Players Raising their game

[Sniper]

I've seen this phrase mentioned a lot recently and it got me thinking, if so, why are they not raising their game every game?

Ipswich spring to mind and it seems looking at the season they are having their players are on it week in week out and it should get them promoted or at least very near.

Of course we played very well against West Ham, Southampton and Boro, then self imploded when only 5 points off the playoffs with 2 teams at the bottom to play.

Is it the fact that what many people have already said, we are better playing sides who attack and we pick them off on the counter, and when we play a team that shuts up shop we have no idea what to do?

Or do the players just play well and raise their game when they feel like it? or when the TV cameras are there?

 

[Capman]

Expectation weighs heavy I suspect. Play a team you are expected to beat and be told to play a certain way to do it life becomes complicated and players lose confidence. Play with no expectation you revert to your core skills and methods and life becomes less difficult and complicated. Maybe there is something to be said in telling good players to ‘go out and enjoy yourselves’. Let them work it out for themselves. 

[cheese]

29 minutes ago, Capman said:

Expectation weighs heavy I suspect. Play a team you are expected to beat and be told to play a certain way to do it life becomes complicated and players lose confidence. Play with no expectation you revert to your core skills and methods and life becomes less difficult and complicated. Maybe there is something to be said in telling good players to ‘go out and enjoy yourselves’. Let them work it out for themselves. 

I remember Alan Dicks saying the exact same thing during our promotion year to the 1st Division.