Successful Season

[CarlMcBlade]

Not sure we've any experience of play offs feeling better, but that would be the way to do it. Less pressure, positive momentum vs the disappointment and negative momentum of being 3rd after blowing the autos. Nowt to lose.

Would love us to have a great charge up the league and gatecrash the party now!

Yes, I should have worded it better, I was talking more generally about making a late run for the play-offs. Whereas when we end up in play-offs it’s usually down failure to reach the top two.

 

[Houston_Blade]

The first line of the OP refers to the pigs getting relegated, I wonder why they think we’re obsessed?!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

The first line of the OP refers to the pigs getting relegated, I wonder why they think we’re obsessed?!

Yes, sometimes I have to remind my match going friends, that we’re here to support SUFC…not just to rejoice in the pigs demise.
I remember almost silencing our table in the pub by suggesting it would useful for the Wendy’s to steal a few points off the teams around us in the league…As popular as a fart in a spacesuit.

 

[programmechap]

Play offs always feel better when you just sneak in there at the 11th hour.

We've never done that. We've generally either got in after missing out on autos ( 09, 12 and 25) or been obviously going to get in them without having any real chance of autos (97, 03, 13, 15)

The two exceptions were:

98, when we looked destined for them all season and then took only 1 point from the last 4 games and ended up in them on goals scored because Birmingham failed to win their last game; and

22: we'd looked likely to get in for a long time but it wasn't confirmed until we beat Fulham in the last game.

We've never done the late season.surge, sneaking into 6th. First time for everything

 

[CarlMcBlade]

We've never done that. We've generally either got in after missing out on autos ( 09, 12 and 25) or been obviously going to get in them without having any real chance of autos (97, 03, 13, 15)

The two exceptions were:

98, when we looked destined for them all season and then took only 1 point from the last 4 games and ended up in them on goals scored because Birmingham failed to win their last game; and

22: we'd looked likely to get in for a long time but it wasn't confirmed until we beat Fulham in the last game.

We've never done the late season.surge, sneaking into 6th. First time for everything

See later post…

 

[Uganda Blade]

We've never done that. We've generally either got in after missing out on autos ( 09, 12 and 25) or been obviously going to get in them without having any real chance of autos (97, 03, 13, 15)

The two exceptions were:

98, when we looked destined for them all season and then took only 1 point from the last 4 games and ended up in them on goals scored because Birmingham failed to win their last game; and

22: we'd looked likely to get in for a long time but it wasn't confirmed until we beat Fulham in the last game.

We've never done the late season.surge, sneaking into 6th. First time for everything

Was the 98 time when we snuck in on the last game of the season away to Stockport?

 

[programmechap]

Was the 98 time when we snuck in on the last game of the season away to Stockport?

Thats the one

 

[Dkc]

Imagine if we do sneak into the play-offs. Pigs go down with record-low points haul. We do the double over them, with the highest-ever aggregate winning margin in a Sheffield derby. Imagine if we made the play-off final too. We might be one game away from the greatest season since the "Blades Glory-Owls Down" season under Bassett- It might even be better than that season as we won't have just swapped divisions - they'd be two divisions below us, skint, humiliated, and still under EFL sanctions

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Look, whatever ultimately happens at the end of this season, I can now say without fear of contradiction…It’s already more enjoyable for me than last season.
Last season the failure of finishing in the dreaded playoffs was our biggest fear…and it showed in the end.
Whereas this season finishing in the playoffs would be an absolute dream come true…I’m now looking forward to every game.

 

[Dkc]

After our horrendous start it looks like a few people are not satisfied with us comfortably avoiding relegation, doing the double over the pigs and relegating them. They think that we should have been challenging for promotion too and because of that we should sack our manager.

For me it has not been great over the past ten games but in the long term this season will be remembered positively . Avoiding relegation with games to spare, doing the double over the pigs, relegating them at the Lane and building for next season with some decent performances.

