Mills worried by York City squad’s lack of belief (From York Press)
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Mills worried by York City squad’s lack of belief
12:00pm Monday 26th November 2012 in News
By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter
York City striker Jamie Reed heads wide of the Torquay United goal in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Bootham Crescent
GARY MILLS believes York City lost belief in their 2-0 defeat against Torquay United at Bootham Crescent – a loss which extends their run without a win to seven matches.
The City chief was concerned his players looked “scared” during the Gulls clash and said his men were “desperate from the word go”.
“I thought we were poor in the sense that I didn’t see much belief out there for the first time,” Mills said. “I don’t think we did our jobs well enough. We looked scared at times.
“Even though we lost to Wimbledon a couple of weeks ago, we gave it a go. At times it wasn’t good enough.
“We looked scared to have the ball and desperate from the word go. We lost again, but we’ve probably had more possession.
“We’ve given away two silly goals. They looked poor goals in my mind. We’ve had chances.
“It’s a recipe for disaster when you are giving away sloppy goals and not taking yours and that’s what has happened to us.”
Mills reiterated the club had to stick together if they were to quickly get back to winning ways and he insisted there was no panic, despite City having won only two games at home this season.
He added: “We’ve had some good times over the last 12 months and now we are going through a bad time. It’s how you come through that bad time. We’ll come through it together. Nobody likes losing, we certainly don’t.
"We are not winning at the moment – that’s seven now – and that’s not good enough if you want to be successful. We might be finding our feet in this League, but we need to start winning now.
“We need to pick up some more points.
“We are in the wrong half of the table and we have to do something about it – and we will. We have got to pull together on it.
“There are no fingers pointed. I am as much to blame as anybody else. It’s the players, me, and everyone else in that dressing room and we will pull together and put it right.”
Mills continued: “We are not panicking. We are hurting because we can’t win at the moment. It’s not ideal in football is it? You’ve got to win. But we are not panicking. We are learning that you have got to be at your best week in and week out.
“We are learning that your job within the side and your discipline has got to be better. I thought we looked a bit open at times.
“It has got to be better. I understand that. We understand that in the dressing room and we prepare for the next one.”
Comments(44)
Ycfc85
says...
12:28pm Mon 26 Nov 12
On a side note, what do people think of the updated stadium designs that were released last month? Just stumbled across them now and thought they looked miles better than the old one.
PhilTopping
says...
12:46pm Mon 26 Nov 12
But there is a need to change. This season hasn't worked so far. Sure, they're been glimpses of decent football and the odd good performance here and there. But in general, we've looked shaky in defence, porous in midfield and wasteful in attack.
Mills has a fairly small bunch of players to work with and the loan window is closed. He needs to concentrate on the formation. It's now time to score goals and win games, not play silly one touch football that opponents are finding easy to crush.
Mills needs to learn humility. Admit his current o'level grade tactics (that seemingly never ever change) need adapting and work towards surprising one or two of teams in this league.
To date, we've beaten nobody in the top half of the table. Now we're also losing against lower half sides.
It's time to change things, stop being stubborn or face a relegation battle.
I don't think Mills can change and I dread these coming months.
duffy
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12:54pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Tough times ahead.
Colin Pratt
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12:57pm Mon 26 Nov 12
long distance depressive
says...
12:59pm Mon 26 Nov 12
YCFC21
says...
1:08pm Mon 26 Nov 12
paintitred
says...
1:08pm Mon 26 Nov 12
so i guess players playing out of postion will result in lack belief if things are going pear shaped and have in front of a expectant crowd at bc for dozens of games.
Thats the reason i never boo a player as they been asked to perform out of their comfort zone . we fudged through a lot of games last season playing players out of postion but its just dosnt work now we are with the big boys.where the better players will take advantage of weakness.
Mills once said when he 1st joined the club that football is simple and the was defenders defend , midfileds create and strikers score goals.
playing players here there and everywhere just to maintain his prescious formation is clearly the reason for there poor results at home.
REMEMBER GARY
Defenders is defence to defend not in midfield . midfielders in midfield to create and not in defence and strikers upfront to score and not in midfield.
mills also said football is a simple game so why complicate things by playing players out of postion.
back to basics please
openallhours
says...
