We expect to win every game

[Ricky]

I thought this after the Wednesday game and even more so when I watched it back, observing the players' and staff's general conduct and behaviour - they didn't look at all surprised.

It looked exactly the same tonight. Very assured, very confident, and that confidence is growing by the game.

I listened to the interview with Baldock on Radio Sheffield before the game, and he basically confirmed it. He said that if you offered them a point before the game on Sunday, none of them would've taken it - they expected to win.

Quite how Wilder has managed to take this squad of ours into this division and instil this mentality so quickly and so firmly is remarkable. We had the momentum from last season, but this league is a big step up and half the squad has also changed.

I know Wolves had 10 men but I'm convinced we would've beaten them with 11. And this is an expensive, fancied team who have started the season well. But it just doesn't matter who we play. Expensive, big reputation, whatever. It doesn't faze us. Wilder has drilled home the importance of being a team and how it can overcome anything. The players clearly have total belief in that and what we're seeing now is the result of this - 6 wins in 7 games is it? Who would've thought that would be possible? We have become genuine winners.

We are looking more accomplished with every passing week and it's going to be very interesting to see where this takes us. But I hope our fans don't start expecting too much. I'd like to keep this underdog mentality, it works for us.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

I'm sure our last two games have quite a few people sitting up going WTF??!
Basically the same reaction we've had for a while now..

 

[SwissBlade]

Brilliant post Ricky im currently trying to put my thoughts into words, trying to concentrate on one aspect, but to be honest this is such a big thing, it encompasses the whole club. The ethos which is now at united is huge.

Momentum for example plays a part but it's much more than this too.

What the fuck has Wilder done to our club? We're an absolute animal now.

Watching tonight when we were 2 up we won a freekick in the middle of the park. There was no slowing the game down. No reminstrating with the ref or opposition. Coutts just tapped it out wide and we were again relentlessly away on the attack. Keeping possession, battering one of the top sides in this league, not giving them a breather

It's FairPlay, it's intensity, it's lack of gamesmanship. It's brilliant

 

[DronnieBlade]

I thought this after the Wednesday game and even more so when I watched it back, observing the players' and staff's general conduct and behaviour - they didn't look at all surprised.

It looked exactly the same tonight. Very assured, very confident, and that confidence is growing by the game.

I listened to the interview with Baldock on Radio Sheffield before the game, and he basically confirmed it. He said that if you offered them a point before the game on Sunday, none of them would've taken it - they expected to win.

Quite how Wilder has managed to take this squad of ours into this division and instil this mentality so quickly and so firmly is remarkable. We had the momentum from last season, but this league is a big step up and half the squad has also changed.

I know Wolves had 10 men but I'm convinced we would've beaten them with 11. And this is an expensive, fancied team who have started the season well. But it just doesn't matter who we play. Expensive, big reputation, whatever. It doesn't faze us. Wilder has drilled home the importance of being a team and how it can overcome anything. The players clearly have total belief in that and what we're seeing now is the result of this - 6 wins in 7 games is it? Who would've thought that would be possible? We have become genuine winners.

We are looking more accomplished with every passing week and it's going to be very interesting to see where this takes us. But I hope our fans don't start expecting too much. I'd like to keep this underdog mentality, it works for us.

Good post.

All Except "this league is a big step up".

The next one is, this one clearly is not !

I won't say I told ya

UTB

 

[Ricky]

Good post.

All Except "this league is a big step up".

The next one is, this one clearly is not !

I won't say I told ya

UTB

Whether you think it's a big step up or not, you surely have to agree that we really have upped our game. We've set higher standards for ourselves than last season and are consistently reaching them. The defence is the best example - we look more solid in this league than we did in L1. But it's not at the expense of our attacking play.

 

[Smirth]

The league is a big step up, just look at how badly Bolton are doing as evidence of that.

We just happen to be a bloody good team in this league and a match for anyone.

 

[Rusty view]

Brilliant post Ricky im currently trying to put my thoughts into words, trying to concentrate on one aspect, but to be honest this is such a big thing, it encompasses the whole club. The ethos which is now at united is huge.

Momentum for example plays a part but it's much more than this too.

What the fuck has Wilder done to our club? We're an absolute animal now.

