What do you believe our style of play to be?
I genuinely don't know. Injuries are dictating a shift to a back 4, and to be fair, I'm all for that. The reasons for the 5 at the back - with the overlapping centre backs and advancing wing backs are long gone.
We're reliant on McBurnie, but he isn't fit consistently. We have very little ball carrying midfielders (Berge), very few capable of a high press (Illy), very few capable of retaining possession (Doyle). Hecky was very clear at the start of the season, he had had his best two players sold, and with that, our game plan had gone. You can't lose Berge, N'Diaye, and fail to replace Doyle and McAtee, and at that point not have Archer, Hamer, Souza in the building (without a pre-season with us) and expect to compete. We've been effectively trying to make up for lost time ever since, in the most competitive league in the world. Playing people when not fully fit, due to being low on numbers, and hey presto, the injuries have added up as well.
How are we going to create chances moving forward?
McBurnie and Archer or McBurnie and Brewster are your only glimmer of hope. Hamer and McAtee behind, with licence to create. Simplify their game. Conserve their energy for final third running. How we miss Berge for this.
What’s the plan for us to start competing at this level?
We need certain key players back from injury. McBurnie, Baldock, Egan. Then we need a settled back 4. We need 5 in midfield. Souza and one other instructed to sit. An extra man in there (Slimane?) to try and ensure we get over run less often, as we simply don't have the high end athletes to use a 3, and a 5 at the back. It's just inviting pressure. The one we glaringly miss for this system is a Doyle type. The Prince went for the cheap and less reliable option in Davies, and it shows. Norwood can't be this man, he hasn't got the legs. And I like him, saying that.
Do you think Hecky is completely blameless in all this?
Not entirely, in terms of certain selections and tactics along the way. But what more do we have expect the bloke to put up with? And how do we expect any one else to do any better, when we have been so poorly backed, so poorly organised in our preparation, and now we're so far off the pace. It's the easy option to advocate for a change of manager, ignoring that he will know the club best, should we go down - and that stability will be essential (Slav, Robson anyone?).
Is he blameless, no? Does the responsibility sit at his door? No. He's had to put up with:
A transfer embargo and nearly not making it over the line.
The sale of his best two players. No like for like replacements, in terms of quality or contribution.
Loss of playing style.
No recruitment in earnest until the season was 3 games old, and even then, we weaker than before the departures.
No pre-season with his now full squad, to build a playing style.
No consistent communication from the board to the fans. Communicating via the Prince's lawyer pal on Twitter. Seriously? A Premier League club? Really?!
No progress with key players and contracts, and future planning for the club.
No movement on the sale of the club. My only saving grace for this debacle of a season, was that it bought us time, funded by PL money, to plan for next year in the Championship. That time is running out, and fast.
The vast percentage of responsibility for this whole mess, like 98%+ sits with the Prince and the board. It's as simple as that, IMO.
Where do I sign? It is just football basics is it not? So should be a cake walk for "professionals".
Sheffield United
