I'm just a bit sour on things at the moment. We're obviously better off than many other clubs and their fans at this point, but the way we went from the late 2010's, and the best team we've had in my memory (born in '88, so I don't remember anything of the Bassett years), to utterly squandering that success during the 2020's.
I want custodians of my football club who actually give a shit. These blokes that sit at the top at the moment, were questionable when they came in, and have only gotten worse since. They've shown nothing to suggest they're at all equipped to run a football club, seem to have no understanding of its fans beyond meaningless platitudes, and we look like going nowhere but backwards, and at a swift pace to boot.
I know Wilder has his supporters, but I simply don't see the charm anymore. We had the upbeat, happy-go-lucky CW that launched us into the Premier League, but that isn't the man in charge right now. He looks as exhausted with things as I feel.
He looks like he desperately wants more than he has to work with, but knows that he isn't getting anything but scraps. Which, given the repeated comments about "frees and loans", is exactly what we're getting. If he is willing to tough it out and stay, then I think we manage to stay in the Championship, at least for a little while. I think now, even in a lesser version of his former self, that he has sufficient know-how to get enough out of this squad to stay clear of the bottom 3. But...
We don't have enough to finish even top half. The squad is too thin, even if we get a few more deals done, to handle a full Championship season without a drop in performance somewhere along the way. And, I don't see Wilder having it in him to produce a team like we had in 2018/19. So all we're left with, is just persisting in this league. Either until a new prospective owner/investor comes along, with deep enough pockets and connections to get us firing back up the league, or CW gets struck with a second wind.
Until such time occurs, I just want to see a team that shows respect for the shirt. That is willing to put in the raw effort that, to me, defines a team displaying the badge of Sheffield United. The bland, passing for passing's sake stuff, that has seeped into English football (thanks Pep, you twat), is just dreadful to watch. I'd much rather watch a team that is willing to put responsibility on the players and their bodies to impose their will on a match, rather than just hoping we get somewhere knocking back and forth across the back 4.
The Blades team I've most enjoyed watching in my lifetime, was the Warnock team of 02-03. We might not have been the prettiest team to watch, but we didn't half have a go.
The best demonstration of that, was probably our home defeat to Watford that season. Flew out of the blocks, took an early lead, white refereeing saw us go from 1 up and cruising, to a man down and 2-1 behind. But we absolutely hammered Watford that day.
Ever since that season, all I've ever wanted from us is to have a go. To play without fear, whether we're playing York City (as we did in the 02/03 League Cup 1st round), or the champions of England, as we did in that memorable FA Cup semi final. I want to see players run with the ball more, to take on the defenders more, to pressure the opposition more, even if the end result doesn't go our way. I haven't felt like that for a while, and it truly saddens me.