Watching tonight when we were 2 up we won a freekick in the middle of the park. There was no slowing the game down. No reminstrating with the ref or opposition. Coutts just tapped it out wide and we were again relentlessly away on the attack. Keeping possession, battering one of the top sides in this league, not giving them a breather

It's FairPlay, it's intensity, it's lack of gamesmanship. It's brilliant

Couple 9f words spring to mind which are clearly having a bearing:

Belief
Togetherness
Arrogance - coming with belief and the results.
Fluidity - to be able to change formation and tactics

I was relaxed tonight, I didn't feel panicked. It was strange. But the team just give overwhelming confidence at the moment.

It's bloody brilliant

 

[DronnieBlade]

Whether you think it's a big step up or not, you surely have to agree that we really have upped our game. We've set higher standards for ourselves than last season and are consistently reaching them. The defence is the best example - we look more solid in this league than we did in L1. But it's not at the expense of our attacking play.

I really really don't Rick.

Watched loads of Championship stuff last term. Unimpressed. Only thing I pointed out was physicality. Hasn't phased us thus far.

As for us, not so much upping it as continuing where we left off.

We have capable defenders and attackers and the best midfield we have had in at least the last 40 years.

Much is made of the management team, and rightly so.

But our players ARE capable of dealing with the Championship.

In fact more than capable.

On top of which, there are players that perhaps flattered to deceive and are now flying. Leon perhaps being the very best example of this.

The future looks bright.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

The truly remarkable transformation has so many features. One of the most welcome is that we always 'turn up'. This is unique in my time. Under no other manager, including the great John Harris, could you say with confidence that we'd perform from one week to the next. This lot invariably play to a very high baseline and then crank it even higher when it really matters.

We're not winning like upanatem underdogs, either. We're beating teams because we have many qualities, but one of them, for sure, is quality pass and move football. The Roller was purring tonight.

 

[wizadry]

Quality of play will always shine through in the end, especially when you have the will, desire, application, concentration and most of all very good footballers who could make a triangle look like it has more than three sides. We have some reyt players here coupled with a great management team and I'm going to cherish every minute of it.

 

[Sheffsteel]

The truly remarkable transformation has so many features. One of the most welcome is that we always 'turn up'. This is unique in my time. .

Totally agree, there are the cliches “Every team has an off day”
But it doesn’t seem to happen to us. It’s incredIble how consistent we are regards performance.
And I’ve never seen anything like it in my 43 years watching the Blades,.

I know we lost last week at home to Norwich but I was satisfied because yet again we turned up, gave 100% effort playing positive attacking football and we dominated.

Norwich just used Fleetwood tactics and parked the bus and it didn’t help that we had no strikers up top.

 

[Pinchy]

Quality of play will always shine through in the end, especially when you have the will, desire, application, concentration and most of all very good footballers who could make a triangle look like it has more than three sides. We have some reyt players here coupled with a great management team and I'm going to cherish every minute of it.

Not one of them would get in the team currently occupying 14th place, though...

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Took a couple of games to find our feet at this level - which you'd expect but the confidence from last year has clearly returned. The players know there is nothing to fear in this league (it's the same as it was 6 years ago but player prices have just increased 10 fold)

We have only been out played at boro and Cardiff and i'm convinced if we played them again we'd acquit ourselves much better.

I also think we'd have beaten Norwich with todays forward line or sharp on the field

 

[PokerBlade]

There were question marks before the season started as to whether Wilder would stick with the 3-5-2, whether he'd go more defensive, more solid, whether we'd have to go longer, and need to try and grind out points. So far he's held two fingers up and shown everyone that he's set his stall out; we're going to attack teams, score goals, and try to win every game of football. We've made tactical changes here and there, but the ethos of the side has never changed.

Different circumstances tonight, same tactics. We're a goal up, so he takes off an experienced central defender for an attacking midfielder.

Whether we genuinely expect to win, I don't know. What I know is that we're willing to take risks to get wins. I'd be willing to bet that there are managers who would lose fewer games than Wilder with this squad. I doubt there are many who would win more.

 

[wizadry]

Not one of them would get in the team currently occupying 14th place, though...

They speak utter shite and live in dreamland, you couldn't make some of the deluded shite they make up if you tried your bollocks off.

There were one or two of us who were saying how this season will pan out for them but I can't find the thread, I'm glad I'm being proved right on this occasion, I still think they won't make the playoffs. Tossers!

 

[madeinsheffield]

At times tonight (nearly all the first half) we played with the ethos of Barca, when we have the ball we use it, we push the team back, all their 10 players pinned back in their own half, then wave after wave of attack and pressure. On the occasions we did lose possession we won the ball back by strong tackles or a desire to get there first. We are a force to be reckoned with.

