Relegation battle

[JohnDenver]

Never write off a manager until a) he's had a proper chance, and b) you're in genuine danger.

The fun part in all this reactionary stuff is that we still might drop like a stone. I sincerely doubt it given the quality we've shown ourselves to possess. But the idea of some folk doing a double u-turn inside a few weeks amuses me.

 

[MightyBlades]

We are in one....and with I have sod all faith in Wilder having a clue howto get us out of it....completely out of his depth. He can pull the wool over some fans eyes with all the "not fannying about" bollocks but that doesn't wash with me.

Pffttt! What an arse!


The kind of attention seeking, spineless talk, of the worst kind of football supporter.

Whining like a 13 year old teenage girl, who can't get her own way.

You're an embarrassment, Lower Drop Blade!

.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

To be fair if we hadn't signed Moore, EEL and Lafertey we might still be in one.
While his comments about Wilder were over the top, I will admit I was slightly worried and I think alot of other fans were as well if they are being honest with themselves, certainly after the Southend game anyway.
But full credit to Wilder and his staff and the board for bringing in the 3 players above who have transformed into a side battling promotion instead.

 

[DifferentClass]

But full credit to Wilder and his staff and the board for bringing in the 3 players above who have transformed into a side battling promotion instead.

Battling promotion? Don't we do that every season and succeed?

 

[Kabba Kabba Doo]

I honestly believe the start to the season we had was far better for us than to win 2 and draw 2, and be unbeaten, because then Wilder might not have realised just how bad and spineless we were, and he quickly addressed, I don't think we'd have Moore and EEL, and Coutts maybe wouldn't have been revitalised!

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

For me the best thing about Wilder's regime so far was the Long/Moore situation.

Long had his chance, everyone could see it wasn't working, and instead of the usual 'he needs time', 'he's doing well, confidence is a big factor' etc etc, CW just nipped it all in the bud and was ruthless.

Not only could you see the improvements on the pitch defensively and confidence wise, but you felt something change in the fans mentality. A manager who saw what we saw, did something about it and did so quickly and without fuss. From that little situation I've personally felt a hell of a lot better, knowing that when something isn't right CW will act upon it and not drag it out as other managers have done (ie Clough with centre backs, Adkins with Hammond/Sammon).

 

[Sheffsteel]

For me the best thing about Wilder's regime so far was the Long/Moore situation.

Long had his chance, everyone could see it wasn't working, and instead of the usual 'he needs time', 'he's doing well, confidence is a big factor' etc etc, CW just nipped it all in the bud and was ruthless.

Not only could you see the improvements on the pitch defensively and confidence wise, but you felt something change in the fans mentality. A manager who saw what we saw, did something about it and did so quickly and without fuss. From that little situation I've personally felt a hell of a lot better, knowing that when something isn't right CW will act upon it and not drag it out as other managers have done (ie Clough with centre backs, Adkins with Hammond/Sammon).

The other impressive thing about Wilder

1: He put several players immediately on the transfer list and made it clear it's not over for them because if they really impress in training then he might change his mind. The thought of losing a contract gave Coutts a big kick up the backside and he's transformed. How refreshing it is to see Wilder admit his mistakes and give a Coutts and Freeman new contracts.

2: Wilder has also made it clear he prefers settled sides and no tinkering with tactics. He's made it clear, play well and you stay in the side. Basham was in good form before his sending off but now he'll struggle to get back in the side. Everyone is fighting hard for a place and there are no favourites.
With Clough and especially Adkins we rarely played the same team twice. Both said it was a squad game and so many different formations and partnerships were tried meaning we never had a settled side. Even towards the end of the season Adkins was still experimenting and didn't know his best 11.

 

[Lane Ender]

It makes me smile when some on here expected CW to get it going from the first game.
There had been a major cull pre season new players needed to settle.
After the Southend it took real nerve from Wilder to come through that but he did.

 

[Boxer Blade]

I pray that some of the positive comments over the weekend on here aren't repeated in a similar way in a couple of months time :-o

 

[Grecian2000]

Adkins was still experimenting and didn't know his best 11.

That's because he always put Hammond in it.

There are two impressive things that have stopped this thread actually being true:

1. Key players DID arrive when a lot (me included) thought they might not.
2. The diabolical "hoof it to Clarke" of the earliest games has gone (hopefully for good) but I guess we'll see when Leon gets back in the team.

