A Lack Of Winners..

[Tuerto]

I believe that we have enough quality within this group of players to compete next season, and to be around the play off positions, maybe even surprise some of us and challenge the for a top two place, a few wins should bread some confidence and as we all know, confidence can get you places. My biggest concern is that this group of players are losers, they have been for some time now, and they've shown a lack of appetite on plenty of occasions over the past couple of seasons. They have little desire for a fight, lack character and have been shown to be weak at crucial moments.

If we're going to stick with the stereotypes of lower league football, where desire, character and belief can generally be seen by some as greater attributes than ability, and the fact that this group have been on the slide for some time, something that can ruin players, then should we be concerned in terms of the attributes i have mentioned not really being prevalent within this group of players?

Like i said, i think that we will be alright, but i can't ignore the lack of character and belief within our squad, and it is a concern, as is the length of time this group have been regressing. There's some very important transfer business to be done this Summer, it's going to be interesting. What are peoples thoughts?

[Moodybluebird]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

You are right, this squad lacks self-belief and character. Not a Morrison, Bamba or Bellamy to be seen. Whether a new manager will have the motivational skills to turn it around without a major turnover of players is a complete unknown but I know we cannot go through another season with a side imbued with a loser's mentality.

[blue matt]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

imho a little harsh on some of them

Yousef looks like he wants to win, looks up for a battle

Rallsy will wear his heart on his sleeve and give his all

Robbo and O'dowda will always give that 100%

thats about it though I guess

imho a battler in the middle of the park and the rest will follow, dare I say someone like James McClean

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

imho a little harsh on some of them

Yousef looks like he wants to win, looks up for a battle

Rallsy will wear his heart on his sleeve and give his all

Robbo and O'dowda will always give that 100%

thats about it though I guess

imho a battler in the middle of the park and the rest will follow, dare I say someone like James McClean

Pardon?

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

Pardon?

That's what I was thinking. Robinson doesn't always give 100%, he often goes 'missing'.

[Wash DC Blue]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

Pardon?

I’m wondering what O’Dowda has done wrong to not be referred to as Callum, Dowdsey or some other cringey, overfamiliar moniker.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

imho a little harsh on some of them

Yousef looks like he wants to win, looks up for a battle

Rallsy will wear his heart on his sleeve and give his all

Robbo and O'dowda will always give that 100%

thats about it though I guess

imho a battler in the middle of the park and the rest will follow, dare I say someone like James McClean

Whether you mean Robinson or Robertson (I assume it’s the former), I’d say their attitude could be questioned at times. As for Ralls, even if he is given a new contract, how many games is he going to play - last season’s evidence suggests no more than half of them.

There’s one or two we could argue about, but, as you admit, we don’t have many of them. Most teams we”ll play in any division will, surely, not have more than half of their team with a dodgy attitude - we did in 24/25 and we’ll struggle next season if that situation doesn’t change.

[Bobby Dandruff]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

I believe that we have enough quality within this group of players to compete next season, and to be around the play off positions, maybe even surprise some of us and challenge the for a top two place, a few wins should bread some confidence and as we all know, confidence can get you places. My biggest concern is that this group of players are losers, they have been for some time now, and they've shown a lack of appetite on plenty of occasions over the past couple of seasons. They have little desire for a fight, lack character and have been shown to be weak at crucial moments.

If we're going to stick with the stereotypes of lower league football, where desire, character and belief can generally be seen by some as greater attributes than ability, and the fact that this group have been on the slide for some time, something that can ruin players, then should we be concerned in terms of the attributes i have mentioned not really being prevalent within this group of players?

Like i said, i think that we will be alright, but i can't ignore the lack of character and belief within our squad, and it is a concern, as is the length of time this group have been regressing. There's some very important transfer business to be done this Summer, it's going to be interesting. What are peoples thoughts?

To play the Dave Mackay at Derby role, you mean Dennis?

[the other bob wilson]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

I believe that we have enough quality within this group of players to compete next season, and to be around the play off positions, maybe even surprise some of us and challenge the for a top two place, a few wins should bread some confidence and as we all know, confidence can get you places. My biggest concern is that this group of players are losers, they have been for some time now, and they've shown a lack of appetite on plenty of occasions over the past couple of seasons. They have little desire for a fight, lack character and have been shown to be weak at crucial moments.

