My take ...

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The ball was definitely still in... the higher the ball is in the air from that angle the more it will look like it was out of play.

Yep. I think (like most 'fine margin' talking points) it defines us and our luck. It's a bit poor seeing all aour defenders turn into statues when TAA crossed it and their last coolly swept the ball into the far corner.

pommpey
 

Yep. I think (like most 'fine margin' talking points) it defines us and our luck. It's a bit poor seeing all aour defenders turn into statues when TAA crossed it and their last coolly swept the ball into the far corner.

pommpey
Fleck & Norwood, hands up if you have underperformed this season and if you're about to let a player score unmarked

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different angle, (might be biased but even here Lunny looks like he doesnt give a toss either)

View attachment 106747

Been saying it all season.

The three in midfield is firstly rendered worthless as the wingbacks are playing wide fullbacks and the centrebacks are not up in support, and

1. Fleck: Inconsistent
2. Norwood: Not PL standard. Never has been. Fleeting demonstrations of capability last season, but shrouded by other players around him
3. Lundstram: Bit of both above and mardy arsed since CW signed Berge. He's okay now that CW knows he hasn't much options to go from in RM, so he gets a shirt. The fact that no one has come in for him shouldn't escape attention.

Tonight I felt was the best they have played for ages, even if come seventy minutes they were back to being bypassed when Wilder took Fleck off and we went 3 in midfield again

pommpey
 
Fleck & Norwood, hands up if you have underperformed this season and if you're about to let a player score unmarked

View attachment 106746
To be fair, I don’t think any players or anybody for that matter expects a defender to back heel it into the middle of the box when it’s easier to knock it out for a corner and regroup, terrible defending from Jags who I thought had a decent game other than that.
 
Somewhat generous with your scores there Pomp's! 🤨
Generally, again we were terrible and against a Liverpool team that every other EPL team (and some Championship teams) would have beaten last night!
We really are horrible to watch, a shadow of the team we love, the team that got promoted to the EPL and did so well last season...... 😞
 
Personally I enjoy both yours and deadbats take on games, but as with all these type of threads it's opinion and personal perspective, why some don't or can't understand this is cause to bring back hanging, but to then go on a rant about how "your opinion is wrong simply because mine HAS to be right" is out of order,The to compound this by slipping into playground mentality personal name calling and abuse is grounds for at least a break from forums if not keelauling.
I may not agree with pompous (oops pommpey or deadbeat but I respect their right to have an (obviously) incorrect opinion to myself.
Now on to last night, the first goal, I believe , was at the front post flicked over his head and into the most dangerous area for a defending team, yes all three midfielders failed to play to the whistle, two apparently wanted to go to the toilet, judging by hands up and stood still, but for our most senior and experienced defender to not just put the ball out instead of teeing up their player for a quite simple goal is not a simple mistake, it is a school boy error by an ex England international defender and therefore inexcusable, considering we are playing against 3 world class strikers, not to mention 7 other high class , highly paid footballers.
Mc baldie should have at least hit the target with a free header, Burke has all the attributes of a top striker except the one that really matter, putting the ball in the net.
 
Think you were generous with the marks. Thought McB was awful. :)

(Just been looking at LFC highlights on Youtube from their website its all LFC attacks.
Went to SUFC highlights more balanced then noticed comments Liverpool fans are putting saying watching our hightlights because their's are too short!)
 
Unexpectedly high ratings there pommpey but as you say we weren't that bad last night.

I was really impressed with Norwood on the ball once we'd gone 2 nil down and they sat off us a bit, he's woeful off the ball though and the caravan he's towing seems to get heavier by the week.

Ramsdale was fantastic, just listened to his interview as well and he's stopped listening to the trolls, good on him.

McBurnie, has to score that chance. Loses 2 marks for that alone. Still needs to pull his socks up and get some longer shorts he looks a twat and hasn't got the ability to get away with it. Looks like Ragnar Lothbrook but a shit version.

CB's - did fairly well but at times it was men v boys. Ampadu is one I'd love us to sign but he's working his ticket for me, just doing enough. Bryan has come on leaps and bounds, I take back my early criticism.

Lundstram and Fleck - Lundstram isn't arsed in the slightest and plays like someone who isn't arsed, I'd rather have a kid in now than play him. Fleck shows glimpses of the old Fleck but again, off the ball he's shite and always seems to be running behind their players trying to catch up.

Enda - As his biggest fan last season I now think he's a busted flush, just doesn't do the basics anymore.

George - I like him a lot, it's a shame we'll lose either him or Bogle this summer.

McGoldrick - Had his standard game, tries a lot but we just can't create anything for us.