1:13pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Mills was more than happy to hang out of an open top bus lapping up the glory after the Wembley wins so it's only right that he takes it on the chin if things aren't going well.
I'd love to think that we'll recover from this 'dip' in form although 5 wins from 19 league games tells its own story (and out of all of the cup competitions).
Yes, we've been unlucky recently with goals not going in but surely there's more to it than luck. Our set pieces and concentration levels are awful so you have to ask what they work on in training.
As another poster rightly said, we'll all breath easier once we've hit the 50 point barrier.
PhilTopping
says...
1:40pm Mon 26 Nov 12
YCFC21 wrote:It's not the "first sign of trouble". It's almost December and we're struggling in league football. Gary Mills has a poor track record at this level with his last venture with Notts County. We have every right to be worried.
How about we all stick together and support the club instead of picking faults all the time. A good season for York is not going down, we need a good few years first in league two before we think about pushing for the playoffs!! People have short memories, if it wasn't for GM we would be stuck in the blue square.People just jump on the band waggon at the first sign of trouble, long way to go.........
Chris Brass had a storming start to his tenure as York's manager and it ended up resulting in relegation.
Even during those dark days when we couldn't win a match for love or money, there were many people arguing we should "support the club".
There are solutions to our form, but it will require Mills to swallow his pride and admit his style of play and tactics have been well and truly found out.
The criticisms of Gary Mills on here have so far been constructive. There are solutions, nobody is calling for the axe to fall. Just the tactics to mature.
Budgie
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1:48pm Mon 26 Nov 12
WiShIwAsAtThEcReSeNt
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1:52pm Mon 26 Nov 12
skilly
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2:00pm Mon 26 Nov 12
openallhours
says...
2:09pm Mon 26 Nov 12
long distance depressive
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2:12pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Head of Bomber Command
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2:14pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Away form, nothing wrong with it. Teams have got the jist of getting something out of us at home, and it is here at BC that we maybe need to look at altering team selection as in 4-3-3. Get back to a proper midfield that consist's of midfield players.
I am not going to ask a carpet fitter to re-wire my house so to speak.
I like Millsy he has done something plenty of others tried to do but failed, get us promoted. He will turn things around of that I am sure, just once you are in a rut it is hard to get out of it.
OLD - HEAD
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2:14pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Sir Alex
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2:27pm Mon 26 Nov 12
5 mins later it was all over. I had my head in my hands as soon as I saw the double substitution. Having got it right at half time the only other change should have been Walker for Rodders at 75mins if needed.
TOMCODYYCFC2469
says...
2:53pm Mon 26 Nov 12
PLAYERS PLAY BETTER IN THERE
NATURAL POSITIONS MR Mills, Its your fault they are playing scared you signed them for the positions they play in get back to NORMAL and play them in the correct places,
SIMPLE.
TOMCODYYCFC2469
says...
3:08pm Mon 26 Nov 12
DEFENEDERS IN DEFENCE
MIDFIELDERS IN MIDFIELD,
WINGERS ON THE WING
STRIKERS UP FRONT,
BACK TO CORRECT POSITIONS THANKS.
CAN'T FAIL..
PhilTopping
says...
3:14pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Walker with Reed next to him will not be so isolated. The opposition won't expect it and Reed might finally get to play a formation that suits him.
YO1
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4:06pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Unfortunately players don't always perform to the best of their ability week in week out despite training all week for the big day.
YO1
says...
4:06pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Unfortunately players don't always perform to the best of their ability week in week out despite training all week for the big day.
haxbyreds
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4:58pm Mon 26 Nov 12
haxbyreds
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4:58pm Mon 26 Nov 12
openallhours
says...
5:28pm Mon 26 Nov 12
haxbyreds wrote:That's the Mills effect for you - players that have a proven track record and are respected in the game (Paddy - Northern Ireland international & Newcastle reserve team captain / J Smith - League 2 winner last year / Bullock - experienced league player / Oli Johnson - loved by Norwich fans / Potts - Man Utd school of excellence and former Premier League reserve team player etc etc...) can't get into a York side that can't win for love nor money.
