Swansea 1 United 0 - report/ratings

[Deadbat]

Three games, three defeats for Sheffield United and Ruben Selles as they were deservedly beat by a very average Swansea City side meaning they remain right at the foot of the Championship table. Ronald’s second half goal settled a poor game but in truth it was only the home side that looked like winning the game as the Blades failed to register a single shot on goal. It was another desperately disappointing performance for Selles men and the plan with and without the ball was hard to fathom. City created all the big chances in the game and deservedly got the winner when Ronald struck after United failed to clear a cross from the left-hand side. After this despite making changes, the Blades failed to even muster an attack of note let alone an effort on the home goal. After a week where the manager has put the spotlight rightly on the owners for not properly replacing outgoing players, this pressure will remain but the spotlight will also be firmly on the Spaniard who is struggling to get any kind of performance out of a side that was so close to promotion. With Sunderland’s opening day win putting them top of the table, United now sit almost two divisions beneath them showing those sliding doors moments and how football can change so much on small margins.





Manager Selles made two changes from the side that started the opening day defeat with Robinson and Soumare in for Norrington Davies and Brooks and a more cautious looking starting line-up. Swansea had also lost their opening game and both teams were looking to get on the board.



Patient build up early on saw Swansea create an early chance. The ball was played down the United left and then moved centrally for the set up for Tymon – who drive narrowly wide with Cooper scrambling across his goal.



The home side were the better side in the early stages and were dominating the ball with United perhaps cautious after the heavy defeat last week. However, they could not implement much of a press so far and the home side were comfortable to keep the ball and look for openings.



Barry had a good run with the ball to win a corner but Robinson’s header was off target but this was a rare attack as Swansea continued to have the better of it. They had a chance when Soumare went down after a coming together with Ji Sung – although replays showed the Blades midfielder had been caught. Yalcouye beat Bindon to the ball and was away and after his initial cross saw an effort blocked by Robinson, Cooper had to then react to save at close range from Ronald. It was concerning how easily Swansea had got in.



Hamer was then booked for an unnecessary late tackle in the centre of the field and Swansea won a corner soon after. A ball in from the right was flicked on by Cullen but Swansea could not get on the end of it. Burrows then made a mess of a clearance which led to a corner and another ensuing scramble. United had not got going but after Ronald was booked for a late tackle, United then did win a corner.



Peck’s headed effort was cleared away right on the line but a foul was given soon after as the referee continued to make his presence felt. After a water stoppage, Soumare played in Burrows but the ball took too long to come in. The left back then had two efforts in close succession with both deflected over as United finally had a spell in the game.



The Blades at least were seeing more of the ball but both sides were guilty of careless passing and neither side could really keep the ball for any sustained spell of time.



There was 5 minutes of stoppage time to be played and Barry – United’s most dangerous player – won another corner. Hamer and Campbell ran into each other and somehow the referee gave a free kick to the Blades but the striker was booked for dissent not long after another foul was given. The half ended with a final blow of the referee’s whistle – which had been the outstanding feature of the first half lacking quality all over the field. Swansea had dominated the early stages and created the better chances and whilst United grew into it – they created little of note.





The second half saw the home side come out exactly as they did in the first half and created a decent chance. The ball was played down the left and they won a free kick, which was whipped in dangerously and Cooper made a hash of it but the ball bounced around before Burgess’s shot hit Bindon and deflected wide. The home fans appealed for a penalty but the centre back had his hands down by his side. Ronald was looking dangerous and he exchanged passes before having an effort blocked before Tymon’s cross shot was fielded by Cooper.



There was a double change when Yalcouye and Yim Sung were replaced by Inoussa and Widell for the home side. Selles also made his first substitution replacing Campbell with Cannon as the game ticked past the hour mark.



Key’s shot was not far wide as the home side continued to look the far more likely of two poor sides and the opening goal came not long after in the 66th minute. The attack started with the ball coming right down the middle and nobody pressed the ball, it was sent over to the left and the cross came over. The ball was blocked initially but RONALD was on hand to guide it into the corner giving Cooper no chance and it was a deserved lead for the Swans.



Widell nearly made it two as he cut in and shot narrowly wide before a ball over saw Robinson and Ronald converge and it nearly nestled into the corner but went out for a corner as the home side looked to finish a lacklustre Blades side off.



One and Brooks came on for Barry and Soumare but United were barely putting a move of passes together, let alone creating anything from an attacking sense as the game ticked into the final 10 minutes. Cannon’s rather pathetic attempt to win a penalty summed up their desperation. United won a corner but this was cleared easily. There was 8 minutes of stoppage time to be played but the Blades were not able to even get close to the Swans goal as the home side saw it out comfortably. The different reaction at the end of the two sets of players summed it up as Swansea fans celebrated wildly with their players whilst United players trooped off the field after acknowledging their supporters who go home after yet another defeat.

 

[Deadbat]

United – That was poor and I cannot think of anything at all to take from the game at all apart from the fact we did not lose by more goals – which we probably deserved to. We may be short of players still and of course this is a big factor but we have enough talent and attacking players to be able to at least look likely to have an attack, never mind fashion a chance on goal? We never looked like keeping the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes, we never really mounted any attacks of note or even had a spell of sustained pressure. On the ball we were abysmal with simple passes going astray from most in the side. Other than Barry, no one tried to take risks or run at men and we looked scared to even try and commit men forward. It was as if we were so worried about getting run through, we did not even try and attack. However, defensively we were poor too. They could and should have scored a few more goals and as last week we started both halves terribly and could have let goals in the 1st and 46th minute. I worry that this so-called high press we were supposed to see and hard work off the ball, we have (other than 15 minutes last week) seen none of it at all? We were awful with the ball but probably even worse off it – as we stood off all game and barely got out of a jog. It was worrying that the players looked clueless in what they were meant to be doing? If they were given a plan of how to defend (get the ball back) and then attack (with it) they did not execute it. Maybe they are all sulking after Wilder’s departure – I saw Danny Hall make a comment about the players body language being poor and lots of pointing and waving their arms around (which I took with a pinch of salt as he has an agenda I feel being Wilder’s mate) but maybe he is right? I hope the players are not so pathetic they just don’t want to play for a new manager but the lack of effort (as much as their play on the ball) was really worrying.



It is hard to defend that – yes the board have shafted Selles (and the blame has to be firmly at their door) and not brought players in but the complete and utter lack of a plan to play and to try and score goal today was bewildering. I think being honest if Wilder had been left with that side he would have struggled also without Anel, Souza (and Souttar/Arblaster too) as we saw for long stretches after Xmas. I am not confident we would be doing much better with him in charge as we saw the regression since the turn of the year and we have weakened the side/squad considerably bringing in only unproven (at this level) youngsters in Bindon, Soumare and Barry. I doubt we would have started this badly and maybe we would have seen more fight but there were a lot of games just like today last season – Oxford/Plymouth quite recently. However, if you take away some of your better players and then bring in a manager, you have to give him tools to play his way. The problem is I am not sure I know what his way is yet and the players do not seem to be taking his advice on. It is a concern when our worst players today (they were all crap really!) were Hamer, O’Hare, Peck and Burrows in my opinion. They are meant to be 4 key players and all did very little right. You need your big players to play and the counter argument to criticism of Selles, is he does not go out and tell them to not run fast enough or pass to the opposition routinely but then when a team does not play well or do the things you expect individually or collectively, rightly, or wrongly, the criticism tends to go the manager.



It is sad he is under so much pressure early on but the heat will be on him (and the board which deserve more criticism I feel). If we sign a few defenders this week, then that might improve us of course but there is fundamentally a lot wrong at the moment (the 3 subs were as bad as the starters and the fact we did not use 2 more was just because of the lack of options left on the bench) with how we are playing and is more than just the odd player coming in as much as I am fuming with the board for not helping him. Teams continue to get through us easily but today we did not even look like scoring unlike last week. Selles and the board will face a tough week. They have to make signings to give the place a boost but he/we will be under pressure next week against a big tough Millwall side who look exactly the sort of side that will cause us problems (they did get battered themselves today!).



It is incredible that Sunderland top the Premier League (yes one game I know) and we are bottom of the Championship but that kind of sums up how things go for United! All the hope and optimism of the season and thinking we can be up there seems to have gone already. The owners said they remained determined as ever to get us promoted but that seems very unlikely this season already (lost as many games as Burnley did all last season) with a team and club seemingly confused about the plan to get that result. I worry that if we lost next week, then the pressure will ramp up on Selles (I do feel for him as he has not been helped but we were appalling today and he and the players have to take some blame too) and then wonder what the owners will do? Rarely does a club start a season with 5 defeats in the opening month and keep their manager these days so he will know it is now as much about just getting a result now than his plan or philosophy being integrated. If he does not get one in the next few weeks, he will be sacked, whatever sympathy we might have for him which is ridiculous really as then what do they do next – go back to a Wilder/Hecky type? For all the criticism about the lack of investments, there should still be enough for the team to do much better than they have shown so far. We have lost every game deservedly and if Birmingham and Swansea take their chances, it could have been 3 heavy defeats. It has not been good enough from the board, players and coaching staff so far and it needs to be a big few weeks to try and ensure supporters have some hope or we could be quickly mired into a season of struggle rather than one at the top end. The fundamental issues in the club remain – we take ages to make signings – do not know who is doing the recruiting and without a football man on the board or no director of football – it remains a confusing approach. Talk of this James Bord chap calling the shots is worry and with the AI stuff (the Caceres stuff has been embarrassing and I feel sorry for the lad) mixed in, it is understandable why the club is getting so much criticism. They seem awful at bringing players in and it takes an eternity to make a signing. Bringing in the South Korean or young Swede is not the answer – we need men and players who can perform and lead now. There is no leadership in the side at all.



Last week was an odd one as probably wasn’t a 4-1 defeat in the sense Bristol City were ruthless and we got hit at bad times but we showed some glimpses but still looked completely soft and miles off a team thinking about promotion. A lot of the chatter was about the back line and us not having proper centre backs playing but there was also the concern about how open we were. Incredibly we did not bring anyone in this week and Selles rightly called out the process and felt like many fans sort of got back on his side – but today the shift to the blame will be as much at him as the board I feel. That makes for an even more divided fan base as we have some (all?) fans blaming the board, some fans blaming the manager and then mixed in the press agenda against the board/manager due to their alliance with Wilder – it means it has become quite toxic. If it wasn’t for the mess across the city, the Blades would probably be getting a lot more heat nationally but it is not really a story in the same way. Not sure Luton’s decline last year got much press really even though back-to-back relegations were shocking with parachute payments. The club were a few kicks away from the top flight but now are bottom of the Championship, look a mess on and off the field and it needs the board/manager and players to wake up and fast. There is a shared responsibility as for all the criticism of the board (for the managerial change) and for Selles, the players really need to start showing why they were 3rd in the league last season. At the moment we are bottom and have lost all three games as they have been 2nd best in every game and should be embarrassed looking at the league table tonight.

