Lowest ever....part 4567

[Deadbat]

I know this has been done before but half time last night (and full time I suppose) I think you could argue it was the lowest we have been in terms of optimism/short term and long term hopes. I came out last night and then again this morning and for the first time kind of thought I have no idea how we are going to improve and see not even a slither of hope on or off the field.

Maybe I am over reacting after just 3 games but I have seen nothing in these games to suggest this season and the future is going to be any different. We have had I think 2 shots on target in 3 games. We had none last night and only 1 I believe Saturday and a Done header at Bolton. We have let in 5 goals and individually and collectivley we look a total mess.

We have another manager that seemingly is no better than the rest and seems like a rabbit in headlights and two owners who are never there and simply do not give a damn.

I have an acute sense of apathy generally at the moment sadly and it was hard to even get angry. It was more a resignation to another season at this level (already! - it might be worse).

Of course a defeat to Southend at home just merges into so many awful performances over recent times. We have lost at Wembley and had some gut wrenching relegations etc but last night was different. I walked out and people just seem to be in a trance. Many as we departed into Cherry Street were tooo dumbstruck to speak. Some were watching the Olympics on their phone, others made an odd grumble or gave a bit of humour but most were speechless. Hope seemed to have gone 3 games into another new season. Even last year we had a few wins and positives early before it settled down to shite. Ditto the year before.

Over the last few years all the big shockers you felt hope and some sense it won't get any worse. Even if you go back to Port Vale in 99 you knew Heath was gone and we would have a new manager and new chance.

Recent times the shocking defeats against Crawley (Wilson), Hartlepool (Weir) etc and you knew again a managerial change or some form of change was coming. After the horrors shows of the last few seasons we all counted down to the umpteen loser moving on. We pointed to that day when so many could be released. The end of Collins, McEveley, Baxter, Flynn, and many, many more.

It was seen as the start of a new beginning. Wilder came in and said all the right things a la Adkins but took action and signed numerous players.

To witness what happened last night you kind of thought what now? They aren't going to change the manager (they cant and rightly wont barring something ridiculous); but now we have a new set of players (early doors but ...a big but could be even worse than the ones they got rid of), we have players who are frightened to death to play for SUFC (I thought considering the circumstances the crowd were very patient last night - at some clubs it could have been even more toxic and the Long boo'ers were shouted down).

It is hard to think where we go from here? Wilder may bring a few more in but in reality the majority of the staring eleven have been seen as the nucleus for this season. That is worrying on what we have seen.

I am sure in a few weeks or few months I may say....THAT was the lowest on a new defeat. I think that is the concern, that we may get worse yet but I think as we were 3-0 down at home after 20 minutes it was worse than Shrewsbury, Crawley and many others of recent years.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I know this has been done before but half time last night (and full time I suppose) I think you could argue it was the lowest we have been in terms of optimism/short term and long term hopes. I came out last night and then again this morning and for the first time kind of thought I have no idea how we are going to improve and see not even a slither of hope on or off the field.

Maybe I am over reacting after just 3 games but I have seen nothing in these games to suggest this season and the future is going to be any different. We have had I think 2 shots on target in 3 games. We had none last night and only 1 I believe Saturday and a Done header at Bolton. We have let in 5 goals and individually and collectivley we look a total mess.

We have another manager that seemingly is no better than the rest and seems like a rabbit in headlights and two owners who are never there and simply do not give a damn.

I have an acute sense of apathy generally at the moment sadly and it was hard to even get angry. It was more a resignation to another season at this level (already! - it might be worse).

Of course a defeat to Southend at home just merges into so many awful performances over recent times. We have lost at Wembley and had some gut wrenching relegations etc but last night was different. I walked out and people just seem to be in a trance. Many as we departed into Cherry Street were tooo dumbstruck to speak. Some were watching the Olympics on their phone, others made an odd grumble or gave a bit of humour but most were speechless. Hope seemed to have gone 3 games into another new season. Even last year we had a few wins and positives early before it settled down to shite. Ditto the year before.

Over the last few years all the big shockers you felt hope and some sense it won't get any worse. Even if you go back to Port Vale in 99 you knew Heath was gone and we would have a new manager and new chance.