Burke and Osborn - Thought Osborn improved us, liking the 60's mop as well. Burke, he's fast, he's strong but he's shit at football. Improved us when he came on as he gave them something to think about.

Them - Much better than us, had more gears (hasn't everyone?!) if they wanted them. Preserved energy at 2 nil and just saw the game out. Really don't like them though, says it all when Hinchcliffe praises Mane for not diving.
 
Thanks for the report as I did something I wouldn't usually do and went and did something else after the second goal.

By that time we could have been 5-1 down. This against the worst performing Liverpool team in several years.

We had a very much makeshift defence of course, with that bizarre back three that was suggested by whoever did the "points gained while on the field" table. They did alright (Bryan has been a pleasant surprise lately) except when someone (Ampadu?) played that lovely crossfield ball to Alexander-Arnold, splitting our defence but Ramsdale rescued the situation, again. But we were played right through with ease time and again, and once more our midfield three were twenty yards behind (c Wilko Johnson)

When's our next game? Saturday afternoon is it? I might go for a walk.
 
Sad to see a castrated Pommey sharing his watered down thoughts today my advice would be keep on hitting that report button rather than biting back and when that doesn't work hit the ignore button ................................. works for me with my little band of haters.

Back to the game and more of the same owd I'm afraid. With the players we have available Wilder yet again picked the wrong formation by sticking with a rigid 3-5-2.
I would have preferred a back four and move Ampadu into midfield because he is as weak as piss for a centre back. I would have liked to seen Baldock, Jags, Bryan and Osborn as the back four and Ampadu replacing Lundstram leaving Norwood, Fleck and either Burke or McGoldrick to make up the four. Up top got to be McBurnie and Brewster as like it or not they will be our main strike force next season.

Ramsdale 8.5 has shown a marked improvement in recent games but for his efforts we would have gone down 0-5
Baldock 6 caught out a few times in defence and when he gets forward he can't put a decent cross in.
Ampadu 5 once again shows he is as weak as piss in the tackle.
Jags 6 Old and slow now but years of top level games give him the know how to be in the right place organises the defence well too.
Bryan 6 credit where it is due he does now look half decent after getting a run of games puts in a decent cross likes a tackle decent back up until Jack gets back prefer him over Ampadu or Robinson.
Stevens 4 Oh dear had yet another shocker.
Lundstram 1 can't we just pay him up like you would a bad WMC turn.
Norwood 6 actually wasn't too bad.
Fleck 6 looked knackered after 60mins he is not his usual self for some reason but we have very little option but to play him.
McBurnie 6 missed a decent chance even if it was a touch behind him he should do better. Let a defender take it off his toe when through on goal either pull the trigger early or step across the defender and take the penalty which would surely follow.
McGoldrick 6 nice touches without achieving anything.
Burke 5 Just go be a 100m sprinter fella at least you could bin the 50p boots.
Sharp 5 and that's for getting the captains arm band on the right way up.

Wilder 3 started 3-5-2 then went to 4-4-2 and we instantly look better but then went to 4-3-3 and looked shit again. I do like Chris and all he has done for us but sticking with 3-5-2 when we don't have the players to play the system effectively is really pissing me off now. Not being able to adapt will be his downfall.
 

Trolling and personal abuse is the same across the board, funnily enough, 'My take ...' seems to be a fairly wide ranging infraction generator so far.
Funnily enough, you seem to have your very own 'take' as to just what is personal abuse. You are very selective in what you deem as personal abuse. First you won't give any infractions to folks clearly breaking the rules and abusing some users, then you decide to ban the person having been thus abused and having consequently had lost his sh*t, too, in the heat of the moment. This has happened here more than once. Anyways, it's your board, so your rules. I'd just have more respect, if you didn't bend the rules the way you do.
 
Funnily enough, you seem to have your very own 'take' as to just what is personal abuse. You are very selective in what you deem as personal abuse. First you won't give any infractions to folks clearly breaking the rules and abusing some users, then you decide to ban the person having been thus abused and having consequently had lost his sh*t, too, in the heat of the moment. This has happened here more than once. Anyways, it's your board, so your rules. I'd just have more respect, if you didn't bend the rules the way you do.

Care to give me some examples? I'll respond to your insulting private message later too.
 
Care to give me some examples? I'll respond to your insulting private message later too.
There's nothing insulting in that message. I thought people were free to question the admins for their reasons to treat posters inequally. Care to give some examples where some fans have gone against others and told them they're pigs - and have been given an infraction for it, as they should, according to your rules. (?)
 
