The Critch line “We weren’t ourselves”

There was a genuine opportunity to go for it there and breed some confidence into the squad but we held back, that’s the manager we set up defensively against fleetwood he’s got no balls, shit scared of everyone pathetic little man
 
South shore lad said:
Just said this on the matchday thread but he seemed genuinely confused about the bad second half performance and labelled it a 'mentality' problem. Is it not him telling the players to sit back in the second half and making bad substitutions??
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Seems not, or he wouldn't be confused.

So are they not listening or is he unable to get this messaging across? Either way it's his job to implement the correct style and mentality.

Shouldn't be hard, stop dropping far too deep and keep on passing.
 
Enzo said:
There was a genuine opportunity to go for it there and breed some confidence into the squad but we held back, that’s the manager we set up defensively against fleetwood he’s got no balls, shit scared of everyone pathetic little man
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Half of what you say may really have some validity. He does seem to try to bring on subs that try to close the game out. The other half is just rude.
 
South shore lad said:
Just said this on the matchday thread but he seemed genuinely confused about the bad second half performance and labelled it a 'mentality' problem. Is it not him telling the players to sit back in the second half and making bad substitutions??
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It seems hard to imagine that the players decide individually and simultaneously to sit back and it happens regularly so surely it’s been discussed. The half time instructions should be to not sit back. And what about the subs, are they not given instructions before they go on? Are they ignoring them?
 
Enzo said:
There was a genuine opportunity to go for it there and breed some confidence into the squad but we held back, that’s the manager we set up defensively against fleetwood he’s got no balls, shit scared of everyone pathetic little man
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Terribly harsh
 
Dark_Side_of_the_Lune said:
It’s not a mentality thing when they all know the wrong players are on the pitch doing stuff that’s not them.
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The same thing is happening regardless of who is playing....And it has happened in one half with the same players who it didn't happen with in a different half. mentality is the only logical explanation.

I think it's a carry over from last season... We were doing a similar thing then.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
The same thing is happening regardless of who is playing....And it has happened in one half with the same players who it didn't happen with in a different half. mentality is the only logical explanation.

I think it's a carry over from last season... We were doing a similar thing then.
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I’m in drink so beyond complex nuanced debate 😀
 
Could well be a mentality thing. I thought we were excellent in the 1st half and the goals were superb. Surely Critchley could see that and assuming he did, he would have to be incredibly stupid to then tell the players to change their game and sit back.
What I do know is that Beesley did nothing after he came on so effectively we had no one to hold the ball up. The lad needs to go out on loan or even sold if we could get any money for him. Otherwise the substitutions made sense given that we played our last game just 72 hours earlier.
 
I got to say ,for once I thought he did the right thing last night . We are never going to win the cup ,but he played a strong attacking side to take the lead and then give tired legs a break and bring on some players that may not be first choice for our next league game. Dembele got a card last night ,but what would some of you be saying if he got a long term injury . Also Kuassi is likely to start against Bolton ,so bring on Beesley . He played it right last night and I am usually critical of Critchley.
 
WIZARD OF TANGERINE said:
I got to say ,for once I thought he did the right thing last night . We are never going to win the cup ,but he played a strong attacking side to take the lead and then give tired legs a break and bring on some players that may not be first choice for our next league game. Dembele got a card last night ,but what would some of you be saying if he got a long term injury . Also Kuassi is likely to start against Bolton ,so bring on Beesley . He played it right last night and I am usually critical of Critchley.
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Agree but our attacking options are extremely limited if all we've got to call on is Beesley. I've seen enough now. Ship him out on loan. If he proves himself to be a footballer then I would be pleased for the lad, but he's surely in the last chance saloon now. Might have been better risking Rhodes for 30 mins but easy with hindsight.
 
I've just watched the post-match interview with Critchley on TTV. He spoke about the messages he put out at half time: keep possession, win first and second balls. I think the lull in our performances comes from the player' over-thinking those instructions, to the point that they become nervous about playing the ball. Perhaps a better message might be, "more of the same lads, press them hard and don't give them space to progress with the ball."
 
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The second half syndrome can’t be the players mentality, it’s been happening almost every game, unless we’re losing at half time and then they go for it, until, like at Fleetwood, they get ahead and then sit back again.

It has to be Critchleys instructions, we’re 2 up, let’s keep it that way, don’t let them back in, defend with your lives.
 
