Winning when playing poorly...

[seanbeenstattoo]

Thought we were poor , slow and unimaginative. The warning signs were there on Saturday. Wilder and Knill need to address the issue of teams parking the bus.
We need to attack with way more pace with way more movement up top.
Thought taking off Scougall was a bad call. Should have been Done or Lafferty.Coutts was way too deep most of the second half,Fleck does that job quicker and better.
3 points and very forgettable.

 

[BigBed]

Scougs for Done and Chapman from the start for me!

 

[ben1987]

I don't think we played particularly badly tonight. Or on Saturday.

Sendings off ruin football matches! Especially against teams who want to park the bus against us with 11 men.

Tonight I think we looked good up until the first red card. I also think CW got half time wrong. Bash had so much of the ball down the right in the first half - he had a good game, he just doesn't have the technical ability to beat a man and whip it in. We were crying out for Chapman imo (freeman would have had a field day) that would have been sub1.
I'd have taken Done off for Clarke for sub2. I thought Scoogs had done well first half. Don't know if he took a knock.

3 points and it is a great feeling to grab a late winner sometimes!

 

[Sheffsteel]

I'm on the isle of man so cant get to BDTBL but surely we must have been all over em according to the stats, 20 attempts on goal?

Weird game again.
Like the Shrewsbury match it was like a training session, attack versus defence.

The key to scoring was
1: Someone able to dribble and take on a man, Steve Kabba style.
Only little Harry Chapman showed that type of ability tonight.
Think Duffy and Freeman are also capable of going past a man but of course both were out injured.

2: Good luck. It was ironic that in the last 10 minutes we became more desperate and just drilled the ball more and more into the box.The ball was pinging around their box like a pin ball machine. It looked only a matter of time before we scored but to be fair their team were defending for their lives.

3: Precison fast passing Barcelona style, so difficult to do.

Our main tactic was option 2.
If you keep knocking on the door long enough by the law of averages eventually you will score.

Agree that we weren't poor tonight. How can a team be so poor when they totally and utterly dominate the opposition meaning they rarely get out of their half the whole match. Think they had 1 off target shot all match.

 

[Ricky]

At half time it should've been Clarke on for Done and Chapman on for Wright with Basham going to CB.

That would've given us ability out wide, a target for the inevitable crosses, and would've kept EEL out of the way with Basham at RCB.

Then probably Lavery for Scougall. Thought Lavery looked sharper btw.

 

[Sneinton Blade 1952]

Jesus, we're possibly heading for our longest unbeaten run since the 19th century and some are calling for players to be done with (pardon the pun) and Wilder and Knill to sort their tactics out! Beyond belief.

 

[grafikhaus]

Thought we were poor , slow and unimaginative. The warning signs were there on Saturday. Wilder and Knill need to address the issue of teams parking the bus.
We need to attack with way more pace with way more movement up top.
Thought taking off Scougall was a bad call. Should have been Done or Lafferty.Coutts was way too deep most of the second half,Fleck does that job quicker and better.
3 points and very forgettable.

How I saw it. I think we've been showing signs of stuttering lately. Poor in the first half v. Chezzie. Shocking in the second half v. Shrews and poor all game tonight. Why was Sharp stuck out on the wing for long periods? Our crosses are mostly hit and hope. Too many bad performances tonight, not least from the ref. who was unbelievably bad. Oh, and Clarke is a donkey. Get Ched in the JTW and we'll fly.

 

[cahill]

I've not celebrated a goal like for a while

Went berserk on the kop

 

[west_yorks_blade]

Ok finishing was poor, but you'd struggle to think of a more one sided game than that.

It was as incredibly frustrating trying to break them down and like Shrewsbury, Bury defended well, particularly against anything aerial into the box.

But we were all over them from start to finish.

 

[SteveBlade]

We lacked creativity, and I think we looked worse after Bury went down to 10.

Every attack was the same, out wide, one two, cross it in. That suited Bury, we didn't attack quickly enough much of the time.

That being said, we were dominant from start to finish. Even with our lack of creativity, we still had so much of the ball that we could have easily come away from that 3-0 winners.