Recent times the shocking defeats against Crawley (Wilson), Hartlepool (Weir) etc and you knew again a managerial change or some form of change was coming. After the horrors shows of the last few seasons we all counted down to the umpteen loser moving on. We pointed to that day when so many could be released. The end of Collins, McEveley, Baxter, Flynn, and many, many more.

It was seen as the start of a new beginning. Wilder came in and said all the right things a la Adkins but took action and signed numerous players.

To witness what happened last night you kind of thought what now? They aren't going to change the manager (they cant and rightly wont barring something ridiculous); but now we have a new set of players (early doors but ...a big but could be even worse than the ones they got rid of), we have players who are frightened to death to play for SUFC (I thought considering the circumstances the crowd were very patient last night - at some clubs it could have been even more toxic and the Long boo'ers were shouted down).

It is hard to think where we go from here? Wilder may bring a few more in but in reality the majority of the staring eleven have been seen as the nucleus for this season. That is worrying on what we have seen.

I am sure in a few weeks or few months I may say....THAT was the lowest on a new defeat. I think that is the concern, that we may get worse yet but I think as we were 3-0 down at home after 20 minutes it was worse than Shrewsbury, Crawley and many others of recent years.

Thank you, articulated my thoughts.

 

[INTERUNITED]

I'm not sure they are frightened to death mate, I fear they just aren't good enough. Hussey was part of a poor Bury side, ditto Wilson at Oldham. Brayford is done, Long needs to leave the Lane (preferably on loan), Done just isn't a winger, Bash is shite and Billy seems to have no interest in playing along side Leon. Very very worrying times.

 

[Tyler Durden]

I said it last night. It was my lowest point in 20 years of watching United. There was not a single redeeming feature about us, nothing to suggest it was simply a bad day at the office and not par for the course in what will be a painfully long season. I'm still struggling to comprehend why we were so uniformly awful and what can possibly be done to fix it.

Funny thing is, a couple of years ago I could point to Port Vale in 1999 as the stand-out worst game I'd ever seen. The one that would immediately come to mind whenever I was asked.
The gut-wrenching thing is that any home defeat in the past few seasons tops even that.

And the worst thing of all is that last night, even in the context of 6 awful years. United managed to shock me with a performance like that.

 

[axel smeets]

With absentee owners, a manager caught in the headlights and a playing squad that is clearly devoid of both talent and character, relegation - or at least a bottom 6 finish - could well be on the cards. The question then would be, what happens then? Would McCabe just give it away for nothing, would the Prince walk away, or could we see completely new owners? Perhaps McCabe would be so stubborn that he would stay, and continue to drive us further down the league pyramid until we match Portsmouth.

 

[blades78]

If you look at the ins and outs from the end of last season, our wage bill is now significantly lower. We've just sold the only player we have thats worth anything and replaced him with an 18 year old loan player.
Wilder has known that we are short in a number of areas, but despite reducing wages and selling our only asset we are struggling to bring anyone in.
It's now a repeat of last season, where we wait until a few weeks into the season, then realise that the current players are worse than we thought. It's now too late as the realistic targets have signed elsewhere and we are left looking at cast offs or playing over the odds for average players.

I don't even get angry or frustrated anymore with united, just shake my head in disbelief. How we can a club run by successful businessmen make so many mistakes. It's unbelievable.

 

[Cheets]

At least it was a pleasant evening. Wait til a few months when we're watching shite AND freezing our nads off.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

I thought Warnock should have been sacked when we went up. I thought he should have been kept when we went down. I thought Blackwell was sacked way too early,Robson was a very brave but doomed appointment. Speed and Carver can be glossed over.Micky Adams was understandable but way too overawed. Danny Wilson was desperately unlucky in every sense. Morgan. No. Twice. Weir was forward thinking but catastrophic. Clough (I didn`t want at all) and Adkins(thought we`d finally cracked it) probably in retrospect should have been given longer.
Wilder I didn`t want and don`t believe he`ll sort things out,but we must back him.

The most important signing we haven`t made throughout all the above is the replacement for Sir Derek.
Until that happens,the name on the revolving managerial door is utterly,completely irrelevant.

 

[Deadbat]

I'm not sure they are frightened to death mate, I fear they just aren't good enough. Hussey was part of a poor Bury side, ditto Wilson at Oldham. Brayford is done, Long needs to leave the Lane (preferably on loan), Done just isn't a winger, Bash is shite and Billy seems to have no interest in playing along side Leon. Very very worrying times.