Yes we had a shit first half away at Bristol City with a changed lineup and little to play for. But every team performs poorly sometimes. That's the nature of football. It has still been an enjoyable season for me.

 

[sheepbridge]

It was a horrendous start, nobody can deny that, but I do wonder with hindsight how many points we'd have achieved in those first five games if we hadn't made a change?

3 of them, Ipswich, Millwall and Boro were against sides now in the top four, and our record last season and this season against the better teams in the division is shocking.
Bristol we have just lost to and Swansea away isn't easy, and again, we failed to beat last week as well.

Yes we shouldn't have kept Selles or even appointed him and the transfer window was terrible but I'm not of the opinion only Wilder could have saved us from that position. Teams can make a change and progress, look at Norwich and Southampton, both who have been below us.

I don't class the season as enjoyable overall.
We had a very good spell just before Christmas, playing good football and scoring goals, but again with hindsight, against mostly very poor teams. We've only really beaten Ipswich that are any good this season.

And, yes, we've beaten Wednesday twice which is always fantastic but to be honest it would have been hard not to. They are appalling.

 

[Dkc]

Not forgetting the cup tie v Birmingham where we were absolute dross but Hamer scored a wonder goal. It was clear that none of our players knew what they were supposed to be doing. We didn't seem to have a midfield and Birmingham were slicing through us at will. I was in favour of keeping Selles before that game, but not afterwards.

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

Selles had to go but it didn’t mean going back to Wilder. New owners have appointed two managers without a single interview - worrying.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

After our horrendous start it looks like a few people are not satisfied with us comfortably avoiding relegation, doing the double over the pigs and relegating them. They think that we should have been challenging for promotion too and because of that we should sack our manager.

For me it has not been great over the past ten games but in the long term this season will be remembered positively . Avoiding relegation with games to spare, doing the double over the pigs, relegating them at the Lane and building for next season with some decent performances.

Yes we had a shit first half away at Bristol City with a changed lineup and little to play for. But every team performs poorly sometimes. That's the nature of football. It has still been an enjoyable season for me.

The amount of games we have thrown from winning positions changes the feeling of that though.
You know how it feels taking a draw after being up is a stinker. That's just how it is. It's still a point each, but the feeling is it could have been so much better.

I don't classify it as bad overall, as the start was so bad. Plus the few games we have had a good goal tally. The last few home games players and manager needs to get a bit of feel-good back or it will end with a downbeat feel.

 

[sheepbridge]

Not forgetting the cup tie v Birmingham where we were absolute dross but Hamer scored a wonder goal. It was clear that none of our players knew what they were supposed to be doing. We didn't seem to have a midfield and Birmingham were slicing through us at will. I was in favour of keeping Selles before that game, but not afterwards.

Oh I agree, and that was the final straw for many, but I'm not sure using a cup tie is a great example.
Mansfield... Burton... Cardiff spring to mind of pretty poor performances in the cup.
Tbh, Birmingham away was probably the hardest one!

 

[Dkc]

I'm not of the opinion only Wilder could have saved us from that position. Teams can make a change and progress, look at Norwich and Southampton, both who have been below us.

I see that as a 'straw man' arguement. Not even Wilder's strongest supporters are saying that he was the only man who could have saved us. In hindsight Clement would have been a good choice but his appointment was a gamble for Norwich after he did poorly at Rangers. He was sacked with them 13 points adrift of Celtic after losing at home to St Mirren and getting dumped out of the cup by Queens Park.

I'd say that given we were in crisis, re-appointing Wilder was our best shot at avoiding disaster (relegation). It is disappointing that we have been unable to push on and challenge for promotion.

No disrespect to Davies, he has done well. But I think we'd have been a lot closer to 6th if it wasn't for Cooper's injury.

 

[sheepbridge]

I see that as a 'straw man' arguement. Not even Wilder's strongest supporters are saying that he was the only man who could have saved us. In hindsight Clement would have been a good choice but his appointment was a gamble for Norwich after doing poorly at Rangers.

