No one can contest that it primarily team spirit that has kept us in the Premier League over the last two seasons , particularly after the terrible first half to each season. Our team cost and wages compared to the top teams has been vastly less, but the boys have still managed to grind out wins against the top boys and haven't really taken a real hammering. In some of those games we looked like we would 20 minutes in , but never gave up and managed to turn things round and snatch a win like Everton last season. The basis of this was the Championship promotion team and even up to final games of last season we were still playing with 6 or 7 of this side. As people like Murray said when he left, it was a very special unit.
However in the last two league games it just hasn't been there. Neither Chelsea or Villa played particularly well, but it seemed as soon as went a goal behind the usual fight wasn't there. The constant arm waving at teammates has been though. Even Cabaye was up to it yesterday, somehow expecting Ward to get to a through ball he had overhit and since Zaha's place has effectively been safe because of Bolasie and Sako's injuries he seems to have gone into overdrive on the whole world is against me front.
The other thing we have done previously with has been different this season is keeping a settled team. Admittedly this has been difficult with injury, but it must be very hard for the like of Speroni, Jedinak, Ledley to be in and out of the squad, sometimes seeing new signings such as Mccarthy,Much and Lee put ahead of them , even for a bench spot. Those guys were the cornerstone of that team spirit , but it would be interesting to know how exactly they have been handled , particularly in the eyes of the whole group. Even something minor like the way Cabaye has taken nearly every free kick(with no direct success) over Puncheon who was getting quite a name for his free kicks after his success against man city and man utd last season probably has done Puncheons confidence no good.
i know we have to move forward on all fronts, but the worry is that we may be losing something very special, that team spirit , in the process.
However in the last two league games it just hasn't been there. Neither Chelsea or Villa played particularly well, but it seemed as soon as went a goal behind the usual fight wasn't there. The constant arm waving at teammates has been though. Even Cabaye was up to it yesterday, somehow expecting Ward to get to a through ball he had overhit and since Zaha's place has effectively been safe because of Bolasie and Sako's injuries he seems to have gone into overdrive on the whole world is against me front.
The other thing we have done previously with has been different this season is keeping a settled team. Admittedly this has been difficult with injury, but it must be very hard for the like of Speroni, Jedinak, Ledley to be in and out of the squad, sometimes seeing new signings such as Mccarthy,Much and Lee put ahead of them , even for a bench spot. Those guys were the cornerstone of that team spirit , but it would be interesting to know how exactly they have been handled , particularly in the eyes of the whole group. Even something minor like the way Cabaye has taken nearly every free kick(with no direct success) over Puncheon who was getting quite a name for his free kicks after his success against man city and man utd last season probably has done Puncheons confidence no good.
i know we have to move forward on all fronts, but the worry is that we may be losing something very special, that team spirit , in the process.
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