Apparently Clough's not a one trick poney.

[Woodwardfan]

After the game Clough said he intends to "have a good look at the O'Grady/ McNulty partnership up front". It would seem that in itself signals the end of 4-5-1 at home against "lesser teams". Halleluiah!! McNulty had a thigh strain yesterday so Baxter was selected in the front two and interchanged with Adams at times.

So Clough has decided to depart from his "one trick" of 4-5-1 but the problem is we don't have the players to play it. The signing of O'Grady helps but the manager has not shown the confidence in any other striker, including McNulty, as regular first choice. He has repeatedly played Baxter up there, not fair on the lad IMO.

In the summer we all expected at least two exciting striker signings. We got Porter and McNulty, the latter stated as "one for the future". Higdon eventually arrived during the season but without match fitness. Playing the new lad Adams is an act of desperation frankly.

In a way I have less respect for Clough not seeing through his "one trick" and making 4-5-1 work by shaping the squad accordingly. He tried to do this and has failed. As a result we are starting again in mid-season and Clough is lucky the board are prepared to back him with cash again. I say "again" because the manager has not been short of budget for this league.

Annoyingly some budget will have to be spent on defenders because we have discarded two perfectly good centre halves. Collins has plenty for this league and Butler is the "main man" at Donny now. We need a new full back too.

Now we are changing system our squad is seriously unbalanced - short up front and at the back, yet enough midfielders for 3 teams.

Personally I have tried to support Clough staunchly. I hoped he had the calibre to take us up two levels and be here for the long term. In the summer I was excited by what was achieved last season and all the early transfer activity in the summer.

The collection of signings has been mediocre and the squad is unbalanced. That has exposed Clough's weaknesses in team selection, positivity and game management. Of course he deserves further backing by the board but he will only get so many chances and let's hope he nails it in January.

It's the longer term that worries me though. Are the manager and his support staff, including his brother, big enough and good enough to fulfill our long term ambition. I sincerely hope so because the Clough dynasty will be very hard and expensive to unravel and not on the prince's script.

 

[stannyblade]

Oh well just over a week till we can splash the cash using the game changing investment. 

 

[CarlingBlade]

Bloody hell, stop thi moaning. I have more faith in clough and his team building a stable club, fans moaned Warnock never gave youngsters a chance, clough does but it's not easy, fans moaned about warnocks post match interviews, clough speaks well and is much more of a thinking mans managers whilst also commanding respect from his players and peers. Clough was the manager non of us expected but we pushed the boat out and got him. Give me clough every day of the week, he's bern here just over a year and the snipers have moved in already, we need stability not replacing managers every 2 seconds.

 

[boo radley]

Some fans are one trick and because of this they cannot even assess their own opinions.

 

[WeareBlades]

Clough already explained why Mcnulty didn't start. Playing Adams is an act of desperation? Played well when he came on against Southampton so why shouldn't he be warranting a start especially when Flynn has to go rb and JCR is out?The thing that is frustrating is the players only seem to want to win when it's a cup game and it's wrong when we have crowds of 20,000+.

 

[Esablade]

It won't be a rigid 4-4-2 though with COG and Mcnulty up front.

Others have mentioned Reed/Flo are the midfielders for this formation...maybe..?

Re: Adams. Not sure if call it desperation. if he doesn't play him, he'll get slated, if does..he'll get slated..I thought he did ok and looks like he could be a decent player for us with more games under his belt.

 

[blader]

I don't understand the obsession with dropping 4-5-1, I don't believe it's the root cause of our lack of goals.

MK Dons play 4-5-1 and score bags of goals, Bristol City and Swindon play 3-5-2 and they do alright for goals too. Ultimately, it does come down to personnel, and our players just aren't good enough to match up the with aforementioned sides. Now, I expect a sarcy, patronising response of 'oh yeah, how can we ever achieve such greatness of matching sides like Swindon' as is the norm, but unfortunately that really is how far we've fallen. Our players are not as good as these other sides, and whichever formation you play them in, the end results will not be too different. We knew aftger the summer recruitment (well, some of us did) that we had not acquired the right level of talent to win this league and, in my opinion, the squad is not under performing but merely playing to its capabilities. 4-5-1, 4-4-2, 3-5-2 or 0-1-9, ultimately it's the names on the sheet which win matches, not where you make them stand on the field.

