And you're looking for any excuse to stick to your narrative.
The reality is that all clubs had bad preparation and injuries last season. There were a multitude of reasons for our failures last year, some you've acknowledged, some you refuse to.
When we were playing well under SL it was noticeable just how much work the entire team did for each other. Even Lolley was found covering for Cash's marauding runs time and time again. We were not bailing each other out last year.
Here's a quote by Conte:
“If you want to win something during the season it is important to create a unity in the team. To create this unity between the players, the staff, the club, you have to have a good spirit. I think we are showing this is one of the most important things that has led us to the top of the table. In every team I managed, I always tried to build the right spirit because it is of fundamental importance if you want to have a good season. It is not easy to create and before you arrive at creating a good spirit, you have to pass different steps, but I am pleased to see this unity in my team.
"You create the spirit day by day and step by step, with your work, with your decisions, with your behaviours and the players’ behaviours. Also you must know that you have to put in a lot of time to create this. It’s important to trust in the work because only the work can improve the situation. For sure it is important to have great players and in my team I have great players with great humility to work and try to improve the different situations and different tactical aspects.”
He's spot on, and hopefully Hughton is more dialled into it's importance than you are.
Oh I see!
You make an erroneous point about players refusing to play, and when proven wrong, I am the one with the narrative.
Everyone and his dog know that you have a bee in your bonnet about the ownership and the so called poisonous environment at the Club; unfortunately your attempts to interweave that guff into every thing that goes wrong does nothing other than stretch credulity to its limits
Twisting things around no longer works; everyone is wise to your tactics and they no longer wash; unfortunately you appear to be the only one oblivious to the facts.
I have done nothing more than acknowledge the issues we know as fact; the preparation was bad, we had injuries to key players and there were huge confidence issues.
If you know of other issues you can feel free to elaborate; although I get the impression you are guessing.
"When we were playing well under SL it was noticeable just how much work the entire team did for each other. Even Lolley was found covering for Cash's marauding runs time and time again. We were not bailing each other out last year."
I'm sorry, but that is just arse dribble.
All you have done is highlight the difference between a team playing with confidence and one playing without.
Cash and Lolley teamed up very well; Cash was able to get forward so often because of his relationship with Lolley and, more importantly, because we had a centre forward who was holding the ball up.
Christie, on the other hand, did not look comfortable from the first minute; there were times when his attempts to control the ball resulted in the ball going under his foot; his confidence was shattered.
And that was only part of it; we did not have a single player who could hold the ball up all season - when that does not happen there is no let up with the pressure on the defence, and full backs will not commit to getting forward for fear of being exposed
I appreciate that such nuances escape you having never played the game; trying to compensate for having no experience by relying on data will not get you very far; in fact it is quite clear it is leading you down one blind alley after another
You have some nerve accusing me of not being dialled into the importance of team spirit, particularly when you have zero experience of either playing, coaching or managing the game.
Team spirit was not lacking last season; you do not end up with a defensive unit which turned out to be the fifth best in the division unless the players are pulling together.
And Conte's words are very nice; unfortunately he appears oblivious to his own advice, particularly when it comes to communicating with his own players, or do you not remember that?