So, has everyone finished shitting the bed yet?

[Harry's Game]

Not to down about last night, I have thought since the Leeds home game we would finish 3rd .. not seen anything in our performances since to change that view.

 

[AWetFlannel]

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.

No, I think if people aren't being entertained they shouldn't bother coming. Why waste your money? I'm not saying people shouldn't comment on it either, I'm just saying the manager and players should ignore it.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

Think it's all been said , If were good enough, God willing we'll win promotion, if not we go again next season.

UP THE BLADES

 

[Tarqs]

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

as was the performance....

 

[toledo]

I think everyone is missing a very, very important point. Are there a lot of games? Yes.

But these guys are built to play 2 to 3 games a week, are young (20 - 30'ish) and SHOULD play multiple games without having to be controlled with 'minutes'. IF you've been injured, I get it for sure.

But these are all guys in the prime of their lives, have days off from work, have diet plans, and keep physically fit.

To continue to say 'we look tired...' is, in my view, merely papering over bigger issues including game plans, formations, attention to detail....it is that time of the season when 'minutes' shouldn't be managed and players should be in the prime shape to play 90 full court press minutes..

Just my humble opinion folks...

toledo

 

[Northyorksblade]

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

I was just about to post this very thing. We're top of the league, had time to score a winner and all the players can see, is hundreds of fans leaving. Unbelievable.
And, please, no nonsense about having a bus to catch, it's a long way home, I can do what I want. Our support is fucking shit, to coin a phrase.

 

[Northyorksblade]

No, I think if people aren't being entertained they shouldn't bother coming. Why waste your money? I'm not saying people shouldn't comment on it either, I'm just saying the manager and players should ignore it.

And that's another thing! 25k there last night, when we had the chance to go top. What is up with our supporters?

 

[Nick Jansky]

And that's another thing! 25k there last night, when we had the chance to go top. What is up with our supporters?

Maybe they want to be entertained.

 

[joe casey]

I was just about to post this very thing. We're top of the league, had time to score a winner and all the players can see, is hundreds of fans leaving. Unbelievable.
And, please, no nonsense about having a bus to catch, it's a long way home, I can do what I want. Our support is fucking shit, to coin a phrase.

As fans we seem to throw the towel in far too easy these days. I agree the performance was not uplifting, but as a whole we did very little to lift them - I thought at times on Saturday it felt like a pre-season friendly and last night was much the same. Its no wonder our away form is decent considering the away blades never stop cheering the team on.

 

[loyalblade95]

And that's another thing! 25k there last night, when we had the chance to go top. What is up with our supporters?

I was surprised when I saw the amount of empty seats just around the ground in general (not counting the half empty away end), I guess some people might not want to bring kids on a school night but even that surely wouldn't account for last night's drop off, or how our attendances seem to decreasing each week.

27k on Saturday against Preston, including a half empty away end, when earlier in the season we were hitting on average 29k for Saturday 3pm games (usually with a full away end).

 

[Davalon]

And that's another thing! 25k there last night, when we had the chance to go top. What is up with our supporters?

Two games in three days, expensive tickets for many, and it's not long ago we averaged about 26k getting promoted from this league.

 

[Gavlar]

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

Many thanks for saying Bristol City not just Bristol.

 

[Grey Blade]

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

I agree that it does look pathetic - having said that if people need to leave early to catch a tram, train, etc, I can understand - but that doesn't necessarily mean jumping up as soon as a goal is conceded. I stayed til the end but stood at the exit so that I could make a quick get away.

As for the atmosphere, it was a bit flat most of the time but there was a point early in the second half just prior to us scoring where the crowd definitely got behind the team - albeit not for very long!

I must say I was fairly cheesed off leaving the ground - then standing freezing at the tram stop - listening to 'moanng Minnie' behind me slagging off Chowdhuri throughout the match hadn't helped. Dealing with yet another diversion off the M1 finished the evening for me.

All in all I think a fair few of our supporters are a bit entitled and should maybe try being a little more realistic. The performance frustrates me but if the linchpin of the team (Souza) is missing, you aren't going to get the same level of performance from the team - even accepting we've been inconsistent most of the time this season.

 

[BarcaBlade]

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.

I personally think they should take the initiative and be part of the entertainment, but I'm a stuck record on that.

Attached video - losing 1-0 since the 15th minute, playing shit football, nothing left to play for this season, singing non-stop (this video somewhere in the middle of the second half). I can pick apart the problems in the squad/team/tactics after, but for 90 minutes+, I'm there to be a part of the entertainment. My way of living.

 

[BarcaBlade]

As fans we seem to throw the towel in far too easy these days. I agree the performance was not uplifting, but as a whole we did very little to lift them - I thought at times on Saturday it felt like a pre-season friendly and last night was much the same. Its no wonder our away form is decent considering the away blades never stop cheering the team on.

I found myself sub-consciously checking whether we were still somehow in the League Cup when I saw the swathes of empty seats. Had I fallen through a trap door and time travelled back to September. But I guess the reality is that we don't really have more than 25,000 fans. So it goes.

 

[Zeblades34]

Agree there's no need to shite the bed but we do need to start going for the jugular from the off. Wilders previous teams under us despite having a different set up went for teams from the off so why do we now go 1 up and then try and defend it for 60,70,80 mins?

