Weak Links

[Eric Cartman]

Where do we need to improve next year?

People keep highlighting goals and I take the comment but in fairness the midfield and defence don’t weigh in with their fair share so they really? Fleck and Duffy’s return is really poor. The wing backs should have more goals and the fact JOC hasn’t netted despite winning loads of headers in the opposition box is nothing short of embarrassing. We need goals from other areas.

Defensively also we look really poor. We don’t have an organiser back there, as good as Stearman is he’s not an organiser (or not quite a good enough one). It’s imperative in a back 3 the one in the middle is a brilliant organiser.

Enda Stevens is not good enough. He makes one fuck up every game that costs a goal.

We do obviously need some younger strikers, and when we rid ourself of the shitheap of, well, shit, we have upfront past Clarke and Sharp we should have some room to manoeuvre.

There’s one helluva job for Chris in the summer. If we rest on our laurels, judging on our post new year form - next season might be a struggle.

He needs BACKING too. It turns out everyone spunking over the January transfer window prematurely cos we’d signed a few league one players and not sold any stars might have been wrong. If you sign too many league one standard players that’s where you’ll end up

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

Oh we don't need to improve, we're little plucky Sheffield United and should be happy just to be in the 2nd tier at all.

We shouldn't worry about the practical things, let's just wank each other off over how "graaate" a season it's allegedly been.

 

[Eric Cartman]

Oh we don't need to improve, we're little plucky Sheffield United and should be happy just to be in the 2nd tier at all.

We shouldn't worry about the practical things, let's just wank each other off over how "graaate" a season it's allegedly been.

‘You would’ve taken it at the beginning of the season’ is the worst quote in football.

The season is an ever changing picture, would I have taken it at the beginning of the season, finishing mid table? Yes. In December? Not a chance.

Im disappointed.

 

[JohnDenver]

Where do we need to improve next year?

People keep highlighting goals and I take the comment but in fairness the midfield and defence don’t weigh in with their fair share so they really? Fleck and Duffy’s return is really poor. The wing backs should have more goals and the fact JOC hasn’t netted despite winning loads of headers in the opposition box is nothing short of embarrassing. We need goals from other areas.

Defensively also we look really poor. We don’t have an organiser back there, as good as Stearman is he’s not an organiser (or not quite a good enough one). It’s imperative in a back 3 the one in the middle is a brilliant organiser.

Enda Stevens is not good enough. He makes one fuck up every game that costs a goal.

We do obviously need some younger strikers, and when we rid ourself of the shitheap of, well, shit, we have upfront past Clarke and Sharp we should have some room to manoeuvre.

There’s one helluva job for Chris in the summer. If we rest on our laurels, judging on our post new year form - next season might be a struggle.

He needs BACKING too. It turns out everyone spunking over the January transfer window prematurely cos we’d signed a few league one players and not sold any stars might have been wrong. If you sign too many league one standard players that’s where you’ll end up

We need an attacking left sided player. A better centre half than Wright or Basham. Plus two strikers.

If the only way to finance the above is to flog Brooks for silly money then we might have to consider it. But plan A must be to keep what we have and build on it.

 

[IMABLADE]

Where do we need to improve next year?

People keep highlighting goals and I take the comment but in fairness the midfield and defence don’t weigh in with their fair share so they really? Fleck and Duffy’s return is really poor. The wing backs should have more goals and the fact JOC hasn’t netted despite winning loads of headers in the opposition box is nothing short of embarrassing. We need goals from other areas.

Defensively also we look really poor. We don’t have an organiser back there, as good as Stearman is he’s not an organiser (or not quite a good enough one). It’s imperative in a back 3 the one in the middle is a brilliant organiser.

Enda Stevens is not good enough. He makes one fuck up every game that costs a goal.

We do obviously need some younger strikers, and when we rid ourself of the shitheap of, well, shit, we have upfront past Clarke and Sharp we should have some room to manoeuvre.

