Momentum

For me, definitely the Xmas period, I just felt we were not performing then getting the odd good display mixed amongst hard fought draws and FA Cup wins 'but why', thereafter we turned to shit judging by West Brom away and now the shite....

But how do we turn it around? What players are going to stand up and take responsibility on the field and drive us forward...? ANSWERS ON A POSTCARD PLEASE...

Maybe that drubbing (yes, it was) will be the moment our season swings back in our favour. Fingers crossed.

No-one seems to have mentioned it but I don't think we could have played a worse game than the derby so soon after Oviedo's leg break. If we are going to get a result against Liverpool, then we really have to get stuck in hard and win the physical battle to earn the right to play.

You could see at Stevenage the players were visibly shaken and shocked by what they had seen. Those close up shots of McCarthy, Barry, Stones and Jagielka were the looks of men who had physiologically broken. I don't think its any coincidence that they all had their worst games in a long time. None of them are the best footballers technically, they rely on their aggression and getting stuck in winning the physical battles but they were all shadows of the players we know they are.

The only player who looked mentally sound at the back, still shouting orders, was Hibbert. I think he should have played instead of Stones, but it's all hindsight now.

When the games cam thick and fast over December and January our lack of quality cover was exposed and the team lost the positivity and momentum that had built previously.

Example: The Defence: Coleman, Jagielka, Distin and Baines all picked up injuries. The replacements available were Alcaraz, Hibbert, Stones, Heitinga and Oviedo.

Alcaraz hasn't played more than a few matches for the last 8 months, it takes time to come back after that sort of period. Oh yeah he then picked up another injury himself.

Hibbert is a prime example of a player that can "do a job" but we lose a huge attacking threat from full back with him on the field.

Stones will become an excellent player, but he's not there yet. At centre back he is still prone to the odd heart attack inducing slip or miss-control, and at right back his positioning at times is very poor. Also doesn't look confident attacking the opposition third from right back.

Heitinga hasn't been any good for a long time, let alone when his mind is occupied with whatever nonsense his agent has been spouting to him.

Oviedo, this man is the exception to the rule, if anything his inclusion added to the momentum......until his season was cruelly cut short.

When you look at our games over Xmas and New Year this example is repeated in midfield as well. Meanwhile the teams with bigger squads have caught up and over taken us.

It states that Jags was clearly very unfit. He couldn't keep up with play at all, and elsewhere on this site comments have been made about Barry and McCarthy being poor, the midfield having to battle to try to protect the goalie as the defence was nowhere at all.

I'm a big supporter of Martinez but the risk badly backfired.

You do not play injured players. I've seen a picture of Jags and he looks overweight to me.
The article also states that when Osman came on Everton perked up.

Jags was at fault for at least 2 of the goals.

Lesson learnt. If not fir they don't play.
i totally agree with the comment from Ian. Seeing a player badly injured does have a knock on effect that lasts some time.

I'm trying to remember which team it was, I think either Arsenal or MU, but a similar incident happened when a player had a compound leg fracture and some players threw up on the pitch.

Our squad is too small and like Newcastle last year we have been very unlucky with injuries but we are still only 4 points behind RS.

I have heard Coleman should be back for Saturday and hopefully the bean pole will play so all is not lost

In a way I also feel the injury to Gerard Deulofeu was a major turning point for our season because he offered something different in games we were struggling to win.

I agree with Paul in saying we need to get the momentum back and we need to do quickly because the season is in serious danger of slipping away.

As for the OP - yes I think it is simply fatigue that has slowed us down. Hopefully as lads return from injury the weather improves, cup fever grips us we will start to improve again.

Spurs just lost their momentum too.

The derby defeat is another blow. Won that and we would've gone top of them. Drawn and we'd still have a chance. But we lost and are now 4 points off fourth place. Couple that with such a demoralising scoreline... it just sucks.