Where do we go from here ????

[metalblade]

Two years ago we played at the Emirates Stadium and lost 3-0 later that season we battled against the Arsenal 1st team again and managed to beat them 1-0. The season after Wenger brought his kids to the lane and gave us a 0-3 hammering with slick passing football, today a younger set of Arsenal kids just thrashed us 6-0.

Have the Arsenal, a top team who have still won zilch for the last four years got better and better or is it a case of we have got worse or a bit of both ? I'd like to see a few viewpoints here but my take on it is that we as a club from the premiership season have got worse, we did not invest in the right way to stay in the premiership, we have lost good players but not replaced them with anything better, Robson decimated the pace and fighting spirit in the squad leaving Blackwell to pick up the pieces we still have no pace but the spirit is better now. We have been seeking midfielders for five years now but then we sell the best footballing midfielder without a replacement. We have got a wake up call tonight make no mistake, ask any business man - you don't you stand still or you go backwards and that is exactly where we are now going backward due to lack of investment. The last time we lost 6-0 Keith Edwards was in the team.

 

[dansufc]

Watford at the lane, we pick our selves up, dust ourselves down, we got beat by one of the best younf teams out there, them lads out there, will be your futur tevez's, ronaldo's and the like it could be worse, we could have lost 6-0 in the league

 

[Sensiblade]

Bramall lane. Support the team by getting behind them and not jeering them. Encourage them and not criticise players unless they truely deserve it and do it in a constructive way and not just say '***** was crap not fit to wear a united shirt'.

Get supporting the team not slagging them down every time something doesn't go our way.

 

[Billyblade]

This defeat could go either way, they could either see it as a kick-up-the-arse or they could go into their shell.

One thing is for certain, we MUST get behind the team, negativity from the terraces is counter-productive and only serves to produce worse performances. What happened to teams being scared of coming to Bramall Lane?

As for this elusive midfielder. Does everyone think one player would make that big a difference? What if we sign one and he gets injured? Back to where we are now.

We seem to have lost that "we're in this together and fuck the rest mentality". That is one thing we miss Warnock for in my opinion. With that mentality we would not have got turned over like that last night. I don't know where thats gone because we seemed to get it back at the end of last season after Nobson left.

I for one will be supporting the team vocally on Saturday to my usual level and berating the ones who are negative and slagging the team off from minute one. We are playing Watford though so I don't think I'll be troubling the club shop for the match DVD. I will also be going to church on Saturday morning to pray for the ball.

 

[beightonblade]

Lack of investment in the playing squad at BDTBL is almost laughable !

£30million it aint enough ! even if every penny was invested in players.

How much further do the Blades have to sink ?

This defeat could go either way, they could either see it as a kick-up-the-arse or they could go into their shell.

One thing is for certain, we MUST get behind the team,

The team ought to get behind us the supporters and show some commitment,effort and skill or fuck off.

As for this elusive midfielder. Does everyone think one player would make that big a difference? What if we sign one and he gets injured? Back to where we are now.

The Blades need a host of new QUALITY players.

 

[Robbie]

What happened to teams being scared of coming to Bramall Lane?

Well one team still is.......

Sadly it is us

 

[SotonBlade]

Personally, i think Beattie apart, we have replaced the players we have got rid of with ones that will just fill a gap, we haven't gone out and bought players who will better us. There hasn't been any decent enough signings in the defence either.

I what has happened in the last 12-14months though shows us how much of an influence Neil had on the squad. The current squad is no better than when he left, but at least we played attacking and with passion, which, bar the end of last season when blackie first came in, we haven't managed to do. Also tactically neither of the last two managers have a clue, we need a motivational tactician to come in. But, i fear we'll only be able to afford a decent manager, if we get a large amount of compo from Wet Sham.

I think for the moment guys and girls, it's a case of sitting tight for the moment and backing the boys. Personally, i don't think we'll be back in the prem for at least another 2 years.

 

[jodman]

I think for the moment guys and girls, it's a case of sitting tight for the moment and backing the boys. Personally, i don't think we'll be back in the prem for at least another 2 years.

I agree with practically everything that you have said here. I keep hearing people saying we have the best squad in the division but i fail to see it myself.

We have a very good forward line and a couple of very good deffenders but the rest are average championship footballers.

I'm fully prepared for a long haul in the championship, i'll give my backing to the lads and support the team as i have always done. I'll live in hope that we can break into the play-offs but i will not see it as a massive failure if we do not storm the league because, quite simply, i have seen nothing (even during the early months of blackwells reign) to suggest we are any better now then at any point during Neil Warnocks reign.

Here is to hoping that we can get back on track on Saturday against Watford and put the difficult start to the season behind us.

