Comparisons to first season in League 1

[8lade]

I'd just feel a little more comfortable if we had that second danger man in front of goal, I don't care if it's Done, Lavery, Clarke or even McNulty or even one of the youngsters.
That's probably like asking for a cake with a flake stuck in it.

 

[JordoBlade]

Whilst Simmo was useless and contributed to failure Wilson has to take some of the stick. That squad was way good enough to gain automatic promotion but Wilson failed. If Wilder had that squad we'd have been champions.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Agree with some of the earlier comments.

The 2012 team was definitely better than this one.
If they played their best they were easily the BEST team in that league.

However the most talented teams don't always win leagues

You have to factor in mental toughness, the winners mentality.
And even more important the ability and personality of the manager.

I believe this team definitely has a greater mental toughness than the 2012 team
And much of that comes from Chris Wilder being much more capable than Danny Wilson.

I think Wilson was a good guy and naevely thought his team was the best and it simply just had to go out and win. The problem was oppostion managers (like Megson) would try all kinds of tactics to stop us from playing our game. That season we were the Arsenal of that league, flat track bullies that could blow away teams who let us play our game, as soon as a team tested us then we were often found wanting.

Wilder has similarities to Alex Ferguson, he's so single minded and focussed to win.
Has better match preparation and his teams are much better equipped to deal with teams that want a battle.

Also as mentioned I genuinely believe that Simmonsen was a massive handicap for us in goal.
Yes he made the odd great save but he was poor at the basics of coming off his line and catching crosses.
He also lacked confidence.

In a 1 off game agaisnt top opposition I'd take the 2012 team over the 2016 team
But over a full season when there's all kinds of problems to overcome, this 2016 has more character.

But the bottom line Chris Wilder and Alan Knill make the all important difference and they'd need to be in charge. Long live Sir Chrissy Wilder and his able assistant Alan Knill.

 

[itsinyerblood]

I'd just feel a little more comfortable if we had that second danger man in front of goal, I don't care if it's Done, Lavery, Clarke or even McNulty or even one of the youngsters.
That's probably like asking for a cake with a flake stuck in it.

I think we'd all like a cake with a flake stuck in it.....it would be the finishing touch to a life of toil and hard labour.

 

[stringjunior]

There's little in life which can't be improved by adding a Cadbury Flake

 

[Houston_Blade]

Whilst Simmo was useless and contributed to failure Wilson has to take some of the stick. That squad was way good enough to gain automatic promotion but Wilson failed. If Wilder had that squad we'd have been champions.

Wilson took a massive gamble that Evans wouldn't get sent down and it backfired. Getting an unfit replacement in Will Hoskin was his main mistake.

I think that it was as much to do with the morale around the club that we'd been hard done to with Ched than any managerial decisions, it was a typical Blades hard luck story and Wilder didn't have the gravitas to pull people out of the mood they were in.

From what I've seen of Wilder he would come out all guns blazing and tell everyone to lift their chin from the floor. That said I do think that it was probably the best league one squad in recent history and therefore we have got promoted regardless of the Ched verdict.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

I'm beginning to think this now is the better side pound for pound.

Not much in it as regards McDonald v Coutts and Evans v Sharp. There aren't really any direct comparisons for Lee Williamson or Stephen Quinn, but if you match them with Duffy and Fleck then, again, not much in it (maybe Quinny shades it v Fleck).

Lowton was admittedly a bit ahead then of Freeman now, but not by much. And there was Harry's dominance and playmaking from the back. But this is an all-round better defensive unit, with a far better goalkeeper.

Don't know about possession stats then v now, but I suspect we have more of the ball now (dictated as much by the system as the personnel). And there are better options off the bench, especially up front (& creatively, prior to Chapman's injury).

Cherry on the top (a big one): Wilder v Wilson.

Long way to go, and plenty to potentially go wrong (not least that string of games against the top sides, but also we're similarly vulnerable to losing Billy's goals as we were then regards Evans's despite better current options), but belief is a magnificent thing. And I'm a Believer! (How can you not be right now?)

 

[Kev Gee]

Agree with that. Think a mash up of the sides would stand a decent chance in the championship too.

The only weak link in that side was simmonson - who imo wasn't even league 2 standard and probably cost us the points to take us to automatic promotion

The 3-2 defeat to Oldham sticks in my mind that season.

 

[PeteBlade]

While the 2012 was better, it probably cost about 5 times more (at least) to put together and I dread to think what wages they were on.

We even had a striker we paid between £500,000 and £4 million for, depending on what day you caught old Kev McCabe.

 

[Edinblade]

One massive difference, our current manager is a million times better. Long term future with Wilder will soon overtake where ever Wilson could have taken us.

 

[grafikhaus]

Go on, then.


