So, has everyone finished shitting the bed yet?

[Champagneblade]

Maybe the headline to this post is a bit provocative but we’re exceeding expectations. We’re doing our best. We’re competing. We won’t always click. But let’s enjoy the ride. If it was all so predictable and promotion guaranteed, where would the excitement be?

A useful point, despite being hampered by a two point penalty and finally the Blades make it to the summit with nine games to go.

Get in there! Scenes of jubilation abound, eh?

Well not on here. Jesus it was a joyless place here yesterday.

We’re top of the league. We retained a buffer to Burnley and went ahead of Leeds. It could be temporary, it could not be.

We are still contending with availability issues. Eleven players were unavailable yesterday, some in the same positions (Clarke, Gilchrist, Shackleton, Sagdev, Souttar, Norrington-Davies, Arblaster, Souza, Davies and for an hour, Hamer. Cannon was also not fit).

Many on here predicted mid table consolidation. We’re top. We’ve averaged two points per game or more for almost the whole season. We have the best away record in the league and the second best home record. Whilst it hasn’t been fluid many times, we’ve been spoiled in terms of results: 24 wins from 37 is phenomenal.

The Championship is a very hard league. It’s a beauty of a league where anyone beats anyone. That’s what makes it great. No team will be allowed to just keep winning. Coventry were the form team and lost. I repeat, it’s a great league. But we can’t have our cake and eat it; Be in a competitive league but that competition only applies to others and not us.

Bristol are on a good run and are a decent side. We took 4 points from them. Yesterday they were better than us. Maybe we were a bit jaded. We’re in there and we are fighting. That’s what matters.

A few times we’ve not played great and still found a way to win. Yesterday we couldn’t but we also didn’t lose.

Be cheerful. Football is unpredictable. That’s why we love it. If you want certainty then maybe Sheffield United is not for you! Heck, even Liverpool lost! Man City has lost their way. That’s what makes the game intriguing.

Now, let’s all get behind the team and go and smash those Pigs!

 

[Bell4]

Maybe the headline to this post is a bit provocative but we’re exceeding expect. We’re doing our best. We’re competing. We won’t always click. But let’s enjoy the ride. If it was all so predictable and promotion guaranteed, where would the excitement be?

A useful point, despite being hampered by a two point penalty and finally the Blades make it to the summit with nine games to go.

Get in there! Scenes of jubilation abound, eh?

Well not on here. Jesus it was a joyless place here yesterday.

We’re top of the league. We retained a buffer to Burnley and went ahead of Leeds. It could be temporary, it could not be.

We are still contending with availability issues. Eleven players were unavailable yesterday, some in the same positions (Clarke, Gilchrist, Shackleton, Sagdev, Souttar, Norrington-Davies, Arblaster, Souza, Davies and for an hour, Hamer. Cannon was also not fit).

Many on here predicted mid table consolidation. We’re top. We’ve averaged two points per game or more for almost the whole season. We have the best away record in the league and the second best home record. Whilst it hasn’t been fluid many times, we’ve been spoiled in terms of results: 24 wins from 37 is phenomenal.

The Championship is a very hard league. It’s a beauty of a league where anyone beats anyone. That’s what makes it great. No team will be allowed to just keep winning. Coventry were the form team and lost. I repeat, it’s a great league. But we can’t have our cake and eat it; Be in a competitive league but that competition only applies to others and not us.

Bristol are on a good run and are a decent side. We took 4 points from them. Yesterday they were better than us. Maybe we were a bit jaded. We’re in there and we are fighting. That’s what matters.

A few times we’ve not played great and still found a way to win. Yesterday we couldn’t but we also didn’t lose.

Be cheerful. Football is unpredictable. That’s why we love it. If you want certainty then maybe Sheffield United is not for you! Heck, even Liverpool lost! Man City has lost their way. That’s what makes the game intriguing.

Now, let’s all get behind the team and go and smash those Pigs!

Fully agree - bravo

(we're a bugger to watch though)

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Maybe the headline to this post is a bit provocative but we’re exceeding expectations. We’re doing our best. We’re competing. We won’t always click. But let’s enjoy the ride. If it was all so predictable and promotion guaranteed, where would the excitement be?