 

[Bartyblade]

That's because he always put Hammond in it.

There are two impressive things that have stopped this thread actually being true:

1. Key players DID arrive when a lot (me included) thought they might not.
2. The diabolical "hoof it to Clarke" of the earliest games has gone (hopefully for good) but I guess we'll see when Leon gets back in the team.

I don't think we'll see "hoof it to Clarke" repeated.That was a disjointed team in panic mode.
When Clarke came on against Wimbledon, he picked up a couple of balls played out of defence, one he ran from halfway to goal and was tackled just as he was lining up to shoot, the other after Wimbledon had got their second, he took into the corner and held it up there awaiting reinforcements. I think there's more to his game than JUST a target man

 

[8lade]

I'm man enough to say that I thought we were in for a really hard season but kept stum as I was feeling punch drunk more than anything else. It was the look on Wilder's face in interviews he was looking Weiry already, (haa! see what I did there!) And I really thought we needed more than a couple of signings to turn it around. Move forward to the present day, we are now entering a new tough era of the season, the rest of the division can see there's a new daddy in town and we are going to start seeing some really defensive set ups, it's whether we will be able to crack those that will dictate whether we will be good enough this season.

 

[BushBlade]

I'm man enough to say that I thought we were in for a really hard season but kept stum as I was feeling punch drunk more than anything else. It was the look on Wilder's face in interviews he was looking Weiry already, (haa! see what I did there!) And I really thought we needed more than a couple of signings to turn it around. Move forward to the present day, we are now entering a new tough era of the season, the rest of the division can see there's a new daddy in town and we are going to start seeing some really defensive set ups, it's whether we will be able to crack those that will dictate whether we will be good enough this season.

Joking aside (and it's a decent one), maybe he looked Weiry because he'd been working very long hours to sort things out. Never saw Adkins look tired like that. Just saying.

 

[blade too long]

We won't sign anyone in the next 10 days or no one that's any good if we signed 4 good players it would be something we've not done for last 6 years.

Why would Mcabe do that now?

He's probably already thinking about sacking wilder.

This has all the hall marks of 10/11 a disjointed squad a manager who doesn't know his best 11 or formation.

4 go down as well

classic knee jerk post , should copy and paste it to show newbies how to do them

 

[Pollingtonblade]

classic knee jerk post , should copy and paste it to show newbies how to do them

Nearly as bad as your posts comparing us to Man City Liverpool Chelsea or whoever suits your agenda

 

[blade too long]

Nearly as bad as your posts comparing us to Man City Liverpool Chelsea or whoever suits your agenda

we are like those clubs
we are an english football league club
with supporters

 

[Flakey]

Whatever happened to 'lower drop blade', he seems remarkably quiet.

Probably drinking his half empty pint.

 

[blade too long]

It's not just about a bad start. The squad is a total mess. Everything we said couldn't happen in pre season has happened. We've not got anywhere near getting a squad together and we are 4 games in. Meanwhile we have also sold 2 first teamers without bringing in replacements meaning we have another 2 positions to fill to add to the other 4 or 5.

The lack of planning is beyond scary. It's beyond a shambles. This isn't pre season. We are still at least 6 players off being anywhere near where we want to be. We arent going to sign 6 players in 10 days.

This is Sheffield United. Not some club who have spent their existence in non league and are now being found out in the big leagues. We are being ran like we are an amatuer club

another classic rant


we made huge changes in the squad,
and signed a lot of new players , got to give any team 10 games

 

[Roygbiv]

I said we would be bottom 4 at Christmas and I'm standing by it.

 

[Roygbiv]

I still think the upturn in fortunes has little to do with what is happening at board room level and much more to do with how Wilder is getting the very best out of the players he has. Who in their right mind would have thought Jake Wright, Kieron Freeman and Paul Coutts would play as well as they have? An Oxford reject, a bloke who couldn't get in Portsmouths side last season and a guy who seemed to symbolise everything that has been wrong at the club for the past few years all being major players in our revival . It's incredible really


I'm still not getting carried away though. I still don't trust United not to press the self destruct button

 

[Isar]

I said we would be bottom 4 at Christmas and I'm standing by it.

However you didn't say which Christmas

 

[Greenwich Blade]

However you didn't say which Christmas

I think you just preempted his punchline.