In 2011/12, we got off to a solid start - 6 games unbeaten. Then we hit a poor patch until Game 17 when we won 6 on the trot. We then lost five games out of the next eleven. Towards the end of the season, we had a six-game winning run, but only got 2 points out of the last nine.

This season? Disastrous start while CW sorted the team out saw us rock-bottom of the table after 4 games...but then...we went on a 15-game unbeaten run (winning eleven and drawing 4 matches). An unexpected 'blip' at home to Walsall on November 29th saw us lose for the first time since August 20. This run propelled us up to fourth place and - since then - we have embarked on another significant winning run of five games. We have now bee in the top three since November 13th when we won away at Chesterfield. We currently stand top of the table:



I think most people think that a near-emulation of the 2011/12 season will see us safely up. However, we were far from consistent that season. A good season is defined by consistency and the ability to put good 'runs' together. One defeat in 21 games speaks for itself. When we lose again (could be today), it's important that we make it a mere 'blip', like we did after Walsall.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I think Simmonsens penalty is due to fall back into earth's orbit about March this year.

 

[Danny_Boy]

Put Simon Moore & Billy Sharp in that team and we'd have smashed the league to bits.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Lowton was admittedly a bit ahead then of Freeman now, but not by much.

You cannot be serious. "A bit ahead...but not by much". Lowton was 2 leagues ahead, as demonstrated by his subsequent career. Freeman will be one of those, unfortunately, who will be jettisoned at the end of this season. Unlike Lowton, there is no upside to his career as he'd get slaughtered in the Championship.

 

[BushBlade]

You cannot be serious. "A bit ahead...but not by much". Lowton was 2 leagues ahead, as demonstrated by his subsequent career. Freeman will be one of those, unfortunately, who will be jettisoned at the end of this season. Unlike Lowton, there is no upside to his career as he'd get slaughtered in the Championship.

Lowton developed significantly in that season though, as part of his upward trajectory. By the time he left us he was quality but judged throughout the season he didn't perform that much better than Freeman has so far. At this point in the season I don't think there's a huge difference but Lowton kicked on to another level, rather like Coady did under Clough.

 

[Deadbat]

I think that is the issue i some ways with this team. The side that nearly went up last term would have needed tweaks. Admittedly many were in the team that went down the previous year but all improved - not just down to the quality of the league I felt being worse - Evans, Maguire, Lowton, Quinn, Doyle, Williamson all seemed to find set positions and confidence under Wilson. McDonald was a big addition also.

I felt maybe a keeper (to replace Simo), a centre back (to replace Collins), a left back (to replace Williams/LFJ) and another centre forward (to replace Cresswell) and that team would have been mid table in the Championship - if Evans verdict had gone a different way.

All ifs and buts of course.

This side, I feel we have maybe only 4 or 5 starters you could hang your hat on really - maybe Moore, O'Connell, Fleck, Coutts, Duffy and Sharp. Sadly all 5 of those were not deemed good enough to be regular starters only maybe a season or two ago (bit more) when with Championshp teams. I think Moore and O'Connell will get better. the other 3 I am not sure about. The vaunted midfield 3 have never played at a much higher level than mid Champ and even then never have been regulars when at this level - Duffy has been a journeyman (a waste of a talented player - he has to wonder why he has not played higher). Even Sharp not sure he would be good enough to play week in, week out against better and quicker player. He ended up mostly a sub at Leeds who were near the bottom.

We would need major injection of pace and athleticism. The side is playing well but is incredibly slow and immobile for a side expecting to do ok at the Championship.

Still lets just get there first.

 

[Deadbat]

Lowton developed significantly in that season though, as part of his upward trajectory. By the time he left us he was quality but judged throughout the season he didn't perform that much better than Freeman has so far. At this point in the season I don't think there's a huge difference but Lowton kicked on to another level, rather like Coady did under Clough.

Lowton is a much better footballer than Freeman. Both have weaknessess defensive but as others have said Freeman would be exposed really badly at a higher level - he switches off (shown last week v Northampton) and positional wise does not quite get it. He is getting away with it this year due to level of division and other teams barely attacking (especially at the Lane). Would have liked to have seen Lowton in the formation we play now - he would have scored 10-12 goals that season - something Freeman has a chance to do.

Freeman is almost 25. Not sure he will get much better and is a player that was playing for Mansfield this time last year. He has done really well this half season but has been at the Blades for 2 or 3 seasons now and has never been a regular till now.

 

[BushBlade]

Lowton is a much better footballer than Freeman. Both have weaknessess defensive but as others have said Freeman would be exposed really badly at a higher level - he switches off (shown last week v Northampton) and positional wise does not quite get it. He is getting away with it this year due to level of division and other teams barely attacking (especially at the Lane). Would have liked to have seen Lowton in the formation we play now - he would have scored 10-12 goals that season - something Freeman has a chance to do.

