Things we were told

[FinchleyBlade]

The Championship is a massive step up from League 1 though to be fair.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

This survival and consolidation bollocks is getting on my nerves. If you suggested it to CW or Billy they'd tell you not to be so fucking ridiculous. I've seen three home games plus the Boro' game on TV against a fair cross section of what we are up against and Blackman's yet to make a fucking save. Survival my arse, what's up with you lot.

Like it, snoots - almost as much as I hate posts saying that the board have got "£5 million" to spend due to sell-on fees that have come our way...
When are people going to learn that any player coming in has to fit the team and its work ethic, rather than the price that the media are spouting? - it's up to the manager to identify these players, and the board to back him.

The future is bright, the horizon is the place to be looking at, not over our shoulder

 

[mancunianblade]

We may want to keep our powder dry here, everyone seems to be getting overly excited, great win and seems we are getting better week by week, but as it stand the most important fact is we are not safe from relegation, maybe best we just concentrate on this first, then like last season set targets meet them and move onto the next.

1. Avoid relegation
2. Confirm top half
3. Confirm top 6
4. Billy 30 goals
5. Automatic promotion
6. 100 points



......

Joking aside id still take anywhere above 20th at this point, anywhere further up is a bonus

 

[snootyfenooty]

More than happy to repeat it if it's getting on your nerves.


The reason some of us are saying survival is the 'aim' is quite simple; we have the best manager we've had since Warnock, at least, and we don't want to lose him by putting too much expectation on him. If Wilder wants to perform another miracle, great, but it's not fair to demand another miracle. We should treat him like Exeter does Tisdale, it should be his job for as long as he wants it, as long as he feels he has something to offer.

So even though on the quiet you think we have good prospects, as have I and as have the manager and captain (probably), it's better to pretend otherwise just in case someone accuses you of being a billy big bollocks and putting pressure on the manager. I'm sure he can handle it. Stand up and be counted ffs.

 

[originaltrueblade]

We are learning all the time I can see Wilder's instructions on the field adapting to this Division. Don't be surprised if you are pleasantly surprised come the end of the season

 

[JJBlade]

The best thing about this season is it's a free chuck of the dice

Our fans will be happy as long as improvement is made to set us up for next year's further improvement

Improvement will mean that Fleck, Sharp, Coutts etc are not automatically guaranteed a starting place

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I wonder what's going through their heads this morning when they look at the league table and realise that they are once again the second best team in the city.

All that tuna money to stand still and wait for us.

I doubt it will last but I'm going to rub it in while it does

 

[TTMeysh]

The truth, as ever, is somewhere in the middle. What yesterday has shown is, at home, we do have the ability to play like we did last season and beat good sides in this league which is a great boost. I still think we need more pace away from home though as we won't control matches nearly as much.

I think this is exactly right. What we don't have, at the moment, is quite the right set of personnel to sit tight away from home and nick it on the counter - specifically, because there isn't enough pace up top and hence no obvious outlet ball. That's fine when, as yesterday, opponents allow us to play our neat football high up the pitch and knock it around their box. Cardiff didn't do that and after a while we looked short of ideas.

 

[BushBlade]

So even though on the quiet you think we have good prospects, as have I and as have the manager and captain (probably), it's better to pretend otherwise just in case someone accuses you of being a billy big bollocks and putting pressure on the manager. I'm sure he can handle it. Stand up and be counted ffs.

No, not at all. I couldn't give a fuck about being called billy big bollocks. I've got big bollocks thanks. But if a top half finish becomes the expectation and we don't achieve it, they'll be some people questioning Wilder. I don't want these voices to get any oxygen, I don't want our board being dictated to by a few loud mouthed idiots that think we have a divine right to be in the PL, that have no patience and have the immaturity of a five year old.

One of the best things about Wilder's success, apart from the incredible football, is the relative unity of our support. I don't want to go back to the Warnock days when half the fanbase thought he was great and the other half thought he was underachieving and bickered at each other on social media and at the games. I don't want to go back to Blade on Blade fighting at matches because arseholes are criticising Wilder if he doesn't take us up in two seasons.

I couldn't give a shit about being wrong, I have plenty of strong opinions that I post on here, and I've often been wrong. I'll continue to be wrong. So fucking what? It's not my job, my livelihood, what does it matter?

I maintain it's a tough league and if Wilder makes it look easy, it's because he's a very good manager. Let's just enjoy having him here and see where it takes us.

 

[snootyfenooty]

I don't want these voices to get any oxygen, I don't want our board being dictated to by a few loud mouthed idiots that think we have a divine right to be in the PL, that have no patience and have the immaturity of a five year old.

