The Football

[Cheeky Blade]

It’s better in’t it?

I’m not going into XG and all that as others do that but the big complaint re: Wilder mk2 was ‘the football’ was crap.

We now have MK3 goal Wilderball and it’s very enjoyable to watch for the most part. Attacking football with balls across the box from wide, a proper no.9 and a midfield that controls the game.

Obviously it’s still a work in progress and we’re still seeing lapses and errors but it’s looking much better going into 2026.

UTB.

 

[YES Blade]

I have wondered why we didn’t see more attacking performances like this last season. We were bloody awful against some really shit teams where you would’ve expected us to give out a few a beatings.

Maybe it’s a case of the pressure is off a bit as we’re not in a promotion race. Or there is less to lose at the moment so we can just go for it.

Hopefully it continues as it’s far better to watch a team that’s trying to score goals and not settle for a 1-0 every match.

 

[Yogi]

I think Seriki has taken another step forward this season and his attacking play and crucially end product down the right is very important for us in terms of scoring the amount of goals we are. How many of our goals are coming from balls cut back from the byline on the right? It feels like a decent chunk.

It feels like for the first time since Stevens form dropped off a cliff Wilder has genuine attacking options at both fullback spots.

Cover/Competition for Seriki should be top priority in January.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

Maybe it’s a case of the pressure is off a bit as we’re not in a promotion race.

Did think that might be a part of it but maybe it’s the players coming through also?

 

[Nedski]

We played like this for 15 minutes per game last season before sitting back and holding on. It was always frustrating and boring as we had some really good attacking players and goalscorers plus a solid defence.

If we had ahmedhodzic next to Tanganga, Souza next to Riedewald, Rak sakyi on the wing, we'd be a beast of a team.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

I think Seriki has taken another step forward this season and his attacking play and crucially end product down the right is very important for us in terms of scoring the amount of goals we are. How many of our goals are coming from balls cut back from the byline on the right? It feels like a decent chunk.

It feels like for the first time since Stevens form dropped off a cliff Wilder has genuine attacking options at both fullback spots.

Cover/Competition for Seriki should be top priority in January.

Really impressed with how Seriki is progressing. McCallum also as I’d pretty much written the lad off as ‘not good enough’ but he’s proving us wrong this season.

 

[Bladesman]

I have wondered why we didn’t see more attacking performances like this last season. We were bloody awful against some really shit teams where you would’ve expected us to give out a few a beatings.

Maybe it’s a case of the pressure is off a bit as we’re not in a promotion race. Or there is less to lose at the moment so we can just go for it.

Hopefully it continues as it’s far better to watch a team that’s trying to score goals and not settle for a 1-0 every match.

What annoys me is these sort of attacking performances were possible last season but apart from at home to Boro, Coventry and then the play-offs, we rarely clicked up through the gears.

The loss of Arblaster was for me when counter attacking last year started to drop off. If you watch the Hull and Preston away matches last season, how quickly we did them both over from their own attacking corners.

Happy to now see us banging in the goals as much as the next Blades fan but did it really need Wilder to be sacked and all that nonsense for him to get the message regarding the style of football? He already knows what Blades fans want to see which is why the style of football last year was baffling at times.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Interesting subject.

Last season the common reaction from opposition fans after playing us was “can’t believe they are so high in the league because they aren’t that good”.
To be honest I kind of agreed. Most games last season we looked an average mid table team but we knew how to park the bus with battling defensive displays.
I thought it was a risky tactic to defend so deep for the last 20 minutes inviting pressure…..but in fairness to Wilder it worked.

We’re now playing some beautiful football and look a really good team.
In recent matches the common reaction from opposition fans is “that must be our worse performance of the season”.
It’s true…..we are now making the opposition look rubbish…..like they are a clear division below us.

Also it’s weird how early in the season….we never looked like scoring
Where as now we create so many chances and seem to score at least 3 goals every match.
Early days but things are looking so promising…..just need to sort out the away form…and learn to deal with the panic when we concede.