Freeman is almost 25. Not sure he will get much better and is a player that was playing for Mansfield this time last year. He has done really well this half season but has been at the Blades for 2 or 3 seasons now and has never been a regular till now.

In terms of potential, Lowton was miles ahead and I agree Freeman won't have the career Matt is having. But taking away potential and judging them purely on their performances in this league there isn't a massive difference. Lowton was definitely better than Freeman is now, by the time he left us, I wouldn't dispute that.
And yes, he'd have been great in this formation.

 

[davidblade]

From that first season back down here, Lowton, Maguire, Quinn, Macdonald, Evans would get into this team.

Whether that means the current team is better than that one who knows, a mash up of the best players from both sides would get about 120 points this season.

Yes I think we had Lee Williamson as well , the right hand side combination with Lawton was excellent

 

[SB_90]

I think someone put up that we had after 23 games had the exact same record & points but big difference in 2012 them 4 defeats were spaced out & 2016/17 as really only we havent properly lost since that speechless debacle v Southend as millwall was a last minute penalty kamikaze handball & Walsall was 10 man behind the ball scored from their only "attack" which was route 1 striker getting his big toe on it

Although i always say that take everything out of it 1st season ched, play offs & anyother game we dropped points. Oldham game in that march cost us promotion l as we dominated 2-0. Then with 30 mins left, the players stopped playing got complacent & oldham got 1 we never switched back on they got 2 & got 3rd in 7th min of 4 added cost us a guaranteed 3pts, which would never happen now under wilder

 

[JohnDenver]

Lowton is a much better footballer than Freeman. Both have weaknessess defensive but as others have said Freeman would be exposed really badly at a higher level - he switches off (shown last week v Northampton) and positional wise does not quite get it. He is getting away with it this year due to level of division and other teams barely attacking (especially at the Lane). Would have liked to have seen Lowton in the formation we play now - he would have scored 10-12 goals that season - something Freeman has a chance to do.

Freeman is almost 25. Not sure he will get much better and is a player that was playing for Mansfield this time last year. He has done really well this half season but has been at the Blades for 2 or 3 seasons now and has never been a regular till now.

Lowton's performances were one of my favourite memories from that season. His touch and delivery from the right were miles ahead of league 1 standard. And his defending has improved in the years since. He won't be allowed to bomb forward for Burnley struggling for survival, but he still keeps his place in the Prem. He's done brilliantly.

As for Freeman - I've always rated him even when others wanted him out - and I think he can contribute in the second tier, but his game will need to develop defensively or else he'll find himself as a squad player.

We shouldn't write anyone off as promotion can be the making of players. The confidence and spirit it brings can see players you never thought remotely capable go on and thrive.

 

[Boxer Blade]

I think Simmonsens penalty is due to fall back into earth's orbit about March this year.

It has, look at the news, it landed in the Arctic a few days ago, new iceberg the size of Wales apparently, got a lot to answer for that lad, you can see him at home watching the news with his head in his hands thinking oh fuckin ell thought I'd got away with it.

 

[Punk Blade]

their only "attack" which was route 1 striker getting his big toe on it

Still a fabulous through ball from Oztumer...

 

[pommpey]

It is ridiculous we missed out on promotion but even taking away the poor end (MK Dons - Beattie chance and then of course if we had beat Steveange we probably would have gone to Exeter and won) we tossed away so many points. I remember the 4-4 v Exeter, the 2-3 reverse v Oldham and I recall a huge Simonsen error at Orient when he came and dropped a ball from a cross in about the 95th minute to give them a late goal.

That Oldham game, if I remember right we were winning at one point, was one of the pivotal moments of our slump. It was a huge disaster.

We have to make sure from next week we get the 3-4 players in we need to make sure we can do it this time. A centre back (hopefully EEL but if not another), a winger, a right dirty experienced so and so to give us cover in midfield (have a feeling Coutts and Fleck wont keep up their form - history of recent seasons shows that) and a top striker to partner Sharp.

We wont have to spend a fortune but if we get the above, I think we will go up.

Agree. We do need the right players though. Preferably ones who will hold their own in the Championship.

pommpey

 

[super_pig]

the old team is better.. on paper. in a head to head i think the current team would win easily they've got more balls and are a better 'team'

 

[robbiez666]

There were better players in Wilson's side, but I think we have a better team now. Evans won games on his own, creating goals out of nothing. It's more of a team effort now.

 

[Valleyblade]

I never thought we would win the league that season. Charlton always seemed well ahead. It was always about us, udders and pigs. We're still in with a shout of the first trophy since div 4.one louder.