Positives from today

[finlaytheblade]

Traore and Osula both looked excellent

A big jump for traore from his previous level and did well ! Osula was really impressive worked his butt off and quck thinking nearly brought him two goals showed no lack of confidence considering his lack of goals he was my standout player on the day with a lot more to come from him.
They were both feeding off scraps.

 

[moody1889]

There was a huge gap in quality between us and Palace.
Our midfield wasn't even Championship standard today, we looked like a side we'd put out to play in the EFL Cup to me.
The attack was isolated with no support or belief, at no point did we put them under any pressure, which is incredible really when we're the home side.
Today reminded me of when a league 1 club plays a Premier League side in the FA cup.

Think they found the match so easy, it took them by surprise and they stayed in 2nd gear.

The positives for me were.

1: We only lost 0-1, so it hasn't destroyed confidence, when 0-3 would have been fairer and on a bad day could have been 0-5
1: Team showed fight and effort.
2: Our defence was decent considering it was under almost constant pressure.
3: The crowd were good
4: Thought Brooks looks calm and assured when he came on.
5: Thought Osula showed promise but no where near PL standard.

Its not rocket science but with N'Diaye, Berge, McAtee and Doyle we now have zero creativity or high quality.
Todays teams is nailed on to finish bottom, sounds bad doesn't it?
However we should have several top quality players to come in.
If we get the players we expect then we do have a realistic chance of staying up and I'm still feeling positive, Hamer is a great start but there will be others too.

The only place there was a huge gap in quality was our midfield we were awful in midfield sideways and backwards and no creativity at all.

Osborn Norwood and Basham in midfield the only team they would have a squeak at getting in is Luton the rest wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Whilst you can't fault Osborn and Basham in terms of their effort running and getting stuck in the quality just isn't there.

Norwood just isn't good enough at Premier league level and his set pieces today were poor at best.

We are going to have to work smarter with our use of set pieces if we are to have any chance of staying up.

 

[davidblade]

In short supply, but let’s av em.

1: Will Osula. Running his blood to water deep into added time. Intelligently, too. Looked closer to being ready for this level than he previously has, as an off the bench option at least.

2: Benie Traore. StIll looks his age. Naive in some of his pressing and tackling, and in some of the runs he makes. But genuinely rapid; looked much less like a lost child than he did v Stuttgart; power to add as he beds in and gets used to a role; could flourish this season eventually, as another off the bench option.

3: Bash reprising his giraffe-on-ice Cruyff collapses … in the Prem! (a little like Leon getting a go against Liverpool in 19/20—whatever the deficiencies of the squad/recruitment/management that have allowed this to happen, what’s not to love?).

4: The first half. We were still well in the game at HT.

5: The crowd stuck with the team, despite, well, everything

6: Better times ahead. With incomings and returns from injury, 4-6 of today‘s starting XI won’t be starting in 4-6 weeks time.

7: Pigs lost.

8: So did Forest.

9: We’re not bottom, yet.

Err, that’s it.

Yess I’m glad HMS PISS THE LEAGUE have got the off to a good start

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

A few positives:

1. The crowd aren't the same moaning cunts who come on here.
2. Put up a good performance with a depleted squad.
3. A good day put tinged with the disappointment you get with any loss.

 

[ForgeBlade]

Incident in the second half when we broke away with Benni and Osula. Ball played into Osula who smashed it into the side netting.

Not one other Blades player was up with that attack. Our midfield were either knackered or been instructed to play more as a defensive unit and remain deep.

Palace had players swarming all over our aea when they attacked.

Not a critiscm. I was impressed by the fight and spirit.

Decent effort from Osula I thought. If he gets it another foot to the left it's in the top corner.

 

[loyalblade95]

In short supply, but let’s av em.

1: Will Osula. Running his blood to water deep into added time. Intelligently, too. Looked closer to being ready for this level than he previously has, as an off the bench option at least.

2: Benie Traore. StIll looks his age. Naive in some of his pressing and tackling, and in some of the runs he makes. But genuinely rapid; looked much less like a lost child than he did v Stuttgart; power to add as he beds in and gets used to a role; could flourish this season eventually, as another off the bench option.

3: Bash reprising his giraffe-on-ice Cruyff collapses … in the Prem! (a little like Leon getting a go against Liverpool in 19/20—whatever the deficiencies of the squad/recruitment/management that have allowed this to happen, what’s not to love?).

4: The first half. We were still well in the game at HT.

5: The crowd stuck with the team, despite, well, everything

6: Better times ahead. With incomings and returns from injury, 4-6 of today‘s starting XI won’t be starting in 4-6 weeks time.

7: Pigs lost.

8: So did Forest.

9: We’re not bottom, yet.

Err, that’s it.

10. Got 3 strong midfield reinforcements, 2 of whom had 10-15 minute cameos today that we could see in the starting 11 on Friday night.

11. It feels like ages since I've seen a player (Hamer) get unveiled to the crowd before kick-off, not to mention the reaction he got.

