The myth of limited players

[A Storm of Blades]

Not to find something to moan about, following one of the best results this club has had in living memory, but...

Do we think our boys will ever get the credit they deserve for their ability? We play at pace and I’ve noticed, every player’s first touch is usually top class.

• Basham has superb technical ability, especially given his size - reminds me of Matić a bit.
• Baldock plays at 120% the speed of most other players on the pitch and yet keeps the ball under control. His delivery has massively improved too.
• Stevens is much more skilful than given credit for outside of us, and always strikes the ball cleanly in a cross. Usually goes low too, which catches out defences often.
• Egan has perfect defensive technique, he has a great spring on a header, and excellent timing on tackles.
• JOC, has EVERYTHING. Pace, power, ability, skill. I honestly haven’t seen many better defenders this year.
• Didsy, Champions League technique and vision, no question.
• Norwood, as a clean a striker of a ball you could wish to see, in a ping and pass.

And so on. These boys are far more than workrate and desire.

 

[dingledog]

No they wont. Look at Burnley, they never get the credit after 5 seasons in the Premier League.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

No they wont. Look at Burnley, they never get the credit after 5 seasons in the Premier League.

Honestly, I don’t see the Burnley comparison. Apart from money spent of course. Burnley are great, but play a completely different brand of football. We’re a less expensive Leicester if anything...

 

[Punk Blade]

Yesterday Chelsea’s 76% of the ball was laboured passing from left to right to left 30 yards from goal with zero penetration. Our 24% was spent zipping it forward with purpose and pinging it in tight spaces on the flanks.

I think we sometimes take for granted how good every player in that team is at accurate short passing. Often there is virtually no room for error, restricted not just by the position of opposition players but also being so tight to the touch line, yet Basham always finds the angle to pick out Baldock, Stevens’ and O’Connell’s give and goes easily get them around the back. We rarely give the ball away or misplace a pass out of play in those areas.

 

[bromtom]

Honestly, I don’t see the Burnley comparison. Apart from money spent of course. Burnley are great, but play a completely different brand of football. We’re a less expensive Leicester if anything...

We're nothing like Burnley outside of being good at the back and assembled for not a lot, but they too have loads of brilliant players that get feck all recognition outside of being good at sticking to their system.

Pope best English keeper in the league, top 4 in the league generally.

Wood, Rodriguez, Barnes when fit, all capable of scoring 10 or more goals in the Prem.

McNeil, one of the best young players in the league.

Mee, Tarkowski, excellent defenders who offer a threat at the other end too.

 

[corner_flag]

Agree it's getting insulting.
Yes they came from lower league clubs -
But most of them went through top academies. They have the skill and the touch too and you see it time and again watching them.

Also strange that strength of character and work ethic is seen as demeaning by the pundits. Maybe if the expensive players in 'top clubs' like Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea showed some we wouldn't have taken points off them

 

[siblade]

The longer people keep thinking this the better for us as we can keep hold of them.

 

[HeySethUTB]

Honestly, I don’t see the Burnley comparison. Apart from money spent of course. Burnley are great, but play a completely different brand of football. We’re a less expensive Leicester if anything...

Totally agree with this, I was watching the Burnley game and one of the commentators said we’re a similar size club to Burnley.... yeah Burnley a town of 73,000 people with a ground that as a capacity of 21,500. Brilliant comparison that..well done. Its annoying FFS. You just forgot to mention the half a million plus people that live in Sheffield and the 32,702 capacity stadium, but other than that spot on.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

We're nothing like Burnley outside of being good at the back and assembled for not a lot, but they too have loads of brilliant players that get feck all recognition outside of being good at sticking to their system.

Pope best English keeper in the league, top 4 in the league generally.

Wood, Rodriguez, Barnes when fit, all capable of scoring 10 or more goals in the Prem.

McNeil, one of the best young players in the league.

Mee, Tarkowski, excellent defenders who offer a threat at the other end too.

I agree. They have a good set of players and work to a game plan. However, the backhanded manner that we are lumped in as a hardworking, agricultural bunch of cloggers (Burnley are a more direct side than us, as good as they’ve been) is intellectually lazy.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Yesterday Chelsea’s 76% of the ball was laboured passing from left to right to left 30 yards from goal with zero penetration. Our 24% was spent zipping it forward with purpose and pinging it in tight spaces on the flanks.

I think we sometimes take for granted how good every player in that team is at accurate short passing. Often there is virtually no room for error, restricted not just by the position of opposition players but also being so tight to the touch line, yet Basham always finds the angle to pick out Baldock, Stevens’ and O’Connell’s give and goes easily get them around the back. We rarely give the ball away or misplace a pass out of play in those areas.

Agree - styles make fights. We have the ability and willing to go direct, play short, move up and down the gears. It’s our mixture that’s such a strength, and makes us a nightmare to play against.