We aren't blessed with many glass half full people on avftt are we? I can get fed up myself when things are unremittingly shit, like mid McCarthy or Hendry etc. But right now we have a team that is brilliant in patches, and is getting better. Some obvious failings, but plenty to admire and enjoy. When we stabilise things in midfield, which we will, we will climb the league. There's nothing above us that we can't deal with, when we get all our ducks lined up, some of which are injured.
 
voyeur said:
We aren't blessed with many glass half full people on avftt are we? I can get fed up myself when things are unremittingly shit, like mid McCarthy or Hendry etc. But right now we have a team that is brilliant in patches, and is getting better. Some obvious failings, but plenty to admire and enjoy. When we stabilise things in midfield, which we will, we will climb the league. There's nothing above us that we can't deal with, when we get all our ducks lined up, some of which are injured.
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Does that mean our injured Ducks are..Lame Ducks 😀
 
I’ve not been Critchleys biggest fan, but things are getting better. Look, he isn’t going anywhere and any manager that we had, AVFTT would crucify them what ever they did or didn’t do. We’re a L1 outfit and it’s going to be tough to get out of this league- it certainly isn’t the walk in the park some thought at the opening game of the season.
We won the game, but that isn’t enough for some! Let’s look at the opposition, a damn good side that didn’t look like a non league outfit at all! They didn’t roll over and why should they have done……
 
1966_and_all_that said:
I've just watched the post-match interview with Critchley on TTV. He spoke about the messages he put out at half time: keep possession, win first and second balls. I think the lull in our performances comes from the player' over-thinking those instructions, to the point that they become nervous about playing the ball. Perhaps a better message might be, "more of the same lads, press them hard and don't give them space to progress with the ball."
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This is were his coaching mentality is at its worst. We were cruising along nicely in the first half. All he needed to say was keep doing in the second half what we were doing in the first. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
 
911_Kirky said:
I’ve not been Critchleys biggest fan, but things are getting better. Look, he isn’t going anywhere and any manager that we had, AVFTT would crucify them what ever they did or didn’t do. We’re a L1 outfit and it’s going to be tough to get out of this league- it certainly isn’t the walk in the park some thought at the opening game of the season.
We won the game, but that isn’t enough for some! Let’s look at the opposition, a damn good side that didn’t look like a non league outfit at all! They didn’t roll over and why should they have done……
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They only looked a good side when we took our foot off the gas and allowed them to look good.
 
Albert Ross said:
This is were his coaching mentality is at its worst. We were cruising along nicely in the first half. All he needed to say was keep doing in the second half what we were doing in the first. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
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This ^^ is supporter mentality at its worst.

Making stuff up in your own head and critcising the manager based on what you’ve assumed to be true.

Have you actually heard what the Manager himself has had to say?

Have you watched what the manager actually does, during the game ?

Do you seriously believe that if all the manager needed to do was to say “keep doing the same thing lads” and that would magically result in a better second half, he wouldn’t just be doing that ?
 
Albert Ross said:
Does that include the assists for both goals?
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Already been over this on this or another thread. He did one decent through ball you'd expect to be able to do. One flick which wasn't the best but Dembele made the most of.

Im a fan of his potential but it wasn't his best game. Playing 1 simple pass through and a random flick doesn't change the rest.

He's a decent developing player who's shown glimpses, but I hoped he'd do a bit more last night.
 
JJpool said:
Already been over this on this or another thread. He did one decent through ball you'd expect to be able to do. One flick which wasn't the best but Dembele made the most of.

Im a fan of his potential but it wasn't his best game. Playing 1 simple pass through and a random flick doesn't change the rest.

He's a decent developing player who's shown glimpses, but I hoped he'd do a bit more last night.
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I agree about it not being his best , however one decent through ball and one flick which wasn’t the best but still gave Dembele his chance were the difference.
 
Albert Ross said:
I agree about it not being his best , however one decent through ball and one flick which wasn’t the best but still gave Dembele his chance were the difference.
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They were useful contributions and its good he didn't them, just wanted him to stamp his authority onto the game, didn't really happen for me.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I agree with him… I think it is a ‘mentality problem’

I will wonder if it’s a carry over from last year, as it almost certainly isn’t how the players are being asked / told to approach the game.
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Is it not a case though where either it’s him telling them to play that way or he’s just not getting his message across? Either way it’s not a good look for manager. We’re far enough into the season where he should be able to knock that mentality out of the players, especially against non-league opposition.
 
Shiggy said:
Is it not a case though where either it’s him telling them to play that way or he’s just not getting his message across? Either way it’s not a good look for manager. We’re far enough into the season where he should be able to knock that mentality out of the players, especially against non-league opposition.
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No, I think you're just assuming a "heads it's the managers fault, Tails we should blame the manager" mentality and then projecting that onto the situation.