Why thank you, nice to receive these compliments. I'll go one step further to give you a bit more ammo. Next up we've got Sunderland away. They were expected to be one of the teams to go up with all their precious parachute payments. We were only expected to survive or go down. Up until now they've been shite and we are doing OK. On current form most pundits and onlookers will be expecting us to win this game. The only exception to this will be our regular band of doom merchants. Like you I don't give a shit about being wrong but I don't think our "survival prospects" will be affected by this game. Onward and upwards!

 

[BushBlade]

Why thank you, nice to receive these compliments. I'll go one step further to give you a bit more ammo. Next up we've got Sunderland away. They were expected to be one of the teams to go up with all their precious parachute payments. We were only expected to survive or go down. Up until now they've been shite and we are doing OK. On current form most pundits and onlookers will be expecting us to win this game. The only exception to this will be our regular band of doom merchants. Like you I don't give a shit about being wrong but I don't think our "survival prospects" will be affected by this game. Onward and upwards!

I wasn't referring to you. Unless you're intending to over analyse every defeat, every mistake made by our players, draw the wrong conclusions then demand we sign 11 new players from a list you've drawn up of players you've seen on Channel 5 and use it as a stick to beat the board with and evidence in your own mind that you could be a football manager if only you'd been given a chance. If you are intending to do that, then yes, you can fuck off over there, then fuck off some more.

 

[snootyfenooty]

I wasn't referring to you. Unless you're intending to over analyse every defeat, every mistake made by our players, draw the wrong conclusions then demand we sign 11 new players from a list you've drawn up of players you've seen on Channel 5 and use it as a stick to beat the board with and evidence in your own mind that you could be a football manager if only you'd been given a chance. If you are intending to do that, then yes, you can fuck off over there, then fuck off some more.

Eh? A common of garden rant, not up to your usual panache.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

We were also told that the defence would have to cut out errors, because Championship-standard strikers punish mistakes. Never a truer word... and yesterday confirmed that we have a Championship-standard striker. A master-class in how to punish errors from Billy.

 

[Iceybabey]

The Championship is a step up from League 1. How big a step up depends on what level of team you came out of League 1 with. If, like Wednesday, you just scraped it with a set of average Joe footballers then the Championship was always going to be a "massive" step up - which is exactly what they found. That's why they were nearly relegated in the first two seasons back in the Championship. We left League 1 under different circumstances. We didn't scrape out -we smashed it. Playing some excellent standard football that would not be out of place in the Championship. This is why I've always believed that we could be pushing for the top 6 with the addition of one or two quality players. This is why I've had a pop at folks on here for suggesting that "survival" and "consolidation" is the main aim this season. Not when you've got a team and manager as good as this one it isn't. And as for that dense twat on Radio Sheffield, who has mentioned the word "relegation" all summer when talking about Sheffield United's prospects this season - I hope he's enjoying eating some fuckin humble pie because there's a much bigger slice of it heading his way soon.

Spot on.

 

[Punk Blade]

The great thing about our prospects this season is what I've been telling most non-Blades over the summer and into the start of the season:

We won't go down. We'll be closer to top 6 than bottom 3, but I'll be content with a safe mid table finish. However we have a management team who are winners, who demand high standards of the playing staff and their target will be 1st. They will fall short, but we will attack teams and go out every week set up to do our best to win the game. Modest expectations and the continued rise of Wilder and Knill sets us up for another enjoyable season.

 

[blade67]

The Championship is a big step up from L1 and survival and consolidation is still the aim. One great win doesn't change that.

Great wisdom. As grafikhaus has shown, 9 points after 5 games, does a play off push make - necessarily

 

[shorehamview]

This season is about consolidation. But bear in mind that we were told last season was all about consolidation too, given the dismal season we'd endured under Nigel Adkins. It would appear then that Chris Wilder and Alan Knill have a different interpretation of what "consolidation" actually means, so where we are at the end of the season may just surprise a few people. I can tell you one thing though, we won't be in the bottom three.

 

[steve26272]

This survival and consolidation bollocks is getting on my nerves. If you suggested it to CW or Billy they'd tell you not to be so fucking ridiculous. I've seen three home games plus the Boro' game on TV against a fair cross section of what we are up against and Blackman's yet to make a fucking save. Survival my arse, what's up with you lot.

"Blackman's yet to make a fuckin save"?? I can think of 4 he could have.
We don't need to give it large, leave that to the snortbeasts,
Some on here think 4th bottom would be okay, some want top6, as with most arguments the truth is somewhere in the middle. Top half would be phenomenal considering we haven't broken the bank to sign big name players.
BTW - just had a £50 bet with the bother in law. He said the grunters would go on a run, win all their matches in Sept, culminating in beating us 4-0. WTF do those fuckers smoke? I just smiled, said "probably " and look forward to removing the 50 from the trotter. I did write on the back of a twenty we stuck in the envelope Carlos to be sacked within 48 hours of been beaten by the blades to nil at home..