Up the blades.

 

[matth]

If I were Kevin Blackwell, I'd maybe learn to keep my mouth shut.

So we'll have two new midfielders in for the Derby game? Oh no, that's right, we won't.

So we'll play attacking football, with full-backs and wingers overlapping? Oh no, that's right, we won't.

So we'll cause an upset against Arsenal in the cup? Oh no, that's right, we won't.

Stop making a rod for your own back. If there's any doubt that something is going to happen, keep your gob shut.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Well, we came up against a team of hungry, eager and without doubt extremely talented youngsters. A team that would hold it's own in the PL now!

Big difference, they were comfortable with the ball. Even under extreme pressure (not that often I grant you) they could still pick a pass or hold it until one became available. More often than not the ball was off first time with no chance to get a challenge in. To be honest, we looked liked the disinterested PL side not really bothered about this Carling Cup mullarkey, and they looked like the eager lower league, up for it and determined to put on a show.

Generally, very difficult to make a judgement on where we go after that because it bears no resemblance to what the CCC will be about, there is no team at this level capable of passing the ball to the standard that was seen last night. But it did show up the limitations of the team/squad in a very stark way.

Midfield (I know, no shit Sherlock!) just doesn't function. I'm not sure yet whether we play the long ball stuff to by-pass the midfield because it isn't good enough, or it isn't good enough because we constantly by-pass it. Having a midfield whose function is to stop the opposition playing will work to a degree in the CCC (check the goals against column, one of the best in the division) but it will have the opposite effect at t'other end (again, goals for makes interesting reading). Blackwell says the presonnel aren't right there yet, but I wonder if they will be recruited to fit that style or if this is a mere contingency until new blood arrives. Interestingly the best passages that we had last night were towards the end of the game, when the kids got a bit tired and Utd actually had a bit of time to pass the ball. They did it and suddenly looked incisive and a bit more dangerous.

Personally, I think they way forward is to be just a little bit more positive. Not necessarily in team formation, but more in attitude and outlook. Forget the opposition and what they can do and send the team out prepared to do their thing a bit more. That more than anything would improve things at CCC level.

For the future? We're miles behind the quality displayed last night. Passion, drive and determination will only get you so far. Morgan was all that last night, and he got pulled around positionally like a school chess champ against a grandmaster.

O, and while we're there, that type of cool, thought-out tactical nouse as displayed last night is created at the same time as that passion and will-to-win is captured. Back to the debate about competitive football for under 8s over time spent mastering the techniques! Last night we saw the two in direct opposition!!

 

[derrywan]

That Arsenal team last night were simply phenomenal. I'm not sure I will ever see another young team like that. Even if we'd been winning game after game in the league we could still have been taught lessons by that team - in terms of togetherness and focus and also technically. It should be a wake up call for us, but I'd be surprised if anyone would have beaten that Arsenal team playing the way they did. We're championship standard, no more and importantly no less. We're not that bad, it's just that recently we've not been that good either. Last night we might have ground out a draw with lesser opposition, but we can only play against who's on the pitch.

 

[jodman]

That Arsenal team last night were simply phenomenal. I'm not sure I will ever see another young team like that. Even if we'd been winning game after game in the league we could still have been taught lessons by that team - in terms of togetherness and focus and also technically. It should be a wake up call for us, but I'd be surprised if anyone would have beaten that Arsenal team playing the way they did. We're championship standard, no more and importantly no less. We're not that bad, it's just that recently we've not been that good either. Last night we might have ground out a draw with lesser opposition, but we can only play against who's on the pitch.

The players coming through the ranks at Arsenal are no doubt fantastic players and will prove to be stars of the future.

The question i have to ask is just how much we contriubted to our own downfall.

Arsenal played a similar crop of youngsters in the competition last year and i don't recall them giving anyone the kind of drubbing that we were on the end of last night.

 

[Robbie]

Arsenal played a similar crop of youngsters in the competition last year and i don't recall them giving anyone the kind of drubbing that we were on the end of last night.

Their youngsters gave Liverpool a pasting a few years since though I think I recall. I am pretty certain the Liverpool put out a very strong side too....

Obviously most of them will be differing youngsters now.

Edit: it was only a 6-3 win but it was at Anfield

The teams that night though......

Dudek, Peltier, Hyypia, Paletta, Warnock (Alonso 58), Guthrie, Gerrard, Aurelio, Gonzalez (Luis Garcia 11) (Carragher 75), Fowler, Bellamy.

Almunia, Hoyte, Toure, Djourou, Traore (Connolly 88), Walcott (Diaby 74), Fabregas, Song Billong, Denilson, Julio Baptista, Aliadiere.