 

[loyalblade95]

A few positives:

1. The crowd aren't the same moaning cunts who come on here.
2. Put up a good performance with a depleted squad.
3. A good day put tinged with the disappointment you get with any loss.

You always feel down with a loss, but after seeing the teamsheet while I was on the bus into Sheffield and then watching that performance I was shocked that we didn't do as bad as I thought that team would do at first, glad my initial doubts about a performance were proved wrong at least.

 

[Harry's Game]

Kit looks nice.

it’s okay, its far from the worst also far from the best

 

[loyalblade95]

it’s okay, its far from the worst also far from the best

Wes changed his goalkeeper kit tho.

 

[Badger Blade]

Considering the shit show of a starting line up, I'd have taken what was dished up and not to have been embarrassed.

Palace are always one you'd look at as an opportunity for points but they're a club who, despite the fact that they float about doing nothing every year, have played Premier League football for the last 10+ years having spent next to nothing, while loads of others including ourselves have fallen on their faces so in a way are a club to be vaguely admired.

 

[Greg.]

Our relegation rivals also lost

Team was the weakest we'll hopefully have all season

Wes had a good game - league rank 3rd currently for saves and xG prevented

I think Palace are side people often underestimate - they are now 6W, 3D, 2L in the league since Roy took over

Atmosphere seemed pretty good and no Burnley lighter incident

 

[Sheffsteel]

Another positive and I mentioned this during the 2nd half.

Told them on the Kop
It's a good job this match isn't being shown live on Sky.

Would have been really embarrassing because we although our defence was passable,
the midfield and attack must have been one of the worse ever in the Premier League.
Can't remember a single time when I thought we'd score. Zero creativity, zero goal threat. Shocking really.
Todays team was one of the worse we've put out for several years.

All is not lost though, we now have Hamer and if we bring in 3 or 4 other top players, we'll have a decent chance of staying up.

 

[ForgeBlade]

1. We're not in the bottom 3.

2. Osula looked decent with zero service. The goals will come once he gets his first and gets the monkey off his back.

3. Erm...

 

[metalblade]

Says everything you need to know when Ben Osborn is our best midfielder and that is only because he runs around a lot. I can see why that midfield started Slimane looks off the pace for now but Souze looks a unit Hamer will make a huge difference I still feel we are a bit light in midfield. Young Brooks looks as good as any of the three that started in midfield today but we are crying out for creativity the front two got nothing from midfield and had to make their own chances. Play that team and as soon as we concede the game is over.

 

[loyalblade95]

Another positive and I mentioned this during the 2nd half.

Told them on the Kop
It's a good job this match isn't being shown live on Sky.

Would have been really embarrassing because we although our defence was passable,
the midfield and attack must have been one of the worse ever in the Premier League.
Can't remember a single time when I thought we'd score. Zero creativity, zero goal threat. Shocking really.
Todays team was one of the worse we've put out for several years.

All is not lost though, we now have Hamer and if we bring in 3 or 4 other top players, we'll have a decent chance of staying up.

Three players seems reasonable given that we still have our 2 domestic loans, hopefully we can use whatever cash we have left to get Archer on a permanent even if it means we have to concede to Villa having a buy back clause. They aren't permanent and given Ollie Watkins performances at Villa they won't be needing him anytime soon.

 

[loyalblade95]

1. We're not in the bottom 3.

2. Osula looked decent with zero service. The goals will come once he gets his first and gets the monkey off his back.

3. Erm...

3. Traore looks like he'll be a decent bargain once he gets up to speed, thought he played quite well today and he will only get better with time.

 

[varkanoid]

• Basham's double 360 degree pirouette
• We didnt look half as bad as some predicted
• Osula could have scored 1 or 2. (Get them in the bloody net!)
• We did better than the other promoted sides (ok dependant on opposition)
• 31000+ Attendance and Fans were great sounding on TV
• still a long way to go get the new guys gelling on the pitch and we could be okay.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Young Brooks looks as good as any of the three that started in midfield today but we are crying out for creativity the front two got nothing from midfield and had to make their own chances. Play that team and as soon as we concede the game is over.

We said the same that Brooks looked pretty good when he came on,
calm and assured, not overawed at all, looked a better player than Norwood and Osborn.

Also we said the same, when Palace scored, we all said "game over" as there's no way we can score.

 

[riselikeasalmon]

Anel isn’t going to Newcastle or anywhere else

 

[CornwallBlade]

Another positive, this incident was quite amusing!

Watch fuming Hodgson square up to Sheffield United star in fiery touchline row

ROY HODGSON showed he still has fire in his belly after being involved in an altercation with Max Lowe. The incident occurred in the second half of Crystal Palace’s 1-0 win at Sheffield Unite…

www.thesun.co.uk

Utterly embarrassing- silly old sod deserved to be put on his arse. Full marks to Max for ignoring him. Happily, he’s young enough to have remembered having to deal with ranting oap’s refusing to give him his ball back when it went over the garden fence.

 

[MagnifiqueShorehamStreet]

Hamer didn’t decide to watch the game yesterday,before signing on the dotted line!

