Another hour wasted trying to force a Clarke Sharp partnership

[LoughboroBlade]

When they play together there's less movement, meaning there's greater pressure on Duffy to provide it.

When there's less movement we move the ball less quickly and you get the ponderous sideways passing we saw today – more a feature of Adkins's style than Wilder's.

When we have less pressing from the front, the team as a whole drops deeper and receives the ball deeper.

Northampton Town didn't help – at times in that 2nd half all 11 were camped within 30 yards of their own goal. But when that happens we need to move the ball quicker and need more movement from the front two. We got that in the final half hour.

I don't care who starts alongside Sharp so long as it suits the shape and style of the team. Of all options available to us, Sharp & Clarke is by far the worst. Even Scougall alongside Sharp worked on the occasion it was tried and he's not even a bloody striker.

 

[Bladesman]

Yes because Clarke had zero impact against Oldham didn't he.

There was me thinking it was Sharp who scored our goals against Oldham.

 

[BigBed]

I wish he was "100% Sharp" because atleast then he wouldn't be Leon fuckin Clarke!!

 

[grafikhaus]

Yes because Clarke had zero impact against Oldham didn't he.

No he changed the balance of that game. Add in his 22 minute cameo at Chesterfield and that's about his sum contribution all season. 7 starts, 8 as sub. and one goal. Today. from half-time until Clarke was (mercifully) subbed, I don't think Sharp had a single touch. For whatever reason, Clarke simply doesn't work in our team.

 

[Shirty Blade]

Clarke was useless today . His miss in the first half when he didn't just miss the goal from a yard out he missed the ball completely summed his performance up perfectly .

He had a couple of half chances with the head and got nowhere near the target .

I actually like Clarke and think he definitely offers is something but it's off the bench where he offers anything positive NOT from the start .

I was looking down on Clarke's 'missed sitter' from the Bramall Lane end and he was clearly pushed in the back - should have been a penalty! I agree though, he had an indifferent game!

 

[Reynoldo]

My take on this match is that CW ought to realize he's got some real dilemmas in the striking dept.
Can he swallow his pride and offload Clarke ?
Or Done ?
Who can he get ?
I think his talk about a new M/F is decoy bullshit - he must know he hasn't got a settled strike force.

We are top of the league! Done may not have scored many but he is major factor of why Billy has done so well! Lavery is looking very decent and keeps improving and Clarke does offer us something different particularly as a sub - I believe we have enough upfront just needs strikers other than Billy to keep chipping in to build their own confidence.
UTB's

 

[tedster]

I know it seems an unpopular opinion on here but Evans would give us a bit of both, against us this year He hassled our defenders and we didn't really look comfortable at the back until he went off. In my opinion if we can get him at the right price we'd be foolish not to take him on.

Ive got an idea,get rid of clarke and done and bring back ched.Bingo

 

[DronnieBlade]

We are top of the league! Done may not have scored many but he is major factor of why Billy has done so well! Lavery is looking very decent and keeps improving and Clarke does offer us something different particularly as a sub - I believe we have enough upfront just needs strikers other than Billy to keep chipping in to build their own confidence.
UTB's

"Clarke does offer something different".

What ?

Precisely what ?

UTB

 

[PokerBlade]

Not a great game for him today after doing so well last outing. Not working between him and Sharp but I suspect if anything happens to our leading scorer we'll be very glad to have a proven scorer like Clarke in the waiting line.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Not a great game for him today after doing so well last outing. Not working between him and Sharp but I suspect if anything happens to our leading scorer we'll be very glad to have a proven scorer like Clarke in the waiting line.

Some folks just can't / won't let it go.

Waaaaaaaaaank !!

UTB

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

We have good enough options for this league up front. The simple fact is that teams that come with one objective, to not concede, can make it very difficult for any team to score.

Yeah they defendered in numbers, but unlike other teams they were willing to attacking in numbers also.
Our build up was too slow, so it gave them more then enough time to get players back, even after a counter attack.
To the op, I'm not a fan of starting Clark either, but Wilder does seem to be insisting we need to keep giving this partnership a try once in awhile.
We're to slow with him upfront and Sharp ends up having to go out wider and deeper, he starts becoming more of a creator for Clark, then what he should be a finisher.
We have paid for Clark and got him a multi year contract, so it doesnt supprise me we keep brining him back to the starting 11 but I hope it doesn't cost us.
I also think Lavery should be higher up the list then him now and given more of a chance.

 

[WhiteHawk]

For me, Lavery earned a start with his performance against Coventry. Hope he gets the chance on Monday.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Did'nt work out today,i would stop playing from the off and save him for the last 20mins of games that need something completely different,like what happened in the Oldham game.

I'm not sure who deserves the starting partnership role with Sharp,on Monday i would probably go with Done.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

Clarke and Gasham off, Done and Scougall on, wins the game.

My 100% record of being right is intact.

Personally think Basham had an OK game. Lacks the creativity to do anything meaningful in attack and should offload earlier.

 

[Caseh]

Some folks just can't / won't let it go.

Waaaaaaaaaank !!

UTB

You're the one that can't let it go.

 

[DronnieBlade]

You're the one that can't let it go.

UTB

 

[blade too long]

Im all for a good scapegoat

As many are desperate to see the welshman return , Done or Clarke come into sharp focus

wasting another hour forcing a partnership , some take months
since returning from injury Clarke has 11 games under his belt , 6 under 20 minutes 4 under 30
hes played a total equivalent of 4 and a half games

if Ched comes back will he only get 5 games before he gets the treatment, doubt it greatly

 

[Bladeinleeds]

I think Clarke has a role to play.

