Clough's Business

[robbiez666]

The general opinion at the start of the season was that Clough didn't really pull up any trees in the transfer marker over summer. Just looking at it now, and it's more extremely poor.

1. Porter - complete joke. Not good enough and never gets a chance anyway.
2. Butler - complete waste of money as Clough fell out with him before he even started
3. McEveley - ok(ish) but not really that great.
4. Higdon - earns his wages by eating all the pies
5. McNulty - Clough seems intent on slagging him off as often as possible and he doesn't get much of a chance to start
6. JCR - completely inconsistent. Seems a better sub than a starter
7. McCarthy - Not really better than what we already have. Seems worse than Basham
8. Wallace - A crock
9. Basham - Dreadful start but has improved. Still doesn't seem to be good enough in midfield.
10. Turner - Just cover
11. Davis - Best playrs at the start of the season but Clough seems to struggle to fit him into the team
12. Alcock - One of the better players at the start of the season but is now looking like a distinctly average L1 player
13. McGahey - Looks like he's not good enough at the moment

Poor recruitment has been compounded by bad tactics, never playing a fixed team and late or no substitutions.

Add these to a large squad and it looks a bit of a mess in terms of bringing new players in. No one if likely to want to buy any of them.

It's lucky the league is so bad. In other years we'd have been further down the table.

 

[super_pig]

i'm getting the impression that clough has his 'favourites' ..much like our old school team manager.
he doesn't like DeG, Davis or Sparky that is for sure.. does Collins still play for us??

 

[robbiez666]

It's an odd one because the favorites are normally those who do the most work and put the most effort in. I'm not sure Higdon falls into that category. Scougs for instance doesn't deserve a place at the moment.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Don't think that is a particarly accurate or balanced view.

McCarthy, Porter and Butler aside don't agree with any of them.

 

[Worksop II]

Don't think that is a particarly accurate or balanced view.

McCarthy, Porter and Butler aside don't agree with any of them.

Wallace is made of Broken Biscuit

 

[Silent Blade]

i'm getting the impression that clough has his 'favourites' ..much like our old school team manager.
he doesn't like DeG, Davis or Sparky that is for sure.. does Collins still play for us??

Davies is injured

 

[boo radley]

The general opinion at the start of the season was that Clough didn't really pull up any trees in the transfer marker over summer. Just looking at it now, and it's more extremely poor.

1. Porter - complete joke. Not good enough and never gets a chance anyway.
2. Butler - complete waste of money as Clough fell out with him before he even started
3. McEveley - ok(ish) but not really that great.
4. Higdon - earns his wages by eating all the pies
5. McNulty - Clough seems intent on slagging him off as often as possible and he doesn't get much of a chance to start
6. JCR - completely inconsistent. Seems a better sub than a starter
7. McCarthy - Not really better than what we already have. Seems worse than Basham
8. Wallace - A crock
9. Basham - Dreadful start but has improved. Still doesn't seem to be good enough in midfield.
10. Turner - Just cover
11. Davis - Best playrs at the start of the season but Clough seems to struggle to fit him into the team
12. Alcock - One of the better players at the start of the season but is now looking like a distinctly average L1 player
13. McGahey - Looks like he's not good enough at the moment

Poor recruitment has been compounded by bad tactics, never playing a fixed team and late or no substitutions.

Add these to a large squad and it looks a bit of a mess in terms of bringing new players in. No one if likely to want to buy any of them.

It's lucky the league is so bad. In other years we'd have been further down the table.

Do you like any of our players?

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Wallace is made of Broken Biscuit

Expectation was set very early on, that we shouldn't expect him to be consistently able to play until 2015.
From what I've seen when he's been o the pitch I like him, same for Basham but as I've said for most of the season Basham's a centre half for me.

 

[Dec]

I fail to see how you think McEveley has just been "okish". He's been a great signing despite today not being his best game. He's hardly put a foot wrong defensively which has contributed to a good amount of clean sheets.

 

[robbiez666]

My ratings might be harsh, but I look at it as a team who should be top of the league, and as players who should be good enough for the league above.