Firstly, can I just say I have picked up a fair few infarctions thanks to the trolling, targeted, personal abuse and non sequitur slavver I have taken regarding 'My take ... ' from posters various.

I get Foxy and Lindz's judgements and accept them. So for now, if you have a fragile, easily-hurt ego which is projected onto a football team you simply support, if you are one of those for whom an eight nil dicking to Crawley at BDTBL is summat to clap the players off and anyone who doesn't is a pigfan or if you are a current squad member thinking you're incognito on here and missing the heady feeling of being booed off in front of 30k Blades fans then please, stop now. Scroll past. This isn't for you. And finally, I am not your problem. Sheffield United and the football they play is.

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Now, having said that, I think tonight United played a damned sight better than they have recently. They lost two nil, but aside from the goals Liverpool scored - one from a contentious (but correct) ball/out decision and us switching off and the other from a fortunate kick off the sole of Bryan's boot past Ramsdale - our performance was encouraging for most of the game. Three formation switches - two good and one bad - and we were beaten again for the 21st time out of 26 games this season.

As much as we lament the fates of Jack, John and Chris as our 'pistons' (remember that term? I thought it was shit, too) I think tonight's predictable staring line up did pretty well. Jags is Jags isn't he? He hasn't spent a decade in the PL for fuck all and served his country either, although Balotelli was the dark lord of the sith to cut him down and remind him who he was in a white shirt. We were dreading Ampadu and Bryan either side of him but to be honest I don't think they did that bad considering it was once the most feared front three the PL could muster. Yeah, it looked distinctly 'Championship', but I have just seen Wilder on telly telling us he 'bought the best from the Championship' hoping to survive in the Premiership. So that's okay then.

It's 5-3-2 now (or 3-5-2 as he draws it on the team sheet, hoping to kid us we are up for this and not simply defending until they eventually score) until relegation and beyond I think because that is what is drawn on the teamsheet slip so he fills it in. It's beatable, it's flawed, but what the fuck? We're down, dammit.

So tonight however the emphasis was exploiting Liverpools highlighted weaknesses, and thankfully that didn't involve protracted periods of Wilderball. And guess what? He almost pulled it off. We actually went into battle in the areas that mattered, and utilising assets e have. For 45 minutes we looked slightly capable, if not likely to shock Liverpool into a response, like a beakerful of crushed ice and curry sauce down your arsecrack. The bindippers have been shipping goals and leaking confidence since whenever and are seriously not the freeflowing, Brazil-lite outfit they were last season. Klopp has stopped smiling like Bingo out of the Banana Splits and now he is under pressure and needing wins, even to secure a spot in the Johnstones Europa League. Put simply, he can't afford to not lift silverware or gain qualification kudos this season so beating our sorry shower of bastards was essential, as was getting one over on that cheeky spud faced fucker Wilder. Losing tonight might have got him sacked, in fact.

In fairness and honesty, I thought the first 45 were pretty bloody good. Before the game my Shiregreen and Whirlow Blades buddies exchanged texts of despair at the team sheet expecting Liverpool to be three up by 25 minutes in. I texted back at 35 saying 'Am I watching the right match here?' Okay, Ramsdale was playing out of his skin (another text I sent) and we forced them to work hard and think about who they were playing instead of switching to AUTO/BEAT OPPOSITION mode, and Liverpool actually looked rattled. We even had the fucking temerity to steer some efforts on goal, gawd-dammit. But like FIFA21, the longer you don't score, the easier it is for your opponent to work you out. It took them fifty minutes to do that and in fairness you can understand the players thinking it was out, but it fucking well wasn't.

As ever though, Wilder decides to change things and does and correctly puts pace and doggedness on in Burke and Osborn for the urbane cool and death's door or Didsy and Jags. How strange how we suddenly looked more capable with four in midfield, huh? Less outnumbered, more time on the ball and more bite to tackle than desperate, outnumbered falling back. Even the back four looked okay if fragile when Firmino broke through (I think Jags would have been in on him TBH)

Then its another switch to 4-3-3 and we effectively lose all potency. It wasn't a good choice and Liverpool simply game managed the last 20 minutes, knowing full well that no matter what chance we offered up, McGoldrick wasn't on the pitch so they were under no danger at all.

