Turnaround Since Southampton?

[Working Class Hero]

Since that 3-0 footballing lesson from Southampton in December, which truly was one of the worst performance I have ever seen by a Sheffield United side, it's seemed to me that there's been a bit of an upturn in the performances. Now don't get me wrong, we still haven't been brilliant, but it has at least felt like we've tried to play a bit of football compete in games.

The stats back that up. We've picked up 7 points in the 8 games since Southampton (plus two cup wins). In the previous 14 games we only picked up one point. We've also been well in the games we did lose in this recent period, which included losses against Man Utd and Tottenham.

We've also scored 7 goals (plus 5 more in the cup). The previous 14 games only saw us score 5.

Possession is also up from 38% on average, to 45%.

Everyone will have their opinions on why there has been a slight upturn. It could just be down to a change in luck. Was there a rollocking from Wilder after that pathetic showing at St. Mary's, or did the players even look in the mirror and demand better of themselves? However, it's an interesting point that Oli McBurnie was injured in that game, and has pretty much been out since. Obviously the blame for that torrid run of results can't lie with McBurnie, but is this proof that ditching the nauseating long ball tactics that we saw for the first 14 games is paying off?

 

[Pigsareblue]

I thought about this last night and yes we have improved except that run of Burnley Palace and Everton in all the other games we have played good no matter the result. I think WBA next week is a crucial game and a must win then we have Fulham just after that as well.

 

[Working Class Hero]

I thought about this last night and yes we have improved except that run of Burnley Palace and Everton in all the other games we have played good no matter the result. I think WBA next week is a crucial game and a must win then we have Fulham just after that as well.

Even in those games, we had much more of the ball than at any other time this season. It can easily be said that they let us have the ball, but I thought all three of those teams looked poor. We never made anyone look poor in the first part of the season (except West Brom).

 

[Dnblade]

Got to hand it to Chris and the players, they've never downed tools,or stopped putting in the effort when many sides in our position would have.
The Southampton game was the nearest we've got to that, we didn't turn up that day.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Got to hand it to Chris and the players, they've never downed tools,or stopped putting in the effort when many sides in our position would have.
The Southampton game was the nearest we've got to that, we didn't turn up that day.

that was always the argument against getting rid of wilder. The players were clearly still playing for him. We were in games but just not getting things done at either end of the pitch.

when you look at our best / most impactful players from last season - 90% of them were injured or badly out of form. Probably with the exception of Basham and maybe Egan if you think he was a top performer

Bash -
Hendo - gone
JoC - injured
Fleck - out of form
Norwood - out of form
Moose (purple patch) - injured
Lundstrams (goal contribution ) - contract out of form and favour
Stevens (pre lockdown) - injured or out of form

Finally then you remove our investments in a 18m striker & a 20m midfielder through injury in mcburnie and berge. And we are at a stage we can hardly fill the bench and the spine of the side is completely decimated.

that said if we can get

• a tune out of ampadu,
• fleck and Norwood performing to the levels we know they can.
• And ramsdale and Brewster start to improve as the team around them gets better

Then there is a pathway for some Better results between now and the end of the season, and whatever happens we have some confidence for next season.

 

[Chabuddy G]

McBurnie starting doesn't have to mean long ball, just because he's good in the air. It really is the most annoying thing about Wilder since he came in. We didn't sign Kevin Davies, we signed a good player, good goalscorer, who likes to drop deep and collect the ball and run with it at times. He just happens to be 6ft3.

I think the introduction of Bogle has been huge to be honest. As big a factor as anything to our upturn in play.

 

[Dnblade]

that was always the argument against getting rid of wilder. The players were clearly still playing for him. We were in games but just not getting things done at either end of the pitch.

when you look at our best / most impactful players from last season - 90% of them were injured or badly out of form. Probably with the exception of Basham and maybe Egan if you think he was a top performer

Bash -
Hendo - gone
JoC - injured
Fleck - out of form
Norwood - out of form
Moose (purple patch) - injured
Lundstrams (goal contribution ) - contract out of form and favour
Stevens (pre lockdown) - injured or out of form

Finally then you remove our investments in a 18m striker & a 20m midfielder through injury in mcburnie and berge. And we are at a stage we can hardly fill the bench and the spine of the side is completely decimated.

that said if we can get

• a tune out of ampadu,
• fleck and Norwood performing to the levels we know they can.
• And ramsdale and Brewster start improve as the team around them gets better

Then there is a path for some Better result between now and the end of the season, and whatever happens we have some confidence for next season.

