My take ...

[FMBlade1]

We have had 11 league defeats by one goal this season but the reports contain words like shit, wank, 2/10 etc. Pathetic.

I wouldn't have used that language (and haven't) but it cannot be denied there were some poor performances individually and collectively and managerially this season and it is fair to reflect on that.

 

[Silent Blade]

I wouldn't have used that language (and haven't) but it cannot be denied there were some poor performances individually and collectively and managerially this season and it is fair to reflect on that.

Yes, there were poor performances but no need to get too extreme.

 

[pommpey]

We have had 11 league defeats by one goal this season but the reports contain words like shit, wank, 2/10 etc. Pathetic.

Um, because in those games we played shit, wank, etc. And even 'Pathetic'.

Silent, if United winning, like today, is all you can bear, and people being critical of sub optimal performances (compare tonight and early last season to recent outings why don't you) then I question your sensibilities on the reality of football. Lose by one goal or lose by three, it's still a defeat and if you could bear to be honest with yourself, if we played like we did tonight in those games, would we have lost in so many games even by just the one goal, at all?

I rest my case.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

Yes, there were poor performances but no need to get too extreme.

What do you mean 'too extreme'?

This season we've been shockingly poor. We've given games away, meekly submitted and really been a collective embarrassment to the badge. One or two have stood out but the rump of the team, those hardy souls whom you seem to hold high in esteem have played fucking awful, resulting in us facing the ignominy of being worse than Derby County, a label they'll never shrug ... maybe until May.

If you can wear that then fine, I expect more. Much more. For a team that spends several times the collective transfer budget we have ever had and concedes a goal within two minutes of the opening kick off and fails to even get any better from that moment on, is 'extreme' the right word when coupled with 'too' for this lot? Good job the stands are empty, is all I can say.

Tonight was an indication that they CAN do it and they fucking well have. Lets see more of that. I am cautiously optimistic of more points in the next few games thanks to tonight's showing, but I remain realistic we are still doomed, not thanks to what you see as 'too extreme' but thanks too the failings and shortcomings of players who could be, and have been a lot better.

pommpey

 

[FMBlade1]

Yes, there were poor performances but no need to get too extreme.

I agree that there are tendencies, which I myself have fallen into, of being too extreme. (football opinion wise before the PREVENT strategy gets involved!)

Though some player's performances have been extremely poor at times this season, still let's celebrate our latest win

 

[VwBlade]

My take...

....away tonight was from the ever-reliable Galaxy Pizza in Southey Green. A 12" deluxe pepperoni. I opted for a thin crust this time.

I generally like to treat myself after a Blades win.

I've lost 8 stone this season.

Get yourself down to prime pizza mate, its the dogs bollox

 

[Jon B]

Just focussed determination, preventing Man U dominating, forcing them into errors instead of us an proving to be demoralising. We defended like Trojans and took the game to them and above all else, refused to give up. What a great night.

Yes, spot on, the lads took the game to them. And that is what we are all about.

And in a pigswill of a season they came up with a pearl of a true Blades performance on a par with some of the great games of the past.

 

[gordoncharles]

I can see pommpey is taking some stick because we've had a completely unexpected victory at a place where many of us will probably never see us win again in what remains of our lives, but the general theme in all those previous weeks I agree with.

This doesn't change because of last night, where we didn't bother with overlapping centre halves, but just defended deep with 8 players in the boilerplate way of sides playing against those with superior players. But we tried to get forward on the break when we could, and we did.

It helped that Fleck has had an exorcism and that confidence is beginning to return in everyone so that we can have genuine hope of an upturn, but to say everything's ok because of one magnificent, glorious result is deluded. You cannot simply dismiss what's gone before as somehow being "bad luck".

I've always thought that managers, despite most of them believing so heavily in their own genius, often find their best sides and way of playing completely by accident, forced into it by circumstances. I thought that at Brighton after the sending off but the management weren't paying attention. We can't really play like last night again against everyone, but hopefully there's a realisation there now that we don't always need Dr Chris's Patented Formula.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

I thought Wilder playing Jagielka was his 'Battle of the Bulge' moment, but what do I know.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

I bet Jags had a 2-hour ice bath after that. What a don.

 

[Davalon]

Get yourself down to prime pizza mate, its the dogs bollox

Literally

 

[true99blade]

Don’t even care, for once I haven’t even bothered reading which is a total fault of mine. Love you lot. Rusks on me!

 

[The Crab]

The whys and wherefores of the goals are already being dissected.

When I saw that line up last night, I was convinced we were going to get utterly tatered. I have my thoughts on playing short benched, I disagree with CW basically but this post isn't the place.

Last night was a little taste of the old Sheffield United, the one we saw last season and almost got into Europe. I actually felt quite emotional after the game, a bit like I'd been given another 5 mins with Ms Crab. Yes that emotional. Will it make a difference ultimately? I don't think it will, but it's heartening to know they have that in them.