We got away with playing holding defenders in midfield in bsq,but everyone can see playing against proper teams with good players in midfield it does not work,get McLaughlin back in midfield straight away and bring back Johnathan smith who was good enough for the league champions last year.
Something very wrong somewhere! Hopefully Gary's gonna prove to us that he knows what he's doing.
duffy
says...
5:52pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Budgie wrote:Luton will just bottle it as usual.
May 2013 - Luton up York down.Phew does not bear thinking about.
Whitleyred
says...
7:59pm Mon 26 Nov 12
One thing that doesn't change is the general pessimism of the YCFC home support. The difference between this week and last week? 77....30 comments in total for the Port Vale game, 107 for the Torquay game.
Simple facts: if GM is worth his salt as a manager he will find the answers, if not then he knows the ultimate consequences. It is a results based industry. That will then be the boards call. Let him get on with it for g*d's sake.
As remarked by a number of contributors to this blog, would you like to be constantly judged and scrutinised on your performance at work?
If you were, I am pretty sure paranoia, doubts re your convictions and decision-making abilities would result.
In short, if you are the manager would you begin to listen to other's opinions, whereas previously you might not? If you are a player would start to pass the ball to a team-mate instead of taking responsibility? Hesitate where you may have taken a shot? Lose the ball under pressure where previously it was second-nature.
This is pressure: some players will cope with it, some will go hide. Do you want to add to it? Your call....
rupertbehr
says...
8:06pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Panic ..........It's Millsy !!!
This City must host, per capita more perspective professional football managers than anywhere else on planet earth.
Mr Mills must be shi..ing himself. Ha Ha. .....Let's all get real and get behind him and the boys.
IMWT ......COYR
paddymacwakey
says...
8:37pm Mon 26 Nov 12
in,blair,to add to is squad.they go up into the league,and he adds 6 players,to so call strengthen again.out of the 6 there are 3 descent players.coulson,inju
red,mcready,injured and jonothan smith,who cost a fee,and after weeks and weeks and mills bending all over to get him,then sends him out on loan.so then we were left with dead wood,which are blanchett,johnson and bullock.10 games gone at home,10 goals scored,8 of them scored in 3 games.he has got to get the system sorted out,get players in there right positions.stop messing players about.he has already messed potts about and now paddy.kearns is a good player,but i cant honestly see him being here after january.when martin foyle was here,at least he was more attack minded at home,with brodie along side rankine.also oh for the days more recently of andy bishop and clayton donaldson.lets just hope we dont fall in the relegation mix before the january window.there is some hard games coming up before then.having got that off my chest,i still believe,mills will get us going again
garnham
says...
9:17pm Mon 26 Nov 12
Stop imposing a negative attitude to the players on the pich No Booing on Saturday is a start...
But deafening silence is just as bad.
Not difficult we all should remember supporting our sons in the under 10 league all they need is support noiser the better. So C'mon David Longhust stand turn up the noise for a full 90 mins
joejamestom
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10:08pm Mon 26 Nov 12
jumbojet
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10:11pm Mon 26 Nov 12
redbluelion
says...
10:17pm Mon 26 Nov 12
garnham wrote:think you will be on your own this saturday in the longhurst stand seeing as its an away game..so you can shout and cheer all you want..nobody will care..
YCFC21 hits the correct button with lets stick together. Stop imposing a negative attitude to the players on the pich No Booing on Saturday is a start... But deafening silence is just as bad. Not difficult we all should remember supporting our sons in the under 10 league all they need is support noiser the better. So C'mon David Longhust stand turn up the noise for a full 90 mins
openallhours
says...
10:58pm Mon 26 Nov 12
How many more times does it have to be said - they're professional footballers who make a good living taking wages from the club that they're employed by.
If, one bizarre day in the future when I'm frequenting the golden arches for a snack and maybe an ex City player asks me 'would you like fries with that?', lets say, Chambers - I would ask him 'was it better being a footballer or are you happier serving fast food coz I'm sure there's less pressure?' I wonder what the answer would be?
YCFC115
says...