Clough told us he wanted a small squad and one which is building for the future. We have a big squad and there are not many in our squad that, on this season's form, would be good enough in the league above. 4 maybe.

 

[BerksBlade]

My ratings might be harsh, but I look at it as a team who should be top of the league, and as players who should be good enough for the league above.

Clough told us he wanted a small squad and one which is building for the future. We have a big squad and there are not many in our squad that, on this season's form, would be good enough in the league above. 4 maybe.

This is the worrying part for me Robbie. Clough seems to have gone completely against what he said during the summer and is bulking out the squad with average players. There aren't many who I would be confident of in the Championship.

 

[robbiez666]

This is the worrying part for me Robbie. Clough seems to have gone completely against what he said during the summer and is bulking out the squad with average players. There aren't many who I would be confident of in the Championship.

One of the biggest issue with several of our players is inconsistency. The likes of Murphy and Baxter don't turn up every week. Flynn and Scougs appear to have slipped. If these 4 played well most weeks then we'd be at the top of the league. I can't imagine any of our team starting regularly for a top half Championship side.

One of the possible reasons behind their inconsistency could be Clough not having a settled side.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Do you like any of our players?

That's a fair comment and I suppose you could have been a lot harsher in the criticism.

Doubt many would agree with the OP, but it shows how blinkered some of our fans actually can be - INHO that is.

UTB

 

[robbiez666]

That's a fair comment and I suppose you could have been a lot harsher in the criticism.

Doubt many would agree with the OP, but it shows how blinkered some of our fans actually can be - INHO that is.

UTB

As I said above I might be quite harsh in my ratings but I expected to have a team which were likely to go up. The club promised it and the Bookies had us as favourites. What we have is a team that on their day can beat anyone (in a truly awful league) but that day has not happened very often. There are some players with a lot of potential who have not delivered.

I look at the squad in terms of whether they are good enough to make the step up a division. I don't see many who are at this moment in time. Too many inconsistent players. Toothless in front of goal and regularly dubious at the back. On this season's form so far we are an average team in an awful league.

Don't get me wrong, with a signing, an upturn in form and some luck we can go up. This is just not the building for the future we were promised.

We have several players who are good enough but who just aren't performing. Whether that be the formation, never having a settled team or something else I don't know.

Maybe I'm wrong to expect my team to be aiming to be competitive in the top flight. Maybe I expect too much, but I'm not prepared to settle for being one of the better teams in League 1.

 

[Worksop II]

we shouldn't expect him to be consistently able to play until 2015.

I hope he is being paid with Cheques Post Dated 2015 then !!

Next time he appears watch him in a tackle, its half hearted, which is probably a confidence thing.

But every time he makes contact he comes out holding or favouring a leg or an ankle.

Its nice to know we have time to cajole along and pay for this amount of talent for years ..................

And .... have you seen the size of his feet ?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Maybe I'm wrong to expect my team to be aiming to be competitive in the top flight. Maybe I expect too much, but I'm not prepared to settle for being one of the better teams in League 1.

Your last sentence is quite pointed and probably heartfelt, but you or I can do nothing about it.

Patience of ALL fans has to be the key. There are a few old Blades on here - I myself am 58 and although I will far from call myself a massive Blade, us old Blades have seen more bad times than good. If you had lived through the late 70's and 80's then they were really dire - believe me.

The Prince/McCabe/Clough era is new - it will take time to turn this huge Blades oil tanker round.

If you can't see it is changing then there is nothing I or anyone else can say - NC just has to be given time.

Some people may argue that what MacClaren has done at Derby may happen to us - personally, it was the NC era that steadied the ship at Derby and made them what they have become. There is no reason to think NC would not be top of the league at Derby instead of MacClaren. NC talks of "unfinished" business at Derby - it may be one of the few clubs he would leave us for, I just hope not, but we might have to be extraordinarily patient.

Some are impatient now - after just 12+ months. I just find it a bit strange.

keep the faith.

