IT'S ALL IN THE MIND?

On the Echo website today:

Jan: Our problems are mental
7:00am Monday 8th December 2008

Jan Poortvliet admitted his players displayed signs of having a mental block as they drew 1-1 with Sheffield Wednesday at St Mary’s.
The draw against the Owls meant Saints have had their worst home start to a league season since 1920 with just one win and five draws from their 11 games.
Once again, it was in the final third that Saints came unstuck against Wednesday.
Poortvliet concedes the home record is now looking like a mental barrier.
He said: “You know with the talk always about the home record and the home form things like that can happen.
“In their heads they think ‘we have to win, we have to win’ and they go back instead of playing forwards, instead of trying to make the second goal and that’s pressure.
“We can end that process and we should have ended it in the first half.
“The only way of changing it is making it 2-0 or 3-0 before half time and we could have done that and we should have done that – that’s the only regret.
“You need that to be full of confidence for the whole game.
“It has nothing to do with the physical or conditioning side of the team because that is very good – it is only in the their brains.”


Oceana Boulevard says...
7:21am Mon 8 Dec 08
Once again Jan, you're talking the talk.
You and your team need to be able to walk the walk.
Continual soundbites in press conferences mean nothing, you need to start winning at home.
Platiudes, promises and words count for nothing in this sport, as all those who can remember that dreadful period under Wigley will tell you.
He would often trot out the same rubbish about "turning a corner" only to be walk straight into another wall!
We're bored of it all now Jan, you've had half a season to bed things down, but we're still in a relegation battle and only have one win at home.
Not good enough.

St.Yorkie, Pocklington says...
7:35am Mon 8 Dec 08
The fact may be mental - but is the fact we are not good enough in the final third?
The fact we have stopped shipping goals means we have started to resolve the problems at the back. The midfield have stopped chipping in with goals - and the forwards are at best 1 in 5 attempts - possibly nearer i in 20!
Tonight will be interesting as it's only 48-hours since the last game. I expect a lack lustre performance and sneak a 0-0.
Good luck tonight - at least the 14,000 punters at SMS on Saturday won't be the monkey on your back...just the 1,000 or so loyal travelling band!

Condor Man, Southampton says...
7:51am Mon 8 Dec 08
throughout the Wednesday game McGoldrick was wandering in and out. Robertson made good runs but there was no one in the box when it counted. I hope Jamie White can come back next year and be able to finish off chancesthroughout the Wednesday game McGoldrick was wandering in and out. Robertson made good runs but there was no one in the box when it counted. I hope Jamie White can come back next year and be able to finish off chances

Rudd Gillett, Saffhampton says...
8:41am Mon 8 Dec 08
Mental? Was that not Sir Clive Woodwards area?
Excuse Excuse Jan!!!!
Experience sometimes count!Mental? Was that not Sir Clive Woodwards area? Excuse Excuse Jan!!!! Experience sometimes count!

ken j, Highcliffe says...
10:01am Mon 8 Dec 08
I thought we played well in the first half,obviously their team talk was better than ours at half time,if the 2 forwards were injured why not Bradley in the middle? at least he is finding the net!2games in 2 days what are the FA up to? if ManU were given this Ferguson would go ballistic what happened to saturday footie? Have faith COYRI thought we played well in the first half,obviously their team talk was better than ours at half time,if the 2 forwards were injured why not Bradley in the middle? at least he is finding the net!2games in 2 days what are the FA up to? if ManU were given this Ferguson would go ballistic what happened to saturday footie? Have faith COYR

Invidia, southampton says...
11:21am Mon 8 Dec 08
The main objective in playing football Jan is to score more goals than your opponents, that is something we are not doing, it's nice to watch pretty football but there must be an end result, as I have said before RL's football club lacks ambition and it shows not only in the boardroom but it is beggining to show on the pitch. I am getting more agitated as the weeks are passing The main objective in playing football Jan is to score more goals than your opponents, that is something we are not doing, it's nice to watch pretty football but there must be an end result, as I have said before RL's football club lacks ambition and it shows not only in the boardroom but it is beggining to show on the pitch. I am getting more agitated as the weeks are passing

homegrown, southampton says...
11:52am Mon 8 Dec 08
Whe you loan out your three main strikers why are people so suprised we are not scoring goals.
You have Rasiak and John top scorers for the past two seasons out on loan.
Both players are proved themselves in the Championship and you would have thought your strikers are the last players you should let go.
Maybe someone should remind Mr Liability that without strikers you cannot win games.
And Mr Liability should also be reminded that he is costing the club millions who will not return to SMS until he is gone.
Those 8k staying away because of him,would greatly improve the clubs finance if they came back.

Thing is would it be easier to sell the club if the missing returned now?

It is all in the mind, indeed - our players think they are better than they actually are. :twisted:

Watching today I am left wondering whether they can think.