"They don't look like a team challenging for the play-offs"

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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"They look like 11 strangers at times" -----that was from the ground today on S24SU Twitter.

I would throw into the pot ---- Does any manager as cautious as Clough ever achieve anything? Isn't it the managers who believe and go for it, not necessarily all the time of course but most of the time, that are successful.

We Blades all admire some of Clough's qualities but what is it that stops him winning things ( apart from once in 17 years management) ? I think it's his natural caution, negativity, never quite going for it, his inherent "Bladeness" in a way, like the perpetual underdog fighting the odds.

Thing is we are not also-rans, underdogs in League 1. We are big-shots in League 1 or should be.

I was one who welcomed Clough with open arms, but having hoped and prayed for him to be "the man", "the Messiah", I think he is inhibited by his own personality which is modest, lacks flair, totally grounded without being enterprising or even seriously ambitious. He's a Blade from Derbyshire in fact, we love him and how much he's like us but we hate him for it as well.

United need to change and we need to be far more ambitious. We need to be far less negative and so much more positive.

And the one BIG ISSUE for me - we need someone better than his brother as Head Scout. Then the manager's job would be so much easier. We are a big club relatively, we should be able to attract better players without throwing money at the problem in the JTW like we did.
 

One of the big issues for me is that there is no football knowledge on the board to question some of the signings, team selections and tactics.
 
Clough appears to approach football games like I play snooker. I'm not a good potter, and am very unwilling to take on pots unless they're right over the pocket. So I constantly play safe, trying to lay a snooker and frustrate my opponent into a mistake. The opponent will sometimes get frustrated and hit a shot that leaves pottable balls all over the table, and I can clean up. But more often than not I don't even have the skill to clear up then.

It's been said before but maybe NC needs a Peter Taylor type by his side in the dugout
 
sheffielder said:
One of the big issues for me is that there is no football knowledge on the board to question some of the signings, team selections and tactics.
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Yes and No.

The disadvantage would be if you've got.someone in a more senior position with footballing knowledge then who would really be running the team?

Could just end up being puppetmaster and puppet.
 
Dkc said:
Clough appears to approach football games like I play snooker. I'm not a good potter, and am very unwilling to take on pots unless they're right over the pocket. So I constantly play safe, trying to lay a snooker and frustrate my opponent into a mistake. The opponent will sometimes get frustrated and hit a shot that leaves pottable balls all over the table, and I can clean up. But more often than not I don't even have the skill to clear up then.

It's been said before but maybe NC needs a Peter Taylor type by his side in the dugout
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Wonderful post re the snooker analogy however i think the analolgy with Peter Taylor is the exact opposite - he needs a Brian Clough type to complement him - Nigel is the Peter Taylor and Garner is the Peter Taylor - there lies the problem. Oh, and Nigel's brother is his brother - a better newsagent than a scout.
 
Jose Mourinho (Hear me out and don't laugh please)

I've never seen a team play at the lane like his Chelsea side. When they scored they shut up shop and we wouldn't have scored if we played all night. Without them really creating many chances. I know they scored again but they just ground us down from just nullifying our attacking options.

I think there is multiple ways to win a game of football. Our biggest problem is our defence, I don't mind playing for 1-0's but no member of this forum can surely believe we have 4 players at the club who can play as a back 4 and consistently keep clean sheets! And that is one of the things that the Chelsea teams have always had with Jose - A Brick Wall
 
Woodwardfan said:
"They look like 11 strangers at times" -----that was from the ground today on S24SU Twitter.

I would throw into the pot ---- Does any manager as cautious as Clough ever achieve anything? Isn't it the managers who believe and go for it, not necessarily all the time of course but most of the time, that are successful.

We Blades all admire some of Clough's qualities but what is it that stops him winning things ( apart from once in 17 years management) ? I think it's his natural caution, negativity, never quite going for it, his inherent "Bladeness" in a way, like the perpetual underdog fighting the odds.

Thing is we are not also-rans, underdogs in League 1. We are big-shots in League 1 or should be.

I was one who welcomed Clough with open arms, but having hoped and prayed for him to be "the man", "the Messiah", I think he is inhibited by his own personality which is modest, lacks flair, totally grounded without being enterprising or even seriously ambitious. He's a Blade from Derbyshire in fact, we love him and how much he's like us but we hate him for it as well.

United need to change and we need to be far more ambitious. We need to be far less negative and so much more positive.

And the one BIG ISSUE for me - we need someone better than his brother as Head Scout. Then the manager's job would be so much easier. We are a big club relatively, we should be able to attract better players without throwing money at the problem in the JTW like we did.
Click to expand...


Seasons not over three games left at least!
 
Dkc said:
It's been said before but maybe NC needs a Peter Taylor type by his side in the dugout
Click to expand...

He needs a Brian Deane type up front and a Morgan type at the back.

Piss the championship then let alone this god forsaken league.
 