UTB

 

[bramptonblade]

The general opinion at the start of the season was that Clough didn't really pull up any trees in the transfer marker over summer. Just looking at it now, and it's more extremely poor.

1. Porter - complete joke. Not good enough and never gets a chance anyway.
2. Butler - complete waste of money as Clough fell out with him before he even started
3. McEveley - ok(ish) but not really that great.
4. Higdon - earns his wages by eating all the pies
5. McNulty - Clough seems intent on slagging him off as often as possible and he doesn't get much of a chance to start
6. JCR - completely inconsistent. Seems a better sub than a starter
7. McCarthy - Not really better than what we already have. Seems worse than Basham
8. Wallace - A crock
9. Basham - Dreadful start but has improved. Still doesn't seem to be good enough in midfield.
10. Turner - Just cover
11. Davis - Best playrs at the start of the season but Clough seems to struggle to fit him into the team
12. Alcock - One of the better players at the start of the season but is now looking like a distinctly average L1 player
13. McGahey - Looks like he's not good enough at the moment

Poor recruitment has been compounded by bad tactics, never playing a fixed team and late or no substitutions.

Add these to a large squad and it looks a bit of a mess in terms of bringing new players in. No one if likely to want to buy any of them.

It's lucky the league is so bad. In other years we'd have been further down the table.

Knee to the groin reaction!!!!! I will make my judgement at the end of the season when we know what we have actually achieved not what we might.

 

[Revolution]

Some are impatient now - after just 12+ months. I just find it a bit strange.

keep the faith.

UTB

It's not 12 months. McCabe has been in sole or joint charge for over a decade and we've been in this league since 2011. We've been more than patient.

 

[robbiez666]

I hope he is being paid with Cheques Post Dated 2015 then !!

Next time he appears watch him in a tackle, its half hearted, which is probably a confidence thing.

But every time he makes contact he comes out holding or favouring a leg or an ankle.

Its nice to know we have time to cajole along and pay for this amount of talent for years ..................

And .... have you seen the size of his feet ?

To be fair, Wallace was always going to be a gamble. Before his injury he was a quality player. I would have been happy with the gamble if we'd have signed another quality CM who will be there on a weekly basis. Basham may have been that person but he certainly isn't

 

[Revolution]

Expectation was set very early on, that we shouldn't expect him to be consistently able to play until 2015.
From what I've seen when he's been o the pitch I like him, same for Basham but as I've said for most of the season Basham's a centre half for me.

I like him but his inability to play more than 1 out of every 3 or 4 games is unbalancing the side. Basham is wasted in midfield, but as we have to have 2 scrappy midgets this year the poor sod has to keep plugging away where a fit Wallace should be.

With recent memories of signing so many players with poor injury records I hoped Wallace would be different and actually be fit but no such luck.

 

[robbiez666]

Your last sentence is quite pointed and probably heartfelt, but you or I can do nothing about it.

Patience of ALL fans has to be the key. There are a few old Blades on here - I myself am 58 and although I will far from call myself a massive Blade, us old Blades have seen more bad times than good. If you had lived through the late 70's and 80's then they were really dire - believe me.

The Prince/McCabe/Clough era is new - it will take time to turn this huge Blades oil tanker round.

If you can't see it is changing then there is nothing I or anyone else can say - NC just has to be given time.

Some people may argue that what MacClaren has done at Derby may happen to us - personally, it was the NC era that steadied the ship at Derby and made them what they have become. There is no reason to think NC would not be top of the league at Derby instead of MacClaren. NC talks of "unfinished" business at Derby - it may be one of the few clubs he would leave us for, I just hope not, but we might have to be extraordinarily patient.

Some are impatient now - after just 12+ months. I just find it a bit strange.

keep the faith.

UTB

Problem is, and I'm nearing 40 and started going when we were in the old third division, that we're almost eternally patient.

It's the club who have gone on about game changing investment and building a team to get us out of the division this season.

We've been lied to for years and this current situation seems depressingly familiar.