Kind of agree they are poor. Some were getting excited over some of the signings but none really have done anything. Clarke who many are slamming is only one who has played at a higher level really and he was not great there but has scored a lot at this level.

As you say Wilson, O'Connell, Hussey all signed from struggling sides or kids. Fleck was decent for Coventry but another that has played no higher. Duffy another that I am not sure has ever played higher than League One.

Cannot believe I am saying this but some of the ones they got rid of; had at least played in front of crowds and had some sense of being used to pressure.

As you say may be poor players with little pedigree but I did look at a few last night and they looked like they did not want to be on the pitch and that is not a dig at the crowd. I wanted us to rid the loser type players but we seem to have brought another set of these in. Remember when Warnock said he was going to bring players in and did not care about reputations and he signed likes of Shipperley, Short and Gillespie who were all old and maybe over the hill but had been part of winning/promotion teams and used to big crowds. We have signed players who have played with low expectations and in front of low crowds.

...Oh and they look shit as you say!

 

[sheffielder]

Quite simply we need to go back to the first 20 minutes at Bolton. This direct stuff doesn't work with a team of midgets. Is this by design because he's not done anything to stop it.

Has he lost control of the dressing room already, because the 2 games I have seen he doesn't try to do anything to stop the rot. We just carried on with the same tactics.

Long for example. Wilder, your keeper is under severe pressure from all angles and yet this team does absolutely nothing to protect him in terms of stopping corners and crosses coming into the box.

I also hope he's had enough games to work out that Basham is not a midfielder. He might want to play there but everyone knows he can't.

Sharp is not a captain and he needs that taking off his shoulder.

Please god can we stop the straight balls up to the strikers and expecting something different to happen. At least make angles and get runners and most importantly taller fucking players.

I feel like I am watching the manager of Barcelona make them play long direct football.

There are so many things wrong, I can't see how this improves and if he plays the same 11 again on Saturday god help him

 

[Roygbiv]

It does still amaze me ,and probably everyone else, that things somehow keep getting worse. Everytime you think we can't sink any lower there's another game just around the corner that takes pole position in our worst performances since we've been down here. Even those who didn't want Wilder could surely have never predicted something like last night to happen on his watch. I was motionless. I wasn't angry or even sad. To be melodramatic it felt like when you first hear a terminally ill family member has passed away. Shocked but not shocked. Numb


I think things are going to get worse. That performance yesterday will probably be topped somehow. Wilder will be the next fall guy, the wage bill will be slashed again, the new manager will give everyone a bit of optimism for a few weeks then it will all start again. People have often flippantly said since we've been down here "We'll go down before we will go up". I think that is undoubtedly a huge probability now.

To be honest, years ago it wouldn't be so bad but you get the feeling with all the money going round in the top two divisions that we are finished now as a top 2 tiered club. We are so far behind even the likes of Bristol City, Huddersfield and Preston that I just can't see how we will be anything better than a Rotherham type club from now on. Maybe a few promotions to the 2nd tier but not able to really hold our own. For a club that has spent the vast majority of it's history in the top divisions it's frankly outrageous what's happened. We aren't a massive club but we are a club that almost every fan in the country would agree should never have been in this league for so long. Unfortunately we have been ran like a bog standard third tier side pretty much since we came down and now that's exactly what we are if not worse.

 

[Blade56]

The GCB is the best measure of fan feeling. In big games and derby games it is awesome and must unnerve oponants and fans alike.

Recently I wish they would suspend it, the dirge and apathy it is delivered with tells me and the oponants this is a club with confidence issues

 

[Deadbat]

It does still amaze me ,and probably everyone else, that things somehow keep getting worse. Everytime you think we can't sink any lower there's another game just around the corner that takes pole position in our worst performances since we've been down here. Even those who didn't want Wilder could surely have never predicted something like last night to happen on his watch. I was motionless. I wasn't angry or even sad. To be melodramatic it felt like when you first hear a terminally ill family member has passed away. Shocked but not shocked. Numb


I think things are going to get worse. That performance yesterday will probably be topped somehow. Wilder will be the next fall guy, the wage bill will be slashed again, the new manager will give everyone a bit of optimism for a few weeks then it will all start again. People have often flippantly said since we've been down here "We'll go down before we will go up". I think that is undoubtedly a huge probability now.

