Are you really that dire?

[Briggsy]

I'm just interested as an outsider - is it really that bad?

Admittedly I haven't seen the Blades in action that often this season but you didn't look too bad against Manchester City in the cup and you were so unlucky last season. In my opinion you shouldn't have gone down, but that's by the by now.You still have the bulk of a strong Championship side and Bryan Robson promised you good football.

Without resorting to swearing, explain the situation to a bewildered Briggsy. Is there really no hope while Robbo is in charge?

 

[Samantha]

you didn't look too bad against Manchester City in the cup

Hello and greetings to you!

I'm sure that someone had put rockets up the rear end of some of our players when we played Manchester City - it was like watching another team! If only we played like that in every game we played!

 

[TonyAgana]

All my base are belong to you?!! Not heard anyone reference that in years!!! Brought a smile to my face! Welcome to the board, Briggsy.

And to answer your question, no. There is no hope. In an ideal world, Robson might have managed to turn that elusive corner in time, but the level of unrest that has saturated our club has made that an impossible thing to happen.

 

[Blades-7]

I'm just interested as an outsider - is it really that bad?

Yeh it is

 

[RIP Niftos]

Had we had a manager with something about him - a bit of flair, a bit of passion.....a bit of Warnock really then I think we wouldn't be in this position. He seemed as though he wasn't arsed most of the time and that had an effect on the players - players who were playing Premiership and half decent football last year but who (in some cases) would now have a hard time against Steve at Forum footy. It's a sad state of affairs at the minute, and I for one am more than happy to see that daft geordie nonce on his way

 

[Briggsy]

Hello and greetings to you!

Hello

All my base are belong to you?!! Not heard anyone reference that in years!!! Brought a smile to my face! Welcome to the board, Briggsy.

Hello

I'm sure that someone had put rockets up the rear end of some of our players when we played Manchester City - it was like watching another team! If only we played like that in every game we played!

And to answer your question, no. There is no hope. In an ideal world, Robson might have managed to turn that elusive corner in time, but the level of unrest that has saturated our club has made that an impossible thing to happen.

Yeh it is

I suppose it comes down to expectations then in that case. Samantha has admitted you can play well but you seem to be seeing more bad than good - making the natives restless.

Do you think that if (a big if possibly) results started picking up, the fans would get back on side?

 

[Sensiblade]

Bryan Robson promised you good football.

He lied!
We seem to be able to play against Prem clubs who think they will walk over us, but get us up against someone with passion and drive and we are stuffed, cos at the moment Sornob has driven all our drive and determination out of the squad.
We have the players to walk this division (cos it's a poor division this year) but thy need to want to and need a manager who will drive them to want to, thats just not happening at the moment.

 

[TonyAgana]

Do you think that if (a big if possibly) results started picking up, the fans would get back on side?

I reckon it would take an absolute miracle to get the fans back on side.

 

[matth]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

Robson really shot himself in the foot twice: firstly, the derby is not 'just another three points', and secondly, you should never slag the fans off. In this media-saturated age, how you come across is almost as important as how your team performs. If he privately thought these things, that'd be fine; however, he should never, ever have publicly aired them.

 

[TonyAgana]

What ^^he^^ said.

 

[MAQ]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

Robson really shot himself in the foot twice: firstly, the derby is not 'just another three points', and secondly, you should never slag the fans off. In this media-saturated age, how you come across is almost as important as how your team performs. If he privately thought these things, that'd be fine; however, he should never, ever have publicly aired them.

i concur too

 

[happyhippy]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

Robson really shot himself in the foot twice: firstly, the derby is not 'just another three points', and secondly, you should never slag the fans off. In this media-saturated age, how you come across is almost as important as how your team performs. If he privately thought these things, that'd be fine; however, he should never, ever have publicly aired them.

Nail. Head. Hit.

 

[Linz]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

I completely agree.

+rep awarded.

 

[The One]

Nothing much more I can say that hasn't already been said.

Against Man City we were a completely different team, it's just weird why the same performances can't be produced any other time.

 

[shorehamview]

Robson promised us the moon on a stick. All we got was the stick.