I'd say that given we were in crisis, re-appointing Wilder was our best shot at avoiding disaster ( relegation). It is disappointing that we have been unable to push on and challenge for promotion.

No disrespect to Davies, he has done well. But I think we'd have been a lot closer to 6th if it wasn't for Cooper's injury.

I disagree a bit, there were a lot of fans and local media saying Wilder had to be brought back. I think anyone else was on a hiding to nothing with Wilder still in the background and the club knew that. They couldn't risk another Selles. Their reputation was already in tatters.

I'm not saying it was the wrong decision, given where we started from, and we have done ok and are safe which is what the objective was and nobody thought Wilder wouldn't achieve that so it was the right decision for the good of the club.

I do think with the players at our disposal we should be a lot higher, and have thrown too many points away against some pretty poor sides in a pretty poor league.

 

[Tarqs]

I disagree a bit, there were a lot of fans and local media saying Wilder had to be brought back. I think anyone else was on a hiding to nothing with Wilder still in the background and the club knew that. They couldn't risk another Selles. Their reputation was already in tatters.

I'm not saying it was the wrong decision, given where we started from, and we have done ok and are safe which is what the objective was and nobody thought Wilder wouldn't achieve that so it was the right decision for the good of the club.

I do think with the players at our disposal we should be a lot higher, and have thrown too many points away against some pretty poor sides in a pretty poor league.

I refer to your previous post and I made the exact argument yesterday. Nothing that wilder has done suggests he'd have faired any better then Selles over those first 5 league matches.... and he has a much better squad available.

 

[Dkc]

Nothing that wilder has done suggests he'd have faired any better then Selles over those first 5 league matches.... and he has a much better squad available.

He might have made sure that the players were aware of what they were supposed to be doing before the games kicked off

We'd have had a better squad available if Selles hadn't been appointed in the first place

 

[Tarqs]

He might have made sure that the players were aware of what they were supposed to be doing before the games kicked off

We'd have had a better squad available if Selles hadn't been appointed in the first place

I'm not convinced we would have.

 

[Guesty]

He might have made sure that the players were aware of what they were supposed to be doing before the games kicked off

We'd have had a better squad available if Selles hadn't been appointed in the first place

Given Wilder used January to sign Rothwell and Phillips, I'm just sure that last point is true.

 

[Tarqs]

Given Wilder used January to sign Rothwell and Phillips, I'm just sure that last point is true.

Amazing isn't it. We were supposed to be going down the young and potential route, with an objective on making profits through sales....

To Reidewald, Ings, Mee, Bamford, Phillips, Rothwell

The owners haven't a fucking clue and they don't have anyone within the club with a footballing clue either.

 

[LBA_Blade]

After our horrendous start it looks like a few people are not satisfied with us comfortably avoiding relegation, doing the double over the pigs and relegating them. They think that we should have been challenging for promotion too and because of that we should sack our manager.

For me it has not been great over the past ten games but in the long term this season will be remembered positively . Avoiding relegation with games to spare, doing the over the pigs, relegating them at the Lane and building for next season with some decent performances.

Yes we had a shit first half away at Bristol City with a changed lineup and little to play for. But every team performs poorly sometimes. That's the nature of football. It has still been an enjoyable season for me.

For me it is how many games to spare, I would liked to have seen us mathematically safe before Easter. At this rate we are likely to be mathematically safe with probably 4 possibly even down to the last 3 fixtures and regardless of how we see Wilder he should be doing better than aiming to be just staying in the Championship. The dropped points from winning positions is concerning when you are looking at 30 points which puts us amongst the autos never mind just playoffs it’s disappointing. I am not bothered about the cup games any more, if you go out on round 3 you don’t get a fixture pileup however the squad hasn’t been fit enough. Last season we were top at the end of March but then went on a terrible run of form in games after that, we didn’t even need to beat Burnley to go above them if we would have won the games that were winnable. I believe Wilder does need to go however it needs to be a timed transition and one that is thought through. There is no point in getting rid without having a replacement in place