I feel that we miss Duffy and Freemans wide play very much, and when they're back we'll be back to slicing through defences down the wings instead of looking sluggish and out of ideas in those areas as we have done over the last two games.

6 points in two games where we've struggled, and we've completely dominated both games. Let's think about that, we've played relatively badly and still dominated from start to finish.

 

[TJB.]

It felt to me like we could have played all night and scored nowt.

To get that winner was absolute ecstasy.

Not the best performance, but it's gone now. Bring on Charlton.

UTB.

 

[Ricky]

10/9 men or not, at least we now have a team capable of dominating games. It's been a long time since we had that.

I just wish our players would take more risks and try something different sometimes. There's too much passing at times.

 

[bornandbred]

Tonight we missed a Collin Morris type player who would cross the ball from the byline rather than 10 yards beforehand which makes things much easier to defend.Chapman has the ability but didn't use it.
I noticed that Chris went as manic as the rest of us.Must have felt the same sense of relief.
However frustrating the first 92 minutes were we still played well and could have scored on numerous occasions.It was just one of those nights;they happen.Oh and by the way,we did win.You can't ask any more of the players;they never gave up.

 

[zablade]

10/9 men or not, at least we now have a team capable of dominating games. It's been a long time since we had that.

I just wish our players would take more risks and try something different sometimes. There's too much passing at times.

Just wish we would take the clear chances early in games like this, Lafferty scores his sitter first half I reckon we win by two or three nil.

 

[Bladey McBladeface]

Thought we were poor , slow and unimaginative. The warning signs were there on Saturday. Wilder and Knill need to address the issue of teams parking the bus.
We need to attack with way more pace with way more movement up top.
Thought taking off Scougall was a bad call. Should have been Done or Lafferty.Coutts was way too deep most of the second half,Fleck does that job quicker and better.
3 points and very forgettable.

How I saw it. I think we've been showing signs of stuttering lately. Poor in the first half v. Chezzie. Shocking in the second half v. Shrews and poor all game tonight. Why was Sharp stuck out on the wing for long periods? Our crosses are mostly hit and hope. Too many bad performances tonight, not least from the ref. who was unbelievably bad. Oh, and Clarke is a donkey. Get Ched in the JTW and we'll fly.

Come on lads, this is a bit harsh, don't you think?

Whilst not at our best, we were by no means poor. We've bossed the game and it's hard to break teams down at times.

Great work from the Blades to win again. Special mention to Lavery who I thought was excellent when he came on.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Just wish we would take the clear chances early in games like this, Lafferty scores his sitter first half I reckon we win by two or three nil.

I'm not struck on Lafferty. He receives the ball out wide and 9/10 stops and plays it backwards,add to that his delivery isn't all that.
Think Done is on thin ice too. I've refrained from commenting on him until now but I think we can and need to do much better.

 

[spongebobblade]

Thought taking Scougs off was the right call. Bury were defending so deep from the off there was little room for him to manoeuvre as there midfield sat right in front of the centre halves. Don't get the Done scapegoat criticism tonight. He was no better/worse than the majority. Lafferty just didn't get going which is why I suspect Chapman was deployed on the left instead of being ahead of Basham. It started looking crowded up top but still found it strange when Clarke occasionally dropped deep and Billy out wide. Fleck and Coutts impressed again. Lavery looked very lively in his cameo. As has been said I think we will fair better on Saturday with more freedom to express ourselves. Doesn't matter how we get em but it's another 3 points and that's good enough for me. We aren't going to be Barcelona every game. Roll on Saturday

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

Come on lads, this is a bit harsh, don't you think?

Whilst not at our best, we were by no means poor. We've bossed the game and it's hard to break teams down at times.

Great work from the Blades to win again. Special mention to Lavery who I thought was excellent when he came on.

I think it's more than fair. The second half we were pretty clueless. Thank god Chapman and Lavary got on to inject some much needed pace and flair into what was a geriatric and utterly predictable showing. Bury didn't look troubled.

 

[JohnDenver]

We know how well we can play from previous games. We've now learned we still can win when those standards aren't being met. Great news.

We really missed Duffy tonight, and if I have one quibble it's that Chapman wasn't on earlier and in place of Basham.

