In Danny we trust

[Jehovah]

Don't think Porter did too much wrong last night. He's not gonna bring the ball down and take on 3 men, we know that. Bit disappointed he didn't get in front of the defenders on a couple of crosses but he did ok. I also thought Hill was much improved last night. The mega blades, blades.

 

[Northyorksblade]

I was as pleased with the clean sheet as much as anything. Is that the first time we've played 4-5-1 this season?

 

[pommpey]

Yeah you're right , we should have played ched Evans or Hoskins or Beattie or an unfit cresswell instead they would have singlehandedly destroyed that Stevenage defence

?

Nice one. My point is Porter's lack of skill. Maybe as a result of being on the bench, or not being good enough any more at this level. Your point?

Elsewhere on here ... from what I'd heard of Hill, I was expecting a lot worse. Admittedly he fell into the old United style of punting it forward into nowhere and late on in the second half found himself closed down as they tried to press, but I don't think he had too bad a game. We've had worse wide defenders.

Do think we have to be careful at the Lane, though. The first ten minutes of the League game we were at 'em with Quinny's crosses and the Willo thought he was better than he was and suddenly they are on the counter and its in the net. On that occasion they broke well and we need to be able to stop that and control their game. We need to be the ones dictating rather than we were at BDTBL and at their ground with them where they spent ages trying to break down a dogged defence. And Maguire needs to do what he is there to do, not fuck about playing keepy-uppy.

pommpey

 

[judge]

Nice one. My point is Porter's lack of skill. Maybe as a result of being on the bench, or not being good enough any more at this level. Your point?


He's 5 th choice striker at a lg 1 club , what do you expect ?

 

[Blade58]

Nice one. My point is Porter's lack of skill. Maybe as a result of being on the bench, or not being good enough any more at this level. Your point?


He's 5 th choice striker at a lg 1 club , what do you expect ?

5th choice striker or 1st choice striker is irrelevant. A professional footballer ought to be able to control a football

The lad put himself about. Got stuck in and tried his best. Unfortunately, in some fans views, mine included, his best isn't enough for a promotion chasing side

Prove the doubters wrong Porter!

 

[judge]

5th choice striker or 1st choice striker is irrelevant. A professional footballer ought to be able to control a football

The lad put himself about. Got stuck in and tried his best. Unfortunately, in some fans views, mine included, his best isn't enough for a promotion chasing side

Prove the doubters wrong Porter!

Whats the alternative ?

 

[Blade58]

We'll find out on Monday whether Wilson has been protecting Creswell to allow him to play in the home tie

Even then we might still struggle. Creswell is not the answer to all our prayers, but I believe he offers more than Porter

Tbh, I can't really give other alternatives, as I don't see them in training, but a shuffle of the pack yet again may well need doing

Instead of Quinn behind the front man, I'm wondering whether Willo would be a better alternative? Quinn left, Flynn right

It's never f'kin easy for us is it?

 

[Large Mendonca]

I honestly thought Porter was shocking. I disagree with comments that he put a shift in, save for one "burst" second half down by the corner flag, it looked like he was on a sunday morning jog - no urgency whatsoever..

 

[LSF]

I thought Pommpey was near enough on the mark as to how I saw it too, though my view was from row B seat 116 (right in the bloody corner!). The upside to this viewpoint was I was sat (well, stood!) next to Lecs & Marcus Williams who had been banished to the away end as there was no room for them in dug out or just behind! Had a nice chat with Lecs who seemed a very nice, well mannered young fellow, he was explaining his injury and recovery period to me. One or two of the younger element were encouraging LJF & MW to join in the Sheffield United chant, which they did with great humour.
I'd have taken 0-0 before the start but afterwards thought we did enough to win it second half. All the players played their part and we made Stevenage look what they are, (ordinary), as compared to what we made them look at t'lane the other week, (competent). We executed the 4-5-1 amost perfectly, just lacked the killer goal to really piss Stevenage off.
However, Mondays game will have a different ebb and flow to it as we will be expected to make the running and do less nullifying, hence giving them more opportunity to express themselves. We need the first half two goal cushion to emphasise our obvious superior skill level. Could still go either way.....

 

[alcoblade]

I thought Pommpey was near enough on the mark as to how I saw it too, though my view was from row B seat 116 (right in the bloody corner!). ...

13 seats to my left. Great view, wasn't it?

UTB

 

[LSF]

If you like looking from pitch level, yes!

 

[Greenwich Blade]

I was a few rows behind, pretty much exactly the same place as I was for the league game last November - saw LJF and Williams, as well as Kyle Walker shuffling across the front of the stand (when he wasn't being stopped to be photographed), but where was Paddy? Saw it pretty much as Pommpey did really.

 

[Toronto Blade]

No we didn't win but we went to a very difficult place to get a result.Walker would have known what a tough place it is to go as the Spurs couldn't beat them there either.
Stevenage beat the top 3 at home and were on an unbeaten run of 13 games without defeat.

 

[ponteblade]

Thought Danny got it spot on last night, Cressy not fit enough so he saved him and think we will scrape through to the final and beat the Terriers, (then I wake up) no got a good feeling, in Danny I trust!

 

[Foxy]

We were a bit higher up this time round...

 

[frijo]

A big well done to the lads and Danny last night ,fancy us to finish job Monday in front of a very noisy crowd the lane will be rocking comin u blades! Let's get behind the lads we saw how panicky there defence looked the other week when the bladed pulled one back and the 12th man kicked in.