I remember last season, coming out of Prenton Park after a boring 0-0 draw, one mickey mouser saying to his mate that we were shite. They've been relegated from the football league today.

Point being, whilst we probably won't win the play offs, the opinions of a fan whose team may well be relegated next year is pretty irrelevant really.
 
sheffielder said:
One of the big issues for me is that there is no football knowledge on the board to question some of the signings, team selections and tactics.
Click to expand...

McCabe and his sons have been around SUFC , ( like us ) , to know whats right or wrong . Past experience and decisions will be holding them back doing a knee jerk reaction.

Do we need a football director , that is more the question , between Clough and the board , but Brannigan does this already .

We do need a more professional approach to tactics and player recruitment , ( which appears hit and miss , like the season ) , but those questions will be asked and answered if we don't achieve promotion.

UTB
 

Woodwardfan said:
Wonderful post re the snooker analogy however i think the analolgy with Peter Taylor is the exact opposite - he needs a Brian Clough type to complement him - Nigel is the Peter Taylor and Garner is the Peter Taylor - there lies the problem. Oh, and Nigel's brother is his brother - a better newsagent than a scout.
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A bit of a whos who there then and i suppose all our supporters are wendys then. your post did make me smile though
 
axel smeets said:
I remember last season, coming out of Prenton Park after a boring 0-0 draw, one mickey mouser saying to his mate that we were shite. They've been relegated from the football league today.

Point being, whilst we probably won't win the play offs, the opinions of a fan whose team may well be relegated next year is pretty irrelevant really.
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If I understand what you are saying it really is irrelevant. Everything is relative of course but we do not have to compare ourselves to the lowest common denominator. Pick the bones out of that!
 
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Dalelane01 said:
A bit of a whos who there then and i suppose all our supporters are wendys then. your post did make me smile though
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Yeh, you know what I mean though.

Brian Clough was charismatic. His son Nigel is dour, Garner is dour. Morgan is dour. Peter Taylor was dour. All these dour people just need one bright spark. My guess is Simon Clough is dour too, though who knows, who is he?? Does he exist?

Management teams are about a mix of personalities and skills. We've got all the easy bits without the charisma!!:(
 
Woodwardfan said:
Yeh, you know what I mean though.

Brian Clough was charismatic. His son Nigel is dour, Garner is dour. Morgan is dour. Peter Taylor was dour. All these dour people just need one bright spark. My guess is Simon Clough is dour too, though who knows, who is he?? Does he exist?

Management teams are about a mix of personalities and skills. We've got all the easy bits without the charisma!!:(
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Woody , you may have a valid point , especially on Clough / Taylor analogy .

UTB.
 
Dkc said:
Clough appears to approach football games like I play snooker. I'm not a good potter, and am very unwilling to take on pots unless they're right over the pocket. So I constantly play safe, trying to lay a snooker and frustrate my opponent into a mistake. The opponent will sometimes get frustrated and hit a shot that leaves pottable balls all over the table, and I can clean up. But more often than not I don't even have the skill to clear up then.
Click to expand...

Is that you Dkc?

9s_charlton2_wideweb__430x321.jpg
 
wakefieldblade said:
Jose Mourinho (Hear me out and don't laugh please)

I've never seen a team play at the lane like his Chelsea side. When they scored they shut up shop and we wouldn't have scored if we played all night. Without them really creating many chances. I know they scored again but they just ground us down from just nullifying our attacking options.

I think there is multiple ways to win a game of football. Our biggest problem is our defence, I don't mind playing for 1-0's but no member of this forum can surely believe we have 4 players at the club who can play as a back 4 and consistently keep clean sheets! And that is one of the things that the Chelsea teams have always had with Jose - A Brick Wall
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Agree with this, it's a reasonable approach to play defensively and have a defensive mindset, it can win trophies (Chelsea as the example you stated,, but look at a team like Italy in 1982, defensive, but they were the only ones to beat that amazing Brazilian side that year). But if you play like that, you build the team for it. We have no centre halves and have looked dodgy defensively - especially from set pieces - all season.

So the approach does not match the ability of the squad this season and it's probably why we look so disjointed at times.

The best managers and coaches use the players at their disposal and build the approach around them, not the other way round, and I think this has been the failing of Nige this season. It may still turn around though.
 
ZoneManWilf said:
Agree with this, it's a reasonable approach to play defensively and have a defensive mindset, it can win trophies (Chelsea as the example you stated,, but look at a team like Italy in 1982, defensive, but they were the only ones to beat that amazing Brazilian side that year). But if you play like that, you build the team for it. We have no centre halves and have looked dodgy defensively - especially from set pieces - all season.

So the approach does not match the ability of the squad this season and it's probably why we look so disjointed at times.

The best managers and coaches use the players at their disposal and build the approach around them, not the other way round, and I think this has been the failing of Nige this season. It may still turn around though.
Click to expand...