Yes, agree with that mate, I've always thought Chris is the best man for the job, and injuries, form, luck and at times a lack of quality have all played a part, but can't fault the attitude under difficult circumstances.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Since that 3-0 footballing lesson from Southampton in December, which truly was one of the worst performance I have ever seen by a Sheffield United side, it's seemed to me that there's been a bit of an upturn in the performances. Now don't get me wrong, we still haven't been brilliant, but it has at least felt like we've tried to play a bit of football compete in games.

The stats back that up. We've picked up 7 points in the 8 games since Southampton (plus two cup wins). In the previous 14 games we only picked up one point. We've also been well in the games we did lose in this recent period, which included losses against Man Utd and Tottenham.

We've also scored 7 goals (plus 5 more in the cup). The previous 14 games only saw us score 5.

Possession is also up from 38% on average, to 45%.

Everyone will have their opinions on why there has been a slight upturn. It could just be down to a change in luck. Was there a rollocking from Wilder after that pathetic showing at St. Mary's, or did the players even look in the mirror and demand better of themselves? However, it's an interesting point that Oli McBurnie was injured in that game, and has pretty much been out since. Obviously the blame for that torrid run of results can't lie with McBurnie, but is this proof that ditching the nauseating long ball tactics that we saw for the first 14 games is paying off?

The inconvenient truth is that the last point you make DOES hit the nail on the head.

Fairly and Squarely so.

.

UTB

 

[Chabuddy G]

The inconvenient truth is that the last point you make DOES hit the nail on the head.

Fairly and Squarely so.

.

UTB

So do you blame McBurnie for the defenders launching the ball up to his head?
You're absolutely laughable

 

[Yoonited]

Since that 3-0 footballing lesson from Southampton in December, which truly was one of the worst performance I have ever seen by a Sheffield United side, it's seemed to me that there's been a bit of an upturn in the performances. Now don't get me wrong, we still haven't been brilliant, but it has at least felt like we've tried to play a bit of football compete in games.

The stats back that up. We've picked up 7 points in the 8 games since Southampton (plus two cup wins). In the previous 14 games we only picked up one point. We've also been well in the games we did lose in this recent period, which included losses against Man Utd and Tottenham.

We've also scored 7 goals (plus 5 more in the cup). The previous 14 games only saw us score 5.

Possession is also up from 38% on average, to 45%.

Everyone will have their opinions on why there has been a slight upturn. It could just be down to a change in luck. Was there a rollocking from Wilder after that pathetic showing at St. Mary's, or did the players even look in the mirror and demand better of themselves? However, it's an interesting point that Oli McBurnie was injured in that game, and has pretty much been out since. Obviously the blame for that torrid run of results can't lie with McBurnie, but is this proof that ditching the nauseating long ball tactics that we saw for the first 14 games is paying off?

I hope so. McB has his uses but for me we don't flow the same with him on the pitch. Interesting observations WCH

 

[PokerBlade]

It's just been such a weird season. We've been poor and haven't deserved a lot, but we've also had plenty of games where we haven't struck me as anything like the worst Prem team in history. That and players making mistakes when we all know they're just better than.

Things have been better in some games but the individual errors have still been there. Still, improvement is improvement. For me it's all about taking the recent wins and using the rest of the season to prove that the players are the ones we saw last season, not the ones we've seen in a dozen games this season. If we somehow pull off the greatest escape of all time while doing that, great.

 

[Kop Cat]

Berge not playing, just saying. Lots on here saying there is a player in there, I don`t see it but he doesn`t seem to fit in.

 

[JJBlade]

I don't think it's McBurnies fault
I think the club motto is to blame

"When thou hath a 6 foot plus striker thou will hoof"

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Berge not playing, just saying. Lots on here saying there is a player in there, I don`t see it but he doesn`t seem to fit in.

I don't think he fits in with our style of play, he's too pedestrian. CW has always had players who can drive forward, Berge on the right of midfield doesn't work for me. Even in the middle it's always so slow with him. Look at someone like Couttsy when he was at the Lane, he could slow the play down when we needed too but he also knew when to step on the gas and drive the team forward at pace. I don't think we get the Berge.

 

[Kev Gee]

I think now we need to just go with what we've got both playing and coaching personel and review at the end of the season.

You can see that things are slowly turning around, even if it could be too late to save our PL status.

 

[Working Class Hero]

Flecks knows it too.