Yet all that and pigs keep informing that they will finish higher than us!

 

[Pinchy]

They speak utter shite and live in dreamland, you couldn't make some of the deluded shite they make up if you tried your bollocks off.

There were one or two of us who were saying how this season will pan out for them but I can't find the thread, I'm glad I'm being proved right on this occasion, I still think they won't make the playoffs. Tossers!

I was one or two of the one or two Wiz, if you see what I mean...
Seemed to me they'd had their two excellent play-offs opportunity and it was now time to FIUA...

 

[RammyBlade]

What is really impressive about this team is our amazing work rate and support of each other. In my 55 years of watching the Blades I cant remember a side that works so hard to win the ball back and of course when we have the ball even if we have less possession we are able to do something with it and create chances.

 

[Roygbiv]

At times tonight (nearly all the first half) we played with the ethos of Barca, when we have the ball we use it, we push the team back, all their 10 players pinned back in their own half, then wave after wave of attack and pressure. On the occasions we did lose possession we won the ball back by strong tackles or a desire to get there first. We are a force to be reckoned with.

Yet all that and pigs keep informing that they will finish higher than us!

I know that they were down to 10 men but I was gob smacked how we made such a good side spend so much time simply putting everyone behind the ball.

We are a far better side than I ever realised to be honest. I'm not saying we are going to get top 6 but I'm starting to think there could be a chance which is incredible

 

[NotFallowfieldBlade]

The intensity of the team is incredible I remember one moment in the second half where the ball came to a wolves midfielder and 4 players charging at him pressing .

 

[3-GBlade]

Last season was a Championship standard side, you really can only play whats in front of you at any moment.
This season is more experienced, and better for it....

 

[SwissBlade]

I really really don't Rick.

Watched loads of Championship stuff last term. Unimpressed. Only thing I pointed out was physicality. Hasn't phased us thus far.

As for us, not so much upping it as continuing where we left off.

We have capable defenders and attackers and the best midfield we have had in at least the last 40 years.

Much is made of the management team, and rightly so.

But our players ARE capable of dealing with the Championship.

In fact more than capable.

On top of which, there are players that perhaps flattered to deceive and are now flying. Leon perhaps being the very best example of this.

The future looks bright.

UTB

I think we saw in those first three games that there IS a big difference between L1 and Championship. We started with Brentford in a very open game, played well and got the win, but it was still a very tough game and i don't think we could say that we dominated.

Against Boro and Cardiff, i thought they were a class above us and Boro, certainly, took their foot off the gas. Yes we were unlucky not to get something, but they didn't give us any time or space and we seemingly didn't find any. Its not to say that the games were one sided.

I think we've learnt and adapted very quickly though, we needed Barnsley when it came

To make a short assessment:

Defence - Solid and if anything i think is the area which has carried on where it left off from last season. Now we have real strength in depth. Enough to move Basham into Midfield and enough to switch from a 3 to a 4 like we did on Sunday and last night. JOC was immense against Wolves. His game was grown so much from last year

Midfield - Wilder has recognised that we needed more in there, Duffy and now Basham have given us that extra. Teams now worry about our midfield. We keep the ball better than we ever did last season and last season was excellent.

Strikers - Picked up a lot of injuries in a short space of time, but we've picked up Clayton and Brooks is like a new signing to give that difference. The ball sticks here now!

We've adapted quickly and grown as a team. The preparation which we did from Christmas, from the end of the last season and since the start of this season has been an amazing factor.

I didn't doubt that we would come strong in the latter parts of this season, however its surprised me a little at how quickly we have improved.

Wilder has spoken about how he expected long spells without the ball in this division, physicality and teams taking their chances. The latter we've perhaps had some luck (missed pen), we've also had some bad luck.

Last season we dominated the likes of Bradford and Bolton at the end of the season, this season we're dominating sides like Wednesday and Wolves and its not even September.

 

[king creole]

I think we saw in those first three games that there IS a big difference between L1 and Championship. We started with Brentford in a very open game, played well and got the win, but it was still a very tough game and i don't think we could say that we dominated.

Against Boro and Cardiff, i thought they were a class above us and Boro, certainly, took their foot off the gas. Yes we were unlucky not to get something, but they didn't give us any time or space and we seemingly didn't find any. Its not to say that the games were one sided.

