Mark Duffy - Three in Four

[snootyfenooty]

Like I said about lundstram when people used to say he wasn’t good enough...

Freeman will play his part this season.

He certainly will when Wilder wakes up to the fact we need a creative attacking midfielder in the line up. Whether or not he results in us scoring more than the odd goal now and again remains to be seen.

 

[SwissBlade]

He certainly will when Wilder wakes up to the fact we need a creative attacking midfielder in the line up. Whether or not he results in us scoring more than the odd goal now and again remains to be seen.

We lacked it at Watford and I think we probably over estimated them.

Wilder reads the game better than any manager I’ve seen at United and most other clubs. Hes not afraid to change things but he’s also got a little bit more cautious as we’ve stepped up the levels. He knows how hard it is to score goals.
Some interesting games coming up. We’ll be more creative

 

[bromtom]

......and isn't good enough to get a start.

Like Duffy wasn't about 20% of the time he played for us, and isn't, seeing how he's now at a different team a division lower and not starting for them either.

 

[snootyfenooty]

We lacked it at Watford and I think we probably over estimated them.

Wilder reads the game better than any manager I’ve seen at United and most other clubs. Hes not afraid to change things but he’s also got a little bit more cautious as we’ve stepped up the levels. He knows how hard it is to score goals.
Some interesting games coming up. We’ll be more creative

Don't disagree with any of that and yes, the rearguard stuff against some of the big guns has to be expected. But he's really not got to be scared of dipping his toes into the water against the likes of Watford. They were dire.

 

[SwissBlade]

Don't disagree with any of that and yes, the rearguard stuff against some of the big guns has to be expected. But he's really not got to be scared of dipping his toes into the water against the likes of Watford. They were dire.

They were but we could’ve come undone there. We remain unbeaten away and we kept a clean sheet.

Despite it being a shite game I think we probably have to suck it up a bit

Arsenal though. We need to go for it

 

[snootyfenooty]

Like Duffy wasn't about 20% of the time he played for us, and isn't, seeing how he's now at a different team a division lower and not starting for them either.

Judging by their position in the league the question should be why the fuck isn't he starting. From his point of view he's probably better off staying where he is, i.e., well clear of the first team.

 

[snootyfenooty]

They were but we could’ve come undone there. We remain unbeaten away and we kept a clean sheet.

Despite it being a shite game I think we probably have to suck it up a bit

Arsenal though. We need to go for it

Would love to see that but can you honestly see this happening? As long as we have a Lundstram type rather than a Duffy (or Freeman) type in midfield its always going to be about damage limitation. It will be great for collecting plaudits with our plucky one goal losses but unfortunately it won't get us many points.

 

[Cheesebored]

Judging by their position in the league the question should be why the fuck isn't he starting. From his point of view he's probably better off staying where he is, i.e., well clear of the first team.

I've seen Stoke a couple of times this year and thought on both occasions they were the better team until major goalkeeping errors knocked the stuffing out of them. Think they're a better team than the league table suggests. Anybody can speculate as to why Duffy went to Stoke but the fact remains he did, let's move on. His dad's nonsense on social media reflects poorly on Duffy but more so on himself.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Like I said about lundstram when people used to say he wasn’t good enough...

Freeman will play his part this season.

To be fair, Lundstram definitively demonstrated that, during last season he wasn't good enough. He only played about 400 minutes

 

[SwissBlade]

To be fair, Lundstram definitively demonstrated that, during last season he wasn't good enough. He only played about 400 minutes

I didn’t notice last season that he wasn’t good enough.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I didn’t notice last season that he wasn’t good enough.

He, with Evans looked unfit and out of their depth against Swansea and Middlesbrough.

 

[bromtom]

He, with Evans looked unfit and out of their depth against Swansea and Middlesbrough.

There were 44 games after that though. Personally thought he improved a lot once Norwood got here. He was good against Hull in the cup once he didn't have to be Paul Coutts or John Fleck anymore and could be John Lundstram, and then some decent cameos and a preview of things to come with his game at Stoke final day where he bossed it.

 

[Carlton Blade]

There were 44 games after that though. Personally thought he improved a lot once Norwood got here. He was good against Hull in the cup once he didn't have to be Paul Coutts or John Fleck anymore and could be John Lundstram, and then some decent cameos and a preview of things to come with his game at Stoke final day where he bossed it.

He's been great this year. He wasn't last year. He played 20 minutes across Feb, March, Apr last season.

He had things to work on, mainly his fitness, and he did. He deserves loads of praise for that. But he never showed the positional discipline he has done this year before

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

We lacked it at Watford and I think we probably over estimated them.

