Last Night - PNE 2 Blades 4

[cooperblade]

What a thoroughly enjoyable evening that was! Really, really good game to watch – 2 footballing sides playing all out attacking stuff. Good atmosphere as well - lots of getting Sunday out of the system for everyone I think.

PNE – absolutely hopeless at the back. Got to be worried about your left back when the opposition’s right winger(s) score 4 goals! They’ll score plenty at home themselves though. Don’t know if Hume is extra fired up when they play us (suppose the constant chants of ‘der der der der...Morgan’s Elbow’ might cause that to be the case!) but he always looks very dangerous. Think they will do well at home and will be in the top 6.

SUFC – full backs were poor, Maguire struggled a bit at set pieces but attacking wise we looked awesome.

Phillips was loving the space and we looked like scoring every time he had the ball – towards the end he beat about 3 defenders with some of the most outrageous showboating I’ve ever seen, danced into the box and then stood on the ball and fell over – it was like having Ndlovu back.

Clarke might be the better of the two though – everything we’ve been lacking for a long, long time. A striker with pace who can create out of nowhere and looks a nightmare to mark. Like Jamie Ward with ability.

Felt sorry for Simmo (and I’ve battered him at times) – the goal was a total freak and the fans were massively on his back after that. Sarcastic applause and cheers after every catch - how does that help repair his fragile confidence? He won us the game with one good save and one excellent save in the 2nd half. Noticeable that he didn't come across to the fans at the end and turned to the United fans a few times in the 1st half seemingly in response to criticism.

Great to see Willo come on and put on a great show. If he can maintain his levels from Sunday and last night, the squad suddenly looks much stronger.

Hope we’ve got enough left in the tank to go and get something at in form Orient – nice to be able to leave Ched on the bench (and still get 4 at Deepdale) in that regard.

Smiling again....



PS - worst ref ever. They had a blatant pen turned down and he booked Quinn (who should've then gone for dissent) for a Williams foul amongst other mind blowingly bad decisions

 

[axel smeets]

Yes, I enjoyed it enormously. Especially as it has taken me 10 years since my first visit to Deepdale and about 7 attempts to see my first win. United lost their shape when PNE attacked but every time we went forward I thought we were going to score. Indeed, the score could have been 7-4 to United.

Referee=toilet.

 

[Muttley]

At last.....we come away from that death trap with some points.

Well done Blades!!!!!

---------- Post added at 12:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 PM ----------

At last.....we come away from that death trap with some points.

Well done Blades!!!!!

Hope we can get the same in Chesterfield.

 

[TopBoy]

PS - worst ref ever. They had a blatant pen turned down and he booked Quinn (who should've then gone for dissent) for a Williams foul amongst other mind blowingly bad decisions

That sentence made me chuckle. I can't honestly think of two footballers least alike than Williams and Quinn!

 

[ZoneManWilf]

Felt sorry for Simmo (and I’ve battered him at times) – the goal was a total freak and the fans were massively on his back after that. Sarcastic applause and cheers after every catch - how does that help repair his fragile confidence? He won us the game with one good save and one excellent save in the 2nd half. Noticeable that he didn't come across to the fans at the end and turned to the United fans a few times in the 1st half seemingly in response to criticism.

In home games, he never ever claps the kop when the teams run out. The sooner we get shut the better.

 

[Jehovah]

In home games, he never ever claps the kop when the teams run out. The sooner we get shut the better.

Are you at the games? Seriously? He claps the kop every single fucking time. This jump on the bash Simmo bandwagon is getting seriously embarassing.

 

[Wards]

I don't think I'm ready to be on any bandwagon but he's been bloody poor for us on the whole.

 

[broomhillblade]

In my young days no players clapped the kop, kissed their badge, performed silly goal celebrations, etc.

They didn't have agents and weren't paid silly money either.

Their job is to score goals at one end and stop the other team scoring at the other. The rest is all largely irrelevant.

 

[cahill]

Don't know how old you are Broomhill but Hodgy always clapped the kop and TC used to blow us kisses

 

[wardlowwanderer]

Are you at the games? Seriously? He claps the kop every single fucking time. This jump on the bash Simmo bandwagon is getting seriously embarassing.

I sit on the kop quite close to the front and more or less behind the net. Simmo never applauds the crowd. I have nothing against him. He's an average keeper, but he knows most fans don't like him and so doesn't applaud them. Fair enough really.

 

[broomhillblade]

Don't know how old you are Broomhill but Hodgy always clapped the kop and TC used to blow us kisses

I'm a bit older than that....