 

[Wards]

We lost control of the midfield when we went 2 up top yesterday. Until we have a midfield pairing that can play effectively as a pairing then we should stick to 1 up. Think having Wallace back could be key if we wanna go 2 up.

It's always much more about the attacking mentality of the players than the formation in my eyes anyway. Have midfielders/wingers that are determined to get into the box and it'll work just as well.

 

[Woodwardfan]

We lost control of the midfield when we went 2 up top yesterday. Until we have a midfield pairing that can play effectively as a pairing then we should stick to 1 up. Think having Wallace back could be key if we wanna go 2 up.

It's always much more about the attacking mentality of the players than the formation in my eyes anyway. Have midfielders/wingers that are determined to get into the box and it'll work just as well.

With full backs pushing them forward and backing them up.

 

[Bladesway]

After the game Clough said he intends to "have a good look at the O'Grady/ McNulty partnership up front". It would seem that in itself signals the end of 4-5-1 at home against "lesser teams". Halleluiah!! McNulty had a thigh strain yesterday so Baxter was selected in the front two and interchanged with Adams at times.

So Clough has decided to depart from his "one trick" of 4-5-1 but the problem is we don't have the players to play it. The signing of O'Grady helps but the manager has not shown the confidence in any other striker, including McNulty, as regular first choice. He has repeatedly played Baxter up there, not fair on the lad IMO.

In the summer we all expected at least two exciting striker signings. We got Porter and McNulty, the latter stated as "one for the future". Higdon eventually arrived during the season but without match fitness. Playing the new lad Adams is an act of desperation frankly.

In a way I have less respect for Clough not seeing through his "one trick" and making 4-5-1 work by shaping the squad accordingly. He tried to do this and has failed. As a result we are starting again in mid-season and Clough is lucky the board are prepared to back him with cash again. I say "again" because the manager has not been short of budget for this league.

Annoyingly some budget will have to be spent on defenders because we have discarded two perfectly good centre halves. Collins has plenty for this league and Butler is the "main man" at Donny now. We need a new full back too.

Now we are changing system our squad is seriously unbalanced - short up front and at the back, yet enough midfielders for 3 teams.

Personally I have tried to support Clough staunchly. I hoped he had the calibre to take us up two levels and be here for the long term. In the summer I was excited by what was achieved last season and all the early transfer activity in the summer.

The collection of signings has been mediocre and the squad is unbalanced. That has exposed Clough's weaknesses in team selection, positivity and game management. Of course he deserves further backing by the board but he will only get so many chances and let's hope he nails it in January.

It's the longer term that worries me though. Are the manager and his support staff, including his brother, big enough and good enough to fulfill our long term ambition. I sincerely hope so because the Clough dynasty will be very hard and expensive to unravel and not on the prince's script.

If I didn't know better I would suggest you are a plant from McCabe and Co to tell another side of the story.

Clough has been here just a single year and not had a full season but here you are blaming him at about every turn. The Prince appears to be water tight in spite of the fact he has proven absolutely zero to us in terms of game changing investment. Only a month ago we were all supposed to forget history and take everything from 2013 onward as the truth. Well the truth is we are further forward because our previous manager wasn't getting wins but our current one is doing far better. It's frustrating at home in particular because we are dropping points but let's not hang our hats on any money being available in January.

I hear deals for Brayford at 1.5 million plus. If that does happen then I will eat my words but we both know it won't. Why? Because there is no way SUFC will spend that level of money.

Sorry Woodwardfan bit your blaming the wrong guy to an extent. Lack of real funds for players is the problem.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

With full backs pushing them forward and backing them up.