They played like they gave a shit, like their lives depended on it. Thats all I've ever asked.

 

[cmuk]

Covid and a difficult run of fixtures? Just playing devil's advocate here but surely Covid affects every team in the league. And we all play the same teams the same number of times. mebbe in a different order but they're the same teams the same number of times. And do you really think one guy getting sent off in one of the earliest games of the season has shaped the rest of the season that much?
I agree with the confidence/ momentum train of thought but really I think those others are just excuses.

I believe our crowd is more an 'extra man' than most other teams and so I think covid has affected us more than most.

Order and timing is crucial though right, Do you play a team in form on a run or one that can't buy a win? E.g It was exactly the right time to play Newcastle, also look at our starting fixtures this season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Aston Villa

Leeds United

Arsenal FC

Fulham FC

Liverpool FC

Manchester City

Chelsea FC

We should have got something from the first 5 games, Wolves didn't seem as close but I was disappointed we did not get anything from the next 4 and should have done but for individual errors and fluffed chances.

So after the first 5 confidence is down players know they should have done better and got more from the games but didn't and then you have the next three... good performance against Liverpool but can't get anything from the game... etc.. then its 8 without a win and desperation gets worse.

Humans are not robots no matter how much they are paid and the psychological aspect is huge, just look at difference after a few wins. Strikers need to get off the mark.. etc..

If we get an early result the confidence/momentum builds earlier the close games become points. No excuses, it is what it is but maybe the reason why its been so hard to dig ourselves out.

 

[Espania blade]

First.
Ps unbelievable effort and 10/10 for Norwood who would have believed it!

Nah knock a point of for giving the ball away near the end, they could have gone on to score, and then waves his arms about like he'd nothing wrong.
Great night nice read and I love the "industrial" language
Now I'm off to read DBs report

 

[I should coco]

As said mate - I will give praise where it is due. I can't fault any of them tonight. They won at Old Trafford against an expensively arranged side on the uppers.

Here it is from me - anyone who criticises that performance tonight is a fucking pigfan

And THAT'S swearing



pommpey

Fair play to you for that.

FWIW, I think you are in danger of veering from one extreme to the other. As Silent Blade says, your 2/10s etc are unfairly harsh IMHO and good as tonight was, nobody deserved a 10/10.

My opinions, but I accept their currency isn't too valued by you.

Great win and great that you gave everyone full credit, even your 'favourite midfielder'. Like you said, if you're not happy with that, you are clearly of the porcine persuasion.

Get in!

 

[Geordie Blade]

What do you mean 'too extreme'?

This season we've been shockingly poor. We've given games away, meekly submitted and really been a collective embarrassment to the badge. One or two have stood out but the rump of the team, those hardy souls whom you seem to hold high in esteem have played fucking awful, resulting in us facing the ignominy of being worse than Derby County, a label they'll never shrug ... maybe until May.

If you can wear that then fine, I expect more. Much more. For a team that spends several times the collective transfer budget we have ever had and concedes a goal within two minutes of the opening kick off and fails to even get any better from that moment on, is 'extreme' the right word when coupled with 'too' for this lot? Good job the stands are empty, is all I can say.

Tonight was an indication that they CAN do it and they fucking well have. Lets see more of that. I am cautiously optimistic of more points in the next few games thanks to tonight's showing, but I remain realistic we are still doomed, not thanks to what you see as 'too extreme' but thanks too the failings and shortcomings of players who could be, and have been a lot better.

pommpey

Last night’s game (10/10 in your take) was a couple of dice-throws away from a defeat: a deflected goal, both goals in off the woodwork, first could have been ruled out, Martial’s could have been VAR overruled, their finishing could have been better... Likewise, some of our previous defeats (where you awarded 2/10) could easily have flipped to wins with different luck.

Your reports are fun to read for the most part, but are clearly knee-jerk. That’s part and parcel of being a football fan, and you convey the rollercoaster emotions really well. But you can’t expect your analysis to be taken seriously.

 

[BarcaBlade]

McGoldrick - Still the go to bloke out of defence to hold and make use of the outlets. His offside chance - let's not talk about that.

To talk about that...
Wouldn't it be better in that position, where he knew he was offside from the first moment, to run in on goal as he did, but then rather than having a shot, send a well weighted pass so the ball comes to a stop just by the corner flag?

I don't know the intricacies of the rules these days, but surely it would eat up more time as the offside couldn't then be flagged until somebody got to the ball.

 

[pommpey]

Last night’s game (10/10 in your take) was a couple of dice-throws away from a defeat: a deflected goal, both goals in off the woodwork, first could have been ruled out, Martial’s could have been VAR overruled, their finishing could have been better... Likewise, some of our previous defeats (where you awarded 2/10) could easily have flipped to wins with different luck.

