Chris not happy, not at all

[super_pig]

Yeah, the comment about a £1m player, I'd think, is specifically about Lee Gregory. Thing is I doubt money like that'd be made available even if we do go up.

But maybe there is some sort of subliminal message from Wilder to the board about ensuring more money for a final push this season (not £1m for a single player) - who knows? Probably more likely just a reminder that it's the board who set the financial parameters, not him.

Hope he's not being bounced into the Hanson signing in any way - we've been linked with him on & off for years, long before CW arrived, after all.

yes i'm worried about this.. he didn't seem that enthusiastic.. maybe it was the result

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I think we lacked in 3 areas today. Centre half, quality (crosses) into the box and the strikers.

The problems in defence can be solved from within by one change ie put Wright back in (and drop Basham), he organises 'um and instead of having 3 centre halves pointing at each other after they've conceded we won't get that because Wright's got the rest of the defence doing what they should be doing. The defence looked virtually rock solid with Wright as the spare man and JOC and EEL matching up with the centre forwards, it's not the same with Basham and the proof's in the pudding with goals conceded.

Quality into the box has been poor all season, Riley might add something here but Freeman and Lafferty invariably tend to find anyone bar our strikers. That said the strikers don't seem to help themselves and don't seem to ask enough questions of the oppo defence. I'd rather see two strikers playing on the shoulder of the oppo centre halves, asking questions with pace, aggression, aerial ability or skill, but if they have strikers like that then style of play has to alter a bit with at least a mixed approach with the odd ball being played long.

I'd also say we still lack a bit of bite, leadership and drive in midfield.

 

[ucandomagic]

I was p!ssed off and angry until I listened to Tufty's full interview on Football Heaven website, then I realised he was quite angry enough for both of us!

That leaves me just p!ssed off and bottle of red number 2 is removing the off from that phrase!

If there were points for playing well in the middle third we would have won the league by now, but...
... points are won and lost in the other two thirds.

I know Tufty knows a lot more than me but I was looking forward to seeing Jake back in the centre and young Joe bombing forwards from LWB.

Roll on Tuesday.

UTB

 

[Sheffsteel]

Oh for a Board that gives a xxxx. With our crowds we shouldn't be messing around with the cheap option.

Not sure if you understand what the implications are of being in league 1?

I agree if we compare ourselves to League 1 clubs then we can out muscle our rivals.
But if Championship clubs come calling then we can't compete with most clubs in the league above.

Also fortunately for us the board do give a xxxxxx
And won't risk us going into admin or going bust. It's called living to your means.
Our gates mean we can be very competitive every year in league 1 but we can't go mad and be irresponsible.

 

[Bladesman]

6 goals conceded in the last 2 games but it is strikers that are the problem? We had the ball in the net 4 times.

Once Lafferty is fit again that should help the defence but Wright does deserve to return to the side. Give EEL a break for a bit I think.

If Hanson is the answer then what was the question.

 

[him behind you]

Cracking interview. Got stuck into the players afterwards.

Feeling queasy personally about the Hanson bid. And a little harsh on McNulty (given he's had about 1/100th of the chances that a certain other forward player has had). But much that needed saying said by Wilder here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04q92kt

One thing missing. "I need to sort out what's gone wrong with the defence. 6 poor goals in 2 games is not us"

 

[Caseh]

wright in at cb, one of the others out (I don't think it really matters who)

riley or lafferty at LWB

perhaps a change up front? Not sure what. Done perhaps?

Lavery is working. Check his stats, not the Wikipedia stats. His minutes/goal ratio would put him on 10ish goals so far, if he had joined the club not injured. Done and Clarke didn't do enough, Lavery is doing fine.

 

[Sheffsteel]

If Hanson is the answer then what was the question.

Teams are coming to Bramall Lane and not even trying to compete in midfield.
They defend deep in numbers (park the bus) then try to get us on the break.
We win loads of corners and put in loads of corners, apart from EEL and O'Connell never look like scoring from headers. A tactic Wilder has used many times when we're desperately is to put EEL up front.
Wilder has noticed that defences panic when there's a BIG LUMP in and around the penalty spot.

So the question is can we buy an EEL type (a big lump) of striker who we can use against teams that sit deep and defend in numbers? His physical presence will unsettle defenders and Sharp can benefit from the knock downs.

Hanson is the type that we'd use mainly in home games when we're dominating.
I suspect Wilder hoped Clarke could play the "big man" role but he's lacked physical strenght and easily knocked off the ball. Wilder knows more than me but a sense least Hanson offers an option we don't currently have.