To be honest, years ago it wouldn't be so bad but you get the feeling with all the money going round in the top two divisions that we are finished now as a top 2 tiered club. We are so far behind even the likes of Bristol City, Huddersfield and Preston that I just can't see how we will be anything better than a Rotherham type club from now on. Maybe a few promotions to the 2nd tier but not able to really hold our own. For a club that has spent the vast majority of it's history in the top divisions it's frankly outrageous what's happened. We aren't a massive club but we are a club that almost every fan in the country would agree should never have been in this league for so long. Unfortunately we have been ran like a bog standard third tier side pretty much since we came down and now that's exactly what we are if not worse.

Great post. Sums it up.

 

[SHOREHAMST.com]

If you look at the ins and outs from the end of last season, our wage bill is now significantly lower. We've just sold the only player we have thats worth anything and replaced him with an 18 year old loan player.
Wilder has known that we are short in a number of areas, but despite reducing wages and selling our only asset we are struggling to bring anyone in.
It's now a repeat of last season, where we wait until a few weeks into the season, then realise that the current players are worse than we thought. It's now too late as the realistic targets have signed elsewhere and we are left looking at cast offs or playing over the odds for average players.

I don't even get angry or frustrated anymore with united, just shake my head in disbelief. How we can a club run by successful businessmen make so many mistakes. It's unbelievable.

Great post.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Normally I'm positive about our club , and try to remain up beat about our future ,
but after Tuesday's game and result , I must admit the vibes I'm getting don't seem good .
I've seen my fair share of fucking rank displays by piss poor teams who where wearing our colours .
I've even travelled to away games with some of the posters on this site ,
3 , 4 , 5 nil defeats , both home and away , to some teams not even in the football league ,
but there seems to be a really , really bad attitude developing between the fans and team ,
The rift seems to be growing at an alarming rate , with certain players yet again ,
being picked on by sections of our " fans " for poor performances , some of the criticism may be justified ,
but it seems to go deeper , with poor decisions being made at every level at the club .
I don't want to get to down on the club , but Fuckme it's hard ,
I want to say something positive but at the moment I couldn't be arsed .

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Don't worry someone like Silent Blade or Rodley will be along in a minute with an hilarious meme to cheer us all up.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

it was widely accepted on here even by the clappers that we were 3-4 players short - even Wilder said the same.

God only knows why 2 weeks in we are 3-4 players short still.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Tuesday brought this little episode to mind - its Orient, but the sentiments and situation (and score) have a resonance.



It saddens me to say we haven't bottomed out yet I fear.

 

[md87]

For me yes recent times are the lowest ever, since I was born in 87. Can't really remember us being lower than we are now. The thing is now I have lost faith in Utd as a club and we have zero players with flair or character.

I think of the desire the players showed under Warnock, the never give up attitude. Players we had like Brown, Nuddy, Pesch, Devlin, Morgan, Jags. Now we have a team of nobodies.

Just picking out an example re the club, selling Billy then buying him back for so much more. We sign players like Billy and Clarke, who you know for a fact will be crap in the Championship. We are possibly the biggest club in this league and should be attracting the best young talent from leagues 1-2. There must be a better option that giving a player 3 chances at the club (Billy). We need a longer term plan.

I don't think the owners care whilst we are still getting big crowds. I don't go currently wouldn't waste my time or money on that tripe.

 

[Rodley]

Don't worry someone like Silent Blade or Rodley will be along in a minute with an hilarious meme to cheer us all up.

You're starting that many threads at the minute, a meme is quicker than having to write a proper response!

 

[Revolution]

I am really at a loss as to where we go from here. I was reminded of the Hartlepool game in the League Cup in our last relegation season. 2nd game. My Dad came back and told me he was convinced we were going to get relegated. There was no method, and he couldn't see how we were going to score any goals.

There are parallels with that season, actually. One good thing is that we have got goalscorers in the squad - 4 of them. If we can strengthen in other areas, we might be alright. It will be hard this late though. Promotion is out of the question, too.

