Left before the end!

[Tynemouth Blade]

Last night was the first time since the play-off final that me and Junior TB have had the chance to see the Blades 'in the flesh' (we can't all be season ticket holders for whatever reason: mine is due to work and travel commitments).
But now I can honestly say that we are a much worse side than last season and last night was one of the worse performances I have seen by a Blades team in a long long time!
I'm not proud to admit it, but we left (along with quite a few others) soon after their 3rd and just after Stead almost got a 4th and we were well on our way back up the M1 at full time and a 3-3 draw was little consolation for what was a completely inept display of football.
I am not and never will be a 'clapper' and I have my own opinion of the team I have supported for many many years and will continue to support, but last night was just 'painful' to watch!
I will only single out Cotterill as what I saw as possibly the worse player in a Blades shirt last night: I have never seen a 'winger' who can slow the game down like he does (allowing the opposition defence to get back and cover) and not only that, but what does he actually do or offer?
Walker appeared to have no faith in him and therefore rarely passed to him! On top of that Walker was knackered 2nd half as he'd been doing 2 men's work all game! Cotterill put in one decent cross all game and was then substituted!
What's Kyle Reid done wrong to not even get a game; surely he's no worse than Cotterill?????

The ironic 'Ole' chants when we did finally start to pass the ball toward the end of the 1st half should have set Blackwell's half time talk up for him, but we continued in the same vein in the 2nd half!

We have to admit it; we were rubbish last night!
And against what has been one of the worse teams in the league!
Now if we look what the Barcodes did to Ipswich we can really see that level we are at: NGE!

Now finally: Richard Creswell! What is that all about????? Are we just becoming Stoke Reserves???

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Whilst we were very poor last night I have never been able to understand fans leaving before the end. Many of my best memories over the years are of late winners / equalisers. The only positive last night was that we showed some bottle to come back from 3-1 down and it was a great relief when Morgan scored so late ....and in fact we almost nicked it after that.

 

[Currie on Radio]

....and in fact we almost nicked it after that.

And therein lies the problem.

Anyone looking at the result (had we nicked it) would have said great win for the Blades and so it would have been.

But the underlying reality is that we rarely make more than two or three passes at a time. Last night at the end of the first half I also thought the crowd made Blackwells's team talk for him. You might care to think that the team made their point too!! They can do it - it is clear they are told not to.

Thus we often hand the ball straight back to the opposition and put ourselves unnecessarily under pressure.

I have decided it is no good looking for the magical mid-fielder who will transform our team. When the ball started to go through Harpur last night (especially when Little came on) it was then passed along the floor to a member of our team. often with one touch. But instead of coming back to him as he moved forward it was (once gain) hoofed up the field.

Doesn't anyone in the team and coaching staff watch any football?

 

[gregblade]

last night was the first time I've left early since we lost 3-0 to Stoke at home a couple of years back. I cannot sit through that and watch the team I love look like lost little boys against a very poor team. Im not bothered what other fans think of me or others for departing before the end! The first half was the worst football I have seen under United for along long time.

Usually, Im as enthusiastic as most of the other fans, but last night I just couldn't do it! I saw absolutely nothing to get excited about last night. The "Ole" stuff before half time I hoped would change something. It didn't.

We had a very good start to this season, considering our first few fixtures were pretty tough. But we're letting good work go down the pan by not getting the results against teams such has Swansea, Coventry and Ipswich.

 

[gregblade]

And therein lies the problem.

Anyone looking at the result (had we nicked it) would have said great win for the Blades and so it would have been.

QUOTE]

Exactly! This is the problem! We get out of jail at the end and people forget how bad we were! Football heaven tonight will be inundated with people complaining about the performance! But Seth etc, will argue we still got a draw! The fact is, its not good enough.

Im pretty sure the last time we drew with the bottom of the league was that 0-0 against Scunthorpe when we had Nobson in charge. For 50 minutes last night, it was like we'd gone back to that!

 

[Ted Danson]

And therein lies the problem.

Anyone looking at the result (had we nicked it) would have said great win for the Blades and so it would have been.

QUOTE]

Exactly! This is the problem! We get out of jail at the end and people forget how bad we were! Football heaven tonight will be inundated with people complaining about the performance! But Seth etc, will argue we still got a draw! The fact is, its not good enough.

According to the thread on how we are doing compared to last season it looks like it may be good enough, if we do finish 2 points higher thenthat would have got us promoted last year.

I couldnt care less if we nick everygame and play crap if we get enough points to go up.

 

[GainsboroBlade]

When the 3rd goal went in loads of Blades around us in the Lane Upper tier left,I couldnt believe it,there was atleast 20 mins + stoppages to go,I always stay to the end but after that 1st half last night I can understand some people getting out of there.

 

[Wilnecote Blade]

I very very rarely early, the number of times we've faught back at the death tells me not to. In fact, the last time I did was at Cardiff when the extra time board went up, had to leave to avoid the Wolves celebrations :cry:

 

[grafikhaus]

Doesn't anyone in the team and coaching staff watch any football?

That just about sums it up. Why do we continue with these highly paid 'backroom staff' when they simply don't see what the rest of us do?

A couple of examples:

One of ours (and Killa is the main culprit), play it back to the keeper who is being closed down. Why then doesn't he break off to the wing to offer an easier outlet instead of a panic-stricken boot upfield?

Why, when we're under the cosh - i.e. defending a corner - do we often not leave a single player on the halfway line, which will necessitate the other team leaving two back? Instead, if we win the ball from said corner it's the usual hack upfield. Result? Immediately under pressure again.

Now I'm no mathematician, but if our defence/midfield has the ball, it's 100% Blades possession. Belt it up to a tightly-marked Hendo and it suddenly becomes, at best 50% possession.

It is a simple game, but we seem to conspire to make it far too difficult for ourselves. I get tired of having my mates enquire 'What formation did we play?' To concur with Currie on Radio, I usually say 'None. It's as if the players don't meet up between games.'

So far, we've got away with it. Having seen all our home games, I can honestly say we could have lost all of them. The sticking plaster is holding but, as I fully expect, we lose to Donny on Saturday it will be time for a serious re-appraisal from those in power.

 

[Ted Danson]

So far, we've got away with it. Having seen all our home games, I can honestly say we could have lost all of them. The sticking plaster is holding but, as I fully expect, we lose to Donny on Saturday it will be time for a serious re-appraisal from those in power.

Having seen all our home games too, I can honestly say that we could have won all of them. Theres lots of could'a, should'a, would'a, in football but the only thing that counts is what we actually did which was 2 wins and a 3 draws which puts us 6th in the league. I think when we get Ward and Treacy back we'll be absolutely fine this season, definite playoffs if not automatic.

All this negetivity from everyones turning me into a right old clapper

 

[Muttley]

By the time we get Treacy back..... it'll be too late. Cruciate injury? Ward will be another month at best. I hope we won't have dropped too many points by then and are still in contention with the rest.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

People leaving the match early (if not for a legitimate reason) has always made my blood boil. I'd stay to the very end of the match even if we were losing 7-0.