Mindset of Mediocrity

When a team spends many years trying so hard just to survive, it often creates a mindset where any kind of success is not capitalized on. You can bring in new players, new coaches etc, but a team cant seem to take that next step. That is what Cagliari seems to be facing this year. While most fans, including myself, are ecstatic about the clubs position in the standings, we are asking ourselves why after such a run of good play that has put us where we are, why cant we take the next step and win games that we should win if we want to be more then a team that just survives. While changes in a clubs mentality is often done over a period of years and not overnight, it is still not unrealistic to expect a team to do better then it should no matter where they are in the standings if the circumstances warrant.The teams that are used to finishing higher in the standings find ways to win games while teams that are used to finishing at the bottom, often lack continued motivation after a run of good results lifts them to an unexpected place in the standings.

While any point earned on the road should be considered a successful weekend, the past three weeks results leave me extremely frustrated as a team that clearly has shown the talent to be where they are, is leaving points on the table as we head through the easy part of the schedule, a time when victories make the subsequent games against the better teams more meaningful. It is easier to pull off an upset when you are down in the standings then it is to beat the same team when you are fighting for a real place in the standings. As we continuue this period of mediocrity, other teams are passing us and are more serious threats for Europe. We need to change this mindset quickly if this year is to have some meaning.

While we are still very much in the middle of the UEFA Cup race, draws against Torino at home and Chievo this weekend on the road, sandwiched around a loss to a depleted and unmotivated Milan side on the road, has left us in a position where we should not be. We are atleast 4-5 points less then where we should be because of these three weeks. I am not even counting the Atalanta game.

The Chievo game was a game of two halfs. We dominated the first half and Jeda got a goal, even if the finish was not quality, yet we spent the second half of the game on our heels and were probably lucky to only give up one goal. Acquafresca has lost all interest in this team and Allegri started Matri over him hoping to give him some motivation. We will see, but Matri should be a sub if used at all. We need Acquafrescas talent. I can use his youth as an excuse, but the Chinaglia comparisons still continue to fit although even Giorgio seemed to hustle more.

With Lazio two points ahead of us and Palermo equal to us, we are making it difficult on ourselves to qualify for Europe. Lazios talent is starting to show and Palermo is really a better team then we are and you have to be impressed by their performance against Fiorentina, a team I see struggling to maintain its position in the standings. We now head into next week against Genoa, a game to be played in Sardinia, where we must win to show we are serious about being more then a mid table team. Beating the teams above you is a sure fire way to move up.

While finishing mid table is nothing to sneeze at, one of Allegris great challenges will be to somehow convince his players that they are as good or better then their position in the standings, despite the position in the standings being higher then was expected at the beginning of the year. The team seemed to play well when surivival mattered, as they have every year the past few years. Losing the first five games made that run of success, culminated by the Juve win, almost a necessity. We couldnt wait until the second half to turn things around like we did last year.

With a great run pushing the team to levels not seen in years, the players have seemed to recently back off in their motivation and play. They seem content that the job of surivival is done because that is all that is expected. This is unfortunate so lets see if the players can follow Allegri to the next level. If the past three weeks are any indication, this is not the year to take such a big leap and we may have to do it next year with a consistent perforance throught the year rather then the ups and downs that relegation level teams seem to show. However, with some big games coming up, and us not so far back that we cant see those teams in front of us, there is still some time for the players to get their act together. Lets hope they do it as winning can be addicting and the fans now want more. The players should also.

Category: Cagliari, Serie A