How Do You Think The Players are Feeling After Yet Another Defeat.

Statue of Limitations

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I don't know if they feel anything close to as bad as we do, and pedalling the same tired apologies and excuses time and again just makes us feel even worse.

Personally, I'm under pressure in work each month to deliver, if I gave the same % of a feck that some of these guys do, I'd be in the unemployment line.
 

SAFMUTD

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It's a cultural thing, when you "fail" so often is it really a failure?

Seeing yesterday's match I didn't got the feeling they were actually frustrated of being out of the UCL. Just another day at the office oh well we didn't make it moving on, and that's the same we'll see on Sunday.

There's no winning culture in the club, no one expects us to win anything nor the squad themselves. Sure they'd love to get a result in Anfield but they know they most likely won't and that's what's expected.

It's been a long time since this team lost their winning ethos, even proven winners like Varane and Casemiro get infected here. Players have spent their whole careers here without ever even being close to winning a major title. Players like Martial, Rashford, Shaw, Dalot, etc all they know it's failures how can we expect them to be frustrated about failing if that's all they ever known?
 
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JPRouve

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I don't think that is true anymore in the last few seasons. Sure there are periods of good form where we eke out some wins in a row, but largely what we see on the pitch is fairly apathetic (apart from Bruno) and this has been consistent since Ole's final season in my opinion.

We used to get these famed 'responses from the players' in the next match after every defeat, even in the Moyes/LVG/Jose era. These days, the match after a defeat is just the same shit as before. Not even the boos at OT makes a difference.
Of course it has been true in the last few seasons.How many performances have you seen where the team completely melts down under ETH, that's not due to being apathetic, it's due to being overwhelmed emotionally. You seem to only consider one side of being mentally engaged which is the positive one, the alternative is to meltdown and lose composure which has been the most likely scenario in the last few years with a team that lose all structure and composure when things don't go as planned.
 

Champ

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I do have that problem. Which is why I am not a public speaker earning 100k per appearance.
Even public speakers get the same thing happen, as someone who does a lot of public speaking I can attest.
 

RedDevil@84

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Hoping they have done enough to get this one sacked. On to the next one. And the buddy Sancho will be back. Merry times.
 

USREDEVIL

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I bet sancho is back there rubbing his hands together thinking he'll be back once ETH is sacked. I can see him hovering over a boiling pot like Gargamel.
 

spiriticon

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Of course it has been true in the last few seasons.How many performances have you seen where the team completely melts down under ETH, that's not due to being apathetic, it's due to being overwhelmed emotionally. You seem to only consider one side of being mentally engaged which is the positive one, the alternative is to meltdown and lose composure which has been the most likely scenario in the last few years with a team that lose all structure and composure when things don't go as planned.
I only consider how much the players 'care' because this thread headline asks about what I think about it. What do I think they feel after a defeat? 'I don't think they care enough' is my answer.

The rest of the possible explanations for our bad results are intensely debated elsewhere on this forum, mostly in the Ten Hag thread (where you will also find me). I don't put all the blame on the players not caring, I just discuss about it in here.
 

spiriticon

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Even public speakers get the same thing happen, as someone who does a lot of public speaking I can attest.
Yes, but I bet you do the basics well enough not to be ridiculed about it by your peers or audience constantly.
 

JPRouve

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I only consider how much the players 'care' because this thread headline asks about what I think about it. What do I think they feel after a defeat? 'I don't think they care enough' is my answer.

The rest of the possible explanations for our bad results are intensely debated elsewhere on this forum, mostly in the Ten Hag thread (where you will also find me). I don't put all the blame on the players not caring, I just discuss about it in here.
I probably misunderstood the topic of the conversation we were having.
 

lex talionis

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Some care I’m sure, but most are numb to this season already and in reality were as we lurched through a ridiculous pre-season program that was nothing more than a marketing tour to stuff cash into the pockets of the Glazers.
 