Players win games , not just tactical formations . The midfield to me , still shows a deficit , and appears not to be resolved with a number of players having a decline in form , confidence ,or simply not good enough.

We have all said we need patience and the team is work in progress . Wallace may have been the catalyst in midfield but injuries , have made the player , someone you cannot build a team around.

The rebuilding has not been completed , or simply to date ,not good enough. Our current form , leaves Mr Clough in a position , that no errors or mistakes can be made with incomings / outgoings in the transfer market in January .

We do have a number of players who are disposable assetts and i can see the second part of the season being more positive , with the team having more intelligent players who can mix it or play football.

Anything less than promotion ( even with rebuilding the squad and cup run ), will be deemed as a failure , and a big missed opportunity , if not achieved .We will all have to hold our council until the end of the season , when the postmortem and lessons learnt will commence. We have no devine right to achieve promotion , but that is ultimately what Mr Clough and his back room staff are being paid for .

Whatever we say about MK Dons , they know how to mix it with aggression ,or play fluent football . This is the recipe which gets you out of any league . Unfortunately in the first part of the season we have struggled doing both , with any conviction or consistency .

We have to stick with Mr Clough , (we don't have a choice ) ,due to the mistakes with chopping and changing managers in the past.

Get the playing staff right , and the tactical formation will fall into place and sort its self out. If not Mr Clough has failed big time.

UTB

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

If I didn't know better I would suggest you are a plant from McCabe and Co to tell another side of the story.

Clough has been here just a single year and not had a full season but here you are blaming him at about every turn. The Prince appears to be water tight in spite of the fact he has proven absolutely zero to us in terms of game changing investment. Only a month ago we were all supposed to forget history and take everything from 2013 onward as the truth. Well the truth is we are further forward because our previous manager wasn't getting wins but our current one is doing far better. It's frustrating at home in particular because we are dropping points but let's not hang our hats on any money being available in January.

I hear deals for Brayford at 1.5 million plus. If that does happen then I will eat my words but we both know it won't. Why? Because there is no way SUFC will spend that level of money.

Sorry Woodwardfan bit your blaming the wrong guy to an extent. Lack of real funds for players is the problem.

The January transfer window is the ultimate key and test of the boards commitment in progressing SUFC aim for promotion this season . It is up to Mr Clough to ensure the right calibre of players are recruited. The board have to have faith and trust in Mr Clough , in that he knows , what he is doing ,with the final jig saw pieces on player recruitment.

The players this club needs with quality will cost money . If the money is not forthcoming , then it shows the boards lack of commitment or trust .

Not buying the right calibre of players pre- season have left the board , Mr Clough and us fans in a compromising position. If the money is available , and we splash the cash , and still fail , the blame lays with one man - Mr Clough.

I have no doubt Mr McCabe and Mr Clough , already know this , and hope they both know what they are doing.

Mr Clough is the right man for SUFC , let us hope SUFC is the right club for Mr Clough.

 

[mattbianco1]

I find it funny how people slag off the "4-5-1" formation when we don't win, yet when we do win its because we played an attacking "4-3-3"

 

[Woodwardfan]

If I didn't know better I would suggest you are a plant from McCabe and Co to tell another side of the story.

Clough has been here just a single year and not had a full season but here you are blaming him at about every turn. The Prince appears to be water tight in spite of the fact he has proven absolutely zero to us in terms of game changing investment. Only a month ago we were all supposed to forget history and take everything from 2013 onward as the truth. Well the truth is we are further forward because our previous manager wasn't getting wins but our current one is doing far better. It's frustrating at home in particular because we are dropping points but let's not hang our hats on any money being available in January.

I hear deals for Brayford at 1.5 million plus. If that does happen then I will eat my words but we both know it won't. Why? Because there is no way SUFC will spend that level of money.

Sorry Woodwardfan bit your blaming the wrong guy to an extent. Lack of real funds for players is the problem.

I believe there are not two "sides" to the story. I think Clough is delighted with the financial backing he has and the amount of authority he has to run things as he chooses. Nobody on here knows any different if you are only observing the history of the club since Clough and the prince joined us. That's the point I have always made.