Got to admit I was impressed with Lavery today. He's able to run at defenders.

 

[blade67]

Lavery is working. Check his stats, not the Wikipedia stats. His minutes/goal ratio would put him on 10ish goals so far, if he had joined the club not injured. Done and Clarke didn't do enough, Lavery is doing fine.

I see what you are saying but it's clear that the manager doesn't agree from what he said yesterday so I think he'll do something up top. I suppose Wilder's argument is that given the way we play all the forwards should be filling their boots and he seemed to be specifically saying that their goals per chance ration wasn't acceptable. Certainly Kieron Freeman is making them all look shit in that regard

 

[Caseh]

I see what you are saying but it's clear that the manager doesn't agree from what he said yesterday so I think he'll do something up top. I suppose Wilder's argument is that given the way we play all the forwards should be filling their boots and he seemed to be specifically saying that their goals per chance ration wasn't acceptable. Certainly Kieron Freeman is making them all look shit in that regard

I wouldn't be disagreeing if he was going after a prolific striker to fix that, but Hanson is hardly Mr.Prolific. His problem is strikers not scoring enough, so hes after a striker that doesn't score much?

 

[Jonboy60]

Agree with all the comments above, ie, wright back in, someone more prolific alongside billy.
But, we got a point, that's one more point than Bolton and Scunthorpe. I know that leaves them with an extra game in hand, but they both need to get something out of these games to make up ground on united.
Will scunny get anything from charlton in the re-arranged game, probably on current form, but later in the year.?
Then there's Bolton 1-2 home to Swindon, so anything from Southend away fixture for them is not nailed on.
It's a pity we didn't get the 3pts, and our recent form is sketchy to say the least. But I still think we're the best team in the league ( as the table shows ) and the next 2 home games we'll be up for it. Utb

 

[Darthblade]

I wouldn't be disagreeing if he was going after a prolific striker to fix that, but Hanson is hardly Mr.Prolific. His problem is strikers not scoring enough, so hes after a striker that doesn't score much?

I think that Hanson is probably one of the best in the air at this level and with the number of chances we create may improve his goals per game ratio ( if we can afford him )

Hes also scored about as many as all our other strikers put together hasn't he ?

UTB & FTP

 

[blade too long]

marvelous straight talking from CW
sometimes a kick up the arse is the best policy

conversion of the final ball not ruthless enough
in a way not a bad thing shows we are creating plenty, but we do need to finish better

as Chris says got to put teams to bed while dominating

but we need a fresh face, are there better players than Hanson , maybe , but it might be the chance hes waited his career for, if hes got the hunger to succeed might be what we need

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Whatever my misgivings about Hanson and what Bradford fans say (although there is actually two schools of thought in him) I will give him a chance to prove CW right and us idiots wrong. Never booed a Blades player yet and won't start now. Some on here have him hung drawn and quartered before he's even signed.

 

[Caseh]

I think that Hanson is probably one of the best in the air at this level and with the number of chances we create may improve his goals per game ratio ( if we can afford him )

Hes also scored about as many as all our other strikers put together hasn't he ?

UTB & FTP

He's scored 4 + 1 assist in 1480 minutes. Lavery has 2 + 4 in 631 minutes. One of them had to get fit, the other had been a constant in his team for a few years...

 

[Darthblade]

He's scored 4 + 1 assist in 1480 minutes. Lavery has 2 + 4 in 631 minutes. One of them had to get fit, the other had been a constant in his team for a few years...

Fair point ...... but I don't think hes been an "ever-present" in their starting 11 this season and I don't imagine that he would start for us ....... more likely to be on the bench to come on and change games I would think. he's got more likelihood of changing games than Done, McNulty or Clarke ..... none of whom have taken their chances and all of which are "goal shy".

From the sound of things the Board aren't going to agree to fund a "first choice" striker, so that leaves us looking around in the bargain bins as usual and I don't see much more "effective" at this level for the budget that the Board seem to be making available to Tufty.

"We need more ruthless finishing the chances we create", direct quote from Tufty himself !! ( people said Wilbraham was a donkey but look how he worked out for Brizzle when they were creating chances in front of goal )

I'm happy to try somebody like this if we can also bring in some pace and skill as well ....... plus plugb the holes in the colander that is our defence at the moment. ( schoolyard defending against Sarfend / Walsall ( twice) and Gillingham yesterday)

I would be looking at back three of (EEL or Basham) / Wright / O'Connell and wing-backs of Freeman and Reilly (if fit) or Lafferty ( if fit) or Hussey ( if fit) or the tea lady ( if available), but certainly not Done !!