Even if we did go up this season we'd need another 10 players to stay up. We'd have a huge squad. It doesn't feel like the club is serious about this.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

It's not 12 months. McCabe has been in sole or joint charge for over a decade and we've been in this league since 2011. We've been more than patient.

It is 12+ months for Clough - you have just implied that because McCabe has been here for a decade plus that WHATEVER happens while he is at the club then you will be negative, negative, negative.

Does NC not get any chance with you? Are you completely disinterested in the club progressing JUST because McCabe is still at the club? - because that's what it sounds like.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

so £8m is not game changing. You could be right, you might be wrong.

All I ask is that NC is given some decent amount of time to do what is needed. It might not work, it might work, but he needs to be give time. You may be proved ultimately correct, you might not - no body knows unless you are a pal of Dr Who

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Problem is, and I'm nearing 40 and started going when we were in the old third division, that we're almost eternally patient.

It's the club who have gone on about game changing investment and building a team to get us out of the division this season.

We've been lied to for years and this current situation seems depressingly familiar.

Even if we did go up this season we'd need another 10 players to stay up. We'd have a huge squad. It doesn't feel like the club is serious about this.

You may be correct - 10 players might be needed for next season if we go up - The Championship needs different types of players.

The table says we are in a better position than last year - undisputable.

If we do as well in the 2nd half then we should go up, but continually thinking about what used to be is just a recipe for a heart attack and depression.

UTB

 

[Revolution]

It is 12+ months for Clough - you have just implied that because McCabe has been here for a decade plus that WHATEVER happens while he is at the club then you will be negative, negative, negative.

Does NC not get any chance with you? Are you completely disinterested in the club progressing JUST because McCabe is still at the club? - because that's what it sounds like.

UTB

I like Clough. He did a great job last year. I have faith in him winning away games and cup games.

He has a blind spot with home games. He has been a bit unlucky with injuries but even taking this into account is far too defensive at home. This is going to cause us to miss automatic promotion, and hence promotion, as a team that struggles to score a lot of goals is not usually a playoff winning team.

I'm not disinterested in the club progressing. I just think it won't progress whilst McCabe is involved in decision making. Every major football decision the club has made since 2007 has been wrong, and in many cases disastrous. The club has finished in a lower position 5 years in a row. The one constant is McCabe.

If half of the energy spent on dealing with the Evans situation had been spent on getting a forward in from the start of the season we might be better off. Misplaced priorities, not for the first time.

You think we will go up automatically. Unless we abandon the false 9 at home and have someone (whether at the club or brought in from elsewhere) who can put the ball in the net regularly this is not going to happen. That is not negativity, it is realism.

And I hope we do make it this year because next year we will likely face at least one relegated team with more resources than us, and you can bet that, as in 2013 with wolves, we will choose not to try to compete and will slash payroll, which will see us start a 6th year in this league.

 

[Deadbat]

I'll give you my take on proceedings in a hit, miss or jury's out verdict

I won't be as scathing as the original post but overall you have to say the business has not been the best. The ones that have done well have been more surprising with ones you would expect to shine going from poor to a disaster.

Like with most we will have to wait till end of season but currently I would say....

7 MISS / 2 HIT / 4 JURY'S OUT

Porter - Abysmal decision to re-sign. He is a player that is simply not good enough. Sure he has had his moments at the club but he has never been consistent but offered no more than a handful of decent games in 4 seasons (kept him for 4 seasons!). Seems an nice guy but developed a cult following for being rubbish! Waste of resources = MISS

Butler - We don't know what has gone on. Maybe he fell out with Clough. Maybe Clough just got it wrong and signed someone that he now perceives he is not good enough. However you would suggest it is more the former as with the amount of goals we have conceded, him binning Collins and trying everyone but him suggests that have fell out. He was one of the better defenders in the division the last few years so surely deserved a chance unless something major has gone on. However he will almost certainly be allowed to leave in January and will never start a league game for the club.= MISS

McEveley - I thought he was a poor signing. Another journeyman who was perceived as a squad player. On the way down and without a club. More waste of wages I felt but to be fair he has been very good most of the time. The last few week he has had two poor games but that should not take away fact that at full back and particularly centre back he has done well. = HIT