Ratings:



Cooper 5.5/10 – Made one decent save early on at close range but given little protection at all and saw shots flash past his post. Made a mess of one free kick but had little chance on the goal. Seemed furious at the lack of protection he was given.



Seiki 3/10 -Thought it was a real struggle again for him in terms of him overplaying, not actually beating his man once going forward and offering little threat at all. Defensively gave his man way too much time and was quite cynical, committing too many fouls. Looks a long way off it but so do the rest!



Burrows 3/10 – His sluggish start has been a symbol of how the team has started. Looks leggy and slow and defensively he is not able to impose himself. Too many loose touches and other than two deflected shots his passing and contributions with the ball were poor. Miles off it.



Robinson 4/10 – Just seemed to resort to booting it when he had it but I don’t think he was the worst player today despite the agenda some may have. He was poor and played them in at least twice but he at least managed to get a few blocks in and had a few headers and long throws the other way (his long throw was our only outlet). He might be off next week of course which I am not too bothered about – if we get replacements in. Looked all a bit like he was just going through the motions but sadly many who may still be here were even worse!



Bindon 5.5/10 –One of our better players in that he looked neat and tidy enough and improved as the game went on. He was skinned easily when they had that chance after Soumare went down and then they had the header (Cullen) when the ball came across and he did not get there. He did get better and felt he used the ball ok and made some good interceptions and chased the ball down a few times. Only average but worrying that he was one of our better players as he still looked physically a long way off what we need.



Soumare 5/10 – Saw flashes early on as he got stuck in and moved around the pitch but after he got that whack (poor tackle for me and should have been a card for their man) he sort of struggled and gave it away. Technically his touch and passing seemed a bit mixed as he played some decent passes and then some bad balls that put them in. As the game went on, he struggled to last the pace and on the goal he was supposed the be shield in front of the defence but they just ran through us it seemed but Peck was poor too.



Peck 2/10 – Like Burrows, started the season really poorly and seems to be nowhere near ready to play competitive Championship games. Maybe the hype has got to him or he is unsettled (read links of interest in the summer) but playing as he is, no one is going to be looking at him. His passing was poor and he never went forwards and when he did pass it, he often lost it. Off the ball last year, he would get stuck in and harry/hassle but barely broke out of an amble this season so far. Did not even run back when they broke on the goal and I think Cooper rightly called him out. If we had any kind of competition, you’d drop him as his performances have been poor but we do not have anyone else! Also, no idea where he was meant to be playing. Seemed too far ahead of Soumare, meaning the new lad was still exposed.



Hamer 2/10 – Another who despite the wonder goal in the week, has come back after the summer and sort of ambled around, carelessly giving the ball away time after time. Another stupid booking and then second half I forgot he was even playing. He was further forward today but it made little difference. Never got on the ball and imposed himself and reminded me of many of the games to close last season, where the game just passed him by. Maybe a team like PSV or Leeds take him but I am not sure I would pay £20 million for him. He is lazy and does not do enough in games for me to play at the top level. Still without him, we would probably be a lot worse even though his start to the season has been poor.



O’Hare 2/10 – Not in the game at all. Played on the wing which does not suit him but with him, Hamer and Barry, you need one to play wide in this system (whatever this system is?). Tried those daft flicks but never really got on the ball and the whole side were too far apart. He did not help Seriki the other way and as a combination, it was a mess. Not sure we can get away with playing all those little, so called creative players without some size/presence around them.



Barry 5/10 – Started the game well and had 2 or 3 decent runs down the wing where he drove and won corners or got them on the backfoot. He at least tried to make things happen. After the first half he was not in the game as we never had the ball and did not attack. However, after we took him and Campbell off, we looked even more unlikely to trouble them.



Campbell 3/10 – Given no service and feeding off scraps so hard to rate him really. I am not sure he or the whole side worked hard enough without the ball though. Where is this so-called press and high intensity out of possession tactics we were promised? Got booked for dissent which summed up his frustration. We looked even less likely after he went off and the pathetic Cannon came on but thought Campbell looked a bit sulky today and did not like that. We need likes of him and Hamer to step up.



Subs -



Cannon 2/10 – Not sure what he did apart from pathetic dive for a penalty. Only way he gets 2 is that he too got no service – although does not help he never moves or is not a presence at all. Just like Brewster, looks a total waste of money and one that the club would do well to try and move on from – look to see if anyone would take him on loan maybe or for a few million (Stoke?) as his value will dimmish every week he remains. We have him under contract for another 4 seasons till 2029!



Brooks – Got on it a few times but always looking to come inside. Did win a corner but there was little coming from anyone at this stage. He was dropped rightly as was poor last week but then O’Hare was as bad this week!



One – Painful to watch him again sadly. Looked all a bit much for him the two opening games and continued today. Balls are bouncing off him and when he has it, he is making the wrong decision every time. Looks way off the level we need. Needs to go out on loan but then we have so few bodies, he may have to stay but he looks a young kid playing men’s football (and that is what he is)





Manager: Selles 1/10 – Not sure I can give him more than 1/10. We did not get hammered but probably should have lost by more than 1 and 2 or 3-0 would have been more apt. I have discussed him in detail above, more generally but in terms of today I have no idea what the plan was with and without the ball. There as no intensity in anything we did. We ambled around, did not try and keep the ball and our passing was shocking in it’s tempo and execution. It was woeful. Even at half time I thought we were shocking but then got even worse after the break and by the end the players just looked like they had no belief we could even muster a chance. To not have a single shot (or proper attack 2nd half) all game is really embarrassing. I do have sympathy for him as he had been not helped at all but still the current players he has at his disposal, should be doing much better.





Swansea – Did well under Sheehan last year when he came in. You look at the squad though and you feel they are a mid-table side at best (like Bristol City were) and the fact they were comfortably better than us- had to be a big worry. They started well and could have scored early on but were never really threatened and in the end, got the goal and saw it out. Did not need to be much better than they were. It was enough and they get their first win. Where will they end up? As I say probably around the middle at best. They lack goalscoring and even though they had a lot of the ball today, did not create tons (3 or 4 more chances than us though) and that might mean against better sides they are punished for the lack of penetration.



Opponent Man of the Match – Ronald scored the goal but Franco was decent around him too. Not sure anyone massively stood out although the lad Tymon who was so bad last year against us, had a lot of their big moments to be fair and was dangerous down the side.



Opponent Weak link – Defence were not tested at all. Ji Sung might take this just for being terrible all around and the clumsy challenge on Soumare.



Referee / Officials – Thomas Kirk. Awful. As bad as we were, he kept blowing his whistle, missed the worst foul of the match but was constantly stopping the game. The two teams were bad enough but he was even worse. He seemed obsessed with stopping the game and talking to players and it just became awful to watch. Just let them play.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I think Seriki was one who tried to take responsibility on and off the ball. Most tackles, a few runs, 2nd most passes and the most completed passes, etc. I also think Soumare showed he'll be a very good player. Centre halves weren't the problem today, so although we may address that next week, we need more!

 

[toledo]

Bottom line it was a shocking performance and, truthfully, I’m not surprised after the last 2 games.

 

[Deadbat]

I think Seriki was one who tried to take responsibility on and off the ball. Most tackles, a few runs, 2nd most passes and the most completed passes, etc. I also think Soumare showed he'll be a very good player. Centre halves weren't the problem today, so although we may address that next week, we need more!

Yup, centre backs were probably the least of our problems today. A lot felt we replaced them and we would be ok - but the structure of the side looked totally unbalanced last week and was the same today. Last week Bristol ran through us time after time and scored 4 - could have had 6 or 7 really (yes we could have had 4 or 5!).

Today they did not run though as much - more down the sides where the balls came in as Seriki and Burrows were poor but they still had enough chances to score more than 1.

We did not look like scoring or even having an attack.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

There were plenty of frustrating moments in the game.
Robbo giving the ball away twice with sloppy forward passes when we were on the ascendancy, and One’s awful control when he received a pass in the perfect position.
The whole side currently looks worryingly short of confidence with not enough players capable of making the difference.
Not sure we won any set pieces. Seem short of height and strength.

 

[HOT CURRIE 10]

Again,I cannot disagree with any of that assessment. Like the last couple of seasons before,we are woefully underprepared,we keep making the same mistakes whoever is in charge. In my eyes we have the Sheffield United blueprint of how we play football and cannot get out of it. We don’t know what the hell we are doing in this new ownership/management.

 

[theoneandonly36]

The players are not happy, you can tell. Selles seems too intense and one dimensional. They don’t seem to be able to play his way and look confused. Leaving great big gaps for the opposition to play into and not getting close to the man off the ball makes it easy to cut a path through. They seem frightened to take a man on and fluff possession and cough up too easily. Where is the intense press and focus on forward passing that we were expecting? On and off the ball it is all going wrong. Good players last year seem dispirited, glum, slow and clumsy.
This isn’t just about recruitment, it’s about building respect and purpose and teamwork.
Maybe something will click with better understanding of the system. I hope so!

 

[robbiez666]

United – That was poor and I cannot think of anything at all to take from the game at all apart from the fact we did not lose by more goals – which we probably deserved to. We may be short of players still and of course this is a big factor but we have enough talent and attacking players to be able to at least look likely to have an attack, never mind fashion a chance on goal? We never looked like keeping the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes, we never really mounted any attacks of note or even had a spell of sustained pressure. On the ball we were abysmal with simple passes going astray from most in the side. Other than Barry, no one tried to take risks or run at men and we looked scared to even try and commit men forward. It was as if we were so worried about getting run through, we did not even try and attack. However, defensively we were poor too. They could and should have scored a few more goals and as last week we started both halves terribly and could have let goals in the 1st and 46th minute. I worry that this so-called high press we were supposed to see and hard work off the ball, we have (other than 15 minutes last week) seen none of it at all? We were awful with the ball but probably even worse off it – as we stood off all game and barely got out of a jog. It was worrying that the players looked clueless in what they were meant to be doing? If they were given a plan of how to defend (get the ball back) and then attack (with it) they did not execute it. Maybe they are all sulking after Wilder’s departure – I saw Danny Hall make a comment about the players body language being poor and lots of pointing and waving their arms around (which I took with a pinch of salt as he has an agenda I feel being Wilder’s mate) but maybe he is right? I hope the players are not so pathetic they just don’t want to play for a new manager but the lack of effort (as much as their play on the ball) was really worrying.