 

[Speedracer]

I think that the fact that most of our players have risen up the leagues from humble beginnings has been a help rather than a hindrance. Footballers playing for so called more glamorous clubs have a sense of entitlement & believe the hype & hyperbole that is directed at them from an early age, whereas we have players who have worked hard to get where they are, & have always striven to be better. Our football is pretty simple, in a good way, & it demands total commitment from the players, who understand that a well oiled machine needs quality parts for efficiency & longevity, & works better than someone just picking a few random star names & hoping it works.

To believe in this collective approach to the point it becomes instinctive takes honesty & desire & trust in your teammates & coaching staff. We are a team in every sense of the word, but a team of highly skilled individuals who understand that together they are stronger. I bloody love this team, every single one of them.

 

[Caveblade]

Could not agree more with the op and sentiments in this thread.

The limited intelligence shown by SKY pundits who continually bash on about the quality in other side's amazes me. Sounness did it yesterday, we have just ripped Chelsea a new one and apparently only Hendo is possibly good enough to get in the Chelski team! As Jessie J would say "it's all about the money" they are brainwashed into thinking money = talent. Barkley is the living proof that that is bullshit!

MOTD patronising "amazing" and giving us as little time as possible before moving onto the big clubs.

It is assumed we are a one season wonder by pundits and oppo fans alike . When are they going to catch on that we have talented players but we also have the best British Manager in a generation. I can't wait to see where this ride takes us.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

I think that the fact that most of our players have risen up the leagues from humble beginnings has been a help rather than a hindrance. Footballers playing for so called more glamorous clubs have a sense of entitlement & believe the hype & hyperbole that is directed at them from an early age, whereas we have players who have worked hard to get where they are, & have always striven to be better. Our football is pretty simple, in a good way, & it demands total commitment from the players, who understand that a well oiled machine needs quality parts for efficiency & longevity, & works better than someone just picking a few random star names & hoping it works.

To believe in this collective approach to the point it becomes instinctive takes honesty & desire & trust in your teammates & coaching staff. We are a team in every sense of the word, but a team of highly skilled individuals who understand that together they are stronger. I bloody love this team, every single one of them.

I completely agree, you’re of course 100% right. It’s just, I expect pundits employed for their insight and expertise to be able to recognise technical ability, skill etc rather than just “they won because they run about a lot in a coordinated manner”

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Could not agree more with the op and sentiments in this thread.

The limited intelligence shown by SKY pundits who continually bash on about the quality in other side's amazes me. Sounness did it yesterday, we have just ripped Chelsea a new one and apparently only Hendo is possibly good enough to get in the Chelski team! As Jessie J would say "it's all about the money" they are brainwashed into thinking money = talent. Barkley is the living proof that that is bullshit!

MOTD patronising "amazing" and giving us as little time as possible before moving onto the big clubs.

It is assumed we are a one season wonder by pundits and oppo fans alike . When are they going to catch on that we have talented players but we also have the best British Manager in a generation. I can't wait to see where this ride takes us.

Couldn’t agree more. Especially the money bit. If JOC went to Liverpool for £40m, he would walk into the England team WITHOUT kicking a ball for them.

 

[blade67]

Yesterday Chelsea’s 76% of the ball was laboured passing from left to right to left 30 yards from goal with zero penetration. Our 24% was spent zipping it forward with purpose and pinging it in tight spaces on the flanks.

I think we sometimes take for granted how good every player in that team is at accurate short passing. Often there is virtually no room for error, restricted not just by the position of opposition players but also being so tight to the touch line, yet Basham always finds the angle to pick out Baldock, Stevens’ and O’Connell’s give and goes easily get them around the back. We rarely give the ball away or misplace a pass out of play in those areas.

They showed a touches in the penalty area stat at one point yesterday and I thought it's a much better measure of how much you are threatening the opposition.

Possession is pretty meaningless in many ways.

One factor that the pundits seem to miss about us is how well we control a ball that is nearly always hit at pace. Average players can't do that, and it must be a part of the recruitment plan of our side. Players must have a great engine and work ethic and have excellent control.

 

[derfblade.3]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

They just cost more. That’s it. And I’ve no doubt that a lack of defensive quality would have barely been mentioned had Willian played a give and go and whipped in a ball for Abraham to power a header home. It would have been another big club circle-jerk

 

[derfblade.3]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

A quote after the Man U game.


"For 70 minutes I was really enjoying how they were playing.

"They go long when they have to. It was only when Mousset went off they didn't stretch United back so much, allowing United to squeeze up, and that is when they came right into the game.

"John Fleck said in his interview that they don't have the quality of the other teams. I disagree with that because as well as going long at the right times, there were times when they were like Barcelona in tight areas.