We've had a tight schedule over recent weeks, we've had our Captain and key Midfielder missing for a few games and a few different faces have been introduced. A pattern has started to emerge and clearly the manager is aware of that, but I'm not sure it's as simple as saying a few words and you knock it out of the players. It's going to take some time drilling it into them on the training ground and continually reinforcing the message...Players losing their place for failing to do their jobs properly and gaining it if they work hard and do what is asked etc... Fortunately this week, we've got no mid week game, so the Manager will have an opportunity to work on a few things.
 
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Enzo said:
There was a genuine opportunity to go for it there and breed some confidence into the squad but we held back, that’s the manager we set up defensively against fleetwood he’s got no balls, shit scared of everyone pathetic little man
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I call bull shit
Is this really the support we have ???
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
No, I think you're just assuming a "heads it's the managers fault, Tails we should blame the manager" mentality and then projecting that onto the situation.

We've had a tight schedule over recent weeks, we've had our Captain and key Midfielder missing for a few games and a few different faces have been introduced. A pattern has started to emerge and clearly the manager is aware of that, but I'm not sure it's as simple as saying a few words and you knock it out of the players. It's going to take some time drilling it into them on the training ground and continually reinforcing the message...Players losing their place for failing to do their jobs properly and gaining it if they work hard and do what is asked etc... Fortunately this week, we've got no mid week game, so the Manager will have an opportunity to work on a few things.
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If you have seen my posts on here the last week or so you’ll know that’s definitely not the mentality I have at all.

Fair points made apart from that though.
 
Shiggy said:
Sorry but have you not seen my posts on here the last week or so? That’s definitely not the mentality I have at all.

Fair points made apart from that though.
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I've seen your posts, but in this particular case, I think the point stands. You offered up an 'Either / Or' as in "He's either telling them to play that way OR he's not getting his message across".

However those aren't the only two options.... He might be getting his message across perfectly well, but the players are just not implementing it as well as they might. There's a whole range of factors going to impact (not least the fact that the opposition aren't there to lie down and roll over). And as per my other post, it's not always just about what he says, he needs time to get them in the classroom, to give some focused attention to individual players, to work on things in training etc... All of which is difficult when you have such a busy schedule...

So the Manager is ultimately responsible for performances obviously and to that extent, the buck always stops with him, but there has to be some accountability on the part of the players and the Manager also needs some time working with the players to address the problem.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I agree with him… I think it is a ‘mentality problem’

I will wonder if it’s a carry over from last year, as it almost certainly isn’t how the players are being asked / told to approach the game.
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No.

There is no 'carry over'. That's just a lazy notion. An easy excuse.

If the players are not responding to the managers instructions, then he's not delivering them in the right way. A manager should be able to get his message over, that's basic.

I haven't seen the second half yet as I recorded it whilst we had our evening meal and when I went to watch the TV showed the players coming off at full time. I look forward to watching later.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I've seen your posts, but in this particular case, I think the point stands. You offered up an 'Either / Or' as in "He's either telling them to play that way OR he's not getting his message across".

However those aren't the only two options.... He might be getting his message across perfectly well, but the players are just not implementing it as well as they might. There's a whole range of factors going to impact (not least the fact that the opposition aren't there to lie down and roll over). And as per my other post, it's not always just about what he says, he needs time to get them in the classroom, to give some focused attention to individual players, to work on things in training etc... All of which is difficult when you have such a busy schedule...

So the Manager is ultimately responsible for performances obviously and to that extent, the buck always stops with him, but there has to be some accountability on the part of the players and the Manager also needs some time working with the players to address the problem.
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Where I disagree with you is I still think he’s had enough time drill them on that. You made a good point about rotation etc but the players who have a big role to play defensively such as Husband, Dale, Hamilton, Dougall, Casey, and Ekpiteta have all played under him before and have been constants in the side (Eki not so much this season but certainly in Critchley’s first spell).

We’re definitely missing Norburn. No doubt. There’s also the fact that Beesley was horrendous yesterday and offered absolutely no relief which didn’t help. But as you say, ultimately the buck stops with the manager and because of that I do think in this case it’s the either/or situation I initially said.
 
Shiggy said:
Where I disagree with you is I still think he’s had enough time drill them on that. You made a good point about rotation etc but the players who have a big role to play defensively such as Husband, Dale, Hamilton, Dougall, Casey, and Ekpiteta have all played under him before and have been constants in the side (Eki not so much this season but certainly in Critchley’s first spell).

We’re definitely missing Norburn. No doubt. There’s also the fact that Beesley was horrendous yesterday and offered absolutely no relief which didn’t help. But as you say, ultimately the buck stops with the manager and because of that I do think in this case it’s the either/or situation I initially said.
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I think you'll see a marked difference once we have another experienced head back in Norburn and a full week to work with the lads in training.
 
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