It is hard to defend that – yes the board have shafted Selles (and the blame has to be firmly at their door) and not brought players in but the complete and utter lack of a plan to play and to try and score goal today was bewildering. I think being honest if Wilder had been left with that side he would have struggled also without Anel, Souza (and Souttar/Arblaster too) as we saw for long stretches after Xmas. I am not confident we would be doing much better with him in charge as we saw the regression since the turn of the year and we have weakened the side/squad considerably bringing in only unproven (at this level) youngsters in Bindon, Soumare and Barry. I doubt we would have started this badly and maybe we would have seen more fight but there were a lot of games just like today last season – Oxford/Plymouth quite recently. However, if you take away some of your better players and then bring in a manager, you have to give him tools to play his way. The problem is I am not sure I know what his way is yet and the players do not seem to be taking his advice on. It is a concern when our worst players today (they were all crap really!) were Hamer, O’Hare, Peck and Burrows in my opinion. They are meant to be 4 key players and all did very little right. You need your big players to play and the counter argument to criticism of Selles, is he does not go out and tell them to not run fast enough or pass to the opposition routinely but then when a team does not play well or do the things you expect individually or collectively, rightly, or wrongly, the criticism tends to go the manager.



It is sad he is under so much pressure early on but the heat will be on him (and the board which deserve more criticism I feel). If we sign a few defenders this week, then that might improve us of course but there is fundamentally a lot wrong at the moment (the 3 subs were as bad as the starters and the fact we did not use 2 more was just because of the lack of options left on the bench) with how we are playing and is more than just the odd player coming in as much as I am fuming with the board for not helping him. Teams continue to get through us easily but today we did not even look like scoring unlike last week. Selles and the board will face a tough week. They have to make signings to give the place a boost but he/we will be under pressure next week against a big tough Millwall side who look exactly the sort of side that will cause us problems (they did get battered themselves today!).



It is incredible that Sunderland top the Premier League (yes one game I know) and we are bottom of the Championship but that kind of sums up how things go for United! All the hope and optimism of the season and thinking we can be up there seems to have gone already. The owners said they remained determined as ever to get us promoted but that seems very unlikely this season already (lost as many games as Burnley did all last season) with a team and club seemingly confused about the plan to get that result. I worry that if we lost next week, then the pressure will ramp up on Selles (I do feel for him as he has not been helped but we were appalling today and he and the players have to take some blame too) and then wonder what the owners will do? Rarely does a club start a season with 5 defeats in the opening month and keep their manager these days so he will know it is now as much about just getting a result now than his plan or philosophy being integrated. If he does not get one in the next few weeks, he will be sacked, whatever sympathy we might have for him which is ridiculous really as then what do they do next – go back to a Wilder/Hecky type? For all the criticism about the lack of investments, there should still be enough for the team to do much better than they have shown so far. We have lost every game deservedly and if Birmingham and Swansea take their chances, it could have been 3 heavy defeats. It has not been good enough from the board, players and coaching staff so far and it needs to be a big few weeks to try and ensure supporters have some hope or we could be quickly mired into a season of struggle rather than one at the top end. The fundamental issues in the club remain – we take ages to make signings – do not know who is doing the recruiting and without a football man on the board or no director of football – it remains a confusing approach. Talk of this James Bord chap calling the shots is worry and with the AI stuff (the Caceres stuff has been embarrassing and I feel sorry for the lad) mixed in, it is understandable why the club is getting so much criticism. They seem awful at bringing players in and it takes an eternity to make a signing. Bringing in the South Korean or young Swede is not the answer – we need men and players who can perform and lead now. There is no leadership in the side at all.



Last week was an odd one as probably wasn’t a 4-1 defeat in the sense Bristol City were ruthless and we got hit at bad times but we showed some glimpses but still looked completely soft and miles off a team thinking about promotion. A lot of the chatter was about the back line and us not having proper centre backs playing but there was also the concern about how open we were. Incredibly we did not bring anyone in this week and Selles rightly called out the process and felt like many fans sort of got back on his side – but today the shift to the blame will be as much at him as the board I feel. That makes for an even more divided fan base as we have some (all?) fans blaming the board, some fans blaming the manager and then mixed in the press agenda against the board/manager due to their alliance with Wilder – it means it has become quite toxic. If it wasn’t for the mess across the city, the Blades would probably be getting a lot more heat nationally but it is not really a story in the same way. Not sure Luton’s decline last year got much press really even though back-to-back relegations were shocking with parachute payments. The club were a few kicks away from the top flight but now are bottom of the Championship, look a mess on and off the field and it needs the board/manager and players to wake up and fast. There is a shared responsibility as for all the criticism of the board (for the managerial change) and for Selles, the players really need to start showing why they were 3rd in the league last season. At the moment we are bottom and have lost all three games as they have been 2nd best in every game and should be embarrassed looking at the league table tonight.

Ratings:



Cooper 5.5/10 – Made one decent save early on at close range but given little protection at all and saw shots flash past his post. Made a mess of one free kick but had little chance on the goal. Seemed furious at the lack of protection he was given.



Seiki 3/10 -Thought it was a real struggle again for him in terms of him overplaying, not actually beating his man once going forward and offering little threat at all. Defensively gave his man way too much time and was quite cynical, committing too many fouls. Looks a long way off it but so do the rest!



Burrows 3/10 – His sluggish start has been a symbol of how the team has started. Looks leggy and slow and defensively he is not able to impose himself. Too many loose touches and other than two deflected shots his passing and contributions with the ball were poor. Miles off it.



Robinson 4/10 – Just seemed to resort to booting it when he had it but I don’t think he was the worst player today despite the agenda some may have. He was poor and played them in at least twice but he at least managed to get a few blocks in and had a few headers and long throws the other way (his long throw was our only outlet). He might be off next week of course which I am not too bothered about – if we get replacements in. Looked all a bit like he was just going through the motions but sadly many who may still be here were even worse!



Bindon 5.5/10 –One of our better players in that he looked neat and tidy enough and improved as the game went on. He was skinned easily when they had that chance after Soumare went down and then they had the header (Cullen) when the ball came across and he did not get there. He did get better and felt he used the ball ok and made some good interceptions and chased the ball down a few times. Only average but worrying that he was one of our better players as he still looked physically a long way off what we need.



Soumare 5/10 – Saw flashes early on as he got stuck in and moved around the pitch but after he got that whack (poor tackle for me and should have been a card for their man) he sort of struggled and gave it away. Technically his touch and passing seemed a bit mixed as he played some decent passes and then some bad balls that put them in. As the game went on, he struggled to last the pace and on the goal he was supposed the be shield in front of the defence but they just ran through us it seemed but Peck was poor too.



Peck 2/10 – Like Burrows, started the season really poorly and seems to be nowhere near ready to play competitive Championship games. Maybe the hype has got to him or he is unsettled (read links of interest in the summer) but playing as he is, no one is going to be looking at him. His passing was poor and he never went forwards and when he did pass it, he often lost it. Off the ball last year, he would get stuck in and harry/hassle but barely broke out of an amble this season so far. Did not even run back when they broke on the goal and I think Cooper rightly called him out. If we had any kind of competition, you’d drop him as his performances have been poor but we do not have anyone else! Also, no idea where he was meant to be playing. Seemed too far ahead of Soumare, meaning the new lad was still exposed.



Hamer 2/10 – Another who despite the wonder goal in the week, has come back after the summer and sort of ambled around, carelessly giving the ball away time after time. Another stupid booking and then second half I forgot he was even playing. He was further forward today but it made little difference. Never got on the ball and imposed himself and reminded me of many of the games to close last season, where the game just passed him by. Maybe a team like PSV or Leeds take him but I am not sure I would pay £20 million for him. He is lazy and does not do enough in games for me to play at the top level. Still without him, we would probably be a lot worse even though his start to the season has been poor.



O’Hare 2/10 – Not in the game at all. Played on the wing which does not suit him but with him, Hamer and Barry, you need one to play wide in this system (whatever this system is?). Tried those daft flicks but never really got on the ball and the whole side were too far apart. He did not help Seriki the other way and as a combination, it was a mess. Not sure we can get away with playing all those little, so called creative players without some size/presence around them.



Barry 5/10 – Started the game well and had 2 or 3 decent runs down the wing where he drove and won corners or got them on the backfoot. He at least tried to make things happen. After the first half he was not in the game as we never had the ball and did not attack. However, after we took him and Campbell off, we looked even more unlikely to trouble them.



Campbell 3/10 – Given no service and feeding off scraps so hard to rate him really. I am not sure he or the whole side worked hard enough without the ball though. Where is this so-called press and high intensity out of possession tactics we were promised? Got booked for dissent which summed up his frustration. We looked even less likely after he went off and the pathetic Cannon came on but thought Campbell looked a bit sulky today and did not like that. We need likes of him and Hamer to step up.



Subs -



Cannon 2/10 – Not sure what he did apart from pathetic dive for a penalty. Only way he gets 2 is that he too got no service – although does not help he never moves or is not a presence at all. Just like Brewster, looks a total waste of money and one that the club would do well to try and move on from – look to see if anyone would take him on loan maybe or for a few million (Stoke?) as his value will dimmish every week he remains. We have him under contract for another 4 seasons till 2029!



Brooks – Got on it a few times but always looking to come inside. Did win a corner but there was little coming from anyone at this stage. He was dropped rightly as was poor last week but then O’Hare was as bad this week!



One – Painful to watch him again sadly. Looked all a bit much for him the two opening games and continued today. Balls are bouncing off him and when he has it, he is making the wrong decision every time. Looks way off the level we need. Needs to go out on loan but then we have so few bodies, he may have to stay but he looks a young kid playing men’s football (and that is what he is)





Manager: Selles 1/10 – Not sure I can give him more than 1/10. We did not get hammered but probably should have lost by more than 1 and 2 or 3-0 would have been more apt. I have discussed him in detail above, more generally but in terms of today I have no idea what the plan was with and without the ball. There as no intensity in anything we did. We ambled around, did not try and keep the ball and our passing was shocking in it’s tempo and execution. It was woeful. Even at half time I thought we were shocking but then got even worse after the break and by the end the players just looked like they had no belief we could even muster a chance. To not have a single shot (or proper attack 2nd half) all game is really embarrassing. I do have sympathy for him as he had been not helped at all but still the current players he has at his disposal, should be doing much better.