Believe it or not . Thats how i like my football. However not like we play it . You have got to be completely focused , each player tactically aware , and think 2 steps ahead . Inter , Chelsea know how its done , it harder than all out tippy tappy football.

Yes - approach does not match the ability of the squad , but for league 1 , we are not that for off , but still not good enough. However it could win us a final.

UTB
 
Woodwardfan said:
"They look like 11 strangers at times" -----that was from the ground today on S24SU Twitter.

I would throw into the pot ---- Does any manager as cautious as Clough ever achieve anything? Isn't it the managers who believe and go for it, not necessarily all the time of course but most of the time, that are successful.

We Blades all admire some of Clough's qualities but what is it that stops him winning things ( apart from once in 17 years management) ? I think it's his natural caution, negativity, never quite going for it, his inherent "Bladeness" in a way, like the perpetual underdog fighting the odds.

Thing is we are not also-rans, underdogs in League 1. We are big-shots in League 1 or should be.

I was one who welcomed Clough with open arms, but having hoped and prayed for him to be "the man", "the Messiah", I think he is inhibited by his own personality which is modest, lacks flair, totally grounded without being enterprising or even seriously ambitious. He's a Blade from Derbyshire in fact, we love him and how much he's like us but we hate him for it as well.

United need to change and we need to be far more ambitious. We need to be far less negative and so much more positive.

And the one BIG ISSUE for me - we need someone better than his brother as Head Scout. Then the manager's job would be so much easier. We are a big club relatively, we should be able to attract better players without throwing money at the problem in the JTW like we did.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't have a problem with Clough's tactics if we had a rock solid defence, that's what we did so effectively in the second half of last season and fans weren't moaning then about tactics. Minus the pairing of Maguire and Collins that defence has been dreadful.
 
wakefieldblade said:
Jose Mourinho (Hear me out and don't laugh please)

I've never seen a team play at the lane like his Chelsea side. When they scored they shut up shop and we wouldn't have scored if we played all night. Without them really creating many chances. I know they scored again but they just ground us down from just nullifying our attacking options.

I think there is multiple ways to win a game of football. Our biggest problem is our defence, I don't mind playing for 1-0's but no member of this forum can surely believe we have 4 players at the club who can play as a back 4 and consistently keep clean sheets! And that is one of the things that the Chelsea teams have always had with Jose - A Brick Wall
Click to expand...

I've never forgotten that game for the exact reasons you outline. Has there ever been a team of such strength and talent that were so intent on strangling the life out of weak opposition? They could have run up 4 or five goals, but preferred instead to hold us at arms length and watch us suffocate.
 
JohnDenver said:
I've never forgotten that game for the exact reasons you outline. Has there ever been a team of such strength and talent that were so intent on strangling the life out of weak opposition? They could have run up 4 or five goals, but preferred instead to hold us at arms length and watch us suffocate.
Click to expand...
Danny Webber should have given us the lead from a penalty
 
Woodwardfan said:
"They look like 11 strangers at times" -----that was from the ground today on S24SU Twitter.

I would throw into the pot ---- Does any manager as cautious as Clough ever achieve anything? Isn't it the managers who believe and go for it, not necessarily all the time of course but most of the time, that are successful.

We Blades all admire some of Clough's qualities but what is it that stops him winning things ( apart from once in 17 years management) ? I think it's his natural caution, negativity, never quite going for it, his inherent "Bladeness" in a way, like the perpetual underdog fighting the odds.

Thing is we are not also-rans, underdogs in League 1. We are big-shots in League 1 or should be.

I was one who welcomed Clough with open arms, but having hoped and prayed for him to be "the man", "the Messiah", I think he is inhibited by his own personality which is modest, lacks flair, totally grounded without being enterprising or even seriously ambitious. He's a Blade from Derbyshire in fact, we love him and how much he's like us but we hate him for it as well.

United need to change and we need to be far more ambitious. We need to be far less negative and so much more positive.

And the one BIG ISSUE for me - we need someone better than his brother as Head Scout. Then the manager's job would be so much easier. We are a big club relatively, we should be able to attract better players without throwing money at the problem in the JTW like we did.
Click to expand...

How's about we need £15m to spend on a decent central defence pairing, two attack-minded midfielders and a proper goalscorer/foil for Done?

How's about w need to ship some shit out and with the cash (and some more Game Changing Investment) we need to spend more next season in the Championship to challenge at least the playoffs two seasons running if not promoted back to the Premiership - 'at the earliest opportunity'.

Blunt tools, shit cuts.

pommpey
 

SUFC Handsworth said:
I wouldn't have a problem with Clough's tactics if we had a rock solid defence, that's what we did so effectively in the second half of last season and fans weren't moaning then about tactics. Minus the pairing of Maguire and Collins that defence has been dreadful.
Click to expand...
Time for a new thread....'why doesn't clough like centre halves', any stats out there as to how many times we have played with 2 genuine centre halves this season?
 
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