Wilder reads the game better than any manager I’ve seen at United and most other clubs. Hes not afraid to change things but he’s also got a little bit more cautious as we’ve stepped up the levels. He knows how hard it is to score goals.
Some interesting games coming up. We’ll be more creative

The biggest surprise for me so far was against Sunderland. We opted for our new cautious league formation when we could/ should have put Freeman in the hole from the offset, Wilder changed this second half when we were behind but it should have been from the offset in my opinion.

I do hope we revert back to the old formation in more winnable games.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

He's been great this year. He wasn't last year. He played 20 minutes across Feb, March, Apr last season.

He had things to work on, mainly his fitness, and he did. He deserves loads of praise for that. But he never showed the positional discipline he has done this year before

If, by mid February, our first choice midfield still consists of Fleck, Norwood & Lundstram, we will be playing in the Championship next season.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

.....and if I’m wrong, then I’ll happily pay £100 to Weston Park.

 

[Cappy]

If, by mid February, our first choice midfield still consists of Fleck, Norwood & Lundstram, we will be playing in the Championship next season.

So who would you like in the midfield that means you think we will still be in the Prem? Existing squad members or a Jan transfer in? Replacing who? Genuine question.

 

[Carlton Blade]

If, by mid February, our first choice midfield still consists of Fleck, Norwood & Lundstram, we will be playing in the Championship next season.

To expect a player to maintain a level of play he's never hit before over a full season would be naive. He's had a couple of ineffective games already. As Besic is a waste of time by the looks of things we at the very least need more competition and variety in there

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

So who would you like in the midfield that means you think we will still be in the Prem? Existing squad members or a Jan transfer in? Replacing who? Genuine question.

Apologies for the long winded answer, but.......

I was having a wider discussion in Shoutbox regarding our last season at this level, and what our stats were that year, and how we are in danger of mirroring them. In 06/07 season, we won 38 points off of a 38 game season, scoring 32 and conceding 55. Probably only 2 points & 8 goals away from what I consider to be our target this season.

We had the 3rd worst scoring record, and the 6th worst defensive record, only conceding 1 more goal than Spurs in 5th in the league. We were rarely battered that season, and were competitive in most games, eventually coming up short because we lacked the fire power. That season Hulse scored 8 in 29, Stead got 4 in 14, Nade 4 in 28, Jags got 4 in 38, Webber 3 in 24, Tonge 3 in 28 and Gillespie 3 in 31.

All those goals spread about the team and we were still were short; being 3 shy of the next lowest scorers. I don't think that we currently have 32 goals in this team, in this formation at this time, certainly not 40.

So in answer to your question, as part of the solution, we need an increased scoring threat & creativity from midfield, I don't think that Lunny offers that. He has shown himself to be competitive at this level so far and not disgraced himself, but if we are to persevere with the current formation, I would look to bring someone better in in JTW. What & who is better? Well I would look to bring in someone who possesses a skill set between Lundstram & Duffy. I don't think that we can go the full 'balls out' & Barry White on the wireless and play a Duffy & 2 upfront, but conversely I don't think that we can spend too much of the season playing a 'missionary with socks on' midfield 3 with Lunny in it.

If we chose not to continue with 2 up front, and play 4 in a diamond, then he may well be okay for our purposes, but that all depends on the person we deploy at the point of the diamond and whether the person ahead of him is scoring.

 

[Birdwell Blade]

Apologies for the long winded answer, but.......

I was having a wider discussion in Shoutbox regarding our last season at this level, and what our stats were that year, and how we are in danger of mirroring them. In 06/07 season, we won 38 points off of a 38 game season, scoring 32 and conceding 55. Probably only 2 points & 8 goals away from what I consider to be our target this season.

We had the 3rd worst scoring record, and the 6th worst defensive record, only conceding 1 more goal than Spurs in 5th in the league. We were rarely battered that season, and were competitive in most games, eventually coming up short because we lacked the fire power. That season Hulse scored 8 in 29, Stead got 4 in 14, Nade 4 in 28, Jags got 4 in 38, Webber 3 in 24, Tonge 3 in 28 and Gillespie 3 in 31.

All those goals spread about the team and we were still were short; being 3 shy of the next lowest scorers. I don't think that we currently have 32 goals in this team, in this formation at this time, certainly not 40.

So in answer to your question, as part of the solution, we need an increased scoring threat & creativity from midfield, I don't think that Lunny offers that. He has shown himself to be competitive at this level so far and not disgraced himself, but if we are to persevere with the current formation, I would look to bring someone better in in JTW. What & who is better? Well I would look to bring in someone who possesses a skill set between Lundstram & Duffy. I don't think that we can go the full 'balls out' & Barry White on the wireless and play a Duffy & 2 upfront, but conversely I don't think that we can spend too much of the season playing a 'missionary with socks on' midfield 3 with Lunny in it.