Like Baeca but non of our lads can get in the Chelsea team.? Make your mind up scouser!

 

[sufcboy95]

None of them will get the credit they deserve until they do it for a “fashionable club”

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

We will never get the recognition we deserve until we establish ourselves as a regular top half of the table finishers or win something. The same thing applies to being called “Sheffield“, until the pigs come up that is, when they will have to call us Sheffield United. I notice Man. Utd. or City are never referred to simply as Manchester.
One thing I do like is us being called The Blades during commentaries, not many our opponents are referred to by their nicknames.

 

[Davalon]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

In fairness to Souness he was far from being demeaning.

Imho he was pointing exactly what people on here are. How many of our players would Lampard pick ahead of his?

I'm more than happy if our players continue to be underestimated. Works in our favour.

 

[DI36O]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

Couldn't believe he said that. How can you watch that game and decide you'd pick any of their CBs over any of ours?

 

[Kenilworth]

The analysis on MOTD boils down to “what Chris Wilder and his staff are doing is remarkable” with a look of incredulity on their faces.
Agree with others, it’s a function of how long this club has been out of the top flight. If this position can be sustained for a number of years and if the club succeeds in winning something then the perception will change. For now, it’s an indictment of how poor we have been for the last 35 years

 

[Harrisblade]

Yesterday Chelsea’s 76% of the ball was laboured passing from left to right to left 30 yards from goal with zero penetration. Our 24% was spent zipping it forward with purpose and pinging it in tight spaces on the flanks.

I think we sometimes take for granted how good every player in that team is at accurate short passing. Often there is virtually no room for error, restricted not just by the position of opposition players but also being so tight to the touch line, yet Basham always finds the angle to pick out Baldock, Stevens’ and O’Connell’s give and goes easily get them around the back. We rarely give the ball away or misplace a pass out of play in those areas.

The quality of our short passing (and close control) is what makes us the best Blades team ever.
Our previous successful teams never had those skills throughout all the players.

 

[moDtheGod]

It's so ridiculous. If they're so technically limited, how come we can put out a team of internationals?

Norwood 57 caps for N. Ireland
Jagielka - 40 caps for England
Berge - 20 caps for Norway
Stevens - 14 caps for Ireland
McGoldrick - 12 caps for Ireland
McBurnie - 9 caps for Scotland
Egan - 8 caps for Ireland
Rodwell - 3 caps for England
Fleck - 2 caps for Scotland
K Freeman - 1 cap for Wales

Henderson - 11 caps for England U21
Robinson - 10 caps for England U21
Zivkovic - 9 caps for Netherlands U21
Mousset - 8 caps for France U21

Several others like L Freeman, Lunny, JOC and Osborn have represented England through age groups of U20 and below.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

The quality of our short passing (and close control) is what makes us the best Blades team ever.
Our previous successful teams never had those skills throughout all the players.

100% agreed. How often (even league one days) under wilder do we see someone unable to control a ball or take a decent touch or make a sloppy pass.

Those instances are so rare these days they genuinely stand out. We’ve gone from 1/2 players comfortable on the ball to the first 11 all being great with the ball at their feet.

imo This side would dismantle the warnock era sides.

 

[CentralQuay]

Honestly, I don’t see the Burnley comparison. Apart from money spent of course. Burnley are great, but play a completely different brand of football. We’re a less expensive Leicester if anything...

Which Leicester are you talking about?
The one under Pearson/Ranieri right?

The greatest comparisons are Leicester under Pearson/Ranieri, Burnley and Wolves.
It's nothing close style wise to Leicester under Rodgers.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Which Leicester are you talking about?
The one under Pearson/Ranieri right?

The greatest comparisons are Leicester under Pearson/Ranieri, Burnley and Wolves.
It's nothing close style wise to Leicester under Rodgers.

In your opinion maybe. I’ve seen Leicester a few times and they have the same ability to mix up their style. They play a short game, but just as capable to knock one over the top for Vardy to run onto.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

100% agreed. How often (even league one days) under wilder do we see someone unable to control a ball or take a decent touch or make a sloppy pass.

Those instances are so rare these days they genuinely stand out. We’ve gone from 1/2 players comfortable on the ball to the first 11 all being great with the ball at their feet.

imo This side would dismantle the warnock era sides.

Our centre halves were dancing around their wingbacks yesterday, as a case in point.

 

[CentralQuay]

In your opinion maybe. I’ve seen Leicester a few times and they have the same ability to mix up their style. They play a short game, but just as capable to knock one over the top for Vardy to run onto.

I've got a season ticket there and the style is completely different.
Leicester play with the intention to dominate the ball, it's completely different to the style under Pearson/Ranieri.

All sides still play balls over the top if they're on.

Believe me, Leicester's style is completely different to Blades, and i've had many criticisms of it this season.