Swansea – Did well under Sheehan last year when he came in. You look at the squad though and you feel they are a mid-table side at best (like Bristol City were) and the fact they were comfortably better than us- had to be a big worry. They started well and could have scored early on but were never really threatened and in the end, got the goal and saw it out. Did not need to be much better than they were. It was enough and they get their first win. Where will they end up? As I say probably around the middle at best. They lack goalscoring and even though they had a lot of the ball today, did not create tons (3 or 4 more chances than us though) and that might mean against better sides they are punished for the lack of penetration.



Opponent Man of the Match – Ronald scored the goal but Franco was decent around him too. Not sure anyone massively stood out although the lad Tymon who was so bad last year against us, had a lot of their big moments to be fair and was dangerous down the side.



Opponent Weak link – Defence were not tested at all. Ji Sung might take this just for being terrible all around and the clumsy challenge on Soumare.



Referee / Officials – Thomas Kirk. Awful. As bad as we were, he kept blowing his whistle, missed the worst foul of the match but was constantly stopping the game. The two teams were bad enough but he was even worse. He seemed obsessed with stopping the game and talking to players and it just became awful to watch. Just let them play.

Spot on. What a mess.

 

[Addison]

Cant add anything other than the signs were there in the second half against Bristol. The system isnt working and the players heads are down. They lack fight and there is an absence of leaders. It was obvious pre season the opposition would run through us. 3 games in and thats exactly whats happening. Peck is a shadow of his former self and just doesnt release the ball quick enough preferring to play his own game of twists and turns that take him nowhere.

The Board are responsible for the current mess. They can stop the rollercoaster towards relegation, because thats where we are heading, by bringing in 4 quality championship standard players. The manager needs supporting but what is alarming is his inability to mix it up keeping to the same formation despite the turgid display on the pitch, a criticism he has had from other teams supporters.

We've said it till we are blue in the face but the owners are oblivious to it. "we need a football man in now at Board level to save the season". I hold out little hope this will happen. Top performing organisations make rapid decisions and take action when things are clearly not working where revenue is seriously compromised. I used to work for two of them.

Im afraid its going to get worse before it gets better as the inability of the owners to exact change at pace is apparent as decisions appear to be made on a committee basis.

Too many players have let their heads go down far too early. Peck Hamer Robinson are all playing as if they want out and deserve the criticism they are getting.

Its a mess and even though its only 2 games the drop off in performance since the first 45 minutes against BC is alarming. Yet there is continuing silence from the owners. At least come out and say you're supporting your man and get the signings over the line pronto.

Its going to be a long season unless there is a significant shift in approach this coming week.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

I know the GBOB mob on here are quite vocal and tend to be the same apologists for the club about the length of time we take to make signings and often focus on 1 player at a time, but my God we are crap at the transfer market.

 

[Benjy]

It's depressing that we have only played 2 league games and already it seems the best we can hope for is staying in the division (I don't believe this is being overly dramatic). Every year I can't wait for August to roll around for the new season - hope has never drained from me this quickly!

How you manage to write these every week Deadbat I will never know, kudos to you.

 

[I should coco]

United – That was poor and I cannot think of anything at all to take from the game at all apart from the fact we did not lose by more goals – which we probably deserved to. We may be short of players still and of course this is a big factor but we have enough talent and attacking players to be able to at least look likely to have an attack, never mind fashion a chance on goal? We never looked like keeping the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes, we never really mounted any attacks of note or even had a spell of sustained pressure. On the ball we were abysmal with simple passes going astray from most in the side. Other than Barry, no one tried to take risks or run at men and we looked scared to even try and commit men forward. It was as if we were so worried about getting run through, we did not even try and attack. However, defensively we were poor too. They could and should have scored a few more goals and as last week we started both halves terribly and could have let goals in the 1st and 46th minute. I worry that this so-called high press we were supposed to see and hard work off the ball, we have (other than 15 minutes last week) seen none of it at all? We were awful with the ball but probably even worse off it – as we stood off all game and barely got out of a jog. It was worrying that the players looked clueless in what they were meant to be doing? If they were given a plan of how to defend (get the ball back) and then attack (with it) they did not execute it. Maybe they are all sulking after Wilder’s departure – I saw Danny Hall make a comment about the players body language being poor and lots of pointing and waving their arms around (which I took with a pinch of salt as he has an agenda I feel being Wilder’s mate) but maybe he is right? I hope the players are not so pathetic they just don’t want to play for a new manager but the lack of effort (as much as their play on the ball) was really worrying.



It is hard to defend that – yes the board have shafted Selles (and the blame has to be firmly at their door) and not brought players in but the complete and utter lack of a plan to play and to try and score goal today was bewildering. I think being honest if Wilder had been left with that side he would have struggled also without Anel, Souza (and Souttar/Arblaster too) as we saw for long stretches after Xmas. I am not confident we would be doing much better with him in charge as we saw the regression since the turn of the year and we have weakened the side/squad considerably bringing in only unproven (at this level) youngsters in Bindon, Soumare and Barry. I doubt we would have started this badly and maybe we would have seen more fight but there were a lot of games just like today last season – Oxford/Plymouth quite recently. However, if you take away some of your better players and then bring in a manager, you have to give him tools to play his way. The problem is I am not sure I know what his way is yet and the players do not seem to be taking his advice on. It is a concern when our worst players today (they were all crap really!) were Hamer, O’Hare, Peck and Burrows in my opinion. They are meant to be 4 key players and all did very little right. You need your big players to play and the counter argument to criticism of Selles, is he does not go out and tell them to not run fast enough or pass to the opposition routinely but then when a team does not play well or do the things you expect individually or collectively, rightly, or wrongly, the criticism tends to go the manager.



It is sad he is under so much pressure early on but the heat will be on him (and the board which deserve more criticism I feel). If we sign a few defenders this week, then that might improve us of course but there is fundamentally a lot wrong at the moment (the 3 subs were as bad as the starters and the fact we did not use 2 more was just because of the lack of options left on the bench) with how we are playing and is more than just the odd player coming in as much as I am fuming with the board for not helping him. Teams continue to get through us easily but today we did not even look like scoring unlike last week. Selles and the board will face a tough week. They have to make signings to give the place a boost but he/we will be under pressure next week against a big tough Millwall side who look exactly the sort of side that will cause us problems (they did get battered themselves today!).



It is incredible that Sunderland top the Premier League (yes one game I know) and we are bottom of the Championship but that kind of sums up how things go for United! All the hope and optimism of the season and thinking we can be up there seems to have gone already. The owners said they remained determined as ever to get us promoted but that seems very unlikely this season already (lost as many games as Burnley did all last season) with a team and club seemingly confused about the plan to get that result. I worry that if we lost next week, then the pressure will ramp up on Selles (I do feel for him as he has not been helped but we were appalling today and he and the players have to take some blame too) and then wonder what the owners will do? Rarely does a club start a season with 5 defeats in the opening month and keep their manager these days so he will know it is now as much about just getting a result now than his plan or philosophy being integrated. If he does not get one in the next few weeks, he will be sacked, whatever sympathy we might have for him which is ridiculous really as then what do they do next – go back to a Wilder/Hecky type? For all the criticism about the lack of investments, there should still be enough for the team to do much better than they have shown so far. We have lost every game deservedly and if Birmingham and Swansea take their chances, it could have been 3 heavy defeats. It has not been good enough from the board, players and coaching staff so far and it needs to be a big few weeks to try and ensure supporters have some hope or we could be quickly mired into a season of struggle rather than one at the top end. The fundamental issues in the club remain – we take ages to make signings – do not know who is doing the recruiting and without a football man on the board or no director of football – it remains a confusing approach. Talk of this James Bord chap calling the shots is worry and with the AI stuff (the Caceres stuff has been embarrassing and I feel sorry for the lad) mixed in, it is understandable why the club is getting so much criticism. They seem awful at bringing players in and it takes an eternity to make a signing. Bringing in the South Korean or young Swede is not the answer – we need men and players who can perform and lead now. There is no leadership in the side at all.



Last week was an odd one as probably wasn’t a 4-1 defeat in the sense Bristol City were ruthless and we got hit at bad times but we showed some glimpses but still looked completely soft and miles off a team thinking about promotion. A lot of the chatter was about the back line and us not having proper centre backs playing but there was also the concern about how open we were. Incredibly we did not bring anyone in this week and Selles rightly called out the process and felt like many fans sort of got back on his side – but today the shift to the blame will be as much at him as the board I feel. That makes for an even more divided fan base as we have some (all?) fans blaming the board, some fans blaming the manager and then mixed in the press agenda against the board/manager due to their alliance with Wilder – it means it has become quite toxic. If it wasn’t for the mess across the city, the Blades would probably be getting a lot more heat nationally but it is not really a story in the same way. Not sure Luton’s decline last year got much press really even though back-to-back relegations were shocking with parachute payments. The club were a few kicks away from the top flight but now are bottom of the Championship, look a mess on and off the field and it needs the board/manager and players to wake up and fast. There is a shared responsibility as for all the criticism of the board (for the managerial change) and for Selles, the players really need to start showing why they were 3rd in the league last season. At the moment we are bottom and have lost all three games as they have been 2nd best in every game and should be embarrassed looking at the league table tonight.

Ratings:



Cooper 5.5/10 – Made one decent save early on at close range but given little protection at all and saw shots flash past his post. Made a mess of one free kick but had little chance on the goal. Seemed furious at the lack of protection he was given.



Seiki 3/10 -Thought it was a real struggle again for him in terms of him overplaying, not actually beating his man once going forward and offering little threat at all. Defensively gave his man way too much time and was quite cynical, committing too many fouls. Looks a long way off it but so do the rest!



Burrows 3/10 – His sluggish start has been a symbol of how the team has started. Looks leggy and slow and defensively he is not able to impose himself. Too many loose touches and other than two deflected shots his passing and contributions with the ball were poor. Miles off it.



Robinson 4/10 – Just seemed to resort to booting it when he had it but I don’t think he was the worst player today despite the agenda some may have. He was poor and played them in at least twice but he at least managed to get a few blocks in and had a few headers and long throws the other way (his long throw was our only outlet). He might be off next week of course which I am not too bothered about – if we get replacements in. Looked all a bit like he was just going through the motions but sadly many who may still be here were even worse!



