When did things make a turn for a worse?

[FMBlade1]

For me the first sign of trouble was this post match press conference, you could see that there were tensions behind the scenes and it was here that it was let out in public for the first time. Further press conferences where the tone changed dramatically to 'look at their budget' 'fans talking nonsense' etc. added to this premonition.

With that said had Lundstram scored his penalty against Villa we could have lifted off from there, that was such a key turning point. Lundstram not signing a new contract was also a bit of a worrying sign, even more so that he was/had to be continuously selected afterwards even though his form fell off a cliff.

The signing of Brewster meant we had little to spend in January, further increasing tensions with the board, especially as Brewster did not have the impact that we hoped.


At what point did people think we had made a turn for a worse?

I imagine plenty will say yesterday, and I can understand that, though who knows what the future holds!

 

[pommpey]

I think it was more when we started against Villa and we didn't even seem able to dent their weak armour. They'd been playing shit and looking likely relegation fodder all season up to lockdown, then out we came hoping to gain three easy points, the mystery goal never counted, the pen was never converted and we spent a long game trying to break them down. Then more games on it was very apparent oppositions had done their homework and we were effectively toothless, with just one route to goal. Trouble is, Wilder just kept the same strategy and formation, Lunny got a shitty on, Fleck and norwood started playing like Championship nobodies and we started the following season not having done any effective 'look back' at our failures the previous ten games (Newcastle, Man U and Southampton spring to mind) Hey presto, ten minutes into the new season, still hoping to play Wilderball and we are two down. Given we didn't have much of a goalie then either didn't help.

It just never got better from then on in, did it?

pommpey

 

[Stebop]

Lockdown, no fans, no 'feedback' from the punters - no way they'd have been able to stick with Lundstram et al, and we'd have dragged a shitty but close performance over the line several times. Nobody fancies coming to the Lane with a crowd in place - typical for us that we have that advantage wiped out after one season back at the top

 

[GEARYstolemyBEER]

First time I’ve seen the interview heard a lot about it and wow. I got to the players are bright when asking for contracts and turned off, could see it was going to be a car crash!

 

[bromtom]

Lundstram's contract. Should have packed him off elsewhere like we did Duffy as soon as he started being a twat. If we didn't have a window to do it we should have sent him to train with the U23s and rot for a bit until we could after the pointing at himself goal celebration.

Undermined Wilder a bit, wonder if it weakened the dressing room.

 

[Weasel]

Not using the pre season to bring in midfield reinforcements, not covering JOC adequately, not thinking of a plan B when very good PL management teams had started to work out how to negate our formation which probably caught them out in our first season back (I'd have liked to have more attacking width with a winger or two to give us the option of changing things when needed). But we put all our eggs in the one basket.

Injuries and poor form hasn't helped but the management have made mistakes this season (for probably the first time).

 

[Stebop]

IMO, without lockdown and with a full Lane, we'd be comfortably up. I appreciate others at the bottom would pick up more points, but I think a real Blades crowd would account for at least an extra 18 points.

 

[knowsnowt]

I totally believe Chris brought Brewster in because us fans expected someone in. And after we missed out on our no1 signings Chris just blew it on him. His signing was a mistake but I get why it happened. And I feel us fans are partly to blame.
Wed have been no worse off keeping the 23m in the bank.. Maybe even better off as we could have easily replaced JOC later on with that money, and some of those 1-0 defeats would have been draws or even wins.
But there you go.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Lockdown, no fans, no 'feedback' from the punters - no way they'd have been able to stick with Lundstram et al, and we'd have dragged a shitty but close performance over the line several times. Nobody fancies coming to the Lane with a crowd in place - typical for us that we have that advantage wiped out after one season back at the top

I don’t buy this. Every team was hit by lockdown, if we handled it worse than anyone else then someone is to blame for that. If it really is the case that the fans are the difference between finishing 9th or the worst season ever, then it doesn’t matter too much who the manager is, does it?

 

[JJ Sefton]

Not using the pre season to bring in midfield reinforcements, not covering JOC adequately, not thinking of a plan B when very good PL management teams had started to work out how to negate our formation which probably caught them out in our first season back (I'd have liked to have more attacking width with a winger or two to give us the option of changing things when needed). But we put all our eggs in the one basket.

Injuries and poor form hasn't helped but the management have made mistakes this season (for probably the first time).

It was obvious when Man U ripped us a new one at their place last season that we needed players who could step into a back three without the quality dipping. That was more important than anything else and we spent £20 million on a kid ‘for the future’.

