Quote ="Tinkerman23"I wouldnt say plenty, and id say its more in panic then a expansive structured game plan.
I just find it hard to believe that we train all week to play a non conservative game. Then the players go on the pitch, ignore the coaches instructions, ignore everything theyve trained all week for. Then in the last 20 mins of a game we are 20 nil down in, decide to play how the coach wants us to, or that suddenly confidence had returned.really enjoyed yesterday, just want more of that last 20 mins win or lose'"
I think the answer to that is pretty much as stated by Radford in that YP piece. When you've just had your defence ripped to shreds your confidence goes and you play far more conservatively because you're afraid of losing possession and having to defend. The coaching staff had apparently been trying to get the players to relax a bit as the defence had improved but it's one thing to be told that and another to believe it. When we hit the last 20 minutes yesterday there was literally nothing to lose and the message finally took hold.
Radford even mentions that once you are confident in your defence you naturally take more risks in attack as if the ball goes to ground then "it's no biggy - we'll just defend that".
Sports psychology is a strange thing and the best coaches are those that handle the mental side of things at least as well as the tactics/training/skills. This, IMO, is where we have failed big time over the last 10 years or so and where we continue to struggle.