Bubz27

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I'm not. I said that I don't and can't know, I also said why. I went with the simplest answer which is the opposite of overcomplicating it.
No you didn't. You said

In order to answer, you would have to know them personally.
If you'd said "I'd have to know them personally." That would be fine. But you're telling others they can't because they don't know them personally.
 

JPRouve

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No you didn't. You said



If you'd said "I'd have to know them personally." That would be fine. But you're telling others they can't because they don't know them personally.
They're just asking what you think. You've overcomplicated it.

No one is, or should be, saying anyone's word here is gospel. You're right in that we'll never know. It's just people trying to have a discussion which, neither I or you, have actually contributed to.
You understood perfectly that sentence and you know perfectly that it's not an overcomplication.

So it's maybe best to move on.
 

EireRed_GS

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I hope they feel fecking awful.

Something tells me theres a few of them couldnt give a toss though. on friday they'll still have their paycheck bigger than what they rest of us make in several years
 

Cole9

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Most of them are shite and are on unjustified wages/contracts, so I doubt they're that bothered really.
 

Dearg hÉireann

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Nonplussed, I'm fairly sure. They've been in this constant state of shiteness for multiple managers now and each time the manager gets sacked before the proper squad clear out can finish.
 

Pes6Monster

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They are no doubt immersed in their social media groups, talking about how the other clique are stifling progress. How dare they not win in the manner I expected.

Likely, they'll feel awful, inadequate and horrendously stressed out about Sunday. We need to get behind them. Like it or no, they're the best we currently have.
 

redmanx

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Hoping they have done enough to get this one sacked. On to the next one. And the buddy Sancho will be back. Merry times.
My thoughts exactly, we have players who have seen off 4 managers in Van Gaal, Mourinho, Ole and Rangnick and ETH will be their 5th.
 

Bobade

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Legitimately if I was getting 150-300k a week knowing I could half ass and no consequences I absolutely would. So I sort of don't blame them. Just makes the club a shambles.
If you were getting paid a kings ransom to do a job that for many is their dream job, with a chance of huge personal achievement and glory, the only thing that would motivate you to be at your best is what consequences you might face if you underperform?
 

clarkydaz

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Seriously, how many hidings have the nucleus of this squad been on the receiving end of? its not even shocking anymore

7 at anfield,
6 to city
4s to the likes Watford, Brentford, even Bourenmouth should have been 4 last Saturday at home

They not only live through it, they get new contracts
 

noodlehair

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They weren't winning last night with the opposition, low confidence and players we have missing. Sometimes you just have to accept its not really in their control to get the job done barring luck playing a major part.

I'd extend that to ETH last night as well. There wasn't much else he could have done with who was available.

You can blame poor recruitment, poor performances or management in prior games etc. but it doesn't change what the situation was for that game.

So I think probably pretty dejected because it was one of those where there's just no hiding from the fact the other team is much better than them
 

uwotm8

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Probably felt they were hung out to dry again by not changing a tactic that clearly isn't working.

The players can all tell there is a hole in midfield when there is a player that can't take responsibility for the ball hanging out there. I would be resentful.
 

RVN1991

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I assume some are quite used to it by now so probably just like any other normal day?
 

Bubz27

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You understood perfectly that sentence and you know perfectly that it's not an overcomplication.

So it's maybe best to move on.
Yeah right. Let's not let the words we say let anybody make any assumptions. I'll never know what you meant because I don't personally know you.
 

fps

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Dude if im paid millions to just show up and have no consequences at all for my poor performances, i wouldn't care. The players probably planning for christmas party and gatherings ahead, to answer your question.
I think this is where a lot of them are. They’ve all managed to lower expectations for each other.
 

FerociousCorgis

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highly doubt all that bothered. I saw pretty much no passion out there in a must win game to save our champions league campaign. Hell, i saw no pride to get a win just to ensure we didnt finish last in the group.
 