A useful point, despite being hampered by a two point penalty and finally the Blades make it to the summit with nine games to go.

Get in there! Scenes of jubilation abound, eh?

Well not on here. Jesus it was a joyless place here yesterday.

We’re top of the league. We retained a buffer to Burnley and went ahead of Leeds. It could be temporary, it could not be.

We are still contending with availability issues. Eleven players were unavailable yesterday, some in the same positions (Clarke, Gilchrist, Shackleton, Sagdev, Souttar, Norrington-Davies, Arblaster, Souza, Davies and for an hour, Hamer. Cannon was also not fit).

Many on here predicted mid table consolidation. We’re top. We’ve averaged two points per game or more for almost the whole season. We have the best away record in the league and the second best home record. Whilst it hasn’t been fluid many times, we’ve been spoiled in terms of results: 24 wins from 37 is phenomenal.

The Championship is a very hard league. It’s a beauty of a league where anyone beats anyone. That’s what makes it great. No team will be allowed to just keep winning. Coventry were the form team and lost. I repeat, it’s a great league. But we can’t have our cake and eat it; Be in a competitive league but that competition only applies to others and not us.

Bristol are on a good run and are a decent side. We took 4 points from them. Yesterday they were better than us. Maybe we were a bit jaded. We’re in there and we are fighting. That’s what matters.

A few times we’ve not played great and still found a way to win. Yesterday we couldn’t but we also didn’t lose.

Be cheerful. Football is unpredictable. That’s why we love it. If you want certainty then maybe Sheffield United is not for you! Heck, even Liverpool lost! Man City has lost their way. That’s what makes the game intriguing.

Now, let’s all get behind the team and go and smash those Pigs!

Fully agree - bravo

(we're a bugger to watch though)

Both of these posts are true.

 

[Frank the tank]

Got to accept that given our issues picking a Consistent team and resting players enough that they can last 90 mins or play three gamea a week that this is where we are and scrappy points are better than no points

 

[YES Blade]

Disappointing to not hang on for all three points, but the performance wasn’t good enough and there is a case to say we deserved to lose.

So a point is better than none and it’s a tricky opponent out the way. On to the next match

 

[finlaytheblade]

Maybe the headline to this post is a bit provocative but we’re exceeding expectations. We’re doing our best. We’re competing. We won’t always click. But let’s enjoy the ride. If it was all so predictable and promotion guaranteed, where would the excitement be?

A useful point, despite being hampered by a two point penalty and finally the Blades make it to the summit with nine games to go.

Get in there! Scenes of jubilation abound, eh?

Well not on here. Jesus it was a joyless place here yesterday.

We’re top of the league. We retained a buffer to Burnley and went ahead of Leeds. It could be temporary, it could not be.

We are still contending with availability issues. Eleven players were unavailable yesterday, some in the same positions (Clarke, Gilchrist, Shackleton, Sagdev, Souttar, Norrington-Davies, Arblaster, Souza, Davies and for an hour, Hamer. Cannon was also not fit).

Many on here predicted mid table consolidation. We’re top. We’ve averaged two points per game or more for almost the whole season. We have the best away record in the league and the second best home record. Whilst it hasn’t been fluid many times, we’ve been spoiled in terms of results: 24 wins from 37 is phenomenal.

The Championship is a very hard league. It’s a beauty of a league where anyone beats anyone. That’s what makes it great. No team will be allowed to just keep winning. Coventry were the form team and lost. I repeat, it’s a great league. But we can’t have our cake and eat it; Be in a competitive league but that competition only applies to others and not us.

Bristol are on a good run and are a decent side. We took 4 points from them. Yesterday they were better than us. Maybe we were a bit jaded. We’re in there and we are fighting. That’s what matters.

A few times we’ve not played great and still found a way to win. Yesterday we couldn’t but we also didn’t lose.

Be cheerful. Football is unpredictable. That’s why we love it. If you want certainty then maybe Sheffield United is not for you! Heck, even Liverpool lost! Man City has lost their way. That’s what makes the game intriguing.

Now, let’s all get behind the team and go and smash those Pigs!