If we're going to stick with the stereotypes of lower league football, where desire, character and belief can generally be seen by some as greater attributes than ability, and the fact that this group have been on the slide for some time, something that can ruin players, then should we be concerned in terms of the attributes i have mentioned not really being prevalent within this group of players?

Like i said, i think that we will be alright, but i can't ignore the lack of character and belief within our squad, and it is a concern, as is the length of time this group have been regressing. There's some very important transfer business to be done this Summer, it's going to be interesting. What are peoples thoughts?

Your point about lifting confidence levels with a couple of wins is a good one. Nine wins out of forty six is not only pretty pathetic, but it's going to have a corrosive effect on confidence. It would have made no difference to the outcome of our season, but it would have made things easier if we could have won one of, say, the Oxford or West Brom matches.

Say it works out that our first two matches are Stockport away and Luton at home, I'd regard a couple of draws against that quality of opposition as a decent way to start the campaign, but you know how the media would shape their narrative - it'd be along the lines of "Cardiff took their run of games without a league win to ten today after their second draw of the new season against Luton". An early win or two would make such a difference to the whole atmosphere around the club.

[splott parker]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

imho a little harsh on some of them

Yousef looks like he wants to win, looks up for a battle

Rallsy will wear his heart on his sleeve and give his all

Robbo and O'dowda will always give that 100%

thats about it though I guess

imho a battler in the middle of the park and the rest will follow, dare I say someone like James McClean

Do you reckon Rambo, Rubes, Turno & Fishy can shine a bit more this season?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

Your point about lifting confidence levels with a couple of wins is a good one. Nine wins out of forty six is not only pretty pathetic, but it's going to have a corrosive effect on confidence. It would have made no difference to the outcome of our season, but it would have made things easier if we could have won one of, say, the Oxford or West Brom matches.

Say it works out that our first two matches are Stockport away and Luton at home, I'd regard a couple of draws against that quality of opposition as a decent way to start the campaign, but you know how the media would shape their narrative - it'd be along the lines of "Cardiff took their run of games without a league win to ten today after their second draw of the new season against Luton". An early win or two would make such a difference to the whole atmosphere around the club.

Invariably, statistically, teams take their end of season form into the following season. Let's take the last 10 games. Luton got 18 points, Plymouth 16 points, Cardiff City 8 points. Both Luton and Plymouth had several key players out during that time - we were relatively injury-free and able to pick from our whole squad. In my humble opinion if there's one club who will have a 'flying start' to next season, it won't be this one..

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

Invariably, statistically, teams take their end of season form into the following season.

That's simply not true, especially if teams have been relegated or promoted.

For evidence, see the records of Burnley and Sheffield United last season. Sunderland's record at the start of 2024/25 was also significantly different to their end of 2023/24.

[Hilts]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

imho a little harsh on some of them

Yousef looks like he wants to win, looks up for a battle

Rallsy will wear his heart on his sleeve and give his all

Robbo and O'dowda will always give that 100%

thats about it though I guess

imho a battler in the middle of the park and the rest will follow, dare I say someone like James McClean

How many of those 4 will be with us next season. Or if they are how many games will they play?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

That's simply not true, especially if teams have been relegated or promoted.

For evidence, see the records of Burnley and Sheffield United last season. Sunderland's record at the start of 2024/25 was also significantly different to their end of 2023/24.

I'd concede that resuming in a different league would make a difference, but apart from the size of the 3 clubs, there's nothing that tells me we are going to kick off next season in better form than the other two relegated sides. Aside from actually being better than us in all departments already, their squads are better suited to league 1.

[The Lone Gunman]

Re: A Lack Of Winners..

I'd concede that resuming in a different league would make a difference, but apart from the size of the 3 clubs, there's nothing that tells me we are going to kick off next season in better form than the other two relegated sides. Aside from actually being better than us in all departments already, their squads are better suited to league 1.

Plymouth are losing their manager. That should make a difference.