6:25am Tue 27 Nov 12
paddymacwakey wrote:The most worrying thing about this article is the fact that GM has mentioned the word panic which to me means he is. He has something to prove as a football league manager and I suspect this is playing with his head.
i dread going to home games.we have got to be attack minded,right from the start,and that means getting players into the right positions.we are far too negative.when we were in the blue square premier,and mills took over,he made some good signings in,oyebanjo,mclaughl in,blair,to add to is squad.they go up into the league,and he adds 6 players,to so call strengthen again.out of the 6 there are 3 descent players.coulson,inju red,mcready,injured and jonothan smith,who cost a fee,and after weeks and weeks and mills bending all over to get him,then sends him out on loan.so then we were left with dead wood,which are blanchett,johnson and bullock.10 games gone at home,10 goals scored,8 of them scored in 3 games.he has got to get the system sorted out,get players in there right positions.stop messing players about.he has already messed potts about and now paddy.kearns is a good player,but i cant honestly see him being here after january.when martin foyle was here,at least he was more attack minded at home,with brodie along side rankine.also oh for the days more recently of andy bishop and clayton donaldson.lets just hope we dont fall in the relegation mix before the january window.there is some hard games coming up before then.having got that off my chest,i still believe,mills will get us going again
Nearly all his pre season recruits are now either injured, departed or not included in the squad. The biggest name being Smith who I think we desperatly need back. We were always going to struggle with the same squad that scrapped a play off place and secured promotion. Some of the players retained are simply not football league standard. It will be no concidence that we had the a certain CB the last time we got relegated from the league! What has Des Lyttle brought to the club?
The away form is fine, my Port Vale mate said we were by far the best team that they had played this season and if we had a goalscorer we would of won. Its the home form and formation that needs to change, we have got to get at teams and put them under pressure and convert the chances that we are creating.
Thankfully I think they are weaker teams in the league but we've been here before and once a team gets into a losing habit its very difficult to change it around especially with a manager whose worried about his own track record.
CTID
ycfcfooker
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8:19am Tue 27 Nov 12
skilly
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9:33am Tue 27 Nov 12
Tug job
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11:11am Tue 27 Nov 12
Budgie wrote:Luton? I wasn't aware it had a Football League team.
May 2013 - Luton up York down.Phew does not bear thinking about.
dazthecat
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11:41am Tue 27 Nov 12
ycfcfooker wrote:Back again troll? By 'eck!
I'm very worried indeed, don't want to be too harsh on mills as back in may I thought he was the best bloody thing since sliced bread, but he just needs to admit he's been wrong, which he won't do. Seems like its his way and his way only, let's give him three more games, I'd like to see John Ward in until the summer, who else iS there out there who can give us a mid table finish?
YorkCityLuke
says...
12:29pm Tue 27 Nov 12
ycfcfooker wrote:Means you're some idiot child who is posting nonsense to try to get a reaction. And it's 'troll', not 'trol'. Troll.
What does that mean, trol?
openallhours
says...
12:57pm Tue 27 Nov 12
ycfcfooker wrote:Paul Ince?
I'm very worried indeed, don't want to be too harsh on mills as back in may I thought he was the best bloody thing since sliced bread, but he just needs to admit he's been wrong, which he won't do. Seems like its his way and his way only, let's give him three more games, I'd like to see John Ward in until the summer, who else iS there out there who can give us a mid table finish?
TimYCFC
says...
1:26pm Tue 27 Nov 12
I'm getting sick to death of seeing such negative comments on here. Yes we're having a bad spell but get behind your team !!
skilly
says...
4:31pm Tue 27 Nov 12
TimYCFC wrote:Well said. The manager is paid to put things right and I'm sure he will. Get behind the manager and the team.
Are people out of their minds ?! Getting rid of Mills would be the biggest mistake we've made in years. I know football fans are traditionally fickle but bloody hell ! 6 months ago we were doing the Wembley double and now we are sitting mid table in a new league you want him out. What planet are you lot on ?! I'm getting sick to death of seeing such negative comments on here. Yes we're having a bad spell but get behind your team !!
Ycfc85 says...
12:27pm Mon 26 Nov 12
On a side note, what do people think of the updated stadium designs that were released last month? Just stumbled across them now and thought they looked miles better than the old one.