Ramsdale 8.5/10: Some pretty excellent saves, which stopped us going in at half time -0-4. Tonight he was on level with his predecessor and looked impressively brave and agile. Very pleased.
Baldock 7/10: Good outing from Furious. Worked well against the threat from Mane and looked just as capable and athletic working with Lundstram and Norwood in a 4-4-2
Ampadu 8/10; Thought he had a great game and is on for next season to acquire, if he choses to stay. Put himself about and showed pleasing control and confidence at times
Jagielka 7/10: He huffs and he puffs and he's 61 next week. But his experience shows.
Bryan 6.5/10: A lot better from him. He looks to be growing into the role. He is not Jack and never will be, but recently he is confounding his early critics
Stevens 5/10: Our weakest player TBH. At times his control was piss poor, but in his defence, he did keep Salah relatively quiet
Lundstram 5.5/10: A much better game if no where near perfect. Tonight he got himself more involved if was sloppy and lacked that special touch needed to be effective at times. Another Wolves style mistimed tackle from him that left Alwxander Arnold in
Norwood (watch this) 7.5/10: Thought he had a much, much better game. Got stuck in, won the ball (a lot), limited the ping until it was needed and his crossing was pretty nad-on. This is what we expect from him.
Fleck 7.5/10: Another revelation, if fading during the last twenty when Wilder went 4-3-3 when he was outnumbered again in the middle. John played tonight. Jimmy will be back next game.
McBurnie 7/10: For a change, I expected the ball to be pumped long onto his had and typically fall to a light blue shirt. He did put himself out and about a lot and won loads of headers and many of them finding a striped shirt for a change. But there was no pub football tonight. I thought he played very well and grafted, if as with Fleck, faded during the last twenty. Maybe he's been reading this board, but there was less shithousery, and far more of what he can do on display, even if the header was fifty peed (the cross dropped behind his marker and he did have time to chest and kick, possibly)
McGoldrick 6.5/10: Welcome to the Footballing World of David McGoldrick. Everything in the Footballing World of David McGoldrick moves at half speed, but fear not, you, as a defender move at half speed too if you are marking him because that ball that is coming at you awkwardly is suddenly and miraculously brought under control and he's laying it off (you are still moving at half speed) and he is past you, or he is in front of you, or he has beaten you to that ball. But he's older than Jags. As soon as he is in possession, his direction and vision is way above what it should be. He is simply our best player.

Burke 5/10: Usual Billy Whizz stuff with no end product. Banging it across the goal when you've done all the hard work beating your player is a bit bollocks, isn't it? He's fast, but he can't score.
Osborn 6.5/10: Good effort and we did look more capable with him on the pitch, even though he isn't PL standard in honesty
Sharp 2/10: Not a mark that reflects his performance more that he didn't really get into the game at 4-3-3

Okay, we're beaten again and it's difficult to see where we will actually beat the 11 point hoodoo, but can anyone honestly say that if we'd have approached last week's game like we did tonight we'd have lost? Why does it take a big name like Man U and Liverpool to get the best of our worst this season?

pommpey

last

pommpey
mighty generous
perhaps some have come to accept we travel backwards now more than forwards
since being brave at old trafford we have transgressed into finding ways of being on the attack yet somehow pass back to Rasmsdale within 5 passes
we look like we are passing better but opponents are taken unawares by us passing in the wrong direction

mc B is good at competing for headers but when it comes to directing the ball hes awful
the free header he got missed the target by yards

last season we made the most touches in the opposition box
now we faff about inter passing on the byline and either give it away or pass back again or a feeble easily cut out cross

we just have decimated our aggression,
we went to spurs and set about them last season, we played without fear and let them worry about us

its a mentality thing, weve gone from being cocky upstarts to fearful nerds

I found myself shouting at the telly again
for fucks sake stop going backwards the goals the other way
 
we have to somehow try and keep baldock and bogle this summer and find a system that gets them together down our right hand side even if its the basic 442 formation
 
There's nothing insulting in that message. I thought people were free to question the admins for their reasons to treat posters inequally. Care to give some examples where some fans have gone against others and told them they're pigs - and have been given an infraction for it, as they should, according to your rules. (?)

Well other than you calling me xenophobic no. You are free to question me, I've asked you publicly for examples of such inequality.
 
Firstly, can I just say I have picked up a fair few infarctions thanks to the trolling, targeted, personal abuse and non sequitur slavver I have taken regarding 'My take ... ' from posters various.

I get Foxy and Lindz's judgements and accept them. So for now, if you have a fragile, easily-hurt ego which is projected onto a football team you simply support, if you are one of those for whom an eight nil dicking to Crawley at BDTBL is summat to clap the players off and anyone who doesn't is a pigfan or if you are a current squad member thinking you're incognito on here and missing the heady feeling of being booed off in front of 30k Blades fans then please, stop now. Scroll past. This isn't for you. And finally, I am not your problem. Sheffield United and the football they play is.