 

[RaWW]

All I can say is I have never been so embarrased by a result. I never expected us to win cos I know how good there youth team is, but that was awfull.

Seriously I don't think I'm gonna waste my money watching the first team if that is what we have to offer against a bunch of kids.

Things need to change, things need to start happening. I can't really see how we are going to turn it around with the squad we've got who's gonna step up and be counted.

 

[jodman]

Their youngsters gave Liverpool a pasting a few years since though I think I recall. I am pretty certain the Liverpool put out a very strong side too....

Obviously most of them will be differing youngsters now.

Edit: it was only a 6-3 win but it was at Anfield

The teams that night though......

Dudek, Peltier, Hyypia, Paletta, Warnock (Alonso 58), Guthrie, Gerrard, Aurelio, Gonzalez (Luis Garcia 11) (Carragher 75), Fowler, Bellamy.

Almunia, Hoyte, Toure, Djourou, Traore (Connolly 88), Walcott (Diaby 74), Fabregas, Song Billong, Denilson, Julio Baptista, Aliadiere.

Yep fair point, the Liverpool side was equally weak though as both sides made 9 changes to the teams which played the previous games.

 

[Sensiblade]

All I can say is I have never been so embarrased by a result. I never expected us to win cos I know how good there youth team is, but that was awfull.

Seriously I don't think I'm gonna waste my money watching the first team if that is what we have to offer against a bunch of kids.

Things need to change, things need to start happening. I can't really see how we are going to turn it around with the squad we've got who's gonna step up and be counted.

Swansea in the FA cup a few years back?
or don't you remember that, that was a far worse result and that was at Bramall lane

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Swansea in the FA cup a few years back?
or don't you remember that, that was a far worse result and that was at Bramall lane

Losing 3-0 to Altrincham in the same competition was pretty shocking as well! Mind you at one point Dave Bassett's infamous RaggyArse Rovers would've given us a good beating!!

 

[silverfox]

Seriously I don't think I'm gonna waste my money watching the first team if that is what we have to offer against a bunch of kids.

Everyone's choice......although when I've been accused of not being bothered whether we win or not seems a little strange.

The bunch of "kids" included 5 Full internationals and the comment seems very patronising to me.

Why does age have to come into it?

 

[beightonblade]

The Blades were poorer than Arsnic were good.

Blackie has lost the plot.
Another cheap as chips option.

 

[silverfox]

The Blades were poorer than Arsnic were good.

Blackie has lost the plot.
Another cheap as chips option.

Why call them Arsnic??

I just don't understand such stuff???

Very patronising and childish.

Oh well!

 

[RIP Niftos]

Why call them Arsnic??

I just don't understand such stuff???

Very patronising and childish.

Oh well!

Almost as bad as wet spam!! Arsenal were very very good, and whilst United should have played better no-one could really have expected anything less than a spanking. I do agree with what Deano says about needing players to step up and help us to move on and hopefully it might kick start us, only time will tell.

 

[metalblade]

Almost as bad as wet spam!! Arsenal were very very good, and whilst United should have played better no-one could really have expected anything less than a spanking. I do agree with what Deano says about needing players to step up and help us to move on and hopefully it might kick start us, only time will tell.

We had a few spankings from Arsenal in the 70s and we gave them one back, it must be thirty years since they last did that and boy have we had some poo teams since the 70s but at least they had a bit of fight and pride wearing the shirt - makes me wonder about this lot. Virtually the same team rolled over under Robson last season and not just against Arsenal most notable being at the piggery and it is becoming too often for my liking. About time they show some pride and earn their big wages.

 

[silverfox]

and boy have we had some poo teams since the 70s but at least they had a bit of fight and pride wearing the shirt - makes me wonder about this lot.

Are you sure they all had the fight that you are talking about??

Or was I in some sort of nightmare???

My god lest ye all forget!

 

[metalblade]

Are you sure they all had the fight that you are talking about??

Or was I in some sort of nightmare???

My god lest ye all forget!

You tell me.

Has any United team had a six goal spanking from Arsenal since the late 1970s ????

 

[silverfox]

You tell me.

Has any United team had a six goal spanking from Arsenal since the late 1970s ????

You were talking generally in your original post were you not?

That's how I read it anyway.

 

[metalblade]

I was talking about the games v Arsenal since the late 70s, we have never rolled over, that is until Robson was appointed manager even though we have always been the underdog.

 

[RaWW]

Why call them Arsnic??

I just don't understand such stuff???

Very patronising and childish.

Oh well!

You wanna be carelful up there, it's a bit windy today.

 

[silverfox]

You wanna be carelful up there, it's a bit windy today.

In another thread you say "but I'll say something when people are acting like fucking kids."

Not any different to what I said is it??