 

[blade67]

, we are now entering a new tough era of the season, the rest of the division can see there's a new daddy in town and we are going to start seeing some really defensive set ups, it's whether we will be able to crack those that will dictate whether we will be good enough this season.

Was thinking the same. Vale came for a game and got done, good and propper. We might have to watch a few more teams turn up with 2 banks of four type performances and how we cope with that will be critical

 

[Bladepicker]

I still think the upturn in fortunes has little to do with what is happening at board room level and much more to do with how Wilder is getting the very best out of the players he has. Who in their right mind would have thought Jake Wright, Kieron Freeman and Paul Coutts would play as well as they have? An Oxford reject, a bloke who couldn't get in Portsmouths side last season and a guy who seemed to symbolise everything that has been wrong at the club for the past few years all being major players in our revival . It's incredible really


I'm still not getting carried away though. I still don't trust United not to press the self destruct button

Going into bat for you here a bit Roy. You said we need 6 signings to turn it round and you didn't think we would (given our track record a reasonable assumption).

We signed EEL, lafferty and Moore, also Lavery who we haven't seen, then brought in Coutts, Freeman and Wright who have been effectively like new signings.

So your post wasn't just an aimless rant, what you said was needed to turn it round, mainly down to Wilders signings and management, is what has happened. So nowt to be backtracked imo.

 

[spongebobblade]

We've turned it around, quicker and better than a lot thought but just as we seem to be on a roll at the moment it could so easily swing back the other way. It may be a managers old cliche but the "one game at a time" line is spot on. There will be ups and downs aplenty but I think we are on the right path largely because Wilder can see the blatantly obvious and isn't afraid to change it.
We are putting ourselves in a very handy position and we are nowhere near top gear

 

[Roygbiv]

Going into bat for you here a bit Roy. You said we need 6 signings to turn it round and you didn't think we would (given our track record a reasonable assumption).

We signed EEL, lafferty and Moore, also Lavery who we haven't seen, then brought in Coutts, Freeman and Wright who have been effectively like new signings.

So your post wasn't just an aimless rant, what you said was needed to turn it round, mainly down to Wilders signings and management, is what has happened. So nowt to be backtracked imo.

I don't feel silly looking at what I wrote because Freeman an Coutts are basically different players! Who would have thought they along with Jake Wright would have been the answer? Who could have imagined how good Simon Moore would be? A Cardiff reserve. Who would have thought a reserve centre half from Wolves would become a cult hero in just a few weeks?

Football, bloody hell

 

[Bladepicker]

Agree but...

Coutts

who would have thought they along with Jake Wright would have been the answer?

I'd say some of us in the official Paul Coutts fan club very much did - only trouble is we might have to upgrade from sitwell's front room for the AGM now given the influx of members Maybe Pinchy (another life time member) knows somewhere big and cheap he's done the plumbing in.

In all seriousness it does show how much a good manager, with good principles and the right tactical awareness and attitude can really turn around a player's and a team's fortunes. Whatever happens this season, Wilder has already shown at this moment in time he is 10 times the leader that Adkins was.

 

[Pinchy]

Agree but...





I'd say some of us in the official Paul Coutts fan club very much did - only trouble is we might have to upgrade from sitwell's front room for the AGM now given the influx of members Maybe Pinchy (another life time member) knows somewhere big and cheap he's done the plumbing in.

In all seriousness it does show how much a good manager, with good principles and the right tactical awareness and attitude can really turn around a player's and a team's fortunes. Whatever happens this season, Wilder has already shown at this moment in time he is 10 times the leader that Adkins was.

Just heard Tufty's interview with Paul Walker today. It's a long one and well worth a listen. Very impressive and fills you full of optimism. He clearly has a plan and a method and you can tell he's relishing this job. He even talks about not "just whacking it" and "playing the right way." I it.

 

[Revolution]

classic knee jerk post , should copy and paste it to show newbies how to do them

You are the last person on this board who should be highlighting people making wrong predictions.

Well, second last. Pinchy's prediction of David Weir leading us to the title whilst playing total football beats everything.

 

[blade too long]

You are the last person on this board who should be highlighting people making wrong predictions.

Well, second last. Pinchy's prediction of David Weir leading us to the title whilst playing total football beats everything.

I have rarely got any prediction wrong .not once in the past 5 years have I said we would piss the league .said wed be around the play offs most seasons and we have and was told by many when I saw Adkins wsnt the man I was being too hasty .but I was spot on