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Now, having said that, I think tonight United played a damned sight better than they have recently. They lost two nil, but aside from the goals Liverpool scored - one from a contentious (but correct) ball/out decision and us switching off and the other from a fortunate kick off the sole of Bryan's boot past Ramsdale - our performance was encouraging for most of the game. Three formation switches - two good and one bad - and we were beaten again for the 21st time out of 26 games this season.

As much as we lament the fates of Jack, John and Chris as our 'pistons' (remember that term? I thought it was shit, too) I think tonight's predictable staring line up did pretty well. Jags is Jags isn't he? He hasn't spent a decade in the PL for fuck all and served his country either, although Balotelli was the dark lord of the sith to cut him down and remind him who he was in a white shirt. We were dreading Ampadu and Bryan either side of him but to be honest I don't think they did that bad considering it was once the most feared front three the PL could muster. Yeah, it looked distinctly 'Championship', but I have just seen Wilder on telly telling us he 'bought the best from the Championship' hoping to survive in the Premiership. So that's okay then.

It's 5-3-2 now (or 3-5-2 as he draws it on the team sheet, hoping to kid us we are up for this and not simply defending until they eventually score) until relegation and beyond I think because that is what is drawn on the teamsheet slip so he fills it in. It's beatable, it's flawed, but what the fuck? We're down, dammit.

So tonight however the emphasis was exploiting Liverpools highlighted weaknesses, and thankfully that didn't involve protracted periods of Wilderball. And guess what? He almost pulled it off. We actually went into battle in the areas that mattered, and utilising assets e have. For 45 minutes we looked slightly capable, if not likely to shock Liverpool into a response, like a beakerful of crushed ice and curry sauce down your arsecrack. The bindippers have been shipping goals and leaking confidence since whenever and are seriously not the freeflowing, Brazil-lite outfit they were last season. Klopp has stopped smiling like Bingo out of the Banana Splits and now he is under pressure and needing wins, even to secure a spot in the Johnstones Europa League. Put simply, he can't afford to not lift silverware or gain qualification kudos this season so beating our sorry shower of bastards was essential, as was getting one over on that cheeky spud faced fucker Wilder. Losing tonight might have got him sacked, in fact.

In fairness and honesty, I thought the first 45 were pretty bloody good. Before the game my Shiregreen and Whirlow Blades buddies exchanged texts of despair at the team sheet expecting Liverpool to be three up by 25 minutes in. I texted back at 35 saying 'Am I watching the right match here?' Okay, Ramsdale was playing out of his skin (another text I sent) and we forced them to work hard and think about who they were playing instead of switching to AUTO/BEAT OPPOSITION mode, and Liverpool actually looked rattled. We even had the fucking temerity to steer some efforts on goal, gawd-dammit. But like FIFA21, the longer you don't score, the easier it is for your opponent to work you out. It took them fifty minutes to do that and in fairness you can understand the players thinking it was out, but it fucking well wasn't.

As ever though, Wilder decides to change things and does and correctly puts pace and doggedness on in Burke and Osborn for the urbane cool and death's door or Didsy and Jags. How strange how we suddenly looked more capable with four in midfield, huh? Less outnumbered, more time on the ball and more bite to tackle than desperate, outnumbered falling back. Even the back four looked okay if fragile when Firmino broke through (I think Jags would have been in on him TBH)

Then its another switch to 4-3-3 and we effectively lose all potency. It wasn't a good choice and Liverpool simply game managed the last 20 minutes, knowing full well that no matter what chance we offered up, McGoldrick wasn't on the pitch so they were under no danger at all.