Bindon 5.5/10 –One of our better players in that he looked neat and tidy enough and improved as the game went on. He was skinned easily when they had that chance after Soumare went down and then they had the header (Cullen) when the ball came across and he did not get there. He did get better and felt he used the ball ok and made some good interceptions and chased the ball down a few times. Only average but worrying that he was one of our better players as he still looked physically a long way off what we need.



Soumare 5/10 – Saw flashes early on as he got stuck in and moved around the pitch but after he got that whack (poor tackle for me and should have been a card for their man) he sort of struggled and gave it away. Technically his touch and passing seemed a bit mixed as he played some decent passes and then some bad balls that put them in. As the game went on, he struggled to last the pace and on the goal he was supposed the be shield in front of the defence but they just ran through us it seemed but Peck was poor too.



Peck 2/10 – Like Burrows, started the season really poorly and seems to be nowhere near ready to play competitive Championship games. Maybe the hype has got to him or he is unsettled (read links of interest in the summer) but playing as he is, no one is going to be looking at him. His passing was poor and he never went forwards and when he did pass it, he often lost it. Off the ball last year, he would get stuck in and harry/hassle but barely broke out of an amble this season so far. Did not even run back when they broke on the goal and I think Cooper rightly called him out. If we had any kind of competition, you’d drop him as his performances have been poor but we do not have anyone else! Also, no idea where he was meant to be playing. Seemed too far ahead of Soumare, meaning the new lad was still exposed.



Hamer 2/10 – Another who despite the wonder goal in the week, has come back after the summer and sort of ambled around, carelessly giving the ball away time after time. Another stupid booking and then second half I forgot he was even playing. He was further forward today but it made little difference. Never got on the ball and imposed himself and reminded me of many of the games to close last season, where the game just passed him by. Maybe a team like PSV or Leeds take him but I am not sure I would pay £20 million for him. He is lazy and does not do enough in games for me to play at the top level. Still without him, we would probably be a lot worse even though his start to the season has been poor.



O’Hare 2/10 – Not in the game at all. Played on the wing which does not suit him but with him, Hamer and Barry, you need one to play wide in this system (whatever this system is?). Tried those daft flicks but never really got on the ball and the whole side were too far apart. He did not help Seriki the other way and as a combination, it was a mess. Not sure we can get away with playing all those little, so called creative players without some size/presence around them.



Barry 5/10 – Started the game well and had 2 or 3 decent runs down the wing where he drove and won corners or got them on the backfoot. He at least tried to make things happen. After the first half he was not in the game as we never had the ball and did not attack. However, after we took him and Campbell off, we looked even more unlikely to trouble them.



Campbell 3/10 – Given no service and feeding off scraps so hard to rate him really. I am not sure he or the whole side worked hard enough without the ball though. Where is this so-called press and high intensity out of possession tactics we were promised? Got booked for dissent which summed up his frustration. We looked even less likely after he went off and the pathetic Cannon came on but thought Campbell looked a bit sulky today and did not like that. We need likes of him and Hamer to step up.



Subs -



Cannon 2/10 – Not sure what he did apart from pathetic dive for a penalty. Only way he gets 2 is that he too got no service – although does not help he never moves or is not a presence at all. Just like Brewster, looks a total waste of money and one that the club would do well to try and move on from – look to see if anyone would take him on loan maybe or for a few million (Stoke?) as his value will dimmish every week he remains. We have him under contract for another 4 seasons till 2029!



Brooks – Got on it a few times but always looking to come inside. Did win a corner but there was little coming from anyone at this stage. He was dropped rightly as was poor last week but then O’Hare was as bad this week!



One – Painful to watch him again sadly. Looked all a bit much for him the two opening games and continued today. Balls are bouncing off him and when he has it, he is making the wrong decision every time. Looks way off the level we need. Needs to go out on loan but then we have so few bodies, he may have to stay but he looks a young kid playing men’s football (and that is what he is)





Manager: Selles 1/10 – Not sure I can give him more than 1/10. We did not get hammered but probably should have lost by more than 1 and 2 or 3-0 would have been more apt. I have discussed him in detail above, more generally but in terms of today I have no idea what the plan was with and without the ball. There as no intensity in anything we did. We ambled around, did not try and keep the ball and our passing was shocking in it’s tempo and execution. It was woeful. Even at half time I thought we were shocking but then got even worse after the break and by the end the players just looked like they had no belief we could even muster a chance. To not have a single shot (or proper attack 2nd half) all game is really embarrassing. I do have sympathy for him as he had been not helped at all but still the current players he has at his disposal, should be doing much better.





Swansea – Did well under Sheehan last year when he came in. You look at the squad though and you feel they are a mid-table side at best (like Bristol City were) and the fact they were comfortably better than us- had to be a big worry. They started well and could have scored early on but were never really threatened and in the end, got the goal and saw it out. Did not need to be much better than they were. It was enough and they get their first win. Where will they end up? As I say probably around the middle at best. They lack goalscoring and even though they had a lot of the ball today, did not create tons (3 or 4 more chances than us though) and that might mean against better sides they are punished for the lack of penetration.



Opponent Man of the Match – Ronald scored the goal but Franco was decent around him too. Not sure anyone massively stood out although the lad Tymon who was so bad last year against us, had a lot of their big moments to be fair and was dangerous down the side.



Opponent Weak link – Defence were not tested at all. Ji Sung might take this just for being terrible all around and the clumsy challenge on Soumare.



Referee / Officials – Thomas Kirk. Awful. As bad as we were, he kept blowing his whistle, missed the worst foul of the match but was constantly stopping the game. The two teams were bad enough but he was even worse. He seemed obsessed with stopping the game and talking to players and it just became awful to watch. Just let them play.

On many previous ocassions, I've acused you of marlimg far too meanly, but not today.

Selles reminds me of David Weir, with his fixation on a certain pattern of play. Sadly, I think things may end similarly.....

 

[Maurice Maurice]

I'm surprised you thought Swansea were deserved winners Deaders. They didn't deserve to lose but in a game as bad as that the very soul of the beautiful game turned black. They were appalling, slow, predictable and crap. Sadly we outcrapped them and I reckon if you sat down and watched a replay of every Championship game this weekend, that would be the worst, and we'd be the worst team.

There's no excuse for our players to play so poorly, they have the skill but not the heart and that's unforgivable. I don't like the manager, I think he'd be better sticking to FIFA 25 as I don't think he comes across as a man manager and motivator.

We have to make signings and they have to be very good, if not, two games in you can almost hear the fat lady humming. Overreaction? Not really, I've seen us play this sketch many times.

UTBFTP

 

[Deadbat]

I'm surprised you thought Swansea were deserved winners Deaders. They didn't deserve to lose but in a game as bad as that the very soul of the beautiful game turned black. They were appalling, slow, predictable and crap. Sadly we outcrapped them and I reckon if you sat down and watched a replay of every Championship game this weekend, that would be the worst, and we'd be the worst team.

There's no excuse for our players to play so poorly, they have the skill but not the heart and that's unforgivable. I don't like the manager, I think he'd be better sticking to FIFA 25 as I don't think he comes across as a man manager and motivator.

We have to make signings and they have to be very good, if not, two games in you can almost hear the fat lady humming. Overreaction? Not really, I've seen us play this sketch many times.

UTBFTP

They had more possession, far more touches in our box, more shots and more shots on goal. Higher XG. More corners.

In every possible attacking category they were ahead of us?

If they were slow, predictable and crap - what did that make us?! They at least tried to score. We did not even try and attack.

 

[Maurice Maurice]

On many previous ocassions, I've acused you of marlimg far too meanly, but not today.

Selles reminds me of David Weir, with his fixation on a certain pattern of play. Sadly, I think things may end similarly.....

What do you think that style of play is? Serious question because I'm baffled. He talks about the high press, we don't press at all. Most of the time they had the ball we had 9 players in our half. He talks about transition a lot, I don't think he understands what it is though because they have the ball, we don't so what's transitioning?

He reminds me of my old geography teacher, probably knew a lot about geography from reading text books but boring as fuck and crap at getting his message across.

 

[Maurice Maurice]

They had more possession, far more touches in our box, more shots and more shots on goal. Higher XG. More corners.

In every possible attacking category they were ahead of us?

If they were slow, predictable and crap - what did that make us?! They at least tried to score. We did not even try and attack.

It makes us what your scores reflected, a fucking shambles. They were terrible and a decent side would have beat them easily, sadly we aren't a good side.

 

[bruce]

United – That was poor and I cannot think of anything at all to take from the game at all apart from the fact we did not lose by more goals – which we probably deserved to. We may be short of players still and of course this is a big factor but we have enough talent and attacking players to be able to at least look likely to have an attack, never mind fashion a chance on goal? We never looked like keeping the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes, we never really mounted any attacks of note or even had a spell of sustained pressure. On the ball we were abysmal with simple passes going astray from most in the side. Other than Barry, no one tried to take risks or run at men and we looked scared to even try and commit men forward. It was as if we were so worried about getting run through, we did not even try and attack. However, defensively we were poor too. They could and should have scored a few more goals and as last week we started both halves terribly and could have let goals in the 1st and 46th minute. I worry that this so-called high press we were supposed to see and hard work off the ball, we have (other than 15 minutes last week) seen none of it at all? We were awful with the ball but probably even worse off it – as we stood off all game and barely got out of a jog. It was worrying that the players looked clueless in what they were meant to be doing? If they were given a plan of how to defend (get the ball back) and then attack (with it) they did not execute it. Maybe they are all sulking after Wilder’s departure – I saw Danny Hall make a comment about the players body language being poor and lots of pointing and waving their arms around (which I took with a pinch of salt as he has an agenda I feel being Wilder’s mate) but maybe he is right? I hope the players are not so pathetic they just don’t want to play for a new manager but the lack of effort (as much as their play on the ball) was really worrying.