 

[Stebop]

I totally believe Chris brought Brewster in because us fans expected someone in. And after we missed out on our no1 signings Chris just blew it on him. His signing was a mistake but I get why it happened. And I feel us fans are partly to blame.
Wed have been no worse off keeping the 23m in the bank.. Maybe even better off as we could have easily replaced JOC later on with that money, and some of those 1-0 defeats would have been draws or even wins.
But there you go.

Brewster is an intriguing one cos to me he feels like the kind of player you bring in when you're settled and looking to progress. I feel like we jumped the gun - although I expect him to be an absolute belter next season one league below

 

[bromtom]

I totally believe Chris brought Brewster in because us fans expected someone in. And after we missed out on our no1 signings Chris just blew it on him. His signing was a mistake but I get why it happened. And I feel us fans are partly to blame.
Wed have been no worse off keeping the 23m in the bank.. Maybe even better off as we could have easily replaced JOC later on with that money, and some of those 1-0 defeats would have been draws or even wins.
But there you go.

I was thinking earlier, might be being harsh but our strikers combined have scored about 40 goals in 2 seasons, and about (14 - just checked) of those are Billy and McGoldrick, apart from Mousset who has been a complete waste of space this season unfortunately, we'd probably not have been much worse off if we'd have done 2 seasons in the Prem with what we left the Championship with and a couple of the academy strikers.

 

[dc_blade]

In hindsight, the defeats at the Etihad and Anfield in late December 2019 and January 2020. We were brilliant against City, robbed by a ridiculous VAR decision and the ref gifting them a goal. We looked like we believed we could beat anyone. A couple of days later we looked very tired and got taken to school by Liverpool. It was the first time an opposition manager seemed to have worked us out.

About this time, Mousset dropped out of the team and has never looked the same since. McBurnie started to play a bigger role and our football became more direct. We got some terrific results before lockdown in March but a couple of them were quite lucky and we seemed to be relying more on a tight defence. Berge was signed but immediately played out of position in Lunny’s role and we all know how that worked out. With the exception of a handful of games we’ve never really looked the same since.

 

[Stebop]

I don’t buy this. Every team was hit by lockdown, if we handled it worse than anyone else then someone is to blame for that. If it really is the case that the fans are the difference between finishing 9th or the worst season ever, then it doesn’t matter too much who the manager is, does it?

I would agree with you if every team was equally affected by not having a crowd. Our crowd dragged us over the line repeatedly imo, whereas a crowd like Arsenal's will probably make them crave lockdown!

 

[JJ Sefton]

I was thinking earlier, might be being harsh but our strikers combined have scored about 40 goals in 2 seasons, and about 20 of those are Billy and McGoldrick, apart from Mousset who has been a complete waste of space this season unfortunately, we'd probably not have been much worse off if we'd have done 2 seasons in the Prem with what we left the Championship with and a couple of the academy strikers.

We’ve spent about £60 million on Mousset, McBurnie, and Brewster and they’ve got 13 league goals between them over two seasons. I’m pretty sure that a better developed scouting network could have got us better value for money.

 

[knowsnowt]

Brewster is an intriguing one cos to me he feels like the kind of player you bring in when you're settled and looking to progress. I feel like we jumped the gun - although I expect him to be an absolute belter next season one league below

Yeah I've no doubt he's talented and will have a good career, kinda Nathan Blake like but was the wrong signing at the wrong time for us.. If we'd banked that money and used it later to replace JOC I doubt we'd be discussing this now.
I 100% think Chris reacted to us expecting someone in though. Lack of ambushun etc if we hadn't.. I believe JOC being in the team would have seen us no. lower than 12th this year. He really is that important to us. It's why I'm. more bothered about losing him than losing Wilder.
Hell go on to be our most expensive transfer sale at some point.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I would agree with you if every team was equally affected by not having a crowd. Our crowd dragged us over the line repeatedly imo, whereas a crowd like Arsenal's will probably make them crave lockdown!

Then:

A) We shouldn’t be charging them for tickets and

B) The question of who manages us doesn’t really matter that much.

 

[knowsnowt]

We’ve spent about £60 million on Mousset, McBurnie, and Brewster and they’ve got 13 league goals between them over two seasons. I’m pretty sure that a better developed scouting network could have got us better value for money.

If that were so then why haven't any other teams scouts picked up these free scoring gems?
I'm. not seeing them scoring for other teams tbh.