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

"Blackman's yet to make a fuckin save"?? I can think of 4 he could have.
We don't need to give it large, leave that to the snortbeasts,
Some on here think 4th bottom would be okay, some want top6, as with most arguments the truth is somewhere in the middle. Top half would be phenomenal considering we haven't broken the bank to sign big name players.
BTW - just had a £50 bet with the bother in law. He said the grunters would go on a run, win all their matches in Sept, culminating in beating us 4-0. WTF do those fuckers smoke? I just smiled, said "probably " and look forward to removing the 50 from the trotter. I did write on the back of a twenty we stuck in the envelope Carlos to be sacked within 48 hours of been beaten by the blades to nil at home..

Can I get in on that bet?

 

[Robby Blade]

I think we have been lucky to have played three teams at home that have not played to their usual standard. I think many more teams will come to Bramall Lane and also have their worst game of the season.

I also think when Wilder and Knill sort a few things out, a few teams will be having their worst home game of the season also. We are incredibly lucky like that.

 

[steve26272]

Can I get in on that bet?

just suggested he set up an online betting website. Www.baconbets,com "we offer massive odds".

 

[Sheff de party]

A collection of things that have be told to us (usually by Pigs but others too)...

- The Championship is a massive step up from league one.
- We haven't spent enough money to compete.
- Our players only looked good because we were against awful teams in League 1.
- Billy Sharp won't be able to score in the Championship.
- Our midfield will be 'found out' when we play against 'more experienced' Championship midfields.
- Jake Wright couldn't make the step up to the Championship.
- Duffy won't be good enough in the Championship.
- Pigs will be going for automatic promotion
- The Championship has been totally transformed since we were last here and is now more akin to La Liga.

Absolutely loving proving everybody wrong.

Early days, but good days.

UTB

To be fair, I will happily admit that I didn't think Billy would get many this season.

I have however been saying for ages that Coutts was class, so that makes me a Bladey Blade still

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

But to be honest, WE ALL appreciated that in Couttsy and Flecky and Duffyyy we have three of the most comfortable midfielders in the division bar none!

 

[JJBlade]

The Championship is a step up from League 1. How big a step up depends on what level of team you came out of League 1 with. If, like Wednesday, you just scraped it with a set of average Joe footballers then the Championship was always going to be a "massive" step up - which is exactly what they found. That's why they were nearly relegated in the first two seasons back in the Championship. We left League 1 under different circumstances. We didn't scrape out -we smashed it. Playing some excellent standard football that would not be out of place in the Championship. This is why I've always believed that we could be pushing for the top 6 with the addition of one or two quality players. This is why I've had a pop at folks on here for suggesting that "survival" and "consolidation" is the main aim this season. Not when you've got a team and manager as good as this one it isn't. And as for that dense twat on Radio Sheffield, who has mentioned the word "relegation" all summer when talking about Sheffield United's prospects this season - I hope he's enjoying eating some fuckin humble pie because there's a much bigger slice of it heading his way soon.

I mentioned in the summer that I met some mates in Chapeltown (mostly pigs)

They were full of the usual waffle
Wendy going up, United certs to be relegated

The conversation spread around and nearby tables started joining in with the same bullshit

I got a bit sick of listening to it and said

"£500 United won't go down" anybody want it

Guess what ? No takers


As you say United weren't an ordinary League One team. They were an exceptional League One team who if it wasn't for the bad start would have probably broken all League One records

 

[Sheffsteel]

The strengths that we possessed in league one are really benefitting us in this division - hard work, fitness, organisation and not wasting the ball, although the latter we've done away from home a lot more

Our midfield had a culture shock at home to Brentford and away the Boro and Cardiff, where our midfield couldn't get it's passing game together and I did fear that maybe it couldn't function at the higher level. Fleck in particular looked off the pace. Thought that maybe we needed a more defensive/ tackling/ athletic midfielder (like Ryan Leonard).

However bare in mind that we didn't have our famous mIdfield TRIO from last season for any of those games.

Mark Duffy returns to the midfield and all of a suddden Fleck and Coutts raise their standards to last season levels.
Last week against Barnsley our midfield was so dominant that we made them look like a half decent league 1 side
On Saturday again our midfield dominated and made Derby look very ordinary and underwhelming.

It does make you wonder how significant the re-introduction of Duffy has been because now we are starting to play very similiar to last season when we run away with the league.

Looking forward to the Sunderland match to see if we can introduce our midfield composure and dominance to away games, like last season.