Get a grip some of you!

[FTPE]

We all expected a run of loses this season, most of us would have been happy finishing 4th bottom, we've be spoilt but I thought it would take more than 2 bleeding losses for some of you to question our entire structure.

We have a small and shallow squad!! That's it.

We have had major players missing these past 3 games, it's no coincidence.
WE WERE MISSING 3 OF OUR STARTING BACK FOUR TODAY!

Are some players out of form, yep. Are some of the new recruits not hitting the ground running? Asolutely but if there's one thing we KNEW we couldn't overcome this season it was injuries and suspensions.

Glass half full? We beat Villa, we had 10 men against Newcastle and today we had far too many important players missing to compete with a world class side.

We are in the top half, please keep positive and realistic. We finished behind Norwhich even at our best last year, who'd swap with them right now?

3 games, that's it. We might limp over the line now but belief and togetherness is our strength, don't shit on that now Blades.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Agree wholeheartedly with all that. But to watch Man U just knock the ball around us for 90 mins and us not have a modicum of a go, surely must depress even the most glass half full type of supporter.

That wasnt enjoyment it was pain beyond belief.

 

[toledo]

10/10

 

[FTPE]

No it absolutely was, but you can't replace JOC with Robinson, Deano with Moore, Egan with Jags and expect us to put in a performance like we did at home against them... in which we still conceded 3 let's not forget.

Our pace and outlet going off early didn't help the gameplan either.

 

[BigBed]

We all expected a run of loses this season, most of us would have been happy finishing 4th bottom, we've be spoilt but I thought it would take more than 2 bleeding losses for some of you to question our entire structure.

We have a small and shallow squad!! That's it.

We have had major players missing these past 3 games, it's no coincidence.
WE WERE MISSING 3 OF OUR STARTING BACK FOUR TODAY!

Are some players out of form, yep. Are some of the new recruits not hitting the ground running? Asolutely but if there's one thing we KNEW we couldn't overcome this season it was injuries and suspensions.

Glass half full? We beat Villa, we had 10 men against Newcastle and today we had far too many important players missing to compete with a world class side.

We are in the top half, please keep positive and realistic. We finished behind Norwhich even at our best last year, who'd swap with them right now?

3 games, that's it. We might limp over the line now but belief and togetherness is our strength, don't shit on that now Blades.

I'm still happy were in the Prem next season, barring catastrophic results, but the thing that's annoyed me, is, we were fed bullshit about how fit and prepared we were before the return, and the fact that we just look like we don't give a toss, and now we're safe(hopefully) then that's enough?
That's not the team we've come to know under Wilder over the past 4 seasons(im including this one too), there seems to be problems, whether it's the lack of fans to play up too, or fatigue, or things behind the scenes, we don't know?, I just want to see us play with a bit of heart, giving it a good go, and tonight we started off well and dropped like a stone, ok it's Man U, I wasn't expecting a win, but the difference to where we were is frightening.

 

[10-0 win]

We've sure lost the momentum since lockdown, looks like all players are struggling, CW stated the team has trained hard over 3 months, maybe to hard, they just seem to be out of usual steam. Somehow an eraly warning for next season. The urgency we had is gone, but then it's like a new season. The table for the run in could be very different for us while the rest seems to continue where they where resultwise. We don't have single players as gamechangesers so when the team don't clic we're obiously struggling. Before the lockdown we did get some results even on bad displays (as at Villa) . Though run in, but the positive is the need for wise signings will be clear to all.

 

[mattbianco1]

Agree wholeheartedly with all that. But to watch Man U just knock the ball around us for 90 mins and us not have a modicum of a go, surely must depress even the most glass half full type of supporter.

That wasnt enjoyment it was pain beyond belief.

We were losing after 6 minutes. No way it's like that without the early goal.

 

[Houso]

A genuine (paraphrased) comment in the shoutbox tonight "we've been found out and none of the first 11 are good enough for the Premier league"

Fucking hell.

 

[robbiez666]

Can we just have a pinned "how dare you criticise an abject performance, we should just be happy to be here and on the same pitch as these world class players' thread which can just be used after every bad performance? Cleans the forum up a bit. Saves a bit of time.

 

[Houso]

Can we just have a pinned "how dare you criticise an abject performance, we should just be happy to be here and on the same pitch as these world class players' thread which can just be used after every bad performance? Cleans the forum up a bit. Saves a bit of time.

I'll scream this till I'm blue in the face. There's a massive difference between saying we played shit and we ARE shit. It's the latter that most take issue with.

 

[robbiez666]

I'll scream this till I'm blue in the face. There's a massive difference between saying we played shit and we ARE shit. It's the latter that most take issue with.

