It’s often said that confidence wins you games and a lack of it can lose you matches before a ball has been kicked. Lord knows I’ve banged on enough about how “mentally” we’ve not been this or that for as long
as I’ve been writing for The Tilehurst End.
The reasons have been many, and in my view largely justified, given the previous ownership issues and the state of the club as a result. I’ve always tried to keep in mind the mental side of things for the players. We forget too easily that they’re not just avatars on a screen but real people, with real highs and lows, just like us.
Against Stockport County, as Sim rightly pointed out in his match report, it was clear that mentally we’re still adrift. Inconsistency rules. Improvement has been glacial, with some results feeling like flukes rather than the product of conviction.
The truth is, as fans, we see less than 5% of what goes on at a football club. We don’t know the training ground conversations, the off-pitch challenges or the inner workings of the dressing room. We judge only the 90 minutes in front of us, and over time we form patterns, assumptions and verdicts.
Right now, the pattern is of a team lacking cohesion and belief. It feels circular: no conviction because there’s no belief, no belief because the coaching doesn’t instil confidence, no confidence, so no conviction, and so it goes.
When we score, the transformation is instant – belief floods back. But it’s fleeting. From kick-off and from the restart, we look hesitant, as though whatever message Noel Hunt is giving isn’t sticking.
So the uncomfortable question arises: are the players still with Noel? Is there confusion with the massive amount of mixed messages? I’m not suggesting he’s “lost the dressing room” but his inexperience may be showing in part.
But we can only speculate. None of us are there day-to-day in training. What’s certain, though, is that this team produces more questions than answers.
One possible answer lies in shape. We’ve seen before how Ruben Selles ditched the 4-2-2-2 when confidence collapsed.
Now, perhaps the switch to a 4-2-3-1 reflects the players’ discomfort with Hunt’s previously preferred 4-3-3. Against Wrexham, and briefly at Stockport, the flow of passing looked better, more natural and instinctive.
The second half at Edgeley Park gave us a glimpse of what could be – though at times it felt like watching infinite monkeys pass the ball around in search of Shakespeare, all without bite or intent.
In the end, it was the experienced heads who made the difference. Jack Marriott’s run of four goals in four and Matt Ritchie’s two contributions in two games show the value of players who have lived through dozens of managers and learned the art of simplicity. Don’t overthink it, just play.
TL;DR: Confidence can’t be handed down by a manager. Players must build it themselves, though a manager can help create the environment.
For Hunt, that means sticking with the 4-2-3-1 and trusting experience. As the season wears on, Marriott and Ritchie will be central to steadying the ship. Everyone else is still learning – they’ve seen it all before.
