Clarke and Sharp - I think I may be changing my mind!

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Cerberus Blade

Cerberus Blade

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I posted on here recently saying that I think the obvious choice to start the season will be Clarke and Sharp. Because those two finished last season as the main front pairing - and Clarke, after an indifferent season plagued with injuries, finished very strong indeed - and of course, Billy's goal tally speaks for itself. So, no contest there in that sense - at least not in the first few weeks of the season. Or so I thought...

I must admit, I came away from that Chesterfield game last night with a few different thoughts. I thought both Clarke and Sharp were poor tbh. I saw them labouring against that League 2 team for over an hour and I'm thinking that if this is the strike partnership that's going to be spearheading our challenge this coming season then we've got some issues! We didn't even have a single shot on target in the whole of the first half!!!:eek:

OK, I know I should keep this in perspective, this was only a friendly game, but it was anything but a knock-about. Both sides were taking it seriously and you can't just dismiss what we saw last night as not being relevant to how we may fare going forward.

Things improved enormously when Lavery and Brooks came on. Lavery looked twice the player that Clarke or Sharp looked in the time he was on the pitch. And that kid Brooks - he's something else altogether. Not seen a young player down there make that kind of impression for a very long time.

If push came to shove I guess I'd still say, go with Sharp and Clarke to begin with - but really, if last night's performance from them was any indicator of how they will play in future then I think we're going to see some big changes up front before too long. At this level we can't afford to say..."yes he's a good player, but he's just not quite fully fit", or, "yes I know he doesn't do anything during the game but he's always likely to pop up with a goal".
 



I wasn't there but it's encouraging that when our current starting strike force falls flat we have 2 players who can replace them and change the game. There will be games were non of our strikers get a sniff, at least for long periods. It's then up to the manager to alter things with the options he has.
I also tipped Clarke to partner Sharp from the start but I wouldn't be surprised if Lavery starts now.
 
We need to give Lavery as good a pre season as possible because he could be our best hope out of the current group, or at least the options to partner Sharp. He should start at Rotherham.
 
Ricky said:
We need to give Lavery as good a pre season as possible because he could be our best hope out of the current group, or at least the options to partner Sharp. He should start at Rotherham.
Click to expand...
Has his first touch improved on the 'Monty-esque' one he showed last season?
 
I'm relaxed as time and time again Wilder has proved himself a pragmatist, if something doesn't work he's prepared to change it. Equally though he's not going to overreact after 3-4 games. I back him to make a calm and rational assessment at the appropriate time where necessary.
 
Tyler Durden said:
A lot of people have been wanting him to fail throughout his career. Why? I don't know, I suppose we just have a lot of arseholes associated with the club.
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I thought, surely now after scoring 20+ then 30+ goals in a season, captaining us to win the league & seeming like a complete gentleman off the pitch our fans would give him the benefit of the doubt. Nah 2 friendlies in and the knives are out already. This isn't just on here I have seen comments on Twitter as well.
 
Tyler Durden said:
A lot of people have been wanting him to fail throughout his career. Why? I don't know, I suppose we just have a lot of arseholes associated with the club.
Click to expand...

What I can't understand is clearly he's a good bloke, loves the club and is desperate to achieve success. Yet one sniff of a blip, missed chance or fumble and there's a queue to shit on him from a great height.

Strange one TD
 
Personally I think dismissing a combined total of 39 goals over the entirety of a professional domestic season, based on 2 friendlies against a Spanish B Team and a division 4 team is ludicrous. Particularly in favour of a youth team player & someone who has been seemingly injured for most of his adult life.

If you haven't noticed, Wilder seems to know what he's doing. If he thinks that Sharp & Clarke are capable of giving us the necessary firepower next season, then I'm all for it.

UTB
 



SwitchBLADE Smiles said:
Personally I think dismissing a combined total of 39 goals over the entirety of a professional domestic season, based on 2 friendlies against a Spanish B Team and a division 4 team is ludicrous. Particularly in favour of a youth team player & someone who has been seemingly injured for most of his adult life.

If you haven't noticed, Wilder seems to know what he's doing. If he thinks that Sharp & Clarke are capable of giving us the necessary firepower next season, then I'm all for it.

UTB
Click to expand...

Classic United, I still marvel at our ability as support to massively overreact to anything. Players judged as not good enough and others compared to Messi. After one friendly against a 4th division side.

It's just how we roll I guess!
 
As much as we want a friendly to be representative of how we will play.....it isn't and never will be. To be a pro footballer you are a certain type of person. Driven, competitive, passionate and with a will to win. It doesn't always show in a friendly all the time. Lets give these boys a bit of leeway and see what happens when the business really starts. CW and AK will know the situation and react accordingly.
 