JPRouve

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Yeah right. Let's not let the words we say let anybody make any assumptions. I'll never know what you meant because I don't personally know you.
I seemingly offended you, so I offer you my apologies.
 

lilcurt

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I don't think they are bothered barring maybe one or two.

For the most part I think we have two types of player in the squad.

  1. Players who have won it all and have come to United for a payday and semi-retirement.
  2. Players who haven't won anything meaningful, don't have the mentality to be winners and see football as their job to earn mega money.
 

Marwood

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I feel a little sorry for the players because the work and desire line has almost become a cliché now. No matter how hard they run it gets said about them. That the effort wasn't there.

Seen it said about the Bayern game and it's just not true.
 

Champ

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Yes, but I bet you do the basics well enough not to be ridiculed about it by your peers or audience constantly.
Er why does that matter?

Do I lose my words when not confident? Yes. Can I actually speak? Yes.
What's the reason for me to lose my chain of thought? Confidence.

Same happens in every walk of life, it's real fecking life whether you want to accept it or not, it's human nature and it'll happen to you and everyone at some point.
 

spiriticon

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Er why does that matter?

Do I lose my words when not confident? Yes. Can I actually speak? Yes.
What's the reason for me to lose my chain of thought? Confidence.

Same happens in every walk of life, it's real fecking life whether you want to accept it or not, it's human nature and it'll happen to you and everyone at some point.
It matters because even if a player is drained completely of their confidence, I still expect them to be able to run and challenge for a 50/50 ball. Just like you are still able to speak with no confidence.

Again, we're not talking about confidence to do mad skillz or eye of the needle passes, we're talking about caring enough to do the basics. Literally just running to the ball.

If you think that low confidence excuses a player from caring about winning, we can just agree to disagree.
 

IRONTUSK

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Do they even care? it doesn`t look like it.
Or maybe they are all just a lot more rubbish than we thought
 

Champ

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It matters because even if a player is drained completely of their confidence, I still expect them to be able to run and challenge for a 50/50 ball. Just like you are still able to speak with no confidence.

Again, we're not talking about confidence to do mad skillz or eye of the needle passes, we're talking about caring enough to do the basics. Literally just running to the ball.

If you think that low confidence excuses a player from caring about winning, we can just agree to disagree.
You just don't understand, it's not about 'doing the basics', a player low on confidence is less likely to engage with a player quickly, they are more likely to be passive.
It's isn't about not caring or not being bothered.
We see it ALL the time with teams struggling, look at Newcastle, their pressing has gone, some blame it on lethargy however it's more than likely also due to the fact they are not riding the crest of a wave currently and so are deflated and unconfident in what they are doing.
This leads to them second guessing themselves and often standing an extra half yard off a player rather then closing them down.
It happens to ALL teams at some point.

If you can't understand that then you are a lost cause in this conversation.
 

GiddyUp

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Of course they don't care. Half this squad are football illiterate. And the worst part is we never see them come out in the next match to rectify an embarrassing loss from the previous game. They bring shame to the sport by not putting in any effort whatsoever to improve.
 

spiriticon

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You just don't understand, it's not about 'doing the basics', a player low on confidence is less likely to engage with a player quickly, they are more likely to be passive.
It's isn't about not caring or not being bothered.
We see it ALL the time with teams struggling, look at Newcastle, their pressing has gone, some blame it on lethargy however it's more than likely also due to the fact they are not riding the crest of a wave currently and so are deflated and unconfident in what they are doing.
This leads to them second guessing themselves and often standing an extra half yard off a player rather then closing them down.
It happens to ALL teams at some point.

If you can't understand that then you are a lost cause in this conversation.
Yeah but we see the same issues even when we are winning and supposedly 'in form'. Some of them naturally prefer to back out of a 50/50 and it gets worse when we're losing.

It's apathy, not low confidence.
 

11101

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Probably pretty pleased with their new haircuts/shopping trips today, chatting away in the Whatsapp group about who the next manager will be and wondering whether he might be a bit nicer to them. Then planning where to go for lunch.