In those circumstances I rate Clough's performance to date 7/10 over 12 months. Good but not good enough in the league this season. We should be well in contention for top 2 at this stage but need an exceptional run, not impossible, but we need help in Janauary. If he is short of budget as you believe, then I rate him 9/10.

The budget increase for January is approved according to those who went to the AGM yesterday. Whether Clough and Brannigan can nail the signings is yet to be seen and hopefully O'Grady is one. Our squad could be heading for over 30, and that's not a sign of under-funding. In the dealings I hope we don't lose one of my favourite players, but maybe we will.

Not sure how you "know better" about my motives. Just to be clear, my hope is that fans do not demotivate the prince by raking up past mistakes and distrusts. Our ownership should be judged since 2013 and I am anxious always to make that point.. The prince is more important to us than this particular manager in the long term and should be encouraged and appreciated. We are lost without the prince.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

We can argue all day long about Clough but the undeniable fact is that the vast majority of our football this season has been ultra negative and piss poor. Our negative approach to games at home in particular is unacceptable. Southampton apart, this is as boring as I've seen us in my 35 years watching the Blades.

 

[Worksop_Blade]

Bloody hell, stop thi moaning. I have more faith in clough and his team building a stable club, fans moaned Warnock never gave youngsters a chance, clough does but it's not easy, fans moaned about warnocks post match interviews, clough speaks well and is much more of a thinking mans managers whilst also commanding respect from his players and peers. Clough was the manager non of us expected but we pushed the boat out and got him. Give me clough every day of the week, he's bern here just over a year and the snipers have moved in already, we need stability not replacing managers every 2 seconds.

Montgomery
Jagielka
Tonge
Quinn
Law

5 Lads off the top of my head that Warnock gave debuts to that have gone to have pretty decent careers. Warnock's Sheffield United were a reletivity rich, top end of the championship club. Making the possibilities of blooding youngsters an even more difficult task than Clough faces now.

Clough's doing a good job of replicating NW at the Lane, he's got the 2 cup semi's and the ability to split the fanbase, he just needs a play off final defeat, a sheffield derby double and an eventual promotion back to the big time.

 

[alcoblade]

Sorry Woodwardfan bit your blaming the wrong guy to an extent. Lack of real funds for players is the problem.

You make a lot of points that I agree with there, but we don't seem to suffer from "lack of funds" in the second half of most matches.

UTB

 

[JohnDenver]

this is as boring as I've seen us in my 35 years watching the Blades.

David Weir agrees with you.

 

[Tony Currie]

After the game Clough said he intends to "have a good look at the O'Grady/ McNulty partnership up front". It would seem that in itself signals the end of 4-5-1 at home against "lesser teams". Halleluiah!! McNulty had a thigh strain yesterday so Baxter was selected in the front two and interchanged with Adams at times.

So Clough has decided to depart from his "one trick" of 4-5-1 but the problem is we don't have the players to play it. The signing of O'Grady helps but the manager has not shown the confidence in any other striker, including McNulty, as regular first choice. He has repeatedly played Baxter up there, not fair on the lad IMO.

In the summer we all expected at least two exciting striker signings. We got Porter and McNulty, the latter stated as "one for the future". Higdon eventually arrived during the season but without match fitness. Playing the new lad Adams is an act of desperation frankly.

In a way I have less respect for Clough not seeing through his "one trick" and making 4-5-1 work by shaping the squad accordingly. He tried to do this and has failed. As a result we are starting again in mid-season and Clough is lucky the board are prepared to back him with cash again. I say "again" because the manager has not been short of budget for this league.

Annoyingly some budget will have to be spent on defenders because we have discarded two perfectly good centre halves. Collins has plenty for this league and Butler is the "main man" at Donny now. We need a new full back too.

Now we are changing system our squad is seriously unbalanced - short up front and at the back, yet enough midfielders for 3 teams.

