Team talks when the second half was bad

[Porthos]

Some context here.

I'm Manchester Utd in 2022. Away to Newcastle and we're 7-0 up at half time. Absolutely fantastic performance. Half time teamtalk I passionately told them I was pleased and to keep it up.

The game finishes 7-2. The second half was a shocker. Nope, not a thread about the poor performance resulting from that specific teamtalk.

Do you:

A) Congratulate the team on a thorough 5 goal away victory. It doesn't matter if they lost the second half 6-0, they still score 7 in the first. They are all thrilled.
B) Get angry at the fact that your completely superior team performed at a level for 50% of the game that Newcastle came out 2-0. If you give them the Jekyll and Hide talk, they get upset because they just won by 5 goals. The same when you win a semi final first leg 4-0 away and lose the second 3-0 at home. You can't get mad at that without players getting upset as they "won" 4-3. You've already congratulated them for their first half - there isn't really an option for talking specifically about the second half as they only consider the full game and final result in their reaction.

Is there absolutely any benefit to reacting like B rather than A when the gap was still this large? It works fine in a 2-1 or 3-2 game, but here the players will have a mutiny. Press A to keep your players motivated and happy, press B to make some of them upset and hate you - take your pick!

[sporadicsmiles]

You should do what you think will motivate your team best. If you think telling them off for a bad second half display will motivate them to avoid complacency, absolutely do it. If you do not feel it will, do not do it. I mean, a 7-2 win is pretty damned good anyway.

I rarely praise my players at half time though. In that situation I would not even give a team talk. I do not need to say anything to them. Again, it is all about motivation. If I think praising them will help, then I will do it. In your case, I would say nothing because I do not think it would help. Just let them chat together in the dressing room and have a nice atmosphere. 

[Things Could Get Messi]

Was the 2nd half performance really that bad? I've seen similar before but my team have missed all their chances in the 2nd half whilst the opposition have scored from their 2 breaks up the pitch. I'm not going to have a dig at them for that. My team also play better when they have to. I'm not going to tell them off for downing tools at 7-0 up because they are motivated when I need them to be. 

[LandonDonovan10]

just dont praise your team at the half time it doesnt work for me. say thing like its not over yet

[Jorge666]

Experiment with talks, whatever turns the most green is the best, if I'm more than 2 goals up I praise them at half time, 1 goal up I say don't get complacent, anything less tell them I'm not happy (unless it's against a strong team or away) sometimes it gives you the "Jekyll and Hyde" option or "I don't know what happened in the second half" at the end and generally if it offers you that then it's warranted to say that, if I'm playing at home and am clear favourite I aggressively lambast them if I'm not more than 2 goals up at half time or skip the talk at the end. 

[sporadicsmiles]

2 hours ago, LandonDonovan10 said:

just dont praise your team at the half time it doesnt work for me. say thing like its not over yet

There are times when it is the correct response to use. The most obvious one for me is when my team has been in poor form and put in a blinder of a half to get out of their funk. At this stage they need their confidence boosting and praise will do that. Or if you are 4-0 up against a team you expected to batter you. 

In situations where you should be winning, I do not find it useful. But it should not be. Praising a team for doing what they are expected to do is not a good idea. At best they just will not listen. 

[FrazT]

The game code does not react well very often to praise at half time, especially if you are winning comfortably.  If you do praise, the outcome is usually either nothing happens at all in the second half, or the opponents will get one back- not enough to lose but frustrating nevertheless.  I would either say nothing or tell them to keep focused.