Your right in what you say champs !
But! This has been coming ! Getting over the line in many games we struggled to do so.
Wilder said himself "we looked a tired team "! If so it's going to continue.right to the end ! Hopefully Leeds & Burnley are feeling it too.

 

[YES Blade]

Your right in what you say champs !
But! This has been coming ! Getting over the line in many games we struggled to do so.
Wilder said himself "we looked a tired team "! If so it's going to continue.right to the end ! Hopefully Leeds & Burnley are feeling it too.

I agree we do look tired. The international break could be coming at a good time for us to help with fatigue and injuries.

 

[SwissBlade]

It was a crap game from our point of view, Bristol City played well first half and despite lots of possession, which we were happy with, didn't really create anything going into the break. We'd probably shown signs of being more dangerous up top.
Start of the second half the same, so Wilder changed things up, with Hamer getting the plaudits from Comms, but Brewster having as much of an impact and we were truly on top when we scored, it had been coming.
And then we went back to grinding out a 1-0, something we've been successful at, but we were also mindful that we needed to bring in fresh legs, both Holding and Seriki have not had much game time recently.

Bristol City were good value though and deserved their goal, to be fair. The ref was crap later on, seemed to lack the ability to control the game and players, we certainly got mardy when they scored. We did invite them on, we deserved a draw really. Any other time in the season, that's a decent point, but conceding another late goal at home to drop 2 points is frustrating when we had chance to pull away slightly from Leeds and Burnley. But that's the point. We're in a 3 game week, like everyone, managing players fitness and injuries.

I don't really have any complaints, we need some players back for Sunday, I prefer Souza alongside Peck, Seriki is a better impact player and i'd like to see us swap like for like players when we make changes and players are fit -
Cannon for Campbell,
Seriki for Clarke / Gilchrist,
Holding for Anel,
Choudhury for Souza,
Davies for Peck,
Brewster for O'Hare,
Brooks for JRS

 

[diode_blade]

Remember in that season before covid when we went up and we lost to Bristol City at home 2-3 on 30th march, we thought we had blown it then.

 

[FriethBlade]

I thought CW sounded very downbeat in the post match interview saying all our players were 5s and 6s. He was critical of our defence and midfield sitting too deep and said they dominated midfield in the first half. Peck has been superb the last few games but last night it looked like all the minutes were beginning to catch up with him again. He ill definitely benefit from the international break. Choudhury can't be fully match fit so it's not surprising we got the run around in midfield.

Selection issues for Sunday as his comments on Souza were a little concerning saying he's having a scan so unless that is a smokescreen I can't see him playing at the weekend. Its going to be very interesting seeing who starts in midfield as it looks like we are very short on options

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

So, has everyone finished shitting the bed yet?​

No, I've had my breakfast and now I'm going back to shit in the bits I missed last night.

 

[Flumps]

Remember in that season before covid when we went up and we lost to Bristol City at home 2-3 on 30th march, we thought we had blown it then.

I don't think we have "blown it" personally I think we'll a thousand percent at least hit play offs and my head says we'll scrap the autos.

My concern is that next season we're in for a season much like the last. Our lack of consistency, constant team rotation and inability to score more than a goal scrapes us and grinds points out in this league. It has zero effect against the teams we may be mixed with next season.

 

[kingy1889]

I agree with the OP. In the Summer I fully expected us to be struggling mi-table or lower. Just look at where we are!

Unfortunately, a huge chunk of our fan base has become entitled and expects to see us sweeping teams aside.

Whatever the next 9 games bring, strap in - plenty of points gained and dropped from all 3 top teams.

 

[Nick Jansky]

I’m delighted with where we are, but we are not an entertaining watch at all. I would expect a team sitting at the top of the league to be far better at scoring goals than we are, especially at home. I don’t enjoy the only real excitement in the game being whether we will hold on to a one goal lead in another backs to the wall last 20 minutes against teams with much inferior players.

I only realised this morning that the Pigs have scored more goals than us. With the quality of the players we have, I frankly find that a bit embarrassing.

It’s great that we are top of the table but most of what I’ve watched at the Lane this season has been a bit meh.

