by Snowflake Royal »
11 Oct 2023 19:37
Millsy Stranded Clyde1998 Someone suggested we've got ~20 outfield players of fairly similar ability - that ability is clearly above youth level of most L1/L2 sides, but might be below the level of an average L1 first team (albeit with a young squad that should quickly improve throughout the season). Which would be why we're able to perform well in cup competitions, but aren't doing well in the league so far.
I think the quality of most of our players is mid/lowe mid L1 but we haven't played them in the right combination/formation as yet.
Yeah, so I'll pose another possibility, just thinking out loudly.
Our boys smash every cup oppoistion including Millwall who are champ, so it's clearly not just about opposition level.
There's somehting either mental with the players or the way they approach these games that is totally different.
Perhaps league games are videod and scouted to death and it really is a battle of tactics and systems. Whereas cup games are more expermental perhaps for all, not as much tactical analysis, more fluid, more a case of trying new players and asking them to give it a go.
Perhaps SeLLLLes can motivate players well, which works well in cup games, but up against shrewd proper managers who really do their homework for a league game, it all falls apart as seLLLes sticks to his tried and failed telephone number formations which oppositions pick apart.
Just an idea.
I think Exeter and Swindon's youth teams being far inferior is more likely.
In those games we were quicker, stronger and more skillful. They couldn't tracks us, mark us or close us. Which is why so many of our goals came from players in acres of space.
Football is a piece of piss if your opposition is seriously inferior in almost every category. If they're bigger, stronger, tougher, meaner and more organised, it's pretty hard even if you're more skillful.