What needs to change at Dundee United

[stokearab]

"Football is a simple game complicated by people at Largs because their income depends on it"

[Shedboy1971]

Can't change the manager yet again so soon.

When I watch games I see players who don't cope with pressure.

Ayr, County? It was Klopp and Fergie to begin with.

I'd argue that if it's good enough for Klopp and Fergie and most of the top clubs in the world then it is good enough for us.

I've already posted on this thread about the tactics but I think the biggest issue is preparing this squad for mental pressure.

What we see game after game is games breaking down and it becomes a case of who is mentally strong enough to cope in these turgid games. That ain't us.

We can only piss with the cock we've got untill the transfer window reopens and we can buy a new cock. We should do our best to prepare our current cock to perform when the pressure is on.

Thing is Frank we are putting players into a system they clearly either mentally cant get used to or are out of their depth with. I think the two are intrinsically linked and when the going gets tough its toxic. We dont, and havent for 5 years, the players to play a 4231. Thats both mental and capable - also we seem to have managed to yet again get a barrage of wannabe no10s

[PortugueseFrank]

I dont want a change of manager but we dont need a sports psychologist to coach the players how to keep possession. We are rank rotten at the basics of playing football - that is what needs sorting and we have a coach who should be sorting it.

So no issue with the players mental strengths?

On keeping possession we had 60% possession against Thistle

And 51% v ICT cup game

So holding onto the ball doesn't statistically appear to be an issue. It's what we do with it and how we cope in defence. And for me that comes down to mental strength.

[stokearab]

So no issue with the players mental strengths?

On keeping possession we had 60% possession against Thistle

And 51% v ICT cup game

So holding onto the ball doesn't statistically appear to be an issue. It's what we do with it and how we cope in defence. And for me that comes down to mental strength.

To me actual possession stats are meaningless in themselves. A player who receives the ball once/twice/three times and loses it will still count to have had possession. As you say it's what a team does with the ball when they have it consistently. And from what I've seen of us we do nothing.
We are rotten at the basics of control, rotten at holding and spreading play, rotten at using width to stretch the opposition and rotten at creating chances from open play.
We're not even good at defending any more.
So I suppose my point about psychologists is based on the fact that all these basics need to improve before mental strength is a deciding factor.

[PortugueseFrank]

Psychology plays a big role in those things.

Being in the best frame of mind plays a big role in being able to perform to be best of a players abilities.

[stokearab]

Psychology plays a big role in those things.

Being in the best frame of mind plays a big role in being able to perform to be best of a players abilities.

Frank I don't disagree with that statement. But it seems so desperate when you look back at your request to "bring in the shrinks" like some magic solution to our problems. Our main problem right now is we cant do the basics required on a park to win games. I think we'd win more games if the manager coached the players better, maybe a priority before shrinks is all I'm saying.

[PortugueseFrank]

Desperate is unfair.

Was/is it desperate of Fergie and Klopp (your examples not mine) and pretty much every top team in the world using sports psychologists? No.

We don't disagree on anything other than how important psychology is to our current situation.

[cybershed]

Last sentence spot on as far as I am concerned Chick. Anyway Wee Jum was employing sports psychology/ists way back when he took over United. So its nothing new and that said if you are playing at a decent level i.e. beyond pub football, and you cant get motivated then you are in the wrong job. Ability should account for at least 80% or more of players, imo as I don't read books on sports psychology!

I don't think the sports psychologist thing really worked under Jim. All credit to him for trying it. Pioneering stuff. But apparently Jim couldn't handle it and blew the whole program after 45 mins of the 1st match LOL. He wanted in the players' heads. Not some shrink!

For me, I think the team is getting too caught up in formation and sticking to their roles. When this bunch were first thrown together at the end of Jan, they created loads of chances in the 1st couple of games and played some great football. Albeit for 45 mins per game.

I would like Robbie to just let them have a bit more freedom on the park go follow their instinct. They've been playing under so much pressure recently. If I was RN I would tell them all about the opposition, strengths, weaknesses etc. I'd pick the team and send them out to follow their instinct and go for the win.

The title has gone. Let's cut loose and see what we can achieve with the pressure off. You never know, the team may just find something special.

[ARAbCHNID]

We just need a good win or two, that's all.
The mood of the fans is dark just now cos of back-to-back 2-1 defeats.
Including a devastating loss in a quarter final home tie in a game in which we were favourites, it's still hard getting over that one, it'll not go away.
Imagine if we had been looking forward to a Hampden Scottish Cup semi v Hearts (who aren't very good).
In some respects the ICT shocker was the biggest blow in the last three seasons.
And that amongst many big blows.
So what we're needing now is simply a WIN, or better still, WINS.
Tuesday night on the forums, the world might be a better place.

[Shedboy1971]

But did Hibs do that to help them get out this Championship? I dont think the turnover even for them would have been big enough to allow money to be spent on a shrink or 3.

Chick i dont know tbh