 

[JJ Sefton]

If that were so then why haven't any other teams scouts picked up these free scoring gems?
I'm. not seeing them scoring for other teams tbh.

If they don’t exist keep your money in your pocket.

 

[Stebop]

Yeah I've no doubt he's talented and will have a good career, kinda Nathan Blake like but was the wrong signing at the wrong time for us.. If we'd banked that money and used it later to replace JOC I doubt we'd be discussing this now.
I 100% think Chris reacted to us expecting someone in though. Lack of ambushun etc if we hadn't.. I believe JOC being in the team would have seen us no. lower than 12th this year. He really is that important to us. It's why I'm. more bothered about losing him than losing Wilder.
Hell go on to be our most expensive transfer sale at some point.

Dude - not saying you're wrong, but that is some high praise indeed!

 

[knowsnowt]

If they don’t exist keep your money in your pocket.

But at the time we were cursing the Prince for lack of ambushun for not signing anyone.
Smacks of a signing to appease us fans for me.. Which is why I lay some. of the blame with us fans.

 

[knowsnowt]

Dude - not saying you're wrong, but that is some high praise indeed!

Whether for us or someone else he will come. Good.
Makes me. laugh when. People. say he lacks strength. I've watched him close and he has strength where it matters.. Backing into defenders and holding them. off whilst receiving long punts forward, which isn't his game, but he can do it.
We've never played to his strengths. He must really regret coming here, and I feel for him.

 

[Stebop]

Then:

A) We shouldn’t be charging them for tickets and

B) The question of who manages us doesn’t really matter that much.

A)I agree! Imagine the statement we would've made by saying all fans can enter FOC cos the support is off the charts!!!
B) It obviously does, because Mikael Arteta is not gonna drag those points out of us by invoking some Sheffield based motivation that unites fans and player's alike

 

[JJ Sefton]

But at the time we were cursing the Prince for lack of ambushun for not signing anyone.
Smacks of a signing to appease us fans for me.. Which is why I lay some. of the blame with us fans.

I don’t disagree, but if you’re wanting to spend money to satisfy the fans spend it on the top priority, a centre half who can play in a three. Since we came up, we’ve added Jags and Ampadu as centre backs.

 

[JJ Sefton]

A)I agree! Imagine the statement we would've made by saying all fans can enter FOC cos the support is off the charts!!!
B) It obviously does, because Mikael Arteta is not gonna drag those points out of us by invoking some Sheffield based motivation that unites fans and player's alike

Do fans cheer Wilder louder than other managers because he’s from Sheffield? If only we could appoint Bobby Knutt.

 

[knowsnowt]

I don’t disagree, but if you’re wanting to spend money to satisfy the fans spend it on the top priority, a centre half who can play in a three. Since we came up, we’ve added Jags and Ampadu as centre backs.

Whilst both talented players neither of those can actually play the JOC role. that we relied on.
He's been a huge loss and the main reason for our demise imo.
He's the only. player I pray we hold on to.
Well him and Bash.

 

[Stebop]

Whether for us or someone else he will come. Good.
Makes me. laugh when. People. say he lacks strength. I've watched him close and he has strength where it matters.. Backing into defenders and holding them. off whilst receiving long punts forward, which isn't his game, but he can do it.
We've never played to his strengths. He must really regret coming here, and I feel for him.

It's funny how we all see the game differently - I like JOC and agree with everything you say, but if I had a choice between him and Duffy the year we went up, it's the Duffmeister every single time

 

[bertieblade]

Things took a turn for the worse after Wilder was quoted as saying we had our best transfer window.
If that was good, god only knows what bad was?
Unbalanced
No Midfield
No flair
No pace other than speedboat no driver
No cover for JOC

 

[Stebop]

Do fans cheer Wilder louder than other managers because he’s from Sheffield? If only we could appoint Bobby Knutt.

...yes - you know that right?

 

[JJ Sefton]

Whilst both talented players neither of those can actually play the JOC role. that we relied on.
He's been a huge loss and the main reason for our demise imo.
He's the only. player I pray we hold on to.
Well him and Bash.

Agreed, neither is good enough, one missing from JOC, Egan, and Basham and the quality of our back three declines alarmingly. What makes it worse is that so much of our game depends on it, not just defensively but the overlapping CBs was our main attacking gambit too. It was gross negligence not to do anything about that, especially given the warnings we got, like at Old Trafford.