 

[TopBoy]

Danny got it spot on last night and played to our "strengths" by playing 5 in midfield. The longer we have Danny at the helm the more confident I'll be long term. We don't really have any options up front other than Cressy in for Porter, who may I add couldn't trap a pig in a corridor.
Roll on Monday.

 

[Racy]

I honestly thought Porter was shocking. I disagree with comments that he put a shift in, save for one "burst" second half down by the corner flag, it looked like he was on a sunday morning jog - no urgency whatsoever..

 

[Racy]

Like it or not Porters our only option he's proved he can perform at this level with a goal every other game for Oldham,Bury and Motherwell

 

[mpjacko]

Like it or not Porters our only option he's proved he can perform at this level with a goal every other game for Oldham,Bury and Motherwell

That was at least 3 years ago. Since then he has only scored 14 goals

 

[Racy]

That was at least 3 years ago. Since then he has only scored 14 goals

He's had injury problems and no run in the side due to CDs form it's got to be Cressy and him up front Mondayend of.

 

[mpjacko]

He's had injury problems and no run in the side due to CDs form it's got to be Cressy and him up front Mondayend of.

Maybe so but Oldham,Bury and Motherwell was still a very long time ago. Porter has not done is since. End of.

 

[Racy]

I agree Porters very ordinary but to me the goals will come from midfield Williamson,Mc,Quinny Porter and Cressy can get at their central defenders and if we get forward in numbers the goals will come.

 

[Large Mendonca]

I know we haven't got the options, and we're holding Creswell back for Monday, but my point was that Porter wasn't even holding the ball up in attack, so therefore we could have tried O'Halloran (for the laugh!) for the last 20. Who knows? he might have nicked a goal.

If Porter had been holding the ball up in attack, then agree with keeping him on, albeit for the midfield to try and get the goal.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I know we haven't got the options, and we're holding Creswell back for Monday, but my point was that Porter wasn't even holding the ball up in attack, so therefore we could have tried O'Halloran (for the laugh!) for the last 20. Who knows? he might have nicked a goal.
.

I think the reasoning for keeping Porter on was that he's good in the air and helpful when it comes to defending set pieces. Stevenage couldn't break us down from open play, so a set piece was probably their best chance of scoring.

You are right that there was space for a pacey player to run into towards the end of the game.

 

[Blade58]

I think the reasoning for keeping Porter on was that he's good in the air and helpful when it comes to defending set pieces. Stevenage couldn't break us down from open play, so a set piece was probably their best chance of scoring.

You are right that there was space for a pacey player to run into towards the end of the game.

You think he's good in the air. I think for his size he's sh1te, but that's just my opinion

Interested to see what his ratio of headed goals is.

 

[Bergen Blade]

You think he's good in the air. I think for his size he's sh1te, but that's just my opinion

I commented on the management's reasoning for not substituting him towards the end of the game against Stevenage. He gets his head on quite a few high balls and is one of the players that we use to mark tall opponents at defensive set pieces.

 

[judge]

I think the game was crying out for someone with pace to run at their defence which looked tired last 30 mins but o headless has shown little or no aptitude to be able to play in a disciplined intelligent and professional manner it would have been like handing Stevenage a man advantage
People are basically advocating not playing porter( on Friday ) and just replacing him with anyone luckily Wilson knows his players well enough to know that this would have been a risky strategy and could easily have undermined a good hardworking team performance

 

[Large Mendonca]

Don't know if that includes me or not, but all I advocated was to change it after enduring 70 minutes of the ineffective Porter. Could we not have risked Cressy for a bit longer if we couldn't trust O'Halloran, or are we really completely up s**t creek in the striking department?

I take Bergen's comment on him being useful defending set-plays, i'm sure that was probably in DW's thoughts too.....

 

[Ollessendro]

Hats off to Wilson. United went to a very difficult place and got a result. We got turned over there erlier in the season (convincingly), they beat Charlton and they hammered Wednesday. Spurs (with Walker, Modric, Van Der Vaart, Lennon and Bale) could not beat them there. A 0-0 draw was a very good result. Wilson got his tactics spot on and nullified their threats. Now it is in our hands. All we have to do is beat them on Monday .....

The game tomorrow will be really interested. I expect that Wilson will bring Cressy in for Flynn and go 4-4-2. Or will he play 4-5-1, keep it tight and be patient. As they tire, we get Cressy on and as K Mac starts to dicatate the game then we push forward? I think the former is more likely and less risky, as 25k fans will not want to see a 4-5-1 at home. The longer it goes on without us scoring the more nervous and inpatient the home support will become. We need to get K Mac on the ball, get Quinn and Willo involved and gewt our noses in front.

It will be interesting to see how Stevenage set up. They got a lot of joy by pressing us hard, defending in numbers and hitting us o the counter We need to keep an eye on their midfield and I worry that young kid might run Doyle and K Mac ragged again. That said, their goals were soft (though they could have easily scored more) and they crumbled under pressure. When we threw the kitchen sink at them they really struggled and almost buckled.

I am still a little pessimistic. Part of this is down to my cynical nature and through years of watching the Blades, but I also feel the pressure is on us. We finished 3rd, did a job at their place and are expected to win. Smith will be telling their players to relax and do what they did a few weeks ago. Silence the crowd and use the big numbers of fickle fans against us.

Safe to sa I am bricking it. I have some faith in Danny, but this is his biggest test so far. The tie is really in the balance and I think it could go either way.