Ramsdale 8.5/10: Some pretty excellent saves, which stopped us going in at half time -0-4. Tonight he was on level with his predecessor and looked impressively brave and agile. Very pleased.
Baldock 7/10: Good outing from Furious. Worked well against the threat from Mane and looked just as capable and athletic working with Lundstram and Norwood in a 4-4-2
Ampadu 8/10; Thought he had a great game and is on for next season to acquire, if he choses to stay. Put himself about and showed pleasing control and confidence at times
Jagielka 7/10: He huffs and he puffs and he's 61 next week. But his experience shows.
Bryan 6.5/10: A lot better from him. He looks to be growing into the role. He is not Jack and never will be, but recently he is confounding his early critics
Stevens 5/10: Our weakest player TBH. At times his control was piss poor, but in his defence, he did keep Salah relatively quiet
Lundstram 5.5/10: A much better game if no where near perfect. Tonight he got himself more involved if was sloppy and lacked that special touch needed to be effective at times. Another Wolves style mistimed tackle from him that left Alwxander Arnold in
Norwood (watch this) 7.5/10: Thought he had a much, much better game. Got stuck in, won the ball (a lot), limited the ping until it was needed and his crossing was pretty nad-on. This is what we expect from him.
Fleck 7.5/10: Another revelation, if fading during the last twenty when Wilder went 4-3-3 when he was outnumbered again in the middle. John played tonight. Jimmy will be back next game.
McBurnie 7/10: For a change, I expected the ball to be pumped long onto his had and typically fall to a light blue shirt. He did put himself out and about a lot and won loads of headers and many of them finding a striped shirt for a change. But there was no pub football tonight. I thought he played very well and grafted, if as with Fleck, faded during the last twenty. Maybe he's been reading this board, but there was less shithousery, and far more of what he can do on display, even if the header was fifty peed (the cross dropped behind his marker and he did have time to chest and kick, possibly)
McGoldrick 6.5/10: Welcome to the Footballing World of David McGoldrick. Everything in the Footballing World of David McGoldrick moves at half speed, but fear not, you, as a defender move at half speed too if you are marking him because that ball that is coming at you awkwardly is suddenly and miraculously brought under control and he's laying it off (you are still moving at half speed) and he is past you, or he is in front of you, or he has beaten you to that ball. But he's older than Jags. As soon as he is in possession, his direction and vision is way above what it should be. He is simply our best player.

Burke 5/10: Usual Billy Whizz stuff with no end product. Banging it across the goal when you've done all the hard work beating your player is a bit bollocks, isn't it? He's fast, but he can't score.
Osborn 6.5/10: Good effort and we did look more capable with him on the pitch, even though he isn't PL standard in honesty
Sharp 2/10: Not a mark that reflects his performance more that he didn't really get into the game at 4-3-3

Okay, we're beaten again and it's difficult to see where we will actually beat the 11 point hoodoo, but can anyone honestly say that if we'd have approached last week's game like we did tonight we'd have lost? Why does it take a big name like Man U and Liverpool to get the best of our worst this season?

pommpey

last

pommpey
Entertaining report mate, but your player markings are miles off. More accurate if you subtract 2 from everyone, except Rammers and Bryan.
 
No, i expect you (as I do others) to not throw personal abuse around.
This is not a reference to Pommpey or anybody else, it's a personal opinion .............. I have a golden rule - if I wouldn't say something to somebody's face and be prepared for the possible consequences (in the pub or wherever else) then don't write it on a message board or internet in general. This has stopped me from typing some things I've been dying to say. It's easy to hide behind a keyboard but, well that's just shit isn't it. So I very rarely get wound up on line these days and just see the funny side of things.

At the end of the day, it's quite simple. If people don't like it, then go find somewhere else to play! God knows why you run and modify etc a forum though mate - you have infinitely more patience than I do 😂
 
I agree on Ramsdate - thought he had his best game by far this season. However, had one of those early chances gone in then it could have been 5 or 6. Liverpool were comfortably by far the better team - as of course you would expect. With our threadbare squad the next few weeks are going to be torture. I just hope we can pick up a point here and there, then finish on a bit of a flourish at the end of the season in readiness for next seasons campaign.
 
1/4 + 1/4 = 1/3 ..........av never been good at infractions.
On to last nights episode of “it’s like watching your dog drown but you can’t do anything about it”
Norwood impressed me with his attitude and his ability to open his mouth. Bearing in mind he’s worn the armband for the blades, when his form dropped he’s seems to go stum. I still can’t understand how he can be so hit and miss from set pieces. But there’s a championship player there and I for one don’t want to see him go this summer
 
Well....

I think some of the marks are a bit high.. especially for the defence and my personal hero Lunny

So my take..

Ramsdale 8 (The relief over the last 2 months that he should be a safe top end Championship keeper next season is huge)

Stevens 3 (been a great servant but he’s done)
Ampadu 4 (too weak and some kamikaze passing)
Jags 6
Bryan 5
Baldock 5

Fleck 5
Lunny 2 (please.. John.. just pack it in and leave)
Norwood 7 (still think he has a big role next season)

Mcburnie 3 (sigh.... SteveM was right)
McGoldrick 6

Subs
Burke 6
Osbourne 5
Sharp 3 (although game was gone by the time he came on)

Wilder 4.
Think you watched same game as me
 
Firstly, can I just say I have picked up a fair few infarctions thanks to the trolling, targeted, personal abuse and non sequitur slavver I have taken regarding 'My take ... ' from posters various.