 

[7UpJordan]

When Robson was appointed, we were promised a swift return to the Premiership. I was a bit cagey about Robson because of his boring personality to start with but then realised he had to be given a chance. In the early games, I thought it was our defence that was seriously letting us down. But then what really started to get me was the lack of fighting spirit that the club has traditionally shown, it started to just disappear.

Just as we started to turn a corner we just understeered into a wall with the Stoke horror show, Robson's excuses started to get lamer, the players looked less and less determined, then he kept on asking for more time again and again. Then when McCabe came to his defence after the Wednesday game, Robson came out and ungratefully slated McCabe for not giving him funds, coupled with playing defensive tactics in a derby game where players should be going all out.

That's my take in a nutshell. A lot of promises that have been broken.

 

[Linz]

Then when McCabe came to his defence after the Wednesday game, Robson came out and ungratefully slated McCabe for not giving him funds...

To be honest, I thought that was going to be the straw that broke the camel's back and swift action would be taken following those remarks and yet here we still are...

Very good post 7Up...

 

[shorehamview]

Very good post 7Up...

He's back, he's bad, he likes horses and I'm mad.....

 

[silverfox]

Well thought out calm post that Jonny!

 

[Briggsy]

Cheers for your responses so far. They definitely make interesting reading.

 

[Greasy Chip Butty]

Well thought out calm post that Jonny!

Don't use names, forum nicknames only

But Matth makes some very good points about what Robson has come out and said. Someone in his position should really think more carefully about what they say.

 

[silverfox]

Don't use names, forum nicknames only

I'll be banned by the weekend.

 

[happyhippy]

Just as we started to turn a corner we just understeered into a wall

It's just like watching Minardi! Well put post 7upJordan.

I never wanted Sornob, and maybe I've been more negative towards him as a result, but his stewardship has still been a disaster.

 

[Gazza1984]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

Robson really shot himself in the foot twice: firstly, the derby is not 'just another three points', and secondly, you should never slag the fans off. In this media-saturated age, how you come across is almost as important as how your team performs. If he privately thought these things, that'd be fine; however, he should never, ever have publicly aired them.

Spot on- could not have put it any better

 

[RIP Niftos]

I agree, Robson has been responsible for his own downfall. His job had been undoubtedly preserved by the board showing patience and trying to allow him to do things his way, even though at times all Robbo showed for the board was utter contempt. Also, some of his comments regarding matches and the fans have been ludicrous. By coming out and basically saying that the fans are poor, he showed a complete lack of respect for the people who held the key to him keeping his job. If he could have won the fans over, then the Bramall Lane atmosphere that we all know and love from the last few seasons would have had more chance of showing itself again. And we all know how that can influence the team, as can the dead, damp, disollusioned atmosphere that we have come to expect in more recent times. He made so many mistakes that it's very easy to see why he's now collecting his P45 from Sir Kev, and rightly so.

It should also be noted that the players cannot hide from the blame completely. Tonge has been, at best, mediocre for most of the season and som other senior players (Gillespie, in particular) appear to be shadows of their former selves. Perhaps a change in manager could alter their fortunes, or maybe it's time for them to move on and for Blackwell (or whoever is in charge come the summer) to bring in some new faces. Only time will tell on that one, but you've gotta hope that we can find a spark from somewhere to bring the players back up a gear.

I think that the fans would be happy to see us playing better football, rather than expecting to see results come straight away. Some may have bad feelings towards the new boss, I know I did, but with retrospect it's easy to see why he did what he did and he wouldn't be here if he didn't care about this club. That is, in my eyes, a certainty. McCabe wouldn't allow it if otherwise.

So, in conclusion - new manager, new start? Let's hope so - only time will tell but despite my reservations about it when I first heard the news, the more I think about it, the more it seems to be a good decision and a step in the right direction.

 

[Samantha]

It's not so much the league position - I'm sure that most Blades don't think we had a divine right to walk all over the league, despite last season - it's more the fact that we're drab, and without fight or passion, which is something that's exemplified the Blades for a long, long time.

Robson really shot himself in the foot twice: firstly, the derby is not 'just another three points', and secondly, you should never slag the fans off. In this media-saturated age, how you come across is almost as important as how your team performs. If he privately thought these things, that'd be fine; however, he should never, ever have publicly aired them.

Well said that man!