 

[FTPE]

Wednesday are a team recently that seem to come from behind well.
Maybe this is the end of our 'get a goal, and sit back' run, and with the pigs being next it might be the shot in the arm we needed. It could be a blessing in disguise. We aren't a team that controls games usually, so going 1 up just means we sit back, absorb pressure and break. If Vini is back he's one of the few players that keeps the ball and stops the match being like a basketball game, Davies would help with that too. When JRS and BBD are firing we look scary going forward, when they aren't our midfield looks stretched and weak.
I'd put gus with Vini Sunday, we won't in a million years because Wilder will want the bite and the aggression from Peck or Hamza, but Souza and Gus are our best players on the ball and the more they have it, the more in control we'll be.

 

[Gimli]

In most seasons* we’d be very comfortably in the top 2 with our current points total, if not the runaway leaders.

Yes performances haven’t been the best, and of course we’d like to see more dominant wins every week but our form is actually pretty good and we’re in the hunt for promotion.

*admittedly not last season

 

[Nick Jansky]

Wednesday are a team recently that seem to come from behind well.
Maybe this is the end of our 'get a goal, and sit back' run, and with the pigs being next it might be the shot in the arm we needed. It could be a blessing in disguise. We aren't a team that controls games usually, so going 1 up just means we sit back, absorb pressure and break. If Vini is back he's one of the few players that keeps the ball and stops the match being like a basketball game, Davies would help with that too. When JRS and BBD are firing we look scary going forward, when they aren't our midfield looks stretched and weak.
I'd put gus with Vini Sunday, we won't in a million years because Wilder will want the bite and the aggression from Peck or Hamza, but Souza and Gus are our best players on the ball and the more they have it, the more in control we'll be.

I’m expecting the Pigs to control the midfield. Bannan & Charles are not better players, but I think they are a better pairing than what we are going to be able to put out if Souza is missing.

 

[FTPE]

I’m expecting the Pigs to control the midfield. Bannan & Charles are not better players, but I think they are a better pairing than what we are going to be able to put out if Souza is missing.

Match them up.
Vini vs Charles, Gus vs Bannan.
It's hard to control the ball as well with the inverted wingers, and as much as I like COH he doesn't exactly keep the ball either.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Match them up.
Vini vs Charles, Gus vs Bannan.
It's hard to control the ball as well with the inverted wingers, and as much as I like COH he doesn't exactly keep the ball either.

I’m not expecting Vini to be available and that gives us a real problem. How would you expect Peck & Choudhury to do against them?

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

I felt before these two home games that I’d be surprised if we came out with 6pts. Tricky games. 4pts a decent return with Souza missing 75%. We aren’t going to win every game and more fool anyone who thinks we will.

At least Burnley have started conceding.

 

[Jan Age]

You cannot argues with our results and points total at this stage of the season.

What you can say is the style of football and tactics are poor to watch.

I would argue against Leeds and Bristol we lost 5 points via negative tactics deployed by wilder.

Negative tactics that transmit to players on the pitch that automatically drop them 10 yards.

 

[FTPE]

I’m not expecting Vini to be available and that gives us a real problem. How would you expect Peck & Choudhury to do against them?

Who am I kidding? I don't either. Post match Wilder said Souza went for a scan. Regardless of the outcome you don't even have a scan unless there's quite a bit of damage or discomfort, I think Sunday is far too early.

HC/Souza doesn't work because they are both holding midfielders, they want the same space, but Vini can carry the ball and make far more progressive passes than what Choudhury can.
Wilder likes to have a midfielder drop deep (into the back 2) and dictate our play from there. The Norwood role really, and I don't think HC is good enough at it. I also don't think Peck is a good enough box to box midfielder for the very top either. People have compared him to Blaster recently, and I think if they do ever play together Blaster will take Pecks spot and Peck will become the holding player. Right now, I don't think Peck has the power and attacking intent to create enough through the centre.
So to answer your question, they'll get tackles in, they hassle and harry, but they'll not keep the ball well enough and eventually get pushed backwards under the pressure of the Derby.

*wilder ripped them a new one in his post match by the way. He doesn't call players out much but he said their midfield two were better than ours, and that HC and Peck sat too deep and invited them on.