I think we've learnt and adapted very quickly though, we needed Barnsley when it came

To make a short assessment:

Defence - Solid and if anything i think is the area which has carried on where it left off from last season. Now we have real strength in depth. Enough to move Basham into Midfield and enough to switch from a 3 to a 4 like we did on Sunday and last night. JOC was immense against Wolves. His game was grown so much from last year

Midfield - Wilder has recognised that we needed more in there, Duffy and now Basham have given us that extra. Teams now worry about our midfield. We keep the ball better than we ever did last season and last season was excellent.

Strikers - Picked up a lot of injuries in a short space of time, but we've picked up Clayton and Brooks is like a new signing to give that difference. The ball sticks here now!

We've adapted quickly and grown as a team. The preparation which we did from Christmas, from the end of the last season and since the start of this season has been an amazing factor.

I didn't doubt that we would come strong in the latter parts of this season, however its surprised me a little at how quickly we have improved.

Wilder has spoken about how he expected long spells without the ball in this division, physicality and teams taking their chances. The latter we've perhaps had some luck (missed pen), we've also had some bad luck.

Last season we dominated the likes of Bradford and Bolton at the end of the season, this season we're dominating sides like Wednesday and Wolves and its not even September.

call me a pedant but it is in fact September everything else you wrote is spot on though

 

[Blade56]

I'm sure our last two games have quite a few people sitting up going WTF??!
Basically the same reaction we've had for a while now..

Said same last night walking back to the car. I'm one of them sitting up and saying WTF.

Can't believe a year ago after a poor start I posted that I couldn't see us in the top flight in my lifetime because of way the game was going, money, foreign players, foreign owners and McCabes funds blah blah.

Well Tuffty has the team believing and I'm sort of starting to think any thing is possible. This season would have felt like a good start without the pigs scalp tucked comfortably under our belts but beating them, at the sty, with 4 goals? Nah.

All I can say is forget when Satdi Comes, get old Beany lined up to play Tuffty and get old Speiberg ont phone.

 

[SwissBlade]

call me a pedant but it is in fact September everything else you wrote is spot on though

Yeah I omitted the words "end of", I blame staying up until 01:30 to chat on Facebook with my Wednesday mates about the current contrasts.

 

[king creole]

Yeah I omitted the words "end of", I blame staying up until 01:30 to chat on Facebook with my Wednesday mates about the current contrasts.

bravo well fielded

 

[Houston_Blade]

Everyone wants to win and everyone wants to play, did anyone see Jake Wright's reaction to being subbed? He wasn't happy at all and not in a "toys out the pram" way just genuine disappointment.

 

[Bladezz]

Wolves are a well assembled good side with good players, try and play the right way and don't want to knock them in anyway.

It reminded me of last season in League one just how dominant and ruthless we are. It was like watching a game from last season where we know we are in control and that we are the better side.

I didn't expect it in this division.

 

[sheepbridge]

I was saying last night how much I am enjoying this season, more than last year even because it is much less expected. This is a much better division, the most competitive in English football, with quality teams and players so please don't denigrate their achievements by saying this league isn't much of a step up. It is.

But even now I still looked at the team sheet last night and thought we will struggle against this team, still not comprehending how good our team is as a team and how underrated they are individually and collectively. They are just brilliant and have a formation that suits them and a belief that is unshakable. As others have said, the best I have ever seen.

 

[Punk Blade]

Agree with almost everything said in this thread, but I noticed a couple of things last night to add:

1. How well drilled the players are. Everyone knows exactly what their role is and what is expected of them, and although we’ve heard the management talk about this, I hadn’t really noticed it as clearly before last night. Part way through the first half I noticed some of the movement when we have possession, CCV would sprint down the touch line as soon as the ball went to Baldock, Bash would come over to support, JOC and Fleck mirroring this on the left when the ball went over to Stevens. And wherever the ball was on the pitch, Coutts would be available for a pass. At times it looked almost rehearsed, but we keep the ball and we keep moving; it’s a joy to watch.

2. How quickly we won the ball back. Beyond the obvious quick press, it was how sharp we were to nick the ball off someone’s toe, how we got in good positions to pick up loose balls if it wasn’t a clean tackle. If they were getting to halfway on the break, ball goes into touch and we regroup. If they’re struggling to get out of their half, ball is quickly turned over and put straight back on the attack.

We were really very very good last night. We are utterly fearless and will go out to win every game. And when the defeats come it won’t matter who or how, we’ll learn from our mistakes and get better.