UTB & FTP

 

[larkymasher]

I have heard CW absolutely slaughter some of our young u23s players for one thing and another regards their performances. So why should first team players who are not doing what they get paid to do, not be subjected to a bollocking.......
I think he has managed this team spot on so far, so i for one trust him in anything he chooses to do.

And to be honest a few of them do need a kick up the arse.

 

[super_pig]

slight digression but why sre we so crap at corners?? we get loads of them and never look like scoring
for other teams it's 'ooh a corner'.. for us it's more 'christ another bloody corner'

 

[Kenilworth]

 

[Kenilworth]

slight digression but why sre we so crap at corners?? we get loads of them and never look like scoring
for other teams it's 'ooh a corner'.. for us it's more 'christ another bloody corner'

Hanson?

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

I agreed with pretty much everything the manager said.

Lafferty must come back in on Tuesday (if he is fit), if not I'd be looking to get Jake Wright back in the mix to offer the experience EEL and O'Connell need along side them to flourish (i'd be tempted to bring Wright back regardless of Lafferty's fitness).

The stats dont lie - Billy scores and not many of the others do - he was right to highlight that.

 

[super_pig]

Hanson?

good point

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I honestly think the straight talking, speak your mind attitude is a gift and a curse with CW.

Gift at the beginning of the season when we were used to Adkins post-match waffle and we yearned for no-nonsense management.

Curse when he is disappointed with 2 dropped points and rips the team even though in parts we played well and it was casual defending + dodgy disallowed goal that cost us.

 

[GrayBlade]

He seems to overly criticise the strikers for me. With arguably better refereeing, we could have had four, and that's not counting the excellent saves the keeper made. Two goals at home should be enough to win a game for a team top of the league, and i think his criticisms were the wrong way around.

I think it's his management style. I've noticed before that when he has had a rant, he tends to not focus on the real culprits, even though they'll get a general mention.

I think it was plain for all to see that it was the shambolic defending cost us yesterday, two goals should have easily been enough to win that game, but although he named our strikers for missing chances, he generalised with the defence. It's probably something that works for him and takes a bit of the flack of certain players that are currently struggling.

 

[Weasel]

I have heard CW absolutely slaughter some of our young u23s players for one thing and another regards their performances. So why should first team players who are not doing what they get paid to do, not be subjected to a bollocking.......
I think he has managed this team spot on so far, so i for one trust him in anything he chooses to do.

And to be honest a few of them do need a kick up the arse.

Absolutely correct my friend.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

View attachment 22394

He pulls that face a lot - still like his interviews though.

UTB

 

[WhiteHawk]

Nice to see him being brutally honest but he ought to be directing his concerns towards the defence rather than the strikers.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Nice to see him being brutally honest but he ought to be directing his concerns towards the defence rather than the strikers.

The defence and goalie have been dodgy for 2 or 3 matches BIG DEAL.
The previous 12 matches they were excellent..

Apart from the first few matches we've dominated and created loads of chance all season.
We continue to be a lttlte unlucky in front of goal.

Wilder is correct to say it's can no longer be classed as bad luck because it's happening every week.
I'm getting tired of saying we should have scored 5 most weeks. Our strikers are constantly having chances but misfiring.

If EEL and O'Connell make sloppy errors for all our next 6 games
Then expect them to receive criticism too.

 

[WhiteHawk]

The defence and goalie have been dodgy for 2 or 3 matches BIG DEAL.
The previous 12 matches they were excellent..

Apart from the first few matches we've dominated and created loads of chance all season.
We continue to be a lttlte unlucky in front of goal.

Wilder is correct to say it's can no longer be classed as bad luck because it's happening every week.
I'm getting tired of saying we should have scored 5 most weeks. Our strikers are constantly having chances but misfiring.

If EEL and O'Connell make sloppy errors for all our next 6 games
Then expect them to receive criticism too.

We've conceded more goals than the team that is 23rd in the league. Not good enough. It's a good job we're scoring for fun, even if they aren't all coming from the strikers.

 

[bertieblade]

I would drop EEL and bring back wright with bash on the right of him and OConnel on the left.
EEL has hardly won a header in the last three matches, is dire on the floor and cannot work out where his position should be, give him a break,until he gets his early season form back