To the wider point - I think McCabe's longevity as owner is working against him. The game has passed him by. Clubs have long term plans. They are smart. Many (though not all) treat the manager as he's treated in US Sport or in Germany - "we'll sign the players, you coach them", and so you are signing players to fit a system, and not the manager. Clubs work hard on fitness and nutrition. They frown on their players going on the piss all the time. They use statistical analysis to help them tactically and plan signings (not as a be all and end all, but to help the process). They buy and sell at the right time. They know who will replace a player before he's sold. They know what role a player will play before he's signed. They don't sign crocked players. They look for big, strong players (if you don't watch the Championship, see how much bigger the teams are than ours) and midfielders who score and assist. If they go down, or miss promotion, or get in trouble, they don't panic, or tear the house down. They focus on the job in hand. That's why teams like Norwich and Burnley go straight back up. It's why Stoke signed James Beattie.

We are amateurs by comparison to a lot of teams. McCabe was arguably progressive in 2006. Now he's a dinosaur.

Adkins was a disaster but anecdotally I heard that he was trying to change the ethos of the club - not on the pitch, but inside it. He failed.

The system is rotten. the system makes the job of managing United harder than it should be (it's a very hard job at any club). The system gives us this ill suited squad of players. Yes, we've had bad luck (Tevez, Evans), but the system makes it harder to make good decisions.

We need our absentee owners to pay more attention. We need them to try to learn from other clubs. We need them to employ people who know what they are doing, not local businessmen or old cronies of the latest manager. We need them to have a plan, and stick with it. Preferably one that's worked elsewhere and just doesn't involve giving more or less money to a randomly chosen manager. Otherwise, raul is right, we will become Notts County. Because make no mistake, Wednesday do understand how things work, and for the first time in a long time are moving in the right direction. We must not fall too far behind before it's too late.

 

[zablade]

We can salvage it but only if we get Warnock in before Blackburn make there move.

Come on United its our only chance of avoiding relegation this season.

 

[INTERUNITED]

Kind of agree they are poor. Some were getting excited over some of the signings but none really have done anything. Clarke who many are slamming is only one who has played at a higher level really and he was not great there but has scored a lot at this level.

As you say Wilson, O'Connell, Hussey all signed from struggling sides or kids. Fleck was decent for Coventry but another that has played no higher. Duffy another that I am not sure has ever played higher than League One.

Cannot believe I am saying this but some of the ones they got rid of; had at least played in front of crowds and had some sense of being used to pressure.

As you say may be poor players with little pedigree but I did look at a few last night and they looked like they did not want to be on the pitch and that is not a dig at the crowd. I wanted us to rid the loser type players but we seem to have brought another set of these in. Remember when Warnock said he was going to bring players in and did not care about reputations and he signed likes of Shipperley, Short and Gillespie who were all old and maybe over the hill but had been part of winning/promotion teams and used to big crowds. We have signed players who have played with low expectations and in front of low crowds.

...Oh and they look shit as you say!

I agree with every word of that mate. Maybe the managers we've had recently are trying to please the supporters rather than getting the team they/we really need. There has been a lot of fanfare surrounding players like Hammond, Scougall (the Scottish Messi), Billy Sharp etc when they came in. I remember when Warnock signed the 3 you mention, I thought what the fuck is he doing here (Shipperley especially), but they all went on to be crucial players for us, and offered us something we didn't have and fitted into the way we wanted to play. These players seem like a bunch of strangers who have no idea of any system, and more worryingly don't seem to want to fight for each other or the shirt they are playing for. My only hope is, that given time, Wilder has a bit of that Bassett/Warnock magic which can transform bang average players into a cohesive effective unit. I'm not convinced at the moment, but then again I wasn't with Bassett or Warnock, so fingers crossed!!

 

[him behind you]

I know this has been done before but half time last night (and full time I suppose) I think you could argue it was the lowest we have been in terms of optimism/short term and long term hopes. I came out last night and then again this morning and for the first time kind of thought I have no idea how we are going to improve and see not even a slither of hope on or off the field.

Maybe I am over reacting after just 3 games but I have seen nothing in these games to suggest this season and the future is going to be any different. We have had I think 2 shots on target in 3 games. We had none last night and only 1 I believe Saturday and a Done header at Bolton. We have let in 5 goals and individually and collectivley we look a total mess.

We have another manager that seemingly is no better than the rest and seems like a rabbit in headlights and two owners who are never there and simply do not give a damn.