There’s one helluva job for Chris in the summer. If we rest on our laurels, judging on our post new year form - next season might be a struggle.

He needs BACKING too. It turns out everyone spunking over the January transfer window prematurely cos we’d signed a few league one players and not sold any stars might have been wrong. If you sign too many league one standard players that’s where you’ll end up

JOC IS MAGIC, leave him alone

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

‘You would’ve taken it at the beginning of the season’ is the worst quote in football.

The season is an ever changing picture, would I have taken it at the beginning of the season, finishing mid table? Yes. In December? Not a chance.

Im disappointed.

Precisely that. I didn't go into the season with an arbitrary target of survival in mind either, and I certainly don't think Wilder did. Anyone who does, shows little ambition and low standards.

 

[stringer]

Defensively also we look really poor. We don’t have an organiser back there, as good as Stearman is he’s not an organiser (or not quite a good enough one). It’s imperative in a back 3 the one in the middle is a brilliant organiser.

When does a defender become an organiser?

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Oh we don't need to improve, we're little plucky Sheffield United and should be happy just to be in the 2nd tier at all.

We shouldn't worry about the practical things, let's just wank each other off over how "graaate" a season it's allegedly been.

I really wish people would stop saying we've had a great season, we haven't.

I've been fucking miserable since December.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

When does a defender become an organiser?

When he does organisey type stuff.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

I really wish people would stop saying we've had a great season, we haven't.

I've been fucking miserable since December.

Yep, me too.

When they say it's been a great season, they mostly mean the Wednesday result.

It's been a largely indifferent season with a couple of enjoyable wins, nothing more.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Yep, me too.

When they say it's been a great season, they mostly mean the Wednesday result.

It's been a largely indifferent season with a couple of enjoyable wins, nothing more.

I like a bit of realism, me.

 

[RossingtonBlade]

Yep, me too.

When they say it's been a great season, they mostly mean the Wednesday result.

It's been a largely indifferent season with a couple of enjoyable wins, nothing more.

Spot on but 25,000 other idiots still have the rose tinted glasses on. If major work ain’t done in the summer I’m afraid it could be a long old season

 

[PokerBlade]

Blackman's good enough if we can make him permanent.

We desperately need to hold on to JOC and Fleck. Would be nice to keep Brooks but he's not played enough for us to be considered essential, so as long as we reinvest I can still live with selling him for the right price.

I don't see any other position for which we don't need either back up or improvement in order to make the play-offs next year.

 

[LJBlade]

Precisely that. I didn't go into the season with an arbitrary target of survival in mind either, and I certainly don't think Wilder did. Anyone who does, shows little ambition and low standards.

Can you point out one person on here who is happy that we’re going to miss out on the playoffs?

 

[LJBlade]

Spot on but 25,000 other idiots still have the rose tinted glasses on. If major work ain’t done in the summer I’m afraid it could be a long old season

Improvement each year is all we can realistically expect/ask for as fans. Could this season have been better? Of course it could have. Some on here have come to some strange conclusion that United fans are happy with being mid table. It’s not the case. Most are happy that we’ve shown improvement. The next target is for us to improve again next season

 

[SwissBlade]

Yep, me too.

When they say it's been a great season, they mostly mean the Wednesday result.

It's been a largely indifferent season with a couple of enjoyable wins, nothing more.

If the season had been reversed and the August to November form had been the second half of the season, i guarantee that people would've been talking about how fantastic the season has been, slow start but amazing end.

I think we've just about met my expectations over the entire season. Its not lacking ambition to expect a mid table finish in our first season.

When you look at so called better sides than us and they're sat below us in the table, i am pretty satisfied.

As for the weak links which Eric Cartman identified, rather than identify players, these are the areas for improvement:

- Overlapping Centre halves: this seems to have been limited recently,
- Wing Backs goals: Last season Freeman contributed a lot of goals. This seasons Wing backs haven't done the same.
- Clinical Finishing: It was something identified in the summer, we need to convert more chances
- Defending: Generally needs to be better
- Attacking Set pieces: We have been awful and this subject has been done to death.