I don't think it's arseholes, just I think maybe it's that people like to see different types of players. Some prefer to see the Done type snapping at people's heels, not overly technically gifted, but a clear 100%er. Others like the big, strong, powerful, pacey type. Sole like the guy who can take a player on and has a few tricks up his sleeve. Some prefer the guy who might be a bit quiet in terms of minutes on the ball, but who knows where the back of the net is and how to get the ball there. I like all of them, and you need them all at different times. I think maybe we have all of them, except the powerful pacey type, but it's not easy to find them, especially ones as comfortable as we'd hope them to be on the ball.

For me, there's no doubt that Sharp is starting the season upfront. No doubt. Who's with him, or just behind him is totally up is totally up for grabs, though.
 
It's only 1 match.
I didn't go but I got feedback from a Chesterfield fan who went.

He also said that Sharp and Clarke looked sluggish up front.
He was impressed with Lavery due to his pace injection and direct play.
And he was very impressed with Brooks, said he stood out as comfortably the best player on the pitch.
Said the game changed when Brooks came on as their players couldn't cope with him.
 
highgreenintokyo said:
For me, there's no doubt that Sharp is starting the season upfront. No doubt. Who's with him, or just behind him is totally up is totally up for grabs, though.
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Totally agree, Sharp is the best finisher at the club.

He reminds me a little of Keith Edwards.
Great finisher, always looking to shoot but lacks pace and physicality.

The bottom line with Sharp is he needs players around him able to set him up.
However if the midfield have an off day or can't create chances playing the ball directly to Sharps feet then he'll struggle but for me we should start with Sharp and play to his strengths.
 
Rodley said:
What I can't understand is clearly he's a good bloke, loves the club and is desperate to achieve success. Yet one sniff of a blip, missed chance or fumble and there's a queue to shit on him from a great height.

Strange one TD
Click to expand...

Where's the queue? The OP is the first I've seen in a good long while that's had anything remotely negative to say about Sharp
 
Danny_Boy said:
I thought, surely now after scoring 20+ then 30+ goals in a season, captaining us to win the league & seeming like a complete gentleman off the pitch our fans would give him the benefit of the doubt. Nah 2 friendlies in and the knives are out already. This isn't just on here I have seen comments on Twitter as well.
Click to expand...

Rodley said:
What I can't understand is clearly he's a good bloke, loves the club and is desperate to achieve success. Yet one sniff of a blip, missed chance or fumble and there's a queue to shit on him from a great height.

Strange one TD
Click to expand...

Nail on the head.

He was getting slated throughout last pre-season. Some dickheads even slagged him off for scoring against Grimsby, rather than laying it off to McNulty.
Another pillock whose identity escapes my memory was adamant that he wouldn't get 15 goals in 16/17.

As time went on and he was banging the goals in, there was a deafening silence from a large section of this forum. But many of them still couldn't bring themselves to give him the recognition he clearly deserves.

The attitude towards Billy Sharp is actually the opposite of 'Bladeyness'. You can bet that anybody else would've been roundly praised for the same efforts had they not been from round here.
Compare the constant fawning over Ched Evans to the utter disregard for Billy Sharp, despite saving us from the 4th division and powering us to the 2nd and it becomes obvious.
 
I think the original poster does make some good points, no need to get into a slanging match about it. Sharp was brilliant for us last season, and the season before.And no doubt he will start against Brentford.As he should. I seem to remember he didn't have the best preseason last year in terms of goals, or the best start. Maybe he's one of those players that needs a proper match to get the best out of him. And last night the both of them were pretty bad. Saying that though the midfield was also too slow in the build up to the final third. Until brooks came on and Thomas to give us a bit of pace and be more direct. That's that word again, pace, I like that word!
 
I never read to much into pre season friendlies...I'm sure by the time we face Brentford,Sharp and Clarke will be ready,and we've got the likes Lavery who I have high hopes for,and Ched to change things if it's not happening for them aswell as other options.
I'm not worried at all,i've got faith in CW changing things around if it's not working,and sentiment won't come into it,but I think barring injuries we'll start with Sharp and Clarke who will be upto speed come Brentford.
 
Sheffsteel said:
Totally agree, Sharp is the best finisher at the club.

He reminds me a little of Keith Edwards.
Great finisher, always looking to shoot but lacks pace and physicality.

The bottom line with Sharp is he needs players around him able to set him up.
However if the midfield have an off day or can't create chances playing the ball directly to Sharps feet then he'll struggle but for me we should start with Sharp and play to his strengths.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

UTB
 



Grecian2000 said:
Is it really a change of mind on Sharp?
You spent the first half of last season wanting him dropped.
Click to expand...
A bit of an exaggeration but I admit that I would have dropped or subbed him in many of the games when he was playing poorly and making zilch contribution. No other player in that squad has the luxury of staying on the pitch when they are not playing well but it seems that a special case was made for Billy on several occasions - and to me that's not right. I also think that Billy improved after being subbed or dropped on occasions, so best for him too.
 
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