Your reports are fun to read for the most part, but are clearly knee-jerk. That’s part and parcel of being a football fan, and you convey the rollercoaster emotions really well. But you can’t expect your analysis to be taken seriously.

In context (because as ever, these threads turn into critique of me, rather than critique of Sheffield United and 'football') the 2/10s have been for individual performances. Your 'couple of dice-throws away from defeat' assesses both ours and Manchester United's situation, yet my 'marks out of ten' are individual assessments. You can't tell me Norwood's performance against Spurs, for example, was anywhere near last night's against Manchester United. If you do, then I doubt it's my analysis which needs to be taken seriously. Okay, different teams and different situations, but he was a way better player last night. And even in defeats which 'could have been easily flipped to wins' which ones? We have serially conceded leads (Chelsea, Liverpool) and never looked like pulling level, and squandered narrow margins (WBA) with gash chance executing. The 2/10s have also reflected very poor individual performances as well. You disagree? Fine. But it would be good to show exactly where I am wrong instead of pitching up with terms like 'knee-jerk' and 'rollercoaster emotions' and not taking my analysis seriously. Let me just amplify that this season has been a complete disaster with defeat after defeat with small incidents the other way but we still remain essentially relegated at Christmas and facing the ignominy of being worse than Derby, Birmingham or Sunderland. At least Derby have the fall back excuse of change of ownership and manager and no £130m+ spending spree, (many of whom didn't play last night by the way), whereas we have no excuse, really, especially when last night we suddenly played like the battling lions we saw at the start of last season and deservedly won, away at Old Trafford. Was you expecting that result? Was anyone? So why are we talking about 'being taken seriously', all of a sudden?

pommpey

 

[MobileBlade]

Last night’s game (10/10 in your take) was a couple of dice-throws away from a defeat: a deflected goal, both goals in off the woodwork, first could have been ruled out, Martial’s could have been VAR overruled, their finishing could have been better... Likewise, some of our previous defeats (where you awarded 2/10) could easily have flipped to wins with different luck.

Your reports are fun to read for the most part, but are clearly knee-jerk. That’s part and parcel of being a football fan, and you convey the rollercoaster emotions really well. But you can’t expect your analysis to be taken seriously.

Egan could have taken Vardy out of the game. He didn't and we lost when we should have had a point more. The game is full of could haves and should haves. Its what makes the game.

 

[Geordie Blade]

Egan could have taken Vardy out of the game. He didn't and we lost when we should have had a point more. The game is full of could haves and should haves. Its what makes the game.

Completely agree. It's why fine margins of results shouldn't drive whether a performance is 2/10 or 10/10. Egan's failure to foul Vardy shouldn't suddenly mean that every other player's score falls to a 2/10.

 

[Geordie Blade]

In context (because as ever, these threads turn into critique of me, rather than critique of Sheffield United and 'football') the 2/10s have been for individual performances. Your 'couple of dice-throws away from defeat' assesses both ours and Manchester United's situation, yet my 'marks out of ten' are individual assessments. You can't tell me Norwood's performance against Spurs, for example, was anywhere near last night's against Manchester United. If you do, then I doubt it's my analysis which needs to be taken seriously. Okay, different teams and different situations, but he was a way better player last night. And even in defeats which 'could have been easily flipped to wins' which ones? We have serially conceded leads (Chelsea, Liverpool) and never looked like pulling level, and squandered narrow margins (WBA) with gash chance executing. The 2/10s have also reflected very poor individual performances as well. You disagree? Fine. But it would be good to show exactly where I am wrong instead of pitching up with terms like 'knee-jerk' and 'rollercoaster emotions' and not taking my analysis seriously. Let me just amplify that this season has been a complete disaster with defeat after defeat with small incidents the other way but we still remain essentially relegated at Christmas and facing the ignominy of being worse than Derby, Birmingham or Sunderland. At least Derby have the fall back excuse of change of ownership and manager and no £130m+ spending spree, (many of whom didn't play last night by the way), whereas we have no excuse, really, especially when last night we suddenly played like the battling lions we saw at the start of last season and deservedly won, away at Old Trafford. Was you expecting that result? Was anyone? So why are we talking about 'being taken seriously', all of a sudden?

pommpey

I didn't mean it to be a critique of you - more about the reporting style. It is definitely a 'fan' type of reporting which, as I say, is very fun to read. It's different to the more analytical posts from, say, Bergen Blade. Good luck to you and long may you enjoy writing them!

 

[MobileBlade]

Completely agree. It's why fine margins of results shouldn't drive whether a performance is 2/10 or 10/10. Egan's failure to foul Vardy shouldn't suddenly mean that every other player's score falls to a 2/10.

