managers as well.