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Time to Shine

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
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2,099
It has taken thirty games but we have found our best form of the season, and our players are arguably performing at their best. Maybe it has been Harry, maybe it has been the signing of Keane and Palacios, but I think one thing has definitely been key: time.

Several of our players have been the scapegoats from time to time – Assou-Ekotto, Gomes, Bent, Lennon, Modric. A lot of it has been induced by the media; too much has been overly critical and misguided. Perhaps it’s a fault of the modern football fan’s desire for instant and complete success. We do not see the difficulties players face moving somewhere new, with a new language, new teammates, new styles and the like. It must be quite unsettling, especially if a young family is in tow.

Over the last few seasons we have had constant upheaval. We have bought and sold team loads of players, moved through three managers and shifted from a ‘continental’ system to a classic British style management. The good starts the managers have tended to enjoy may have exacerbated the problem, but it also shows how temporary form can be. Players naturally have dips in form, even the best players don’t produce all game, every game, and it’s something we could do with remembering. Patience is a virtue but the players are now showing that when we get behind them they can produce to the levels we know they can.

Our recent impressive form has also shown how important games are. English football is so different to most of the world. The tempo, the direct football, the constant pressing, it can be a real shock to foreign players. Is it a surprise that the two players that have hit the ground running since they joined (or rejoined) the club, Palacios and Keane, either knew the club inside out already, or had played plenty of Premiership football already?

The team is looking good, we seem to have a settled line up now, so what of the two big-money summer signings on the bench – Pavlyuchenko and Bentley?

Roman is new to the country and struggling with the language. I also think his probable role in the team – that of a target man – is one that he needs to adapt to. He isn’t the proverbial battering ram, he has more finesse than that but if he is to find a place in the team he will certainly need to improve his physical presence upfront. He might need more time than most as it will be harder for Harry to help him until his grasp of English improves.

With Bentley, the reasons for his poor form lie closer to home. The team is very reliant on Lennon’s pace on the wing, so Bentley fails to be a like for like replacement, and when he does play the team is not setup to suit him. He needs others to work space for him to cross and too often he finds him inside in dead end. Maybe in this current team, with the way it is performing, he would find it easier to come in and show his ability. No doubt he would admit he has not shown what he really can do.

A final example of the need to give players and teams time comes from little Luka. In his post match interview he said he knew Lennon would pull the ball back because he done it in training. Its this intuition, an awareness of what your team mate will do before it happens, that only comes with practice and time together on the pitch.

A great performance on Saturday, from the players, coaching staff and fans alike. It did not come overnight, but was months in the making. Given time, who knows where we can go?
 

JimmyG2

SC Supporter
Dec 7, 2006
15,014
20,779
I agree that over time the team has 'gelled' I never doubted the quality of the squad but it takes time as you say for foreign players to settle and in fact for all players to adapt to new circumstances and to their new teamates, manager, coaching team, tactics and so on.
That is one of my main reasons for asking for a limit on the number of players brought in. We can't go on replacing the team and the manager every season.
I am not so sure that our scapegoating is the fault of the media. We do quite a good job of it ourselves which the media latch on to and make worse.
 
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