It is hard to defend that – yes the board have shafted Selles (and the blame has to be firmly at their door) and not brought players in but the complete and utter lack of a plan to play and to try and score goal today was bewildering. I think being honest if Wilder had been left with that side he would have struggled also without Anel, Souza (and Souttar/Arblaster too) as we saw for long stretches after Xmas. I am not confident we would be doing much better with him in charge as we saw the regression since the turn of the year and we have weakened the side/squad considerably bringing in only unproven (at this level) youngsters in Bindon, Soumare and Barry. I doubt we would have started this badly and maybe we would have seen more fight but there were a lot of games just like today last season – Oxford/Plymouth quite recently. However, if you take away some of your better players and then bring in a manager, you have to give him tools to play his way. The problem is I am not sure I know what his way is yet and the players do not seem to be taking his advice on. It is a concern when our worst players today (they were all crap really!) were Hamer, O’Hare, Peck and Burrows in my opinion. They are meant to be 4 key players and all did very little right. You need your big players to play and the counter argument to criticism of Selles, is he does not go out and tell them to not run fast enough or pass to the opposition routinely but then when a team does not play well or do the things you expect individually or collectively, rightly, or wrongly, the criticism tends to go the manager.



It is sad he is under so much pressure early on but the heat will be on him (and the board which deserve more criticism I feel). If we sign a few defenders this week, then that might improve us of course but there is fundamentally a lot wrong at the moment (the 3 subs were as bad as the starters and the fact we did not use 2 more was just because of the lack of options left on the bench) with how we are playing and is more than just the odd player coming in as much as I am fuming with the board for not helping him. Teams continue to get through us easily but today we did not even look like scoring unlike last week. Selles and the board will face a tough week. They have to make signings to give the place a boost but he/we will be under pressure next week against a big tough Millwall side who look exactly the sort of side that will cause us problems (they did get battered themselves today!).



It is incredible that Sunderland top the Premier League (yes one game I know) and we are bottom of the Championship but that kind of sums up how things go for United! All the hope and optimism of the season and thinking we can be up there seems to have gone already. The owners said they remained determined as ever to get us promoted but that seems very unlikely this season already (lost as many games as Burnley did all last season) with a team and club seemingly confused about the plan to get that result. I worry that if we lost next week, then the pressure will ramp up on Selles (I do feel for him as he has not been helped but we were appalling today and he and the players have to take some blame too) and then wonder what the owners will do? Rarely does a club start a season with 5 defeats in the opening month and keep their manager these days so he will know it is now as much about just getting a result now than his plan or philosophy being integrated. If he does not get one in the next few weeks, he will be sacked, whatever sympathy we might have for him which is ridiculous really as then what do they do next – go back to a Wilder/Hecky type? For all the criticism about the lack of investments, there should still be enough for the team to do much better than they have shown so far. We have lost every game deservedly and if Birmingham and Swansea take their chances, it could have been 3 heavy defeats. It has not been good enough from the board, players and coaching staff so far and it needs to be a big few weeks to try and ensure supporters have some hope or we could be quickly mired into a season of struggle rather than one at the top end. The fundamental issues in the club remain – we take ages to make signings – do not know who is doing the recruiting and without a football man on the board or no director of football – it remains a confusing approach. Talk of this James Bord chap calling the shots is worry and with the AI stuff (the Caceres stuff has been embarrassing and I feel sorry for the lad) mixed in, it is understandable why the club is getting so much criticism. They seem awful at bringing players in and it takes an eternity to make a signing. Bringing in the South Korean or young Swede is not the answer – we need men and players who can perform and lead now. There is no leadership in the side at all.



Last week was an odd one as probably wasn’t a 4-1 defeat in the sense Bristol City were ruthless and we got hit at bad times but we showed some glimpses but still looked completely soft and miles off a team thinking about promotion. A lot of the chatter was about the back line and us not having proper centre backs playing but there was also the concern about how open we were. Incredibly we did not bring anyone in this week and Selles rightly called out the process and felt like many fans sort of got back on his side – but today the shift to the blame will be as much at him as the board I feel. That makes for an even more divided fan base as we have some (all?) fans blaming the board, some fans blaming the manager and then mixed in the press agenda against the board/manager due to their alliance with Wilder – it means it has become quite toxic. If it wasn’t for the mess across the city, the Blades would probably be getting a lot more heat nationally but it is not really a story in the same way. Not sure Luton’s decline last year got much press really even though back-to-back relegations were shocking with parachute payments. The club were a few kicks away from the top flight but now are bottom of the Championship, look a mess on and off the field and it needs the board/manager and players to wake up and fast. There is a shared responsibility as for all the criticism of the board (for the managerial change) and for Selles, the players really need to start showing why they were 3rd in the league last season. At the moment we are bottom and have lost all three games as they have been 2nd best in every game and should be embarrassed looking at the league table tonight.

Ratings:



Cooper 5.5/10 – Made one decent save early on at close range but given little protection at all and saw shots flash past his post. Made a mess of one free kick but had little chance on the goal. Seemed furious at the lack of protection he was given.



Seiki 3/10 -Thought it was a real struggle again for him in terms of him overplaying, not actually beating his man once going forward and offering little threat at all. Defensively gave his man way too much time and was quite cynical, committing too many fouls. Looks a long way off it but so do the rest!



Burrows 3/10 – His sluggish start has been a symbol of how the team has started. Looks leggy and slow and defensively he is not able to impose himself. Too many loose touches and other than two deflected shots his passing and contributions with the ball were poor. Miles off it.



Robinson 4/10 – Just seemed to resort to booting it when he had it but I don’t think he was the worst player today despite the agenda some may have. He was poor and played them in at least twice but he at least managed to get a few blocks in and had a few headers and long throws the other way (his long throw was our only outlet). He might be off next week of course which I am not too bothered about – if we get replacements in. Looked all a bit like he was just going through the motions but sadly many who may still be here were even worse!



Bindon 5.5/10 –One of our better players in that he looked neat and tidy enough and improved as the game went on. He was skinned easily when they had that chance after Soumare went down and then they had the header (Cullen) when the ball came across and he did not get there. He did get better and felt he used the ball ok and made some good interceptions and chased the ball down a few times. Only average but worrying that he was one of our better players as he still looked physically a long way off what we need.



Soumare 5/10 – Saw flashes early on as he got stuck in and moved around the pitch but after he got that whack (poor tackle for me and should have been a card for their man) he sort of struggled and gave it away. Technically his touch and passing seemed a bit mixed as he played some decent passes and then some bad balls that put them in. As the game went on, he struggled to last the pace and on the goal he was supposed the be shield in front of the defence but they just ran through us it seemed but Peck was poor too.



Peck 2/10 – Like Burrows, started the season really poorly and seems to be nowhere near ready to play competitive Championship games. Maybe the hype has got to him or he is unsettled (read links of interest in the summer) but playing as he is, no one is going to be looking at him. His passing was poor and he never went forwards and when he did pass it, he often lost it. Off the ball last year, he would get stuck in and harry/hassle but barely broke out of an amble this season so far. Did not even run back when they broke on the goal and I think Cooper rightly called him out. If we had any kind of competition, you’d drop him as his performances have been poor but we do not have anyone else! Also, no idea where he was meant to be playing. Seemed too far ahead of Soumare, meaning the new lad was still exposed.



Hamer 2/10 – Another who despite the wonder goal in the week, has come back after the summer and sort of ambled around, carelessly giving the ball away time after time. Another stupid booking and then second half I forgot he was even playing. He was further forward today but it made little difference. Never got on the ball and imposed himself and reminded me of many of the games to close last season, where the game just passed him by. Maybe a team like PSV or Leeds take him but I am not sure I would pay £20 million for him. He is lazy and does not do enough in games for me to play at the top level. Still without him, we would probably be a lot worse even though his start to the season has been poor.



O’Hare 2/10 – Not in the game at all. Played on the wing which does not suit him but with him, Hamer and Barry, you need one to play wide in this system (whatever this system is?). Tried those daft flicks but never really got on the ball and the whole side were too far apart. He did not help Seriki the other way and as a combination, it was a mess. Not sure we can get away with playing all those little, so called creative players without some size/presence around them.



Barry 5/10 – Started the game well and had 2 or 3 decent runs down the wing where he drove and won corners or got them on the backfoot. He at least tried to make things happen. After the first half he was not in the game as we never had the ball and did not attack. However, after we took him and Campbell off, we looked even more unlikely to trouble them.



Campbell 3/10 – Given no service and feeding off scraps so hard to rate him really. I am not sure he or the whole side worked hard enough without the ball though. Where is this so-called press and high intensity out of possession tactics we were promised? Got booked for dissent which summed up his frustration. We looked even less likely after he went off and the pathetic Cannon came on but thought Campbell looked a bit sulky today and did not like that. We need likes of him and Hamer to step up.



Subs -



Cannon 2/10 – Not sure what he did apart from pathetic dive for a penalty. Only way he gets 2 is that he too got no service – although does not help he never moves or is not a presence at all. Just like Brewster, looks a total waste of money and one that the club would do well to try and move on from – look to see if anyone would take him on loan maybe or for a few million (Stoke?) as his value will dimmish every week he remains. We have him under contract for another 4 seasons till 2029!



Brooks – Got on it a few times but always looking to come inside. Did win a corner but there was little coming from anyone at this stage. He was dropped rightly as was poor last week but then O’Hare was as bad this week!



One – Painful to watch him again sadly. Looked all a bit much for him the two opening games and continued today. Balls are bouncing off him and when he has it, he is making the wrong decision every time. Looks way off the level we need. Needs to go out on loan but then we have so few bodies, he may have to stay but he looks a young kid playing men’s football (and that is what he is)





Manager: Selles 1/10 – Not sure I can give him more than 1/10. We did not get hammered but probably should have lost by more than 1 and 2 or 3-0 would have been more apt. I have discussed him in detail above, more generally but in terms of today I have no idea what the plan was with and without the ball. There as no intensity in anything we did. We ambled around, did not try and keep the ball and our passing was shocking in it’s tempo and execution. It was woeful. Even at half time I thought we were shocking but then got even worse after the break and by the end the players just looked like they had no belief we could even muster a chance. To not have a single shot (or proper attack 2nd half) all game is really embarrassing. I do have sympathy for him as he had been not helped at all but still the current players he has at his disposal, should be doing much better.





Swansea – Did well under Sheehan last year when he came in. You look at the squad though and you feel they are a mid-table side at best (like Bristol City were) and the fact they were comfortably better than us- had to be a big worry. They started well and could have scored early on but were never really threatened and in the end, got the goal and saw it out. Did not need to be much better than they were. It was enough and they get their first win. Where will they end up? As I say probably around the middle at best. They lack goalscoring and even though they had a lot of the ball today, did not create tons (3 or 4 more chances than us though) and that might mean against better sides they are punished for the lack of penetration.