 

[AWetFlannel]

I’m delighted with where we are, but we are not an entertaining watch at all. I would expect a team sitting at the top of the league to be far better at scoring goals than we are, especially at home. I don’t enjoy the only real excitement in the game being whether we will hold on to a one goal lead in another backs to the wall last 20 minutes against teams with much inferior players.

I only realised this morning that the Pigs have scored more goals than us. With the quality of the players we have, I frankly find that a bit embarrassing.

It’s great that we are top of the table but most of what I’ve watched at the Lane this season has been a bit meh.

It's nobody's job to make us entertaining, it's not the point of the sport. The manager tries to make us win, the players try to make us win; whether the fans are enjoying it or not is their problem.

Would you be feeling as meh about things if we were top of the PL with similar results, or bored our way to the CL final?

 

[loveWalrusDaveTheBlade]

I don't think we have "blown it" personally I think we'll a thousand percent at least hit play offs and my head says we'll scrap the autos.

My concern is that next season we're in for a season much like the last. Our lack of consistency, constant team rotation and inability to score more than a goal scrapes us and grinds points out in this league. It has zero effect against the teams we may be mixed with next season.

I think we all should stop worrying about how our current squad would fare in the Premier League.
Firstly, we still have a very long way to go to secure promotion this season (although I share your optimism).
Secondly, the answer is obvious. A transformational change of the squad will be required if we are to have even an outside chance of competing against most Premier League teams. None of the squads in the Championship would currently be competitive in the Premier League, even Leeds. All will need substantial investment to have a chance - a level of investment that is entirely unaffordable at Championship level.
IF we can get promoted, then we will need a stellar summer recruitment window, funded by substantial investment by our new owners. Even then, Burnley, Luton, Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester show us how hard that can be, but that's not to say that it can't be done.
Getting promoted is hard enough. Let's not beat ourselves up further worrying about how the same squad might perform at Premier League level, because that won't happen if we go up.

 

[Nick Jansky]

It's nobody's job to make us entertaining, it's not the point of the sport. The manager tries to make us win, the players try to make us win; whether the fans are enjoying it or not is their problem.

I find that a ridiculous statement, on a par with Allan Clarke when he was managing the Dirties once saying that if people wanted entertainment they should go to a circus. He was roundly laughed at for that in the same way that I’m laughing at you right now.

Of course people want to be entertained, and that isn’t in any way their “problem”. They are paying customers, without the fans there would be no football.

 

[AWetFlannel]

I find that a ridiculous statement, on a par with Allan Clarke when he was managing the Dirties once saying that if people wanted entertainment they should go to a circus. He was roundly laughed at for that in the same way that I’m laughing at you right now.

Of course people want to be entertained, and that isn’t in any way their “problem”. They are paying customers, without the fans there would be no football.

Not familiar with it, but I agree with Allan Clarke if that's what he said.

I agree, people want to be entertained. I don't agree that it's the job of the manager and players to focus on entertainment over results. Every pundit trotts out the cliché that it's a "results business".

 

[Champagneblade]

The fact it is a derby will probably work on our favour.

We’re kind of worrying about how Peck and Choudhury will gel.

But a derby is frantic for long periods.

It might just come to who has superior fitness levels. Whilst we’ve had a bit of a go at ourselves falling away, I’d still back Choudhury and Peck to cover more ground than Bannan and Charles.

 

[Jan Age]

The fact it is a derby will probably work on our favour.

We’re kind of worrying about how Peck and Choudhury will gel.

But a derby is frantic for long periods.

It might just come to who has superior fitness levels. Whilst we’ve had a bit of a go at ourselves falling away, I’d still back Choudhury and Peck to cover more ground than Bannan and Charles.

If it’s fine to superior fitness levels we are fucked

 

[joe casey]

The amount of people streaming for the exits as soon as we conceded, still top of the league, with 6 mins added on, was quite frankly embarassing - as was the atmosphere throughout

 

[Nick Jansky]

Not familiar with it, but I agree with Allan Clarke if that's what he said.

I agree, people want to be entertained.

And if they’re not being entertained you think they should sit quietly and just suck it up? Fuck that! It costs far too much money to expect people to not comment on the quality of what they’re watching.