 

[Stretch]

Come on lads, this is a bit harsh, don't you think?

Whilst not at our best, we were by no means poor. We've bossed the game and it's hard to break teams down at times.

Great work from the Blades to win again. Special mention to Lavery who I thought was excellent when he came on.

Completely agree, well said.

 

[Bladey McBladeface]

I think it's more than fair. The second half we were pretty clueless. Thank god Chapman and Lavary got on to inject some much needed pace and flair into what was a geriatric and utterly predictable showing. Bury didn't look troubled.

I suppose you are right...apart from the penalty we could have had, the save followed by the clearance off the line, Done's header, Scougall hitting the bar, the 20 shots we amassed...

 

[Cyprus Blade]

A very late but important win which keeps the run going. There was only ever going to be one winner tonight - if there was to be a winner. I do think we need to have a look at cover for the RWB position - I like Duffy very much, but I think we missed Freeman more tonight (never thought I would say that). They played very narrowly giving us acres of space on either flank throughout the game but the quality of the final ball in wasn't quite right and I am not sure what Done adds in a game like tonight. Lafferty was wasteful for me tonight and needs to improve or be replaced.

 

[Stretch]

I think it's more than fair. The second half we were pretty clueless. Thank god Chapman and Lavary got on to inject some much needed pace and flair into what was a geriatric and utterly predictable showing. Bury didn't look troubled.

An eight man defence probably doesn't feel very troubled. Very hard to break down but we did it.

 

[Ricky]

One comparison to make is this:

Last season: Two 'easy' home games in a row v Bury and Colchester = 0 points.

This season: Two 'easy' home games in a row v Shrewsbury and Bury = 6 points.

Says a lot I think.

 

[spongebobblade]

I think it's more than fair. The second half we were pretty clueless. Thank god Chapman and Lavary got on to inject some much needed pace and flair into what was a geriatric and utterly predictable showing. Bury didn't look troubled.

Without being critical I agree more teams will come and sit behind the ball with a "come on let's see what you've got" attitude. A true promotion contender will ultimately have to find better ways of breaking them down. Upping the tempo would be a start. Plenty to work on but ultimately it's points that are priority

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Chiselling out 3 points when a team isn't right on their game is what gets a team promoted. We're not going to roll every team over, sometimes just have to grind the points out. With the other 3 teams winning an excellent 3 points tonight.

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

I suppose you are right...apart from the penalty we could have had, the save followed by the clearance off the line, Done's header, Scougall hitting the bar, the 20 shots we amassed...

Didn't know "could have" won owt.
They were 2 minutes away from denying us 3 points and frankly we couldn't have complained if they had. Clearly some people are pleased more easily than others.
I thought we were poor tonight,as we were against Shrewsbury. I also don't give a fuck about "stats".

 

[GrayBlade]

We know how well we can play from previous games. We've now learned we still can win when those standards aren't being met. Great news.

We really missed Duffy tonight, and if I have one quibble it's that Chapman wasn't on earlier and in place of Basham.

No quibbles from me, we won in the end and that's all that matters, but I totally agree about Duffy.

On Saturday and tonight, we missed a player to move the ball quickly forward and with pace. Coutts does a great job but he never ever does this, and Fleck is better deeper. Duffy is the only player in our squad who is a genuine 'number 10' and although that means he'll take risks and be hit and miss, he's the guy to unlock immovable defences like we've seen tonight and at the weekend.

I really hope his distractors cut him some slack, because I think he's going to be vital for us going forward when more teams come to the Lane just to shut up shop.

 

[alcoblade]

I think when you define sixty odd percent possession and zero opposition shots on goal as "playing poorly", you can start believe we're onto something this season.

In two consecutive games the opposition have camped in their own half or penalty area. They've taken zero points.

It might not flatter us, but in previous seasons the opposition didn't pay us that respect, and often left with three points.

UTB

 

[finlaytheblade]

We did miss Duffy no one in the team to break the lines ( 2 banks of 4) but at least we stuck at it and got the win we deserved.I always felt Chapman would make a difference and although he wasn't great he opened them upt a bit and we got our reward.I think