I have an acute sense of apathy generally at the moment sadly and it was hard to even get angry. It was more a resignation to another season at this level (already! - it might be worse).

Of course a defeat to Southend at home just merges into so many awful performances over recent times. We have lost at Wembley and had some gut wrenching relegations etc but last night was different. I walked out and people just seem to be in a trance. Many as we departed into Cherry Street were tooo dumbstruck to speak. Some were watching the Olympics on their phone, others made an odd grumble or gave a bit of humour but most were speechless. Hope seemed to have gone 3 games into another new season. Even last year we had a few wins and positives early before it settled down to shite. Ditto the year before.

Over the last few years all the big shockers you felt hope and some sense it won't get any worse. Even if you go back to Port Vale in 99 you knew Heath was gone and we would have a new manager and new chance.

Recent times the shocking defeats against Crawley (Wilson), Hartlepool (Weir) etc and you knew again a managerial change or some form of change was coming. After the horrors shows of the last few seasons we all counted down to the umpteen loser moving on. We pointed to that day when so many could be released. The end of Collins, McEveley, Baxter, Flynn, and many, many more.

It was seen as the start of a new beginning. Wilder came in and said all the right things a la Adkins but took action and signed numerous players.

To witness what happened last night you kind of thought what now? They aren't going to change the manager (they cant and rightly wont barring something ridiculous); but now we have a new set of players (early doors but ...a big but could be even worse than the ones they got rid of), we have players who are frightened to death to play for SUFC (I thought considering the circumstances the crowd were very patient last night - at some clubs it could have been even more toxic and the Long boo'ers were shouted down).

It is hard to think where we go from here? Wilder may bring a few more in but in reality the majority of the staring eleven have been seen as the nucleus for this season. That is worrying on what we have seen.

I am sure in a few weeks or few months I may say....THAT was the lowest on a new defeat. I think that is the concern, that we may get worse yet but I think as we were 3-0 down at home after 20 minutes it was worse than Shrewsbury, Crawley and many others of recent years.

Great post Deadbat. Exactly how I feel.

 

[him behind you]

Kind of agree they are poor. Some were getting excited over some of the signings but none really have done anything. Clarke who many are slamming is only one who has played at a higher level really and he was not great there but has scored a lot at this level.

As you say Wilson, O'Connell, Hussey all signed from struggling sides or kids. Fleck was decent for Coventry but another that has played no higher. Duffy another that I am not sure has ever played higher than League One.

Cannot believe I am saying this but some of the ones they got rid of; had at least played in front of crowds and had some sense of being used to pressure.

As you say may be poor players with little pedigree but I did look at a few last night and they looked like they did not want to be on the pitch and that is not a dig at the crowd. I wanted us to rid the loser type players but we seem to have brought another set of these in. Remember when Warnock said he was going to bring players in and did not care about reputations and he signed likes of Shipperley, Short and Gillespie who were all old and maybe over the hill but had been part of winning/promotion teams and used to big crowds. We have signed players who have played with low expectations and in front of low crowds.

...Oh and they look shit as you say!

I agree but there are many on here who will disagree and, at the time, were very clearly happy that we'd moved away from the older players from higher levels to getting players who played at this and lower levels and "knew what it was about". Unfortunately most of them have only played in front of 2 men and a dog and simply can't handle playing in front of crowds our size with our expectations - and I'm not going all pig massive with that, it's just what expectations have been on them previously?

 

[raul]

We can salvage it but only if we get Warnock in before Blackburn make there move.

Come on United its our only chance of avoiding relegation this season.

I was told yesterday he was going there in Summer but Venkys changed their mind after they'd verbally agreed stuff and went for Cole. If true, I can't see NW giving them the time of day.

 

[grafikhaus]

I am sure in a few weeks or few months I may say....THAT was the lowest on a new defeat. I think that is the concern, that we may get worse yet but I think as we were 3-0 down at home after 20 minutes it was worse than Shrewsbury, Crawley and many others of recent years.

Cracking - if depressing - post, Deadbat. In all the papers (and on the OS) it's got Southend's third goal as '15' but I looked up at the 'new' scoreboard when it went in and I swear it said 13 minutes-odd. Doesn't really matter, anyway.