My concern is that he just hasn't been clinical enough - Like done he is missing lots of presentable chances. This is surprising because he's got a great league 1 record over many seasons. But he should have scored fromt he cross today and put an easy chance over the bar last week to, just doesn't seem to be happening for him.

 

[Ted Hemsleys chads]

That's bullshit BTL. You get the 'treatment' if you aren't hacking it, play well and you don't, it really is that simple.

 

[Caseh]

I think Clarke has a role to play.

My concern is that he just hasn't been clinical enough - Like done he is missing lots of presentable chances. This is surprising because he's got a great league 1 record over many seasons. But he should have scored fromt he cross today and put an easy chance over the bar last week to, just doesn't seem to be happening for him.

That one where he "missed the ball" today was a foul and should have been a penalty.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

My take on this match is that CW ought to realize he's got some real dilemmas in the striking dept.
Can he swallow his pride and offload Clarke ?
Or Done ?
Who can he get ?
I think his talk about a new M/F is decoy bullshit - he must know he hasn't got a settled strike force.

Can he swallow his pride and take Sharp off! He was awful today, Clarke didn't have a great game but at least showed for it, whereas the undropable one hid for most of the 90 minutes.

 

[wizadry]

That one where he "missed the ball" today was a foul and should have been a penalty.

If you anticipate things far quicker and decide to move earlier, the defender would've got no where near him.

There were a number of times where Fleck, Coutts, Duffy and both fullbacks were looking for movement from him today but he was absolutely static. Billy was staying a lot closer to him today aswell which was very noticeable but he still didn't use it to good effect.

Clarke always concentrates on the opponent too much which is why he loses aerial battles a lot, in fact this was part of the reason why he lost the battle with the ball and the defender when it came across, he was too worried about the defender.

Clarke is a lazy twat who is better off coming off the bench, when he looks better against absolutely shattered defences due to players playing before him.

Clarke wasn't useless today but he has surely cemented why he shouldn't start a game for us.

If Billy was injured or suspended I would be very concerned with Clarke starting as the main man, he hasn't got the nouse or desire to play that role for us.

Just remind me again.....how long have we got this lump of a non mountain for, a mountain that would be shit scared of a fucking snowflake? Get rid and get better in, he's well past his best, whatever that was.

 

[Jehovah]

Can he swallow his pride and take Sharp off! He was awful today, Clarke didn't have a great game but at least showed for it, whereas the undropable one hid for most of the 90 minutes.

I think Sharp is safe as he is the only player in the squad who can do nothing then score with his first effort. Almost like Beattie. Right or wrong I think that's the managers thinking.

 

[Bladesman]

If you anticipate things far quicker and decide to move earlier, the defender would've got no where near him.

There were a number of times where Fleck, Coutts, Duffy and both fullbacks were looking for movement from him today but he was absolutely static. Billy was staying a lot closer to him today aswell which was very noticeable but he still didn't use it to good effect.

Clarke always concentrates on the opponent too much which is why he loses aerial battles a lot, in fact this was part of the reason why he lost the battle with the ball and the defender when it came across, he was too worried about the defender.

Clarke is a lazy twat who is better off coming off the bench, when he looks better against absolutely shattered defences due to players playing before him.

Clarke wasn't useless today but he has surely cemented why he shouldn't start a game for us.

If Billy was injured or suspended I would be very concerned with Clarke starting as the main man, he hasn't got the nouse or desire to play that role for us.

Just remind me again.....how long have we got this lump of a non mountain for, a mountain that would be shit scared of a fucking snowflake? Get rid and get better in, he's well past his best, whatever that was.

His best time was surely alongside Wilson at Coventry and that was a good while ago now.

Someone at the club needs to give their head a shake for giving him a 3 year deal.

 

[Lard_Lad]

Maybe we could but Done back in the team, let him chase shadows for 80 mins, cause he aint offering much else.

 

[super_pig]

Some folks just can't / won't let it go.

Waaaaaaaaaank !!

UTB

some people just won't let it go that he once played for the S6..as for ched he cost us promotion once already he can fuck off

 

[sitwell]

Duffy coutts and fleck don't play well when Clarke plays as he has no imagination or anticipation. All 3 were notably better when he was replaced as they had targets to aim for and sharp had a partner who moved into space.

 

[blade too long]

is it just me that notices we are dealing with league one players
no Clarke isnt as sharp as Aguero , or as fast as Costa
but by all accounts Billy was not at his best today
we have league one players
why do we demand prem standard levels

 

[Danny_Boy]

Maybe it's time to try Lavery and Sharp from
The start.

 

[Bladesway]

Too many people with agendas against specific players leave them with blind spots. Fortunately the bloke making the decisions appears to be good at it. As a team top of the league and looking set fair for promotion we should become a more attractive proposition for those who in previous seasons would have said no thanks from other clubs. Bad apples have been moved out and there is a great team at BDTBL this season. Team means all of them by the way, not a select few.

We appear to keep missing the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. Wilder has run the club on the back of this and well done to him. I think we need some fresh legs and new options if only to cover tired legs later in the season. Is that option Evans? Unfortunately a lot of Blades fans have the creative thought process that looks no further than ex players. Thankfully Wilder makes the calls so I'll trust what he says. He rarely puts a foot wrong. So if he says Evans, I'll back his judgement. If he says someone else, I'll back that.