is this the end for billy

[blackydog]

He's blowing cold at the moment though. He may have scored or he may have played like he has in recent games and done very little. Based on current form there wasn't any justification for playing him, other than 'he's a Blade and he hates the pigs'.

But that's exactly the point. You don't know what you will get until he's on the field.

 

[BushBlade]

But that's exactly the point. You don't know what you will get until he's on the field.

I don't, I suspect Wilder does.

 

[blackydog]

Maybe not but they're contributing to the rest of the play, when Billy goes through his non scoring spells he adds very little, it's like playing with ten men.

I get what you're saying, but Bolton were putting up to 3 players on him at any one time. That should make space for the others to take advantage of.

 

[blackydog]

I don't, I suspect Wilder does.

I have no doubt he will have based his decision on what he sees in training, but as we know, Billy may have a quiet game except for scoring a goal, and that's what we needed on Friday night.

 

[blackydog]

I don't know much about our newcomers but might they give Billy the service he thrives on? Would hate not to see Billy wear the red and white stripes anymore.

 

[BigBed]

 

[Pinchy]

I get what you're saying, but Bolton were putting up to 3 players on him at any one time. That should make space for the others to take advantage of.

I didn’t notice that. I just thought he was completely anonymous, in conformity with most of his recent performances. I’ll watch with greater care in future.

I’m afraid the nonsense that is Bladeyness is written all through this particular discussion, not least the entirely speculative assumption that ‘Billy would have...’ Well, the current evidence is that Billy hasn’t and Billy wouldn’t.

As for ‘he deserved a run for all that he’s done in the past...’

No wonder I despair, is there? I’d have liked to have seen TC and Len get some game time in the last ten. Game time. Fucking game time.

 

[snootyfenooty]

If it's the end for Billy at BDTBL, how many more players will we say goodbye to, should we achieve promotion?

Most of them, Brooks, Fleck and possibly Moore excepted. Plus one or two who make it from the academy.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Question.

Would it have been at all possible for Bill to have had even less of an impact than Leon did for the entire 90 minutes on Friday ?

Hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing. But with its benefit, is it more understandable that folks are confused as to why Bill didn’t even get 5 minutes to give it a good go ?

My own two penneth is that the fat lad sat next to me in the stand would have had a chance of being more impactful than Leon was and thus, I just might have given Bill the opportunity to do likewise !

UTB

 

[blackydog]

I didn’t notice that. I just thought he was completely anonymous, in conformity with most of his recent performances. I’ll watch with greater care in future.

I’m afraid the nonsense that is Bladeyness is written all through this particular discussion, not least the entirely speculative assumption that ‘Billy would have...’ Well, the current evidence is that Billy hasn’t and Billy wouldn’t.

As for ‘he deserved a run for all that he’s done in the past...’

No wonder I despair, is there? I’d have liked to have seen TC and Len get some game time in the last ten. Game time. Fucking game time.

So as far as you're concerned, Billy's time is up for good?
and
"he deserved a run for all that he’s done in the past"
If this came across in my post, it wasn't meant to. I was of the opinion he might have genuinely had something to offer in this game. Wednesday fought throughout the game, Billy would have been the same.

 

[sitwell]

The grunters were down to 10 men and their slow ponderous defence was tiring. You bring on the paciest striker you have ,it didn't pay off .Personally I would have brought on Bill for Clarke for the last 15 ,just to give the team and crowd a lift and scare them.
But then again Mourinho picks our team apparently ,just like Conte chooses our keeper and Pochetino our right back..... er.
Billy hasn't scored his last goal for Utd yet.

 

[Pinchy]

Question.

Would it have been at all possible for Bill to have had even less of an impact than Leon did for the entire 90 minutes ?

Hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing. But with its benefit, is it more understandable that folks are confused as to why Bill didn’t even get 5 minutes to give it a good go ?

My own two penneth is that the fat lad sat next to me in the stand would have had a chance of being more impactful than Leon was and thus, I just might have given Bill the opportunity to do likewise !

UTB

But you have a long-standing anti-Leon Agenda. He’s answered you rather well by his present standing as top scorer in the Championship hadn’t he?