If we chose not to continue with 2 up front, and play 4 in a diamond, then he may well be okay for our purposes, but that all depends on the person we deploy at the point of the diamond and whether the person ahead of him is scoring.

What a great post, and well thought out. We need to attack more and nick more of these games.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

If, by mid February, our first choice midfield still consists of Fleck, Norwood & Lundstram, we will be playing in the Championship next season.

Add to that the prospect of continuing to play as strikers players who are not naturally suited to that role , whilst leaving on the bench a player who is a master of the art , and the outcome looks almost inevitable .

 

[bromtom]

Add to that the prospect of continuing to play as strikers players who are not naturally suited to that role , whilst leaving on the bench a player who is a master of the art , and the outcome looks almost inevitable .

More the strikers than the midfield for me.

We are capable of creating chances flat 3 or with a 10, but when they're not going in we resort to the hoof and that definitely doesn't work.

What we need is the short arse poacher extraordinare and the link up king McGoldrick so we don't have the option, get out of the habit and then reintegrate Robinson and McBurnie.

 

[Davalon]

Would love to see that but can you honestly see this happening? As long as we have a Lundstram type rather than a Duffy (or Freeman) type in midfield its always going to be about damage limitation. It will be great for collecting plaudits with our plucky one goal losses but unfortunately it won't get us many points.

How many chances or goals has Lundstram created so far on top of his one goal, and who has more?

 

[snootyfenooty]

How many chances or goals has Lundstram created so far on top of his one goal, and who has more?

That's a fallacious argument as the overall tally of goals is so low you're splitting hairs. We all know one is greater than zero but it still adds up to fuck all. It's the grand total that needs boosting and you're not going to do that with playing three defensive midfielders. One of them needs some creativity on his CV and that man isn't Lundstram.

 

[Davalon]

That's a fallacious argument as the overall tally of goals is so low you're splitting hairs. We all know one is greater than zero but it still adds up to fuck all. It's the grand total that needs boosting and you're not going to do that with playing three defensive midfielders. One of them needs some creativity on his CV and that man isn't Lundstram.

We've all loved what Duffy has brought over recent years.

You seem a bit too much of a fanboy though. Sorry.

 

[snootyfenooty]

We've all loved what Duffy has brought over recent years.

You seem a bit too much of a fanboy though. Sorry.

What on earth has Duffy got to do with it. Freeman is sitting on the bench getting splinters whilst we can't buy a goal. Save your snarky comments and join the debate with a few constructive ones instead.

 

[bromtom]

That's a fallacious argument as the overall tally of goals is so low you're splitting hairs. We all know one is greater than zero but it still adds up to fuck all. It's the grand total that needs boosting and you're not going to do that with playing three defensive midfielders. One of them needs some creativity on his CV and that man isn't Lundstram.

Whether they end up being scored has no bearing whatsoever on chance creation.

Lundstram has created one less big chance than Riyad Mahrez, fifth in the table, everyone above him plays for Man City or Liverpool.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Whether they end up being scored has no bearing whatsoever on chance creation.

Lundstram has created one less big chance than Riyad Mahrez, fifth in the table, everyone above him plays for Man City or Liverpool.

You can quote as many stats as you like but the bottom line is United have scored 5 goals of their own volition in the first 8 games. That ratio of goals per game will leave us with about 25 goals come the end of the season and reliance on that and a few flukey og's will only guarantee one thing. Time for a change.

 

[bromtom]

You can quote as many stats as you like but the bottom line is United have scored 5 goals of their own volition in the first 8 games. That ratio of goals per game will leave us with about 25 goals come the end of the season and reliance on that and a few flukey og's will only guarantee one thing. Time for a change.

And if we scored from all the chances Lundstram has created we'd have scored more goals of our own volition and be higher up the table, so the change required is having a striker that can put them in the net.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Agree.

I don’t do all this Facebook thing but if that’s true then in my opinion he should reign it in.

He needs to put things into perspective. Player approaches boss asks for an improved contract, boss says no, player decides to look elsewhere.

Has this happened to hundreds of players over the years? Yes
Does the boss tend to have the final say? Yes
Is the player within his right to seek a move? Yes
Do I wish Duffy good luck in his last few years. Yes
Does a part of me wish he had an opportunity to play some Premier league minutes for us? Yes
Should life for Sheffield United and Mark Duffy carry on regardless? Yes

Nice one Digs