Hagan, Brook, Ringstead, Hawksworth, etc. were all heroes but didn't play up to the crowd. We didn't think any less of them for it.

 

[Bert]

Don't know how old you are Broomhill but Hodgy always clapped the kop and TC used to blow us kisses

Hodgy never clapped the Kop but he did always make a pistol with his hand and pretend to shoot them.

 

[broomhillblade]

I had my dustbins collected this morning. The bin men didn't clap me for putting the bins out properly.

Miserable sods. Who do they think they are?

 

[Jehovah]

I sit on the kop quite close to the front and more or less behind the net. Simmo never applauds the crowd. I have nothing against him. He's an average keeper, but he knows most fans don't like him and so doesn't applaud them. Fair enough really.

YOu must sit with your back to the pitch. I'm in the south stand, he comes out runs to the kop and applauds it EVERY home game. Keep an eye out v mk

 

[Foxy]

YOu must sit with your back to the pitch. I'm in the south stand, he comes out runs to the kop and applauds it EVERY home game. Keep an eye out v mk

Don't know about that, he looked more than pissed off when he told those at the front to fuck off

Fed up of saying myself that he can't be held fully accountable when someone leaves their man free at the back post or when someone else allows their man to turn on the ball and get a shot away.

Should have done better maybe, deserved all the vitriol? no.

 

[alcoblade]

Don't know about that, he looked more than pissed off when he told those at the front to fuck off

Fed up of saying myself that he can't be held fully accountable when someone leaves their man free at the back post or when someone else allows their man to turn on the ball and get a shot away.

Should have done better maybe, deserved all the vitriol? no.

The vitriol is pointless and counter productive. BUT, if you keep plying a player who doesn't deserve his place, then it's sadly inevitable. It's unfair to the fans and to the player. Quinn was over played when he lost his form. Blackwell just carried on regrdless. Wilson, so far, is doing the same with Simmo.

UTB

 

[Foxy]

The vitriol is pointless and counter productive. BUT, if you keep plying a player who doesn't deserve his place, then it's sadly inevitable. It's unfair to the fans and to the player. Quinn was over played when he lost his form. Blackwell just carried on regrdless. Wilson, so far, is doing the same with Simmo.

UTB

and the saves he made that kept us in the game? Who do we put in until we have a replacement from elsewhere?

Neither of the George's are ready quite yet.

 

[Nick Jansky]

The vitriol is pointless and counter productive. BUT, if you keep plying a player who doesn't deserve his place, then it's sadly inevitable. It's unfair to the fans and to the player. Quinn was over played when he lost his form. Blackwell just carried on regrdless. Wilson, so far, is doing the same with Simmo.

UTB

I very much doubt if you can name a better keeper in League 1 off the top of your head. It's the Blades Way, as long as I've been going we've always had a scapegoat. Pathetic really, but that's our crowd.

 

[alcoblade]

and the saves he made that kept us in the game? Who do we put in until we have a replacement from elsewhere?

Neither of the George's are ready quite yet.

I think the events of the last 18 months aren't lost on most. I agree we haven't got a replacement, but we've had time to sort one. And now it's getting desperate.

---------- Post added at 11:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:12 PM ----------

I very much doubt if you can name a better keeper in League 1 off the top of your head. It's the Blades Way, as long as I've been going we've always had a scapegoat. Pathetic really, but that's our crowd.

I couldn't disagree more. I'm amazed that anyone would rate him that highly. Off the top of my head I'd suggest just about all of them. You're enititled to that opinion, but you're in a tiny minority. And though I don't agree with it, it's inevitable that if a player is deemed to fail time and time again, the paying punters will voice their disapproval.

UTB

 

[Nick Jansky]

I think you misunderstood the gist of my post - I wasn't saying he is the best keeper in League 1, rather that is the division we are in, and he is no better or worse than other keepers at this level.

But undermining the confidence of our own players whilst they are on the pitch is monumentally stupid.

I couldn't disagree more. I'm amazed that anyone would rate him that highly. Off the top of my head I'd suggest just about all of them. You're enititled to that opinion, but you're in a tiny minority. And though I don't agree with it, it's inevitable that if a player is deemed to fail time and time again, the paying punters will voice their disapproval.

UTB[/QUOTE]

 

[alcoblade]

But undermining the confidence of our own players whilst they are on the pitch is monumentally stupid.

I think you misunderstood the gist of mine, because I definitely agree with your statement above. But that wasn't my point. It's the inevitability of that "stupidity" that I'm highlighting. And it's not a United thing. It's football fan thing. And that stupidity works both ways. It also underpins a loyalty that leads many of us to consume an enormously inferior product to what's available, and some incredibly inferior players to be paid incredibly enormous salaries.