 

[super_pig]

Yep, me too.

When they say it's been a great season, they mostly mean the Wednesday result.

It's been a largely indifferent season with a couple of enjoyable wins, nothing more.

umm i think ‘these people’ are happy that we competed well, made a good impression of ourselves and didn’t go straight back down again because we sold all the team
some of us older types have been here before

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

Can you point out one person on here who is happy that we’re going to miss out on the playoffs?

Nothing to do with anyone "being happy" about missing out. Many have said that they would be content at the beginning of the season with survival and therefore mid-table constitutes success. Quite obvious really.

 

[AWetFlannel]

It's been a graaaaaate season because most seasons I've supported the club, I've been more miserable more often than this one.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Oh we don't need to improve, we're little plucky Sheffield United and should be happy just to be in the 2nd tier at all.

We shouldn't worry about the practical things, let's just wank each other off over how "graaate" a season it's allegedly been.

What's up with you ! ,never have a good word to say about us ,your either a plant or the kind of fan we can do without as we don't want negative fans.We maybe have thrown out chances away this season but it has still been a good one ,if we fall short which looks likely,we have positives to build on.
The club is still on the up and with the right surgery we will be even stronger.
We also have some good young lads coming through the academy, but I suppose your not interested in that.

 

[super_pig]

Nothing to do with anyone "being happy" about missing out. Many have said that they would be content at the beginning of the season with survival and therefore mid-table constitutes success. Quite obvious really.

i think you’re confusing two (similar) standpoints.. there’s the just want to survive types as you mentioned and then there’s the ‘well we didn’t quite make the playoffs but it wasn’t a total disaster’ types

 

[grafikhaus]

If the season had been reversed and the August to November form had been the second half of the season, i guarantee that people would've been talking about how fantastic the season has been, slow start but amazing end.

Good point - it's human nature. I thought the Millwall match was a cracker and, if United had gone 1-0 down but hit back immediately to gain a 1-1 draw, people's opinions would have been totally different. 'Christ, we've matched a team that has gone 16 games unbeaten, we went behind but showed our battling qualities and hit straight back.' But the events were reversed (as has happened too often since Christmas), we had 2 minutes where we were allowed to hope, were denied and the mood of the fans leaving the game was almost funereal.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

What's up with you ! ,never have a good word to say about us ,your either a plant or the kind of fan we can do without as we don't want negative fans.We maybe have thrown out chances away this season but it has still been a good one ,if we fall short which looks likely,we have positives to build on.
The club is still on the up and with the right surgery we will be even stronger.
We also have some good young lads coming through the academy, but I suppose your not interested in that.

A dozen or so members off here have met me in the flesh, so I can disregard your first accusation of me being a bogus poster.
Secondly, I assume you want uniformity of opinion instead? I'm glad you don't run this forum then is all I can say to that.
Thirdly, I've been interested enough to be around for all but three games thus far, and I've witnessed exactly what Wilder himself has stated since Hull. If you see no merit in my words then at least listen to his.

 

[Bashar Al Asaba]

i think you’re confusing two (similar) standpoints.. there’s the just want to survive types as you mentioned and then there’s the ‘well we didn’t quite make the playoffs but it wasn’t a total disaster’ types

And the second type is a reasonable enough statement because that is exactly how the season has been. Not disasterous, but not "great" by any stretch.

 

[SwissBlade]

Good point - it's human nature. I thought the Millwall match was a cracker and, if United had gone 1-0 down but hit back immediately to gain a 1-1 draw, people's opinions would have been totally different. 'Christ, we've matched a team that has gone 16 games unbeaten, we went behind but showed our battling qualities and hit straight back.' But the events were reversed (as has happened too often since Christmas), we had 2 minutes where we were allowed to hope, were denied and the mood of the fans leaving the game was almost funereal.