I get Foxy and Lindz's judgements and accept them. So for now, if you have a fragile, easily-hurt ego which is projected onto a football team you simply support, if you are one of those for whom an eight nil dicking to Crawley at BDTBL is summat to clap the players off and anyone who doesn't is a pigfan or if you are a current squad member thinking you're incognito on here and missing the heady feeling of being booed off in front of 30k Blades fans then please, stop now. Scroll past. This isn't for you. And finally, I am not your problem. Sheffield United and the football they play is.

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Now, having said that, I think tonight United played a damned sight better than they have recently. They lost two nil, but aside from the goals Liverpool scored - one from a contentious (but correct) ball/out decision and us switching off and the other from a fortunate kick off the sole of Bryan's boot past Ramsdale - our performance was encouraging for most of the game. Three formation switches - two good and one bad - and we were beaten again for the 21st time out of 26 games this season.

As much as we lament the fates of Jack, John and Chris as our 'pistons' (remember that term? I thought it was shit, too) I think tonight's predictable staring line up did pretty well. Jags is Jags isn't he? He hasn't spent a decade in the PL for fuck all and served his country either, although Balotelli was the dark lord of the sith to cut him down and remind him who he was in a white shirt. We were dreading Ampadu and Bryan either side of him but to be honest I don't think they did that bad considering it was once the most feared front three the PL could muster. Yeah, it looked distinctly 'Championship', but I have just seen Wilder on telly telling us he 'bought the best from the Championship' hoping to survive in the Premiership. So that's okay then.

It's 5-3-2 now (or 3-5-2 as he draws it on the team sheet, hoping to kid us we are up for this and not simply defending until they eventually score) until relegation and beyond I think because that is what is drawn on the teamsheet slip so he fills it in. It's beatable, it's flawed, but what the fuck? We're down, dammit.

So tonight however the emphasis was exploiting Liverpools highlighted weaknesses, and thankfully that didn't involve protracted periods of Wilderball. And guess what? He almost pulled it off. We actually went into battle in the areas that mattered, and utilising assets e have. For 45 minutes we looked slightly capable, if not likely to shock Liverpool into a response, like a beakerful of crushed ice and curry sauce down your arsecrack. The bindippers have been shipping goals and leaking confidence since whenever and are seriously not the freeflowing, Brazil-lite outfit they were last season. Klopp has stopped smiling like Bingo out of the Banana Splits and now he is under pressure and needing wins, even to secure a spot in the Johnstones Europa League. Put simply, he can't afford to not lift silverware or gain qualification kudos this season so beating our sorry shower of bastards was essential, as was getting one over on that cheeky spud faced fucker Wilder. Losing tonight might have got him sacked, in fact.

In fairness and honesty, I thought the first 45 were pretty bloody good. Before the game my Shiregreen and Whirlow Blades buddies exchanged texts of despair at the team sheet expecting Liverpool to be three up by 25 minutes in. I texted back at 35 saying 'Am I watching the right match here?' Okay, Ramsdale was playing out of his skin (another text I sent) and we forced them to work hard and think about who they were playing instead of switching to AUTO/BEAT OPPOSITION mode, and Liverpool actually looked rattled. We even had the fucking temerity to steer some efforts on goal, gawd-dammit. But like FIFA21, the longer you don't score, the easier it is for your opponent to work you out. It took them fifty minutes to do that and in fairness you can understand the players thinking it was out, but it fucking well wasn't.

As ever though, Wilder decides to change things and does and correctly puts pace and doggedness on in Burke and Osborn for the urbane cool and death's door or Didsy and Jags. How strange how we suddenly looked more capable with four in midfield, huh? Less outnumbered, more time on the ball and more bite to tackle than desperate, outnumbered falling back. Even the back four looked okay if fragile when Firmino broke through (I think Jags would have been in on him TBH)

Then its another switch to 4-3-3 and we effectively lose all potency. It wasn't a good choice and Liverpool simply game managed the last 20 minutes, knowing full well that no matter what chance we offered up, McGoldrick wasn't on the pitch so they were under no danger at all.

