THE LEARNING CURVE

[lythamblue]

In order to be successful, you have to learn to win. To do that you have to sieze the few opportunities you get when they arise and that is what we are not YET capable of doing.

It breaks my heart to say it ....but the team we played today epitomise that and we have a lot to learn before we can aspire to be the major force that they have been and we want to be. It is more than having good players it is about having a good TEAM. One that relies on each other, doesn't get involved in back biting and whinging and a TEAM that responds with a performance when they have to.

We weren't unlucky today, we just didn't seize the initiative, looked a bit overawed by it all and got caught in the last few seconds by a TEAM that have been there many times before and seen it all. We acted like a bunch of individuals all trying to prove their individual importance , whilst our opponents looked like a bunch of individuals who knew what they all collectively had to do and ..... were not going to give up trying to do it.

Unfortunately, learning to be a winning team takes TIME (yes, that old chestnut again). Winning is a habit .... and one that we have not yet acquired and got used to. Talking the talk is easy ....walking the walk is a different matter altogether and experience is a major requirement.

It doesn't matter how much money we spend, getting the mix right will take a while and will need stability frm the board and patience and backing by the fans. This will not be fixed by a new left back, faster striker or midfield maestro. Neither will it be fixed by whether we adopt whatever tactics and make certain substitutions in a game etc. Top teams make substitutions which win a game because whoever they bring on has an inbuilt mentality and philosophy to do whatever is needed to get the job done.

You can't become winners overnight .... and I hope we use today to sit back a little and reflect on how far we have to go and what we will have to endure before we achieve it.

[brite blu sky]

In order to be successful, you have to learn to win. To do that you have to sieze the few opportunities you get when they arise and that is what we are not YET capable of doing.

It breaks my heart to say it ....but the team we played today epitomise that and we have a lot to learn before we can aspire to be the major force that they have been and we want to be. It is more than having good players it is about having a good TEAM. One that relies on each other, doesn't get involved in back biting and whinging and a TEAM that responds with a performance when they have to.

We weren't unlucky today, we just didn't seize the initiative, looked a bit overawed by it all and got caught in the last few seconds by a TEAM that have been there many times before and seen it all. We acted like a bunch of individuals all trying to prove their individual importance , whilst our opponents looked like a bunch of individuals who knew what they all collectively had to do and ..... were not going to give up trying to do it.

Unfortunately, learning to be a winning team takes TIME (yes, that old chestnut again). Winning is a habit .... and one that we have not yet acquired and got used to. Talking the talk is easy ....walking the walk is a different matter altogether and experience is a major requirement.

It doesn't matter how much money we spend, getting the mix right will take a while and will need stability frm the board and patience and backing by the fans. This will not be fixed by a new left back, faster striker or midfield maestro. Neither will it be fixed by whether we adopt whatever tactics and make certain substitutions in a game etc. Top teams make substitutions which win a game because whoever they bring on has an inbuilt mentality and philosophy to do whatever is needed to get the job done.

You can't become winners overnight .... and I hope we use today to sit back a little and reflect on how far we have to go and what we will have to endure before we achieve it.

good words and i agree with most of what you write, what i am not convinced of is that there is much of a difference between the teams.. if you look at the chances and the quality of finishes from both sides, it showed a lot of nerves.
Ok ginger got in there at the end but he also snatched a good shooting chance earlier in the game, as did Bellemy, Tevez, Fletcher.. etc
I ddint see the need to make the subs that we did, it perhaps had the effect of undermining the team that was out there more than anything positive.
All told though, there was nothing between those two teams on the day, ginger did well when he got lucky, no more than Nedum would have done.

chin up lads. in reality there was very little to complain about in that game, admit it

[Spurge]

It's hard to argue against what you say Lytham.

We didn't have that cutting edge in the last third, or the belief that we could win - thats a massive thing which we need to acquire, which won't come if we decide that each time we lose on the main stage that we need to replace the manager and build a new team as it's more likely to take us several steps back than just the one.

We have quality in our squad, one or two additions required in the summer in order that we build on what we have already and take it from there, keep the manger and allow us to 'progress' and understand each other from a team perspective, become stronger and more resilaint as well as confident.

I was as disappointed as anyone today but we need to adopt a sensible approach rather than a drastic approach to take us to the next level.

I wasn't happy over the Hughes situation and the way we as a club handled it, but I was always going to back Mancini (or whoever came in) as our new manager.

If the owners get rid at the end of the season because 'targets were not achieved' then I think we are almost back to square one, Mancini has done ok and is learning about the english game all the time, whilst developing what will be a very capable squad.

I thought he had us a bit too negative today for a team which looked attack minded on paper, but again he will I'm sure learn fom this. If we finish top 4 (there are still penty of twists and turns to come) and mancini has the opportunity to strengthen in two or three positions next season then much the better - but if we miss out on top 4 then I don't believe anything should change either in that Mancini should still be at the helm as well as looking to add two or three to strengthen.

The only thing that may change is the willingness of certain players to want to come to Eastlands if we finish 5th instead of 4th as champ league footbal is key, but don't let that be a reason to sack the manager unless he has lost the dressing room.

[lythamblue]

[

All told though, there was nothing between those two teams on the day, ginger did well when he got lucky, no more than Nedum would have done.

In terms of quality players and also in terms of the level of play, you are right, there was indeed little betwen the teams.

However, in terms of knowing how to get the job done, whether it be in the last 5 mins of a game or even an end of season run in, there was a massive difference between the teams. They know how to finish the job .... and we haven't learnt how to do that .... YET.

If anything, we actually had the better players out their on the pitch, yet they still won the game. That tells us everything.

[Nick]

I think were learning to lose to united. That group of players has been beating in added time 3 TIMES this season. Teams just expect it, its psychological and it could keep costing us.

[lythamblue]

The only thing that may change is the willingness of certain players to want to come to Eastlands if we finish 5th instead of 4th as champ league footbal is key, but don't let that be a reason to sack the manager unless he has lost the dressing room.

If we finish 5th we can still attract better players than we have and make a more concerted push for top 4 next season. You are right, we probably only need another couple as some of what we already have will get better and the understanding and team spirit will grow.

When we actually do make top 4, off course we will attract an even better calibre of players , and then we will need another 6 or 7, not two or three. Mano of those we signed to get us in to the top 4 will no longer be considered good enough for a Championship assault and will be replaced anyway.

My point is, we cannot just expect everyone to lie down and let us dominate world football. It will have to be done in stages and failures will just have to be considered part of the learning curve as we drive forward.

Expectations and impatience will be our downfall.

[lythamblue]

I think were learning to lose to U***d. That group of players has been beating in added time 3 TIMES this season. Teams just expect it, its psychological and it could keep costing us.

My point entirely! We have still to learn how to get through these barriers. Sometimes you have to learn how to lose .... before you eventually learn how to win. We are still in the middle of that process and it will take some time.

However, at least we are now 'involved and competing. You can't learn anything from being outside of those situations.

[viking the Odd]

It's funny though,when we were skint and really shit,we used to beat them then, but now we are rich and have better players,managers, we lose.

[btajim]

It's funny though,when we were skint and really shit,we used to beat them then, but now we are rich and have better players,managers, we lose.

Form goes out of the window when the Derby comes along. City beating them 4-1 at The COMS despite having a bad season completely sums up what our Club is about.

Can we win at Arsenal on Saturday?