This is the thing, we just have to take the Boro games as a perfect example.
Boro Away - Unlucky not to get a draw when the last minute equaliser was disallowed, despite not being as good as Boro in the first half and being better, but not worthy of beating them second, we considered that we were unlucky not to get a draw against a side packed with quality players, yet we weren't good enough to win.

Boro Home - Played them off the park first half, they got a man sent off and at half time they made 3 subs. They were excellent second half, they also kicked us all over, but they were perhaps unlucky not to get an equaliser, but rather than being a very good 3 points, many have bemoaned the performance because we didn't hammer a side with 10 men (when do we ever do that?). It was a fantastic win.

If that home performance had come in the second game of the season rather than being 5 from the end, we'd have had talk of heroes.

Boro took a long time to get going and chatting with my Boro mate, he's talked about how inconsistent they've been all season, but have slowly plugged away and are now looking comfortably in the play offs. The fact that we've matched them in the second game and looked better than them for much of the game shows how far we've come.

Brentford is another example, despite poor conditions away, i thought we looked more solid away than we did at home, we rode our luck much more in August, it was a proper game of football in both games. We all said they were a good side before we played them in August, its taken them 44 games to get above us. I know this as i have been chatting to my Brentford mate all season about them being behind us.

Yes Barnsley, Hull, Birmingham were all at the bottom end of the table, but they've also been fighting for their lives when we played them, they're unpredictable beasts.

We need to keep that bit of perspective some time, but looking at the side we have now, we've come a long way since August. If we look over the season rather than dissecting individual games and performances (that is done in other threads), then we've not done badly

 

[super_pig]

exactly.. great is overegging it but we had a good crack at it and i am happy with that for this season
now when i’m in Europe i don’t have to look at the floor when people say ‘what league are your team in’?

 

[finlaytheblade]

A dozen or so members off here have met me in the flesh, so I can disregard your first accusation of me being a bogus poster.
Secondly, I assume you want uniformity of opinion instead? I'm glad you don't run this forum then is all I can say to that.
Thirdly, I've been interested enough to be around for all but three games thus far, and I've witnessed exactly what Wilder himself has stated since Hull. If you see no merit in my words then at least listen to his.

Agree with what you say ,opinions are what sites thrive on, sorry for questioning your Blade ability,but a few positives wouldn't go amiss ,it has been a good learning curve of a season for the club and Wilder will take a lot from it.
Now let's win our last two games and go out on a high.The playoffs are most likely gone but not impossible,we went down with Bassett at the elm all those years ago
Ten minutes from the end we were safe and then fate kicked us up the arse

 

[Bladezz]

We cannot improve without signifcajr investment. With that CW will attract the players to improve our team. Without that we are basement shopping again.

Barnsley did it last 2 years and then this year struggled to replace.

 

[sitwell]

Spot on but 25,000 other idiots still have the rose tinted glasses on. If major work ain’t done in the summer I’m afraid it could be a long old season

Casually slag off 95% of our fans as idiots.

 

[grafikhaus]

This is the thing, we just have to take the Boro games as a perfect example.

Perspective? We'll have none of that talk on here! This is a local site...etc.

Another enduring fallacy is that 'it's the Blades Way' as if serially fucking up is unique to United. I don't suppose there's any such talk on the Deby forums (currently doing their annual 'Devon Loch' impersonation) or Bristol City's? Or Leeds, Norwich, Wednesday, QPR, Sunderland or Hull?

Every team I've mentioned has spent far more than us and have every reason to feel let down. Disappointment comes with supporting every club. Three out of the four teams who get in the play-offs will be disappointed at the end of the season.

Barnsley did it last 2 years and then this year struggled to replace.

Barnsley have done very well in the last 2 years and 'rewarded' their fans by flogging Winnall and Hourihane. We haven't sold our better players.