UTB

 

[Bladesman]

Simmo gets some praise from the BBC in the highlights.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15396565.stm

 

[Nick Jansky]

I think you misunderstood the gist of mine, because I definitely agree with your statement above. But that wasn't my point. It's the inevitability of that "stupidity" that I'm highlighting. And it's not a United thing. It's football fan thing. And that stupidity works both ways. It also underpins a loyalty that leads many of us to consume an enormously inferior product to what's available, and some incredibly inferior players to be paid incredibly enormous salaries.

UTB

I do see your point Alco. But I do believe that virtually every player that has ever taken to the pitch in a Blades shirt has wanted to give their best. A few haven't been up to it, but I don't think that's their fault, they haven't meant to be crap, and booing etc just makes it worse. All of our managers have been guilty of playing players, and sometimes persevering with them, when things weren't going well. Who was in charge when we were watching the likes of Mark Blount, Lee Bacter, Bobby Ford, Jonathan Hunt, Axel Smeets? It's not the player's fault, they are doing the best they can, and criticism of individuals whilst they are on the pitch is senseless.

 

[Ollessendro]

I agree that booing, mocking etc is counter productive. If Simmo's confidence is low, then this will not help. However there comes a point when patience runs out. Personally I think the Blades fans have been very patient with him. He chucked away points last year in crucial games and was probably the difference between us finishin in the bottom 3 and 4th/5th/6th bottom. For 18 months he has been dropping boo boo's and threatening to cost us points, or actually costing us points. This season his team mates have bailed him out on several occassions, but he looks a jittery wreck and like a bomb ready to go off (or make an error). The worst part is the guy is one of our highest paid players and probably the keeper on the biggest salary in the third tier. Sure he does not want to make cock up's, but the fact is that he is doign so. I don't agree with booing etc, but what other means do fans have to show they are not happy with the situation. The vast majority of Blades fans want Simmonsen dropped and Wilson needs to know that.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I think Wilson does know that, hence the number of times he has publicly defended him. But he contiinues to pick him, so should it be Wilson who gets the boos?

 

[broomhillblade]

I'd rather have Simmo than the Preston keeper. Having seen the goals on Calendar, he was a complete joke.

Maybe we're too hard on our own players?

 

[Revolution]

All this is scenery. The key facts are:

- whether booed or not, Simonsen has been making terrible errors on a semi regular basis for at least a year now (the Forest clanger being the first I can recall)

- A drop in division has not improved things

- There is nothing to suggest the situation will improve

- Simonsen's increased propensity for mistakes is not even a matter of opinion - it is a fact

- United must have been aware of this problem for many months, but have chosen to do nothing about it, whilst it took the Pigs a whole 2 days to get a good new keeper when they needed one

- if the board really want a top six finish, they will get someone else in asap. If they do nothing, expect more mistakes and more lost points.

I feel sorry for Simonsen, especially after his good start with us, but he is currently not worth a first team place.

 

[Balham]

All this is scenery. The key facts are:
- United must have been aware of this problem for many months, but have chosen to do nothing about it, whilst it took the Pigs a whole 2 days to get a good new keeper when they needed one

Weaver is out injured for months. His wages will be covered by insurance payments, meaning Wendy could afford to get a replacement in.

We're paying Simonsen's wages (rightly or wrongly) and I would guess that there isn't the budget available to pay for a second first team goalkeeper.

To me he needs a break to get the confidence back and I'd hope that some of United's training sessions involve practising dealing with balls lobbed into the box for him to deal with. I'd tell the centre halves to jump into him to recreate the League One feeling too.

 

[Revolution]

Weaver is out injured for months. His wages will be covered by insurance payments, meaning Wendy could afford to get a replacement in.

We're paying Simonsen's wages (rightly or wrongly) and I would guess that there isn't the budget available to pay for a second first team goalkeeper.

I take your point (although I am unsure about the insurance point - wages for injured players is certainly a big expense at the Lane) but the fact remains that both Sheffield clubs needed a keeper and only one of them did anything about it.

I might also add one thing that I like about Simonsen - he made the greatest save I have ever seen a United keeper make in the second half of the home defeat to Boro last season, and that's high praise after some of the things I've seen Kelly, Kenny, Tracey and even Rees do.

 

[Houso]

Agree with Rev's post up there.

Although, I certainly don't think he was at fault for the first goal on Wednesday.