How do you actually go about doing it?

[The_weatherman]

I think basically you are right. I'd like to see us also look to make obviously attacking substitutes too - I don't think it is always the right idea but when you are low on confidence signs that the manager has faith in our attacking abilities might be the way to go.

In the end I think that all we need is for a game to go our way. We haven't been too far off in a number of games but the little things have let us down and the accumulation of small errors has eroded confidence. In some ways there is no better game than Chelsea to have now as no one needs motivation and a good result would be a huge boost.

I´m right, there is nothing basic about it

[knockers]

PTP's idea of letting the team have a night out and arm them all with a golf club. Seemed to work wonders for Riiise and Bellemy a couple of years back

On a serious note I think we really need to get at teams fast and hard at the start of games, get the fans back behind the team and not let any team settle starting on Sunday with Chelsea. We really press teams high up the pitch and play with a lot more speed and one touch football. Just scoring two goals I think will boost confidence.

[Craig_H]

Quite a lot on here about how to improve our play, which would hopefully result in better results.

But not many have actually touched upon what the manager and the coaching staff can do to actually get some confidence back into the players.

I quite like the idea of making them watch footage of their big successes and reminding them of what they can do. Istanbul was a while back though and most of them werent at the club then, so that wouldnt do much good. Showing them tapes of dominating against Man Utd and Chelsea would do nicely. And even the 5-1 at Newcastle. We ripped them a new one and it was only a few weeks ago. The players need to remember how to win games.

The post about a settled side and going back to basics is one i agree with too.

Just adopt a 'forget all the dropped points, completely wipe the slate clean, watch how well we can play and let's just get on with it' mentality is required.

[Kenneth]

Confidence has a lot to do with your attitude your manager/leader. When he seems to be going a bit mental, this cannot help.

Step 1, shut up Rafa.
Step 2, don't make stupid subs.
Step 3, at least pretend that you know we need to win games.

[dww]

Quite a lot on here about how to improve our play, which would hopefully result in better results.

But not many have actually touched upon what the manager and the coaching staff can do to actually get some confidence back into the players.

I quite like the idea of making them watch footage of their big successes and reminding them of what they can do. Istanbul was a while back though and most of them werent at the club then, so that wouldnt do much good. Showing them tapes of dominating against Man Utd and Chelsea would do nicely. And even the 5-1 at Newcastle. We ripped them a new one and it was only a few weeks ago. The players need to remember how to win games.

The post about a settled side and going back to basics is one i agree with too.

Just adopt a 'forget all the dropped points, completely wipe the slate clean, watch how well we can play and let's just get on with it' mentality is required.

I think the point is that the key to confidence is in making people have believe not just in themselves but one another. The key to that to my mind is probably a combination of simplifying the instructions and something like what you suggest showing how well things have worked for them in the past.

Ultimately though I think you have to accept that what happens on the pitch has the biggest effect. For example Redknapp's games for Tottenham at Arsenal and against us saw them totally out played but they got points and it generated a feel good factor. All that Redknapp did was to provide a new person to impress which possibly kept them going when they might have given up before - they still played poorly in both games.

[Reece]

This may sound silly but I think if we can get Torres back in form and banging the goals in then the confidence would spread through the squad.

[DannyMan2006]

Read **** all about the thread. But as I've been saying for the last couple of days, beat Chelsea and then Everton on Wednesday and that's all the confidence you need.

Helps that we are away to a poor Pompey next as well, after the Mancs play a difficult away game to West Ham.

[The_weatherman]

I think we should go back to basics and use a settled line up for the next three games 4-2-3-1 with Mascher and Alonso in midfield with Gerrard and Torres and Riera and Kuyt.

Pick a defence to settle down and keep things simple, when we start to be too clever things get out of hand.

Since we are quoting ourselves Keep the same side next weekend, maybe stick Lennon on for the last 30 min. or so.

[Craig_H]

Today will help. If we beat Everton at woodison, we'll go to pompey absolutely brimming with confidence. Hopefully they wont sack adams before next weekend, but if we can turn the bitters over, we should be able to comfortably beat Portsmouth.

I hope this is now the end of the dire run.

Thank god for Nando