 

[SUFC Guy]

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.

I agree with you about them controlling the midfield if Souza is out. Hamer will start which we desperately need because without him, we have zero creativity in games. It will be Choudhury and Peck in midfield is Souza is out.

Campbell also has to start if we are too seriously threaten their back line.

 

[VictoryBlade]

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 comes to fitness levels that is a worry!

 

[Bladesman]

No

 

[Northyorksblade]

Maybe they want to be entertained.

So do I, but I'll take our results over substance at the moment.

 

[DifferentClass]

No.

Oh wait, this is about football...

 

[Northyorksblade]

I must say I was fairly cheesed off leaving the ground - then standing freezing at the tram stop - listening to 'moanng Minnie' behind me slagging off Chowdhuri throughout the match hadn't helped. Dealing with yet another diversion off the M1 finished the evening for me.

After the debacle of the last night match going home A1, we went M1. Don't you come off at the Harrogate turn off? We were fine.

 

[Grey Blade]

After the debacle of the last night match going home A1, we went M1. Don't you come off at the Harrogate turn off? We were fine.

I went via the M1 but was diverted off onto the M621 and had to go through Leeds - which I haven't done for a while. I thought I'd been clever parking at Valley Centertainment and avoiding the A61 closure at Tankersley - and don't get me going re all the temporary lights around Hg

 

[BladeByChoice]

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.

No, I think if people aren't being entertained they shouldn't bother coming. Why waste your money? I'm not saying people shouldn't comment on it either, I'm just saying the manager and players should ignore it.

Been complaining about our shit performances over the last few weeks to my Man U mad brother and he dug out an old quote.

Sir Matt Busby once reportedly told a young Bobby Charlton: “All those lads you see going to the factory in Trafford Park, they come to watch you on Saturday. They have boring jobs, so you have to give them something they will enjoy.”

I’m 50 years a Blade, ST holder and very local to the Lane, I’ll always go, and always clap the team off (even the 8-0) but if I’m honest with myself, if it wasn’t for the ST I would have missed a few this season.

The destination is shit (EPL) so if you can’t enjoy the ride, what’s the point.

 

[AWetFlannel]

Been complaining about our shit performances over the last few weeks to my Man U mad brother and he dug out an old quote.

Sir Matt Busby once reportedly told a young Bobby Charlton: “All those lads you see going to the factory in Trafford Park, they come to watch you on Saturday. They have boring jobs, so you have to give them something they will enjoy.”

I’m 50 years a Blade, ST holder and very local to the Lane, I’ll always go, and always clap the team off (even the 8-0) but if I’m honest with myself, if it wasn’t for the ST I would have missed a few this season.

The destination is shit (EPL) so if you can’t enjoy the ride, what’s the point.

I have a boring job and travel from Donny every game. I'm enjoying the ride. The main bit that is getting in the way of that is the negativity of fellow fans, but each to their own.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

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!

Lots on here will throw toys out of their entitled pram, that's for sure.
Last night was disappointing because we could have eased some nerves and got a bit of a buffer. It was a missed opportunity. That should be the top and bottom of it. For some it won't be.
As you say, on to Sunday and hopefully a great result.

 

[Aston max]

Fully agree - bravo

(we're a bugger to watch though)

My cardiologist has told me to give up watching the Blades regularly as it causes havoc on my monitor (and he proved it showed me the data ) and that's from a spurs fan

 

[djbaldken]

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.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

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!

Post of the season so far for me

 

[Addison]

Expectations change during the course of the season. At the start with little money and an owner who wanted out Blades fans were understandably cautious. Those outside looking in were still tipping us to do well. Fast forward to a good start, new owners and JTW investment expectation levels are high and so they should be.

Last night was reminiscent of the Dull home game. Without Souza BC passed us to death. It shows we can't play a 2 in the middle against the better teams without Vini. When Hamer came on we got control of the ball and for 20 minutes looked better. Problem was our lack of fitness and injury record caught up with us again in the final 10 minutes. Our tactics currently seem to be based on how long players can last which limits our ability to retain control and see games out. Campbell going off lost us valuable running off the ball enabling Citys defenders who were poor to push up.

Holding and Seriki being subbed cost us 2 points imo. Seriki has had injury problems and needs to be managed but moving Choudhury to RB took away any remaining steel in the middle as Peck was gassed from kick off. Holdings calm assurance was lost. He has been here long enough to have been given more game time. The fact he's not is down to the manager. You didn't need to be an expert to see our left side was exposed all game. Burrows and Robinson were run ragged and a JLT mistake eventually cost us.

Questions have to be asked as to why we are continually flagging in the final third of games. Is it just down to conditioning/injuries or maybe tactics and team formation are now playing a part. The reality is we need to find a way to conserve energy during games and that may involve going to a 5 at times and not flying out of the blocks. We've got ourselves into a good position but blindly keeping with the same formation may now not be the answer to get us over the line.

Playing well for only a third of the game is now catching up with us. We've not got a good record in the big games so far and need to get something from those remaining. Contrary to the belief of some Sunday is a big game in terms of confidence and morale.