Leon puts more into five minutes than Billy-Gone-Missing does in ninety, I’m afraid.

 

[Pinchy]

The grunters were down to 10 men and their slow ponderous defence was tiring. You bring on the paciest striker you have ,it didn't pay off .Personally I would have brought on Bill for Clarke for the last 15 ,just to give the team and crowd a lift and scare them.

That’s a very valid point and the only decent one that has been made amidst quite a bit of transparent sentimentality. Tufty doesn’t do sentimental.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

But you have a long-standing anti-Leon Agenda. He’s answered you rather well by his present standing as top scorer in the Championship hadn’t he?

Leon puts more into five minutes than Billy-Gone-Missing does in ninety, I’m afraid.

Agreed, ball sticks better too.

The frustrating thing with Friday night was that Leon spent most of the time on the wing being part of these triangles when there was nobody in the box to deliver too.

 

[Pinchy]

Agreed, ball sticks better too.

The frustrating thing with Friday night was that Leon spent most of the time on the wing being part of these triangles when there was nobody in the box to deliver too.

Yes, though that was probably out of a desire to do his best to make something happen on a frustrating night. Misguided perhaps, but understandable and forgivable.

 

[DronnieBlade]

But you have a long-standing anti-Leon Agenda. He’s answered you rather well by his present standing as top scorer in the Championship hadn’t he?

Leon puts more into five minutes than Billy-Gone-Missing does in ninety, I’m afraid.

You sure about that ?

Deadbat, who i can assure you is not one prone to giving Leon poor marks, awarded him a 4.

He has often awarded Leon a 7 or 8 when in the descriptive part of the critique, has done precious little more than run around a lot !

I thought Leon was dreadful on Friday. And this comes off the back of several consecutive below average performances.

I’ll concede he’s in credit. Just. But for how much longer, based on the last 5 or 6 games, will be an interesting one.

I hope he is dining out on the top scorer in the division bit cos 1 goal in his last 540 minutes won’t see this “tag” lasting too much longer !

UTB

 

[Bladesman]

That’s a very valid point and the only decent one that has been made amidst quite a bit of transparent sentimentality. Tufty doesn’t do sentimental.

So you agree that Billy should have come on for the last 15 minutes.

Good, glad we finally got there.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

You sure about that ?

Deadbat, who i can assure you is not one prone to giving Leon poor marks, awarded him a 4.

He has often awarded Leon a 7 or 8 when in the descriptive part of the critique, has done precious little more than run around a lot !

I thought Leon was dreadful on Friday. And this comes off the back of several consecutive below average performances.

I’ll concede he’s in credit. Just. But for how much longer, based on the last 5 or 6 games, will be an interesting one.

I hope he is dining out on the top scorer in the division bit cos 1 goal in his last 540 minutes won’t see this “tag” lasting too much longer !

UTB

Will you be returning your humble pie?

 

[DronnieBlade]

Will you be returning your humble pie?

Scoffed it.

Delish

UTB

 

[Tunstall Fred]

But you have a long-standing anti-Leon Agenda. He’s answered you rather well by his present standing as top scorer in the Championship hadn’t he?

Leon puts more into five minutes than Billy-Gone-Missing does in ninety, I’m afraid.

You're having a like for that,but I'm taking it away again for the last paragraph .

 

[Bladesman]

You're having a like for that,but I'm taking it away again for the last paragraph .

Anyone would think he says that crap to wind other posters up.

 

[I should coco]

You're having a like for that,but I'm taking it away again for the last paragraph .

Same here.

I'm also deducting more likes for the constant snidey references to reed, Whiteman et al, so you are considerably into 'minus like' territory.

Just how will you sleep tonight?

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Whether it's sharp on his way or not we're not keeping 7 forwards (8 including hanson) on the pay roll.

 

[Pinchy]

So as far as you're concerned, Billy's time is up for good?
and
"he deserved a run for all that he’s done in the past"
If this came across in my post, it wasn't meant to. I was of the opinion he might have genuinely had something to offer in this game. Wednesday fought throughout the game, Billy would have been the same.