Completely agree but the vast majority aren't saying that. They just get used to shut down any criticism.

 

[Drunk blade]

We all expected a run of loses this season, most of us would have been happy finishing 4th bottom, we've be spoilt but I thought it would take more than 2 bleeding losses for some of you to question our entire structure.

We have a small and shallow squad!! That's it.

We have had major players missing these past 3 games, it's no coincidence.
WE WERE MISSING 3 OF OUR STARTING BACK FOUR TODAY!

Are some players out of form, yep. Are some of the new recruits not hitting the ground running? Asolutely but if there's one thing we KNEW we couldn't overcome this season it was injuries and suspensions.

Glass half full? We beat Villa, we had 10 men against Newcastle and today we had far too many important players missing to compete with a world class side.

We are in the top half, please keep positive and realistic. We finished behind Norwhich even at our best last year, who'd swap with them right now?

3 games, that's it. We might limp over the line now but belief and togetherness is our strength, don't shit on that now Blades.

Back 4!!!? .... When did you last watch us play? ... You aught to get a job on talk sport

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think it's the stark contrast in effort since the restart than that before which has people alarmed.

 

[FTPE]

Back 4!!!? .... When did you last watch us play? ... You aught to get a job on talk sport

Back 4, our 3 centerbacks and our keeper.... the 4 at the back.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Man Utd are top of the form table, haven't lost in 12 matches (all competitions) and that includes beating Man City twice. After some difficulties, they are world class at the minute, and we should keep that in mind while assessing our players' performances. Some of the criticism on here today has been ridiculous.

 

[Freddie]

Back 4!!!? .... When did you last watch us play? ... You aught to get a job on talk sport

Aught ???

 

[S40BLADE]

Its the seemingly alarming lack of effort that is worrying for alot of our players. Also our offensive struggles have only gotten worse since the first couple of months following new years. Id like to see a little rejig and potential use freeman in the duffy role as he has on occasion for othersides to help inspire abit more confidence in our playstyle.

 

[Speedracer]

I don't think the last 3 games will define our season, yes it has been a difficult return & it looks like something is wrong somewhere because we don't look like the same team as pre lock down, but let's not go overboard & have some perspective.

Saying that, one thing I noticed especially tonight, but also v the bar codes, is when we give away possession we don't try to win the ball back any more by pressing, rather we just jog back into position. Okay it was very hot tonight but still it is so at odds with what we are used to seeing, & I am not sure what to make of it.

 

[blade67]

I'll scream this till I'm blue in the face. There's a massive difference between saying we played shit and we ARE shit. It's the latter that most take issue with.

this exactly

We are struggling at the moment but have actually lost 2 games in a row (even though it feels like 3) Against Everton earlier in the season we played really poorly and won 2-0. The 3 games so far have been poor compared to what went before. Key players have been missing, especially against Villa and last night.

Slag off a poor performance but to berate the whole squad is just ridiculous

 

[Cerberus Blade]

We all expected a run of loses this season, most of us would have been happy finishing 4th bottom, we've be spoilt but I thought it would take more than 2 bleeding losses for some of you to question our entire structure.

We have a small and shallow squad!! That's it.

We have had major players missing these past 3 games, it's no coincidence.
WE WERE MISSING 3 OF OUR STARTING BACK FOUR TODAY!

Are some players out of form, yep. Are some of the new recruits not hitting the ground running? Asolutely but if there's one thing we KNEW we couldn't overcome this season it was injuries and suspensions.

Glass half full? We beat Villa, we had 10 men against Newcastle and today we had far too many important players missing to compete with a world class side.

We are in the top half, please keep positive and realistic. We finished behind Norwhich even at our best last year, who'd swap with them right now?

3 games, that's it. We might limp over the line now but belief and togetherness is our strength, don't shit on that now Blades.

No wonder you've got a rosier view than most then if you think we beat Villa? Most of us saw that as a 0-0 draw.

I agree with the general gist of what you are saying though. This isn't a disaster, it's not even a crisis. We are a good football club, with a good football team and a great manager. We've had a great season, beyond all expectation. What we aren't though is a club with the depth of resources and quality of players of most other teams around us in that top 10.

The small number of defeats we've suffered all season is testament to what a good team we are. The problem is not the number of defeats, it's when they occur and against whom. And we are all smarting a bit now because of two defeats on the bounce and an unconvincing performance in all 3 games since we came back from lockdown.

It does feel a little bit like the old United...leading us up the garden path then shutting the gate in our face. It's happened so many times, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But, we really do need to stop and take stock of what we have achieved - and it's been remarkable given the resources we've had to do it with.

