Today’s result more than any was a perfect example of our seemingly lack of fight. Call it what you will; grit, dogged determination, ‘win at all costs’ or sheer aggression - we simply don’t have enough of it.
It appears (rightly or wrongly) that we are too nice, which is fine if your miles better than everyone else in terms of quality but we aren’t miles better. We have one of the lowest weekly wage bills in the division which means we’ve got to want it more than the opposition and fight for everything. You’ve got to be in the ear of the ref all the time. I saw their players swamping the ref at half time, and their captain was in his ear all of the 2nd half, that should be us. Their equalising goal came from a very soft free kick which their little striker ‘bought’ off the ref by very good simulation, fine but why wasn’t 3-4 of our players surrounding the ref letting him know he’d been fooled. Then when they score from that, the ref’s thinking - “they weren’t happy I gave them that free kick and they’ve just gone and scored from it”.
People lost their temper with Ben Pearson for getting sent off a lot but ultimately he had a real passion and wanted to win so badly he’d virtually assault the opposition to ensure he got the upper hand over them. Sometimes it’s worth getting a yellow card to get the edge over your opposite number. That fitting spirit is worth so much to a team. Every great team has either a combative angry enforcer or there exists a general ethos across the spine of the team that puts the fear of god into the opposition. You read stories from the Class of 92 ala Roy Keane era or the great Arsenal team with Viera and Henry and they all talk about the sort of attitude where when they lost they were virtually fighting each over at the final whistle! Not one captain but a team of captains. Even our own recent history, I think of that Billy Davis Squad with Graham Alexander, McKenna, Lucetti, they would outfight and compete for everything, sometimes through being ‘Nasty’.
I look at our squad and I’m struggling to see the correct level of aggression/ nastiness. Who’s willing to take a yellow card to let their best player know he’s in for a rough ride? Who’s willing to square up to the opposition manager when it’s necessary? Who in our team is having it out with everyone in the changing room at the final whistle? Ryan Ledson maybe would dish it out and perhaps SVB but apart from that Im not sure our squad has enough passion, and I doubt there’s many arguments.
It appears (rightly or wrongly) that we are too nice, which is fine if your miles better than everyone else in terms of quality but we aren’t miles better. We have one of the lowest weekly wage bills in the division which means we’ve got to want it more than the opposition and fight for everything. You’ve got to be in the ear of the ref all the time. I saw their players swamping the ref at half time, and their captain was in his ear all of the 2nd half, that should be us. Their equalising goal came from a very soft free kick which their little striker ‘bought’ off the ref by very good simulation, fine but why wasn’t 3-4 of our players surrounding the ref letting him know he’d been fooled. Then when they score from that, the ref’s thinking - “they weren’t happy I gave them that free kick and they’ve just gone and scored from it”.
People lost their temper with Ben Pearson for getting sent off a lot but ultimately he had a real passion and wanted to win so badly he’d virtually assault the opposition to ensure he got the upper hand over them. Sometimes it’s worth getting a yellow card to get the edge over your opposite number. That fitting spirit is worth so much to a team. Every great team has either a combative angry enforcer or there exists a general ethos across the spine of the team that puts the fear of god into the opposition. You read stories from the Class of 92 ala Roy Keane era or the great Arsenal team with Viera and Henry and they all talk about the sort of attitude where when they lost they were virtually fighting each over at the final whistle! Not one captain but a team of captains. Even our own recent history, I think of that Billy Davis Squad with Graham Alexander, McKenna, Lucetti, they would outfight and compete for everything, sometimes through being ‘Nasty’.
I look at our squad and I’m struggling to see the correct level of aggression/ nastiness. Who’s willing to take a yellow card to let their best player know he’s in for a rough ride? Who’s willing to square up to the opposition manager when it’s necessary? Who in our team is having it out with everyone in the changing room at the final whistle? Ryan Ledson maybe would dish it out and perhaps SVB but apart from that Im not sure our squad has enough passion, and I doubt there’s many arguments.
