Blades 2 Colchester 3 - moan/monologue

[Ginger Gnome]

I find it weird how people always make excuses for Basham, if he's bad it's always the person next to him that's to blame, nothing to do with him being a big lightweight waste of space. Baxter is often terrible, but that doesn't excuse Basham from failing to do his own job properly.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Their second goal looked offside at the time AND on the Sky highlights.

Sharp was outside the box when fouled for his third penalty attempt.

Did anyone who sits on the side think so too?

I thought the second penalty was outside the box too, just as the Bury one was, but thank you ref for taking pity on us and trying to give us a helping hand.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

I find it weird how people always make excuses for Basham, if he's bad it's always the person next to him that's to blame, nothing to do with him being a big lightweight waste of space. Baxter is often terrible, but that doesn't excuse Basham from failing to do his own job properly.

Inconsistent midfielder of which we have plenty.

 

[Kenilworth]

7 league games into the season and we are 5th.

Manager has been here just over 3 months.

We are without our 2 best players Brayford and Done plus other key players Harris, Kennedy, J. Wallace and have been all season to date. Four of them will be back by October all being well.

We know we are in the market for new players but 93 day loans take us only to 18th December.

Taking the example of Basham, the manager has to have a good long look at a player so highly regarded in midfield by the fans etc.. It all takes time as does his evaluation of each and every player individually as well as collectively playing with each other. He is learning things all the time.

Keep calm, these are early days. Once the side settles by November we will move onwards and upwards. 5th in the league is no disaster. Adkins will win numerous games we may have drawn in the past and he will also lose a couple we might have drawn. So what?

Never rated Basham as a midfielder - he doesn't have a clue in that position and is way too lightweight.
The combination of him and Baxter in centre mid is featherweight
J-Wall and Kennedy key players? What planet is that - they can't stay out of the treatment room for longer than 2 minutes
Not one of Harris, Done, Beard, Kennedy, J-Wall will be back in the side by October - end of November at the earliest - with Kennedy one game in three before then and J-Wall, never.

Being 5th at this stage is not a disaster
Shipping 6 goals at home in two games, is
Losing to Bury and Colchester at home, is
Why?
Because it makes a statