Key for me this season will be the psychological side of the game. The team togetherness, fighting spirit and hunger for learning has been as important as the quality football and tactics. Obviously this is much easier to maintain in a win-often season. The squad will now need to adjust to small gains being their fuel.
But when we play well and batter a team deemed poorer than us we're quick to dole out 8-9's even though the standard of opposition isn't as good. Fact is there were a lot of very underpar performances against B'mouth regardless of how good they might be, If Godden scored a hat-trick against The Red Lion in the FA Cup would you give him a low score because the opposition is so poor he should be scoring more?
Fact is whether we're playing Wycombe or b'mouth the're both Championship teams whose games are both worth 3 points. We're in the same league so have to be considering each and every team as one we should be competing against so the ratings should be the considered on the same basis.
I think that is the first time we have been soundly beaten and outplayed for a long time, we have got so used to winning that this hurt and shocked one or two of us (myself included). I still think we have the capability to do some damage in this league and this will help to focus the mind. One good result in the next few will do us the world of good. On the positive side, we never gave up and worked hard throughout. I can't fault the effort or the attitude of the players and for me, that is what I always ask for from the team that I manage and the team that I support. We will come back from this, have faith, believe.
I think that is the first time we have been soundly beaten and outplayed for a long time, we have got so used to winning that this hurt and shocked one or two of us (myself included). I still think we have the capability to do some damage in this league and this will help to focus the mind. One good result in the next few will do us the world of good. On the positive side, we never gave up and worked hard throughout. I can't fault the effort or the attitude of the players and for me, that is what I always ask for from the team that I manage and the team that I support. We will come back from this, have faith, believe.