I've been wracking my brains since Tuesday to think of a more spineless and gutless home game I've seen. I can only think of Jan. 2, 1988. We lost at home to Oldham 0-5 and the 'manager' - Billy McEwan was sacked the following week and replaced by the legendary Dave Bassett. (my mind isn't good enough to recall if we had a shot on target in that match, cos we certainly didn't the other night).

Absolutely everything (apart from the stadium and the fans) is wrong at United. During half-time on Tuesday, the subs. were warming up and stretching. They looked like a bunch of fairies auditioning for Swan Lake. I notice that, in addition to the Desso pitch, we've got those Recaro fancy seats in the dug-out. All style and no substance.

 

[grafikhaus]

Seems I was wrong in Post #27. Alan Biggs says 'United try too hard...'

"Things you couldn’t question were desire, drive and energy."

Not from where I was sat.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

A great OP. But surely it's simply not our lowest ever.

I remember us being in the old 4th division. This was our lowest ever. Not wanting to be pedantic but this is factually the case.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I know this has been done before but half time last night (and full time I suppose) I think you could argue it was the lowest we have been in terms of optimism/short term and long term hopes. I came out last night and then again this morning and for the first time kind of thought I have no idea how we are going to improve and see not even a slither of hope on or off the field. Neither do most of us

Maybe I am over reacting after just 3 games but I have seen nothing in these games to suggest this season and the future is going to be any different. We have had I think 2 shots on target in 3 games. We had none last night and only 1 I believe Saturday and a Done header at Bolton. We have let in 5 goals and individually and collectivley we look a total mess. NO, you are not over reacting.

We have another manager that seemingly is no better than the rest and seems like a rabbit in headlights and two owners who are never there and simply do not give a damn. Quite possibly - if so, we are in big trouble then.

I have an acute sense of apathy generally at the moment sadly and it was hard to even get angry. It was more a resignation to another season at this level (already! - it might be worse). We all do - Thought Clough was ok, Adkins started it for me.

Of course a defeat to Southend at home just merges into so many awful performances over recent times. We have lost at Wembley and had some gut wrenching relegations etc but last night was different. I walked out and people just seem to be in a trance. Many as we departed into Cherry Street were tooo dumbstruck to speak. Some were watching the Olympics on their phone, others made an odd grumble or gave a bit of humour but most were speechless. Hope seemed to have gone 3 games into another new season. Even last year we had a few wins and positives early before it settled down to shite. Ditto the year before. True

Over the last few years all the big shockers you felt hope and some sense it won't get any worse. Even if you go back to Port Vale in 99 you knew Heath was gone and we would have a new manager and new chance. yes, felt hope, but it can get worse

Recent times the shocking defeats against Crawley (Wilson), Hartlepool (Weir) etc and you knew again a managerial change or some form of change was coming. After the horrors shows of the last few seasons we all counted down to the umpteen loser moving on. We pointed to that day when so many could be released. The end of Collins, McEveley, Baxter, Flynn, and many, many more. yes, sad thing is - THOSE players are better than we have now.

It was seen as the start of a new beginning. Wilder came in and said all the right things a la Adkins but took action and signed numerous players. Absolutely no guarantee CW will be a sucess - it's all about players and if he signs, lets say 3 or 4 more average to poor players then it's a massive problem.

To witness what happened last night you kind of thought what now? They aren't going to change the manager (they cant and rightly wont barring something ridiculous); but now we have a new set of players (early doors but ...a big but could be even worse than the ones they got rid of), we have players who are frightened to death to play for SUFC (I thought considering the circumstances the crowd were very patient last night - at some clubs it could have been even more toxic and the Long boo'ers were shouted down). Sorry, it's not being frightened - they are (to quote Garth Crooks) - NGE

It is hard to think where we go from here? Wilder may bring a few more in but in reality the majority of the staring eleven have been seen as the nucleus for this season. That is worrying on what we have seen. True - we must all have been think too - we have to try something though - same old, same old is just not good enough.

I am sure in a few weeks or few months I may say....THAT was the lowest on a new defeat. I think that is the concern, that we may get worse yet but I think as we were 3-0 down at home after 20 minutes it was worse than Shrewsbury, Crawley and many others of recent years.It can get worse - because confidence will ebb away

We all share those concerns.

UTB