Ramsdale 8.5/10: Some pretty excellent saves, which stopped us going in at half time -0-4. Tonight he was on level with his predecessor and looked impressively brave and agile. Very pleased.
Baldock 7/10: Good outing from Furious. Worked well against the threat from Mane and looked just as capable and athletic working with Lundstram and Norwood in a 4-4-2
Ampadu 8/10; Thought he had a great game and is on for next season to acquire, if he choses to stay. Put himself about and showed pleasing control and confidence at times
Jagielka 7/10: He huffs and he puffs and he's 61 next week. But his experience shows.
Bryan 6.5/10: A lot better from him. He looks to be growing into the role. He is not Jack and never will be, but recently he is confounding his early critics
Stevens 5/10: Our weakest player TBH. At times his control was piss poor, but in his defence, he did keep Salah relatively quiet
Lundstram 5.5/10: A much better game if no where near perfect. Tonight he got himself more involved if was sloppy and lacked that special touch needed to be effective at times. Another Wolves style mistimed tackle from him that left Alwxander Arnold in
Norwood (watch this) 7.5/10: Thought he had a much, much better game. Got stuck in, won the ball (a lot), limited the ping until it was needed and his crossing was pretty nad-on. This is what we expect from him.
Fleck 7.5/10: Another revelation, if fading during the last twenty when Wilder went 4-3-3 when he was outnumbered again in the middle. John played tonight. Jimmy will be back next game.
McBurnie 7/10: For a change, I expected the ball to be pumped long onto his had and typically fall to a light blue shirt. He did put himself out and about a lot and won loads of headers and many of them finding a striped shirt for a change. But there was no pub football tonight. I thought he played very well and grafted, if as with Fleck, faded during the last twenty. Maybe he's been reading this board, but there was less shithousery, and far more of what he can do on display, even if the header was fifty peed (the cross dropped behind his marker and he did have time to chest and kick, possibly)
McGoldrick 6.5/10: Welcome to the Footballing World of David McGoldrick. Everything in the Footballing World of David McGoldrick moves at half speed, but fear not, you, as a defender move at half speed too if you are marking him because that ball that is coming at you awkwardly is suddenly and miraculously brought under control and he's laying it off (you are still moving at half speed) and he is past you, or he is in front of you, or he has beaten you to that ball. But he's older than Jags. As soon as he is in possession, his direction and vision is way above what it should be. He is simply our best player.

Burke 5/10: Usual Billy Whizz stuff with no end product. Banging it across the goal when you've done all the hard work beating your player is a bit bollocks, isn't it? He's fast, but he can't score.
Osborn 6.5/10: Good effort and we did look more capable with him on the pitch, even though he isn't PL standard in honesty
Sharp 2/10: Not a mark that reflects his performance more that he didn't really get into the game at 4-3-3

Okay, we're beaten again and it's difficult to see where we will actually beat the 11 point hoodoo, but can anyone honestly say that if we'd have approached last week's game like we did tonight we'd have lost? Why does it take a big name like Man U and Liverpool to get the best of our worst this season?

pommpey

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pommpey
Agree with most of that ,except Lundstram thought he was awful and his body language said it all. He thinks hes too good for us ,ha aint and he will be found out in the scottish leagie or wherever hes going 1.
I would also probably take a mark off Flecky and McBurnie and give them to Bryan ,who I thought did very well.
Would love to see 2 of Berge/Norwood/Fleck alternating in the middle of a 4-4-2.
You know it wasnt me who reported you right ? I have taken dogs abuse over the years as you can see ,never reported anyone.
 

This is not a reference to Pommpey or anybody else, it's a personal opinion .............. I have a golden rule - if I wouldn't say something to somebody's face and be prepared for the possible consequences (in the pub or wherever else) then don't write it on a message board or internet in general. This has stopped me from typing some things I've been dying to say. It's easy to hide behind a keyboard but, well that's just shit isn't it. So I very rarely get wound up on line these days and just see the funny side of things.

At the end of the day, it's quite simple. If people don't like it, then go find somewhere else to play! God knows why you run and modify etc a forum though mate - you have infinitely more patience than I do 😂

It is a valid point and to be honest, I have been worried when at matches that certain posters may want to take things further (especially when I am with my family). I have had threats made to me on here. In many ways, it is unsurprising given the content and the level of interchange, but in the past the argument against me has largely been based up on the concept of 'you live elsewhere/you don't go to games/what the fuck do you know?' and the touchpaper is lit (because it's not about 'the game') and this time it's 'you're nasty to the players/what the fuck do you know?' I have never made personal threats but yes, if we were engaged in a conversation in the pub about Sheffield United I would espouse those views and verbally defend myself if the debate descended into shit slinging. I respect anyone who says 'you're wrong' and backs it up with their reason why, but people who say 'you're wrong' because of some pre-conditioned animosity can (forgive me for this Foxy) simply 'fuck off'. There's a pleasing amount of the former, but a disappointing amount of the latter. I like debating, I like a bit of humour, I like watching football. I also love Sheffield United, my football team. I don't like being personally targeted because of my opinion. If I say Oliver McBurnie plays like a pub footballer, I'd like you to understand why and if you disagree, show me why I am wrong and why he plays like Didier Drogba.

And I agree regarding Foxy. Dealing with dickheads like me (and that is verbal self abuse, Foxy) can't be easy.

pommpey
 

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