 

[RecordBreakers]

Positive - manager - Hecky probably decided this team early in the week based on what he knew we would have and picked the team then. He got them playing as a unit. Played only one of our signings, Bennie, who was my m.o.t.m. There is no point chucking all the new players in all at once as they would not know our pattern of play. I would be happy to change one player for Forest bringing in Hamer for Bash. The crowd was good today We have to be patient.

Pattern of play?? What pattern of play was that then? I get what your trying to say but if a player who's just signed can't come into a team an launch the ball 50yrds down somebody's throat or down the right channel then its worrying! We had zero pattern of play yesterday apart from pump it long, idve rather seen the new lads play 60mins or come on after 50 -60 mins because that team was fucking awful.

 

[Mario1889]

We were comfortably second best to a side that I expect to struggle this season.

The only positive I can take from today is in a few weeks the side turning out for us will probably look very different with new signings and players returning from injury.

The only problem is, in relative terms we have a decent start to the season and by the time these player’s return we’ll have missed a real opportunity to get some points on the board.

 

[Bell4]

There was a huge gap in quality between us and Palace.
Our midfield wasn't even Championship standard today, we looked like a side we'd put out to play in the EFL Cup to me.
The attack was isolated with no support or belief, at no point did we put them under any pressure, which is incredible really when we're the home side.
Today reminded me of when a league 1 club plays a Premier League side in the FA cup.

Think they found the match so easy, it took them by surprise and they stayed in 2nd gear.

The positives for me were.

1: We only lost 0-1, so it hasn't destroyed confidence, when 0-3 would have been fairer and on a bad day could have been 0-5
1: Team showed fight and effort.
2: Our defence was decent considering it was under almost constant pressure.
3: The crowd were good
4: Thought Brooks looks calm and assured when he came on.
5: Thought Osula showed promise but no where near PL standard.

Its not rocket science but with N'Diaye, Berge, McAtee and Doyle we now have zero creativity or high quality.
Todays teams is nailed on to finish bottom, sounds bad doesn't it?
However we should have several top quality players to come in.
If we get the players we expect then we do have a realistic chance of staying up and I'm still feeling positive, Hamer is a great start but there will be others too.

Totally agree with all this

 

[Davalon]

Worst team we'll put out all season and only lost 1-0.

Biggest concern is the left hand side. That's one area thought won't get improved until RND gets back, if he does.

We'll be torn to shreds down that side.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

The handbags on the kop in last 10 mins provided a nice distraction from what was on pitch

 

[Bladesince59]

We could easily win League 2 with this team

 

[Sheffsteel]

Pattern of play?? What pattern of play was that then? I get what your trying to say but if a player who's just signed can't come into a team an launch the ball 50yrds down somebody's throat or down the right channel then its worrying! We had zero pattern of play yesterday apart from pump it long, idve rather seen the new lads play 60mins or come on after 50 -60 mins because that team was fucking awful.

Pattern of play?

We had a clear style under Wilder (fast front foot passing football) and Jukanovic (slower…posession is king Swansea style football)
but under Hecky our pattern of play was so random last season.
In most games we had little spells of overlapping centre backs, little spells of nice/ possesion football, longish spells of kick and rush hoofball.

Only things I can think of is…..give the ball to Norwood and he’ll try a high risk long range pass.
When he’s having a good game it’s fine, when he’s having a bad game, we‘re constantly giving possession away.

One of the key points to operate in the Premier League is to be able to keep some possession.
In the Championship it doesn’t matter so much, so what has Hecky been doing to order the players to keep possession.

Appreciate Hecky got plenty of praise last season for delivering wins
but in many matches we had long spells of looking disjoined struggling to string 4 or 5 passes together.
Often our only chance of scoring was to rely on some magic from N’Diaye and McAtee.
Also when we we leading..then in most matches for the last 30 minutes we’d defend deeper and deeper, parking the bus, booting the ball anywhere.

We’d win the game 1-0 or 2-1 and Pompey would often slate the performance as unconvincing.
I’d listen to Heckys post match interview, no insight ever given on tactics and he’d always say we played well against tough opposition.

Another positive is the defence is pretty good with experience at this level.
Really don’t think we‘ll concede many but we need avoid what happened in the relegation season season where we seemed to lose every match 1-0 or 2-1.
We’re basically going to be relying on a totally new midfield and attack, so hopefully exciting times ahead.

 

[Sandygate Blade]

Was impressed with the cameo from Brooks. At least he ran at players . Norwood had a shocker. Crowd stayed with the team. Paula and Traore did as well as could be expected with the service they got. Wes was our MOTM.

We needed an early goal but something to build on.

 

[Ron_Justice]

Feel weirdly optimistic. CP weren't great and clearly have the PL experience to exploit little niggly fouls in dangerous areas, but in the whole we didn't look out of our depth.

Osulla and Bennie look to have something to offer, but REALLY need a midfield behind them.

I actually thought we looked at our most dynamic and threatening in the final 15, once Slimane and Vinnie came on supported by the young lads. That's what's given me the most optimism.