But he hasn’t in his recent outings. Are you saying some of our players didn’t try hard enough? That’s quite an indictment. I suggest we simply didn’t show enough guile on the night, rather than any lack of effort.

Would Billy have scored? We’ll never know. If James Wilson hadn’t come on, we wouldn’t have known in his case either and people would be saying his extra pace might have made a difference.

I just don’t accept that Bill’s Blade credentials would have made any difference at all, except in the way suggested by sitwell.

As for the future, like any player it’s up to Billy whether he forces his way back into the team, in the same way as any other player, youth, veteran, tall, tiny, white or black. There’s no room for special cases in the professional game.

Let’s remember that Wilder is far from anti-Billy. One of the first things he did was make him captain. He’ll be selected or otherwise on merit and, right now, he doesn’t merit selection.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

Whether it's sharp on his way or not we're not keeping 7 forwards (8 including hanson) on the pay roll.

Big Jim might end up player/coach at the end of this afternoon after the shenanigans this morning

 

[DronnieBlade]

But he hasn’t in his recent outings. Are you saying some of our players didn’t try hard enough? That’s quite an indictment. I suggest we simply didn’t show enough guile on the night, rather than any lack of effort.

Would Billy have scored? We’ll never know. If James Wilson hadn’t come on, we wouldn’t have known in his case either and people would be saying his extra pace might have made a difference.

I just don’t accept that Bill’s Blade credentials would have made any difference at all, except in the way suggested by sitwell.

As for the future, like any player it’s up to Billy whether he forces his way back into the team, in the same way as any other player, youth, veteran, tall, tiny, white or black. There’s no room for special cases in the professional game.

Let’s remember that Wilder is far from anti-Billy. One of the first things he did was make him captain. He’ll be selected or otherwise on merit and, right now, he doesn’t merit selection.

Bill Blades credentials eh ?

All 200 of them ?

You make him sound like a random off the kop !

UTB

Ps are you aware that there are just 5 players with a better goals per minutes ratio than Sharp in the entire division this very season ? They credentials enough for yous ?

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Bill Blades credentials eh ?

All 200 of them ?

You make him sound like a random off the kop !

UTB

Ps are you aware that there are just 5 players with a better goals per minutes ratio than Sharp in the entire division this very season ? They credentials enough for yous ?

I disagree with most that Pinchy comes out with, but he's correct on this one. Billy in the first few months of the season was banging goals in and that in itself merits inclusion irrespective to what else you bring to the table.

Unfortunately the last couple of months everything has gone wrong for him, poor control, poor hold up, falling over... when the move get's to him it's generally broken down.

Nothing against him, he's been great for us the last 30 months or so, but his form over the past 2 months merited dropping.

Now it's up to him to put the effort in on the training ground and take his chance when it does come back around.

 

[DronnieBlade]

I disagree with most that Pinchy comes out with, but he's correct on this one. Billy in the first few months of the season was banging goals in and that in itself merits inclusion irrespective to what else you bring to the table.

Unfortunately the last couple of months everything has gone wrong for him, poor control, poor hold up, falling over... when the move get's to him it's generally broken down.

Nothing against him, he's been great for us the last 30 months or so, but his form over the past 2 months merited dropping.

Now it's up to him to put the effort in on the training ground and take his chance when it does come back around.

It’s difficult to disagree with most of this. And ultimately, based on the gaffers selection policy, it is clear to all and sundry that Bill is currently not regarded as a shoe in, as may have been the case in the past.

No problems with that and, as you say, it’s down to him to show it in training and whatever limited pitch time he may get in the short term.

My concerns are not with Bill, but with Leon. Using your own words, if Leons form continues to drop, will he face the same fate as Sharp, and be dropped ?

I genuinely have my doubts.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

Bill Blades credentials eh ?

All 200 of them ?

You make him sound like a random off the kop !

UTB

Ps are you aware that there are just 5 players with a better goals per minutes ratio than Sharp in the entire division this very season ? They credentials enough for yous ?

His recent form is very poor. If and when he shows Tufty enough in training or maybe the U-23s, no doubt he’ll be considered for selection, not because of past glories or which team he supports.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Will you be returning your humble pie?

It's stuck in his throat.