The bigger concern for me is that we need to address two key things if we want to move on from here next season. We have to get more quality and depth to our squad and we have to become much more effective in our attacking/offensive play. Addressing the first one adequately may fix the second one. But it will cost not just money, but also knowledge. We are going to have to get very very good at our recruitment of top quality international players. And that won't be easy, not because Wilder isn't a shrewd and capable manager, but because this depends a lot on having a good international scouting system - and I don't think we have that at the present time.

And before anyone comes back and tells me that Paul Mitchell went to Argentina looking for players, I'm not talking about individuals associated with the club either. I'm talking about the club having established scouting networks on every continent, identifying talent and also very important, attracting that talent to Sheffield United Football Club.

We've made big strides this season in becoming a much more attractive proposition for top players to come to. So, we've given ourselves a great start, but it is only just the start and how well we recruit from here will determine whether we establish ourselves as an upper tier Premier League club, or end up taking a step back before we can move forwards again.

 

[Bladezz]

A draw at Aston Villa isn’t a bad result
A loss away to Newcastle wasn’t great
A loss away to Man Utd expected

Only the Newcastle game before hand we expected to get soemthing. We were heading for a draw until Egan got himself sent off and Enda missed the ball.

The premier league is unforgiving but got to look at the bigger picture.

 

[Wards]

I see the same old accounts on here coming to prominence whenever we lose. All have far too much to say after we’ve lost a couple then crawl back under their rocks when we turn it around again.

 

[mattbianco1]

Man Utd are top of the form table, haven't lost in 12 matches (all competitions) and that includes beating Man City twice. After some difficulties, they are world class at the minute, and we should keep that in mind while assessing our players' performances. Some of the criticism on here today has been ridiculous.

Exactly.

I think last nights result would've been easier to swallow had Newcastle not just done the same.

 

[mattbianco1]

A draw at Aston Villa isn’t a bad result
A loss away to Newcastle wasn’t great
A loss away to Man Utd expected

Only the Newcastle game before hand we expected to get soemthing. We were heading for a draw until Egan got himself sent off and Enda missed the ball.

The premier league is unforgiving but got to look at the bigger picture.

Correct.

Performance-wise, last night was much improved than both previous games. i feel if we had played like that against Newcastle, we would've got a point at least.

The worries I have are:

1. We haven't scored since lockdown (Villa fuck up aside)
2. We have a VERY tough fixture list coming up

We need to get out of this mini-blip starting this weekend in the cup.

 

[sitwell]

Completely agree but the vast majority aren't saying that. They just get used to shut down any criticism.

And you just love to the critisism dont you. You got totally embarrassed with your slagging of Wilder getting the job ,disappear for a couple of years apart from the odd defeat and come back like a bad smell when we have a blip.

 

[lakedistblade]

3 games in a week after a shutdown and half arsed preseason training. 3 key players out, 2 playing butrecovering from injury. 5 changes. Sweltering heat and blind cross from Rashford that dropped onto martials foot puts us behind after promising start. Our big edge this season has been our settled back 6, ask Norwich, Bournemouth , Villa. The smallest budget by far in prem league becomes a factor in this situation. No point raging at the wind. No one should be surprised at last nights result - but what's happens on Sunday will be interesting. UTB.

 

[8lade]

I see the same old accounts on here coming to prominence whenever we lose. All have far too much to say after we’ve lost a couple then crawl back under their rocks when we turn it around again.

Whereas I feel embarrassed that I post much less when things aren't going well. I don't know if others feel this too but the buoyancy that good football results gives to life helps me through the week.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

No it absolutely was, but you can't replace JOC with Robinson, Deano with Moore, Egan with Jags and expect us to put in a performance like we did at home against them... in which we still conceded 3 let's not forget.

Our pace and outlet going off early didn't help the gameplan either.

To be fair, Moore and Jags both played in the 3-3 at home.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

To be fair, Moore and Jags both played in the 3-3 at home.

As I said elsewhere, very different when reserve players come into a team high in confidence – the team pulls them up. It’s another thing entirely when they slot into a team where the majority are playing well below their capabilities.

 

[BushBlade]

Man Utd are top of the form table, haven't lost in 12 matches (all competitions) and that includes beating Man City twice. After some difficulties, they are world class at the minute, and we should keep that in mind while assessing our players' performances. Some of the criticism on here today has been ridiculous.

They’ve been a different side since they signed Fernandes. I think their two central midfielders cost more than our entire team. It was horrible to watch though. Summer football in hot weather seems to favour the more technical sides and our players’ technique seems to have dropped off significantly, both our passing and controlling of the ball. I suspect it’s because they’re not as naturally gifted as the top six club players and need to be doing it on a daily basis to keep their previous high standards.