Personally I have tried to support Clough staunchly. I hoped he had the calibre to take us up two levels and be here for the long term. In the summer I was excited by what was achieved last season and all the early transfer activity in the summer.

The collection of signings has been mediocre and the squad is unbalanced. That has exposed Clough's weaknesses in team selection, positivity and game management. Of course he deserves further backing by the board but he will only get so many chances and let's hope he nails it in January.

It's the longer term that worries me though. Are the manager and his support staff, including his brother, big enough and good enough to fulfill our long term ambition. I sincerely hope so because the Clough dynasty will be very hard and expensive to unravel and not on the prince's script.

Goodness me - two semi finals and in a playoff position in just 12 months. All we hear is we should be doing better. Your glass must be really half empty. All United need now is a bit of a rub of the green. We have been unlucky against MK Dons, Barnsley and Walsall and gave Bristol City a good game - there is still plenty of time this season to push on. I also believe clough is building for the future and would have the most confidence ever if we did only make the play offs. This team raises their game when required and we now have a real striker.

Of all the teams we have played who has looked better than us?

 

[Bladesway]

I believe there are not two "sides" to the story. I think Clough is delighted with the financial backing he has and the amount of authority he has to run things as he chooses. Nobody on here knows any different if you are only observing the history of the club since Clough and the prince joined us. That's the point I have always made.

In those circumstances I rate Clough's performance to date 7/10 over 12 months. Good but not good enough in the league this season. We should be well in contention for top 2 at this stage but need an exceptional run, not impossible, but we need help in Janauary. If he is short of budget as you believe, then I rate him 9/10.

The budget increase for January is approved according to those who went to the AGM yesterday. Whether Clough and Brannigan can nail the signings is yet to be seen and hopefully O'Grady is one. Our squad could be heading for over 30, and that's not a sign of under-funding. In the dealings I hope we don't lose one of my favourite players, but maybe we will.

Not sure how you "know better" about my motives. Just to be clear, my hope is that fans do not demotivate the prince by raking up past mistakes and distrusts. Our ownership should be judged since 2013 and I am anxious always to make that point.. The prince is more important to us than this particular manager in the long term and should be encouraged and appreciated. We are lost without the prince.

Love that the fans could demotivate the prince. This is priceless propaganda saying don't have a pop at the owner or he might throw his toys out the pram and leave. If he can't take criticism then fuck him and the trojan horse he rode in on. We have a well meaning but ultimately empty spin doctor telling us "hang in there" when what we need are signings that improve us. If players have to leave to trim the squad then let them go.

 

[Bladesway]

Goodness me - two semi finals and in a playoff position in just 12 months. All we hear is we should be doing better. Your glass must be really half empty. All United need now is a bit of a rub of the green. We have been unlucky against MK Dons, Barnsley and Walsall and gave Bristol City a good game - there is still plenty of time this season to push on. I also believe clough is building for the future and would have the most confidence ever if we did only make the play offs. This team raises their game when required and we now have a real striker.

Of all the teams we have played who has looked better than us?

All those who got three points off us this season. Look at the league table and there are several teams who look better than we do. Its the points on the board that determine how good you are not about whether you think you are better than another team.

I support Clough but I do think we really need a change of mindset at home. You don't win your home games you don't get promoted, it really is that simple.

 

[Bladesway]

You make a lot of points that I agree with there, but we don't seem to suffer from "lack of funds" in the second half of most matches.

UTB

And on that you may have a point. I have never said Clough shouldn't be questionned and also that part of this isn't of his doing. I just think that as usual the fans blame the manager when there are historically many other factors at play. We keep changing managers and as yet it isn't getting any better.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Love that the fans could demotivate the prince. This is priceless propaganda saying don't have a pop at the owner or he might throw his toys out the pram and leave. If he can't take criticism then fuck him and the trojan horse he rode in on. We have a well meaning but ultimately empty spin doctor telling us "hang in there" when what we need are signings that improve us. If players have to leave to trim the squad then let them go.