Higdon - Brought in as a target man who could win headers, score goals and bring others into play. Against Bristol City in the first half he did all of this but since then although he had scored a few goals; he has been really poor for me. Stupid sending off that cost us a game and an inability to hold down a spot; mixed with injuries. He looks slow, unfit and for a big man does not get off the ground. = MISS

McNulty - Began season looking a bit out of his depth but then had a nice spell where he got a series of poachers goals and looked a threat. Works hard and does try and bring others into play. However he has now got involved in a daft incident outside football setting him back. Clough seems quite critical of him at times (harshly in some instances). Still only young, he can improve but does need to play as part of a two for me. He has some qualities but needs to consistently perform not in glimpses as we have shown so far. You could argue he needs a run of games of curse. = JURY'S OUT

JCR - Like McEveley not a signing that inspired me. a player that has had so many clubs and never played at the top level. Frustratingly inconsistent wherever he has been before and has shown this at SUFC. I would say he has made a better impression than I thought he would. He has been our main threat for many games this season but as been better as a sub and being an impact player completely inconsistent. His crossing is poor much of the time but then now and again he delivers with a goal or a cross of rare quality. = HIT

McCarthy - Started badly at Chesterfield and then settled down and was decent for a run of games showing his experience but then was poor again in the last two home games and of course got sent off. The defence generally has improved since he came in though. = JURY'S OUT

Wallace - A crock is right I am afraid. When he has played he has looked decent in most games with box to box play, power, passing and tenacity. When he has played well then we have looked a good side controlling midfield. However he rarely lasts more than a game at a time and even in games he plays often is done long before the end. Hamstrings, calf, groin,, you name it; he injures it. Keep hearing how we have to be patient with him but he barely plays. Played 18, 19 and 16 games in the last three full seasons. That says it all. = MISS

Basham – Would have said Miss almost definitely up to a few weeks ago. He looked awful in midfield with no presence, poor touch and slow. However he was given a chance at centre back and has excelled and I cant recall a poor games since he went there and was excellent in a few matches in this position; looking better than what we already had there. Ironically he was put back into midfield v Oldham and played well there. Maybe he has his confidence back.
Mixed start though overall. = JURY’S OUT

Turner – Cover player. Played in JPT but for me an odd signing as we have Long, Willis etc. Thought the latter was supposed to be a great prospect so is he not capable of being on the bench and playing odd games. Seems another waste of wages. If Howard gets injured then sign a back up if he needs another = MISS (Not his fault but a waste of more resources)

Davies – Was out best player to start the season and scored and assisted on numerous goals. However no one was quite sure what position he was meant to be whether not a defender, but not a forward. He had a few ordinary games and then got injured and we have not see him since. A useful squad player in that he can play a number of positions. = JURY’S OUT

Alcock - One of the better players at the start of the season but is now looking like a distinctly average – poor player is the correct verdict. He looks poor at the moment and we are significantly worse than we were when we had the likes of Brayford there. He is even poorer than McMahon in my opinion. = MISS

McGahey – A young player who may have potential but I have to admit he looks very raw and his technical ability is not the best. He has never convinced when he has played and some of our poorer games and games we conceded came when he was one of the two centre backs. Maybe he will come along but the fact even now at League One he is not really good enough does not fill me with confidence. If he cannot excel at this level unsure whether he would develop enough for me. = MISS (with proviso that is just on what he has done so far – he may improve of course but seen nothing to suggest he is the answer short or long term)

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

You may be correct - 10 players might be needed for next season if we go up - The Championship needs different types of players.

The table says we are in a better position than last year - undisputable.

If we do as well in the 2nd half then we should go up, but continually thinking about what used to be is just a recipe for a heart attack and depression.

UTB

We will get promoted this season . Every team and all players are inconsistent . That is why they are playing in league 1 . Mr Clough has built a strong squad to get us out of league 1 . When in the championship , the side will be built again from scratch .

Bristol City , Swindon will fall away . The main factor for the playing staff , is having the mental and psychological strength to overcome a tough season and the fans , clubs , board , Mr Clough expectations .