In 50 years of watching the game, I have failed to see a 10/10 performance from anyone. I have seen a few team performances as 10/10 but I have never seen a performance where a player has never made at least one bad pass, one missed tackle, one shot that has not gone in the net, one goal kick that has not landed on the head of a player it should have gone to etc etc etc. Depends where you set your expectations. Does the sum of a few 6/10 equal a 10/10 team performance? Or does a few 2/10 make a 1/10 team performance? Last night Jags was fantastic but he lost Maguire for their goal. Bash was fantastic but he missed a tackle that Jags rescued him on. I could go through every player last night and pick up something they did wrong but actually overall the performance was very positive which goes back to my first point.

I would count on one hand the number of games this season where I think we have, as a team, been poor and well beaten. 3/4 of the games we have lost have been by a single goal - that is not what happens normally to a team at the bottom. The find margins you talk about have gone in the wrong direction - Leeds last minute, Leicester last minute, West Brom somehow putting a piece of 8ft x 8yard plasterboard in front of their goal etc etc. Last night we had a couple that went the right way but you earn your luck.

 

[I should coco]

In 50 years of watching the game, I have failed to see a 10/10 performance from anyone.

IIRC after Leon got 4 goals against Ull, Deadbat still only gave him 9/10 muttering something about mud on his boots and looking a 'bit lazy'.

'Ten out of ten' has just become a figure of speech rather than any accurate and rational scheme of measurement. If you look at the BBC scores done after each game, when we've lost most of our players have been 4, 5 or maximum 6/10. It's a Trumpesque mentality where 'losers' get no allowance or credit. They are just losers.

pommpey 's take is fan based and he plays to the gallery, but does it well. Sadly he will accuse me of 'playing the man' again, but he generally is funny because of the hyperbole. So it follows that in this world of extremes everything is 2/10 or 10/10.

As he has said, it's his take.

 

[Varkanoid]

Pure class.

 

[MobileBlade]

IIRC after Leon got 4 goals against Ull, Deadbat still only gave him 9/10 muttering something about mud on his boots and looking a 'bit lazy'.

'Ten out of ten' has just become a figure of speech rather than any accurate and rational scheme of measurement. If you look at the BBC scores done after each game, when we've lost most of our players have been 4, 5 or maximum 6/10. It's a Trumpesque mentality where 'losers' get no allowance or credit. They are just losers.

pommpey 's take is fan based and he plays to the gallery, but does it well. Sadly he will accuse me of 'playing the man' again, but he generally is funny because of the hyperbole. So it follows that in this world of extremes everything is 2/10 or 10/10.

As he has said, it's his take.

If I remember rightly, Leon should have had another couple that day as well. Definitely not 10/10

 

[Geordie Blade]

In 50 years of watching the game, I have failed to see a 10/10 performance from anyone.

Mel Rees on his debut (vs Liverpool).

 

[I should coco]

Mel Rees on his debut (vs Liverpool).

Alan Kelly in extra time in the semi-final at Wemberlee, although it doesn't really count as there was no FA Cup that year.

Oh no!

 

[pommpey]

pommpey 's take is fan based and he plays to the gallery, but does it well. Sadly he will accuse me of 'playing the man' again, but he generally is funny because of the hyperbole. So it follows that in this world of extremes everything is 2/10 or 10/10.

As he has said, it's his take.

What 'gallery' would that be? If you notice, I get enough counter-opinion from said 'gallery', both from the 'I disagree and this is why', 'a bit harsh, this is how I saw it' people, and the 'yore a cuntt', 'neva bein a blade', thar dunt gu 2 ne gamez' brigade. Hardly a 'gallery'. It's nice when people agree (but not essential) but great when people disagree and offer their own 'take', hopefully based on what they saw, not who I am, what my job is, what my geographic location is or how big a Blade they reckon I am.

You make it sound like I have some sort of 'fan club' on here and you are wrong. Everyone has their own opinion, and some (some weeks) align with mine, nothing more. It says much about what I put, what others see and the consensus of opinion about the ninety minutes they've seen in the past twenty four hours. You - and others- allude I mark every game (or player) either 2/10 or 10/10. Go back and look. I don't. If you are defending Norwood - he deserved the ten last night just for not fucking up, being a midfield liability and not clipping it across the park endlessly for the sum of nowt. In truth on comparative performance, he was possibly 7.5 to 8/10. But he earned that. I didn't mark everyone else because given we'd beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford with a thoroughly deserved victory, it would be churlish to pick specific holes when we were expected to get battered and humiliated. Again.

I've got no idea what you mean ref: 'hyperbole'. My style of writing is mine and more absurdist than hyperbolic. And it's not something I work on. I just do it and hope people see humour out of the (at times) misery.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

In 50 years of watching the game, I have failed to see a 10/10 performance from anyone.

Michael Brown away Pompey 1-2 Sheff Utd

That night, he was world class

pommpey