The players on the radar in January are to cost big money for a league 1 side . Also negotiations are in place for COG regarding transfer fee , salary and length of contract . Players will leave to trim the playing staff and wage bill . The calibre of players brought to the club in January will tell its own story , of how much the board trust , belief , and are fully committed ,in backing the manager , and also SUFC .

Money = quality= success in the majority of cases when buying players in football

Let us hope this works out , and we are not exceptions to the rule.

UTB

 

[blader]

The players on the radar in January are to cost big money for a league 1 side . Also negotiations are in place for COG regarding transfer fee , salary and length of contract . Players will leave to trim the playing staff and wage bill . The calibre of players brought to the club in January will tell its own story , of how much the board trust , belief , and are fully committed ,in backing the manager , and also SUFC .

Money = quality= success in the majority of cases when buying players in football

Let us hope this works out , and we are not exceptions to the rule.

UTB

This is all correct, but it begs the question: why have they waited until January, when automatic is almost impossible, to back the manager? Why not get those three players he asked for on TDD? Or negotiate a fee for Coady? Freeman, Bennett etc

You are right, the January purchases will speak volumes, but I find it a bizarre case of mis-management on the part of the board that they have decided to fund big transfers at this stage, as oppose to giving Clough a full season from the beginning. We are a much less attractive proposition for quality signings now we are a long way behind the leaders than at the start of the season when we were "pre-season favourites"!

 

[Bladesway]

This is all correct, but it begs the question: why have they waited until January, when automatic is almost impossible, to back the manager? Why not get those three players he asked for on TDD? Or negotiate a fee for Coady? Freeman, Bennett etc

You are right, the January purchases will speak volumes, but I find it a bizarre case of mis-management on the part of the board that they have decided to fund big transfers at this stage, as oppose to giving Clough a full season from the beginning. We are a much less attractive proposition for quality signings now we are a long way behind the leaders than at the start of the season when we were "pre-season favourites"!

Because you don't have to spend so big and if there is a chance of failure you can say "well, we tried but Nigel failed, look at how much we spent in January." Your point however is bang on the money. Why didn't we do this in the summer? The will we, won't we with Brayford time should have been spent on getting Coady and moving on to the next big target (a forward). Brayford is a talisman but he is a defender, this to me hasn't and isn't where our problems lie. If we had Coady pulling the strings you have youth and experience combined for us. If you then concentrated on a quality centre forward and not some never quite has been from a Dutch relegation campaign, then your chances of success would be better.

 

[Woodwardfan]

This is all correct, but it begs the question: why have they waited until January, when automatic is almost impossible, to back the manager? Why not get those three players he asked for on TDD? Or negotiate a fee for Coady? Freeman, Bennett etc

You are right, the January purchases will speak volumes, but I find it a bizarre case of mis-management on the part of the board that they have decided to fund big transfers at this stage, as oppose to giving Clough a full season from the beginning. We are a much less attractive proposition for quality signings now we are a long way behind the leaders than at the start of the season when we were "pre-season favourites"!

Not sure the board have said they will fund "big transfers" in January. Phipps actually said "the manager has presented his plan and the board have agreed to fund it". My recollection of the summer is that Clough presented his plan and budget and it was agreed. My recollection of the 3 missed signings at the end of the last window was that funding was there if Clough and his MD could clinch the deals and they both said they could not achieve value for money for the targets they had chosen, one being unavailable anyway. Does anybody recollect anything contrary to that? Clough has never said he was unhappy with his budget. When he joined the club he knew the budgets and the ambitions and as far as I know he is all square with the board.

There is nothing to say any deals will be clinched in January, if it happened before then presumably it can happen again. Clough will never pay over the odds as the Derby fan warned us.

Amongst all this there is the overriding FFP limit which has to be observed, like it or not. The new money must fall within the limit and must therefore have been "created" in the accounting sense. Certainly it was agreed before the win over Southampton which further increases income this year.

Anyway that's my lot about these treacherous territories where emotions and imaginations run wild.