It is difficult not to think of the past , but the future does look good , and heading in the right direction.

Mark my words . Now the side show of a ex player is out of the way , we will be getting a CF to confirm our intentions . Timing is everything in life , and for me Mr Clough requires full backing from the fans and board.

UTB

 

[itsinyerblood]

Fulwood Blade is correct. Whatever your personal feelings about the club robbiez666 , Clough has, in just over a year, taken us from a position where understandable hysteria reigned as we perched on the brink of relegation, to the club now sitting in a top 6 position. Things could of course be better. I'd like to see at least one specialist forward arrive. If he confirmed what we hope he brought with him we all know the supporter's hopes would rise and the gloom you speak of would be consigned to a dark room.

What you're not doing, or seem unwilling to do, is apply a little perspective to what our manager is attempting to achieve. He's not infallible but then who is? Do you recall the acclaim that Bristol City's manager, Steve Cotterill, received up until a few weeks ago? Since then they've lost, they're not the invincible outfit some of us were lead to believe. Let's see if they are equipped to handle defeat and whether they have the backbone to handle this crack in their so-called invincibility? The point I'm making is this. Yes, they lead this division at the moment, but these are the moments that tests a manager and his players. I'm more half full than half empty. Does that make me a clapper? Silly term really, but I realise there are those amongst us that need this easy shorthand to cynically explain that some of us are disposed to an optimistic disposition.

As for next season, you appear to have lost sight of the fact that as players come in, players go out. That's how it would be. Who knows how many players we might need? That's for Clough to decide. Let's get to the Championship first of all. Then those of us who are inclined to moan at just about anything can revise their opinions and find new reasons to complain.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

The general opinion at the start of the season was that Clough didn't really pull up any trees in the transfer marker over summer. Just looking at it now, and it's more extremely poor.

1. Porter - complete joke. Not good enough and never gets a chance anyway.
2. Butler - complete waste of money as Clough fell out with him before he even started
3. McEveley - ok(ish) but not really that great.
4. Higdon - earns his wages by eating all the pies
5. McNulty - Clough seems intent on slagging him off as often as possible and he doesn't get much of a chance to start
6. JCR - completely inconsistent. Seems a better sub than a starter
7. McCarthy - Not really better than what we already have. Seems worse than Basham
8. Wallace - A crock
9. Basham - Dreadful start but has improved. Still doesn't seem to be good enough in midfield.
10. Turner - Just cover
11. Davis - Best playrs at the start of the season but Clough seems to struggle to fit him into the team
12. Alcock - One of the better players at the start of the season but is now looking like a distinctly average L1 player
13. McGahey - Looks like he's not good enough at the moment

Poor recruitment has been compounded by bad tactics, never playing a fixed team and late or no substitutions.

Add these to a large squad and it looks a bit of a mess in terms of bringing new players in. No one if likely to want to buy any of them.

It's lucky the league is so bad. In other years we'd have been further down the table.

The big problem this season in my view has been integrating a large number of players in to a squad/team.

Should we go up expect the same again next season and an even more difficult start.
Add to this the problem of moving players out as well and it could be a season of loans again instead of signings.
Whichever way it would be a later start to signings coming in due to having to move some on.

Should we not go up then there doesn't need to be so much building next season so it should be better.
Just need the fans to get over the fact that it would be season 6 at this level.

 

[robbiez666]

so £8m is not game changing. You could be right, you might be wrong.

All I ask is that NC is given some decent amount of time to do what is needed. It might not work, it might work, but he needs to be give time. You may be proved ultimately correct, you might not - no body knows unless you are a pal of Dr Who

UTB

I've heard the £8m figure, it doesn't mean I'm buying it. I thought the Prince's money was going in to the team? If we've invested that much then all the other chairman in this division must be very well off indeed.....

As for NC. Not called for his head and will not pass judgement on whether he should still be our manager until the end of the season. H edeserves that much time after the second half of last season. Doesn't mean I'm not going to criticize or praise.