Opponent Man of the Match – Ronald scored the goal but Franco was decent around him too. Not sure anyone massively stood out although the lad Tymon who was so bad last year against us, had a lot of their big moments to be fair and was dangerous down the side.



Opponent Weak link – Defence were not tested at all. Ji Sung might take this just for being terrible all around and the clumsy challenge on Soumare.



Referee / Officials – Thomas Kirk. Awful. As bad as we were, he kept blowing his whistle, missed the worst foul of the match but was constantly stopping the game. The two teams were bad enough but he was even worse. He seemed obsessed with stopping the game and talking to players and it just became awful to watch. Just let them play.

I think the sulking could be due to the public on pitch bollocking they got from Selles.
Now I am very old fashioned and hate shirkers, spongers, etc. But, I think bollockings should be done in private. You just don't dress down and humiliate people in public. Not if you want them to be on your side.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Not gonna match summarise just say we’re in a shit whirlpool & it’s getting bigger ..no direction on or off the pitch , no word from the hiraachy ( which I’ve been slated for on here in previous threads ) & a manager 3 games into his tenure seemingly been hung out to dry and was calling it earlier in the week .. what a shit show we are at the moment … we’ve lost 5 players from the starting 11 at Wembley irespective about each of em … losing proven Championship experience & physicality related by? .. well you tell me .. we look such an easy touch now & weak as piss ..any of the happy clappers wanna offer a alternative view ?

 

[Houston_Blade]

I think Seriki was one who tried to take responsibility on and off the ball. Most tackles, a few runs, 2nd most passes and the most completed passes, etc. I also think Soumare showed he'll be a very good player. Centre halves weren't the problem today, so although we may address that next week, we need more!

I’ve not seen much from Seriki last season and this to suggest he should be a starter in a decent championship side (we aren’t even that at the moment though but should be aspiring to be).

He’s an athlete but positionally he’s poor. He’ll be good in future but we really need a starting RB.

 

[riselikeasalmon]

Your summing up under United- is spot on on all counts

The players have to take their share of this but what can we expect when we have a “captain” leading the huddle who seemingly wants out? Baffling decision

is it true that in the collar of this seasons shirts it says

Outrun outfought outplayed outpassed?

 

[Yewsman]

The players are not happy, you can tell. Selles seems too intense and one dimensional. They don’t seem to be able to play his way and look confused. Leaving great big gaps for the opposition to play into and not getting close to the man off the ball makes it easy to cut a path through. They seem frightened to take a man on and fluff possession and cough up too easily. Where is the intense press and focus on forward passing that we were expecting? On and off the ball it is all going wrong. Good players last year seem dispirited, glum, slow and clumsy.
This isn’t just about recruitment, it’s about building respect and purpose and teamwork.
Maybe something will click with better understanding of the system. I hope so!

I did not watch the game but the feeling I get is that Seles has already lost the dressing room. Players who last season like Hamer, Peck, Burrows were outstanding are now poor and apparently not that bothered. Coupled with this is that they don’t seem to know what they are supposed to be doing. Clearly the owners must take some responsibility. They have asset stripped the team and seem to have no strategy on recruitment. It’s just AI of random players none of whom are first team ready or who play in the positions that we need like CBS and RB. It is a recipe for disaster plus a couple of kids on loan who have never played at Championship level. They have turned a team/club who last season got 92 points and narrowly lost the PO final into relegation fodder.
Whilst there is some sympathy for Selles the managers job is to get the best out of his players. R/S clearly not doing that. It’s Slav mark 2.

 

[I should coco]

What do you think that style of play is? Serious question because I'm baffled. He talks about the high press, we don't press at all. Most of the time they had the ball we had 9 players in our half. He talks about transition a lot, I don't think he understands what it is though because they have the ball, we don't so what's transitioning?

He reminds me of my old geography teacher, probably knew a lot about geography from reading text books but boring as fuck and crap at getting his message across.

I agree his 'system' is hard to define, whcih is why I mentioned Weir. My abidig memory of his time, was confused players and his insitence on passing out from the back. So a keeper whose distribution wasn't good enough, passed the ball to players, who weren't comfortable with it. Within a couple of games, every L1 team knew to press us, and we frequently lost the ball.

RS seems similar to me, in that his wing backs must bomb forward at all times and he only plays 4 at the bacl. A great plan, but neither Seriki nor Burrows, are 'proper' full backs and only work well in a 5. His post match comments only seem to add to the confusion.

"We tried to adjust the pressure and didn't work in the way that we wanted. In an offensive throw, they scored a goal from our own throw-in.

"The game became difficult for us and then we were not good enough arriving into the final third and trying to create more situations. We must remain calm in all we do."

I'm not sure he can explain it himself.

Originally I said he'd be gone by Chtistmas, but I don't think he'll make it until the clocks go back.

I take absolutely no pleasure in saying that IMHO, we will not be remotely troubling the top 6 places and this season will be a write off.

 

[ChrisDysonHT]

United – That was poor and I cannot think of anything at all to take from the game at all apart from the fact we did not lose by more goals – which we probably deserved to. We may be short of players still and of course this is a big factor but we have enough talent and attacking players to be able to at least look likely to have an attack, never mind fashion a chance on goal? We never looked like keeping the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes, we never really mounted any attacks of note or even had a spell of sustained pressure. On the ball we were abysmal with simple passes going astray from most in the side. Other than Barry, no one tried to take risks or run at men and we looked scared to even try and commit men forward. It was as if we were so worried about getting run through, we did not even try and attack. However, defensively we were poor too. They could and should have scored a few more goals and as last week we started both halves terribly and could have let goals in the 1st and 46th minute. I worry that this so-called high press we were supposed to see and hard work off the ball, we have (other than 15 minutes last week) seen none of it at all? We were awful with the ball but probably even worse off it – as we stood off all game and barely got out of a jog. It was worrying that the players looked clueless in what they were meant to be doing? If they were given a plan of how to defend (get the ball back) and then attack (with it) they did not execute it. Maybe they are all sulking after Wilder’s departure – I saw Danny Hall make a comment about the players body language being poor and lots of pointing and waving their arms around (which I took with a pinch of salt as he has an agenda I feel being Wilder’s mate) but maybe he is right? I hope the players are not so pathetic they just don’t want to play for a new manager but the lack of effort (as much as their play on the ball) was really worrying.



It is hard to defend that – yes the board have shafted Selles (and the blame has to be firmly at their door) and not brought players in but the complete and utter lack of a plan to play and to try and score goal today was bewildering. I think being honest if Wilder had been left with that side he would have struggled also without Anel, Souza (and Souttar/Arblaster too) as we saw for long stretches after Xmas. I am not confident we would be doing much better with him in charge as we saw the regression since the turn of the year and we have weakened the side/squad considerably bringing in only unproven (at this level) youngsters in Bindon, Soumare and Barry. I doubt we would have started this badly and maybe we would have seen more fight but there were a lot of games just like today last season – Oxford/Plymouth quite recently. However, if you take away some of your better players and then bring in a manager, you have to give him tools to play his way. The problem is I am not sure I know what his way is yet and the players do not seem to be taking his advice on. It is a concern when our worst players today (they were all crap really!) were Hamer, O’Hare, Peck and Burrows in my opinion. They are meant to be 4 key players and all did very little right. You need your big players to play and the counter argument to criticism of Selles, is he does not go out and tell them to not run fast enough or pass to the opposition routinely but then when a team does not play well or do the things you expect individually or collectively, rightly, or wrongly, the criticism tends to go the manager.



It is sad he is under so much pressure early on but the heat will be on him (and the board which deserve more criticism I feel). If we sign a few defenders this week, then that might improve us of course but there is fundamentally a lot wrong at the moment (the 3 subs were as bad as the starters and the fact we did not use 2 more was just because of the lack of options left on the bench) with how we are playing and is more than just the odd player coming in as much as I am fuming with the board for not helping him. Teams continue to get through us easily but today we did not even look like scoring unlike last week. Selles and the board will face a tough week. They have to make signings to give the place a boost but he/we will be under pressure next week against a big tough Millwall side who look exactly the sort of side that will cause us problems (they did get battered themselves today!).



It is incredible that Sunderland top the Premier League (yes one game I know) and we are bottom of the Championship but that kind of sums up how things go for United! All the hope and optimism of the season and thinking we can be up there seems to have gone already. The owners said they remained determined as ever to get us promoted but that seems very unlikely this season already (lost as many games as Burnley did all last season) with a team and club seemingly confused about the plan to get that result. I worry that if we lost next week, then the pressure will ramp up on Selles (I do feel for him as he has not been helped but we were appalling today and he and the players have to take some blame too) and then wonder what the owners will do? Rarely does a club start a season with 5 defeats in the opening month and keep their manager these days so he will know it is now as much about just getting a result now than his plan or philosophy being integrated. If he does not get one in the next few weeks, he will be sacked, whatever sympathy we might have for him which is ridiculous really as then what do they do next – go back to a Wilder/Hecky type? For all the criticism about the lack of investments, there should still be enough for the team to do much better than they have shown so far. We have lost every game deservedly and if Birmingham and Swansea take their chances, it could have been 3 heavy defeats. It has not been good enough from the board, players and coaching staff so far and it needs to be a big few weeks to try and ensure supporters have some hope or we could be quickly mired into a season of struggle rather than one at the top end. The fundamental issues in the club remain – we take ages to make signings – do not know who is doing the recruiting and without a football man on the board or no director of football – it remains a confusing approach. Talk of this James Bord chap calling the shots is worry and with the AI stuff (the Caceres stuff has been embarrassing and I feel sorry for the lad) mixed in, it is understandable why the club is getting so much criticism. They seem awful at bringing players in and it takes an eternity to make a signing. Bringing in the South Korean or young Swede is not the answer – we need men and players who can perform and lead now. There is no leadership in the side at all.



Last week was an odd one as probably wasn’t a 4-1 defeat in the sense Bristol City were ruthless and we got hit at bad times but we showed some glimpses but still looked completely soft and miles off a team thinking about promotion. A lot of the chatter was about the back line and us not having proper centre backs playing but there was also the concern about how open we were. Incredibly we did not bring anyone in this week and Selles rightly called out the process and felt like many fans sort of got back on his side – but today the shift to the blame will be as much at him as the board I feel. That makes for an even more divided fan base as we have some (all?) fans blaming the board, some fans blaming the manager and then mixed in the press agenda against the board/manager due to their alliance with Wilder – it means it has become quite toxic. If it wasn’t for the mess across the city, the Blades would probably be getting a lot more heat nationally but it is not really a story in the same way. Not sure Luton’s decline last year got much press really even though back-to-back relegations were shocking with parachute payments. The club were a few kicks away from the top flight but now are bottom of the Championship, look a mess on and off the field and it needs the board/manager and players to wake up and fast. There is a shared responsibility as for all the criticism of the board (for the managerial change) and for Selles, the players really need to start showing why they were 3rd in the league last season. At the moment we are bottom and have lost all three games as they have been 2nd best in every game and should be embarrassed looking at the league table tonight.

Ratings:



Cooper 5.5/10 – Made one decent save early on at close range but given little protection at all and saw shots flash past his post. Made a mess of one free kick but had little chance on the goal. Seemed furious at the lack of protection he was given.



Seiki 3/10 -Thought it was a real struggle again for him in terms of him overplaying, not actually beating his man once going forward and offering little threat at all. Defensively gave his man way too much time and was quite cynical, committing too many fouls. Looks a long way off it but so do the rest!



Burrows 3/10 – His sluggish start has been a symbol of how the team has started. Looks leggy and slow and defensively he is not able to impose himself. Too many loose touches and other than two deflected shots his passing and contributions with the ball were poor. Miles off it.



Robinson 4/10 – Just seemed to resort to booting it when he had it but I don’t think he was the worst player today despite the agenda some may have. He was poor and played them in at least twice but he at least managed to get a few blocks in and had a few headers and long throws the other way (his long throw was our only outlet). He might be off next week of course which I am not too bothered about – if we get replacements in. Looked all a bit like he was just going through the motions but sadly many who may still be here were even worse!



Bindon 5.5/10 –One of our better players in that he looked neat and tidy enough and improved as the game went on. He was skinned easily when they had that chance after Soumare went down and then they had the header (Cullen) when the ball came across and he did not get there. He did get better and felt he used the ball ok and made some good interceptions and chased the ball down a few times. Only average but worrying that he was one of our better players as he still looked physically a long way off what we need.



Soumare 5/10 – Saw flashes early on as he got stuck in and moved around the pitch but after he got that whack (poor tackle for me and should have been a card for their man) he sort of struggled and gave it away. Technically his touch and passing seemed a bit mixed as he played some decent passes and then some bad balls that put them in. As the game went on, he struggled to last the pace and on the goal he was supposed the be shield in front of the defence but they just ran through us it seemed but Peck was poor too.



Peck 2/10 – Like Burrows, started the season really poorly and seems to be nowhere near ready to play competitive Championship games. Maybe the hype has got to him or he is unsettled (read links of interest in the summer) but playing as he is, no one is going to be looking at him. His passing was poor and he never went forwards and when he did pass it, he often lost it. Off the ball last year, he would get stuck in and harry/hassle but barely broke out of an amble this season so far. Did not even run back when they broke on the goal and I think Cooper rightly called him out. If we had any kind of competition, you’d drop him as his performances have been poor but we do not have anyone else! Also, no idea where he was meant to be playing. Seemed too far ahead of Soumare, meaning the new lad was still exposed.



Hamer 2/10 – Another who despite the wonder goal in the week, has come back after the summer and sort of ambled around, carelessly giving the ball away time after time. Another stupid booking and then second half I forgot he was even playing. He was further forward today but it made little difference. Never got on the ball and imposed himself and reminded me of many of the games to close last season, where the game just passed him by. Maybe a team like PSV or Leeds take him but I am not sure I would pay £20 million for him. He is lazy and does not do enough in games for me to play at the top level. Still without him, we would probably be a lot worse even though his start to the season has been poor.



O’Hare 2/10 – Not in the game at all. Played on the wing which does not suit him but with him, Hamer and Barry, you need one to play wide in this system (whatever this system is?). Tried those daft flicks but never really got on the ball and the whole side were too far apart. He did not help Seriki the other way and as a combination, it was a mess. Not sure we can get away with playing all those little, so called creative players without some size/presence around them.



Barry 5/10 – Started the game well and had 2 or 3 decent runs down the wing where he drove and won corners or got them on the backfoot. He at least tried to make things happen. After the first half he was not in the game as we never had the ball and did not attack. However, after we took him and Campbell off, we looked even more unlikely to trouble them.



Campbell 3/10 – Given no service and feeding off scraps so hard to rate him really. I am not sure he or the whole side worked hard enough without the ball though. Where is this so-called press and high intensity out of possession tactics we were promised? Got booked for dissent which summed up his frustration. We looked even less likely after he went off and the pathetic Cannon came on but thought Campbell looked a bit sulky today and did not like that. We need likes of him and Hamer to step up.



Subs -



Cannon 2/10 – Not sure what he did apart from pathetic dive for a penalty. Only way he gets 2 is that he too got no service – although does not help he never moves or is not a presence at all. Just like Brewster, looks a total waste of money and one that the club would do well to try and move on from – look to see if anyone would take him on loan maybe or for a few million (Stoke?) as his value will dimmish every week he remains. We have him under contract for another 4 seasons till 2029!



Brooks – Got on it a few times but always looking to come inside. Did win a corner but there was little coming from anyone at this stage. He was dropped rightly as was poor last week but then O’Hare was as bad this week!



One – Painful to watch him again sadly. Looked all a bit much for him the two opening games and continued today. Balls are bouncing off him and when he has it, he is making the wrong decision every time. Looks way off the level we need. Needs to go out on loan but then we have so few bodies, he may have to stay but he looks a young kid playing men’s football (and that is what he is)





Manager: Selles 1/10 – Not sure I can give him more than 1/10. We did not get hammered but probably should have lost by more than 1 and 2 or 3-0 would have been more apt. I have discussed him in detail above, more generally but in terms of today I have no idea what the plan was with and without the ball. There as no intensity in anything we did. We ambled around, did not try and keep the ball and our passing was shocking in it’s tempo and execution. It was woeful. Even at half time I thought we were shocking but then got even worse after the break and by the end the players just looked like they had no belief we could even muster a chance. To not have a single shot (or proper attack 2nd half) all game is really embarrassing. I do have sympathy for him as he had been not helped at all but still the current players he has at his disposal, should be doing much better.





Swansea – Did well under Sheehan last year when he came in. You look at the squad though and you feel they are a mid-table side at best (like Bristol City were) and the fact they were comfortably better than us- had to be a big worry. They started well and could have scored early on but were never really threatened and in the end, got the goal and saw it out. Did not need to be much better than they were. It was enough and they get their first win. Where will they end up? As I say probably around the middle at best. They lack goalscoring and even though they had a lot of the ball today, did not create tons (3 or 4 more chances than us though) and that might mean against better sides they are punished for the lack of penetration.



Opponent Man of the Match – Ronald scored the goal but Franco was decent around him too. Not sure anyone massively stood out although the lad Tymon who was so bad last year against us, had a lot of their big moments to be fair and was dangerous down the side.



Opponent Weak link – Defence were not tested at all. Ji Sung might take this just for being terrible all around and the clumsy challenge on Soumare.



Referee / Officials – Thomas Kirk. Awful. As bad as we were, he kept blowing his whistle, missed the worst foul of the match but was constantly stopping the game. The two teams were bad enough but he was even worse. He seemed obsessed with stopping the game and talking to players and it just became awful to watch. Just let them play.

A really painful read ... Sunderland hammering (no pun intended) West Ham just shows how 45 mins can change football. My lad was on the 6am train from Leeds to get to Swansea.... a £200 day to watch no shots on target (and he owes me £40) ...... Roll on Millwall next week and 3 new signings

 

[Cheeky Blade]

For the optimists among us we just have to hope this is rock bottom and things improve.

 

[71Blade]

Cannot disagree with any of that we have regressed as a club top to bottom at an alarming rate. When you watch professional footballers running into each other players a yard from each other looking as if to say what now?

Where is the leadership when we played Sunday football if it wasn't working there was always a plan b or we just ignored the manager and did what we wanted. Granted very different in the professional game however somebody grab the initiative make things happen.

At any level any team not having one shot on goal let alone one on target is unforgivable. We played Swansea not PSG. I think we are in big trouble we are calling out individuals not one of yesterday's team deserves any ounce of credit the club should reward the fans who travelled yesterday in some way 8 hour round trip to be served up that tripe is unforgivable at least I could turn off the tv and go and walk the dog.

 

[Blade59]

Fair play after last week he tried to address how open we are and tweaked the formation to try and address it. Unfortunately this appears only to have marginally improved the issue whilst killing off any attacking threat (the positive from the BC game) whatsoever. It is not as if we are trying to integrate lots of new players so it is worrying after a full pre season working with most of them the players do not appear to understand the system. I was of the opinion that with some centre back signings and adding some depth in other areas we would be ok but now I am not so sure. The problem looks more deep rooted.

Having said the 2 games in is not the time to make rash decisions. I think we have to hope we get some signings in and then see where we are say at the end of September. If things are still not moving in the right direction by that time then the board may need to act and need have a contingency plan in place for that eventuality.

 

[Wireblade]

I think the sulking could be due to the public on pitch bollocking they got from Selles.
Now I am very old fashioned and hate shirkers, spongers, etc. But, I think bollockings should be done in private. You just don't dress down and humiliate people in public. Not if you want them to be on your side.

Good point this. I’m not ready to go in on Selles yet, but the public dressing down felt very ill-advised after game 1. Especially when the way we set up was a huge factor in the defeat.
If I was in work and I got a new boss who is fairly inexperienced I wouldn’t react well to that sort of action.

 

[Dkc]

The radio Sheff comms team, Oxley and Asaba I think, pointed out that we have the best player in the divusion and our game should be based around getting him on the ball as much as possible. Hamer was a spectator for much of the game. Campbell too.

With the loss of Souza and Anel, we seem to have lost the ability to play the ball calmly out of defence. We can't cope with the opposition press.

 

[Keen Blade]

The fall from almost Europe in 1975 to Div 4 was fast but this current debacle is way way faster.

Previous slides down the pyramid have almost always involved a real lack of funds
But this season we have a £40m parachute plus the proceeds of selling Souza , Anel & Moore , plus getting Brewster's wages off our books.

There is no excuse.

In a few short months we will either be in L1 or struggling along with all the other Championship clubs who don't enjoy parachute payments or the indulgence of a sugar-daddy benefactor.

The future is very very dark if we don't go up - so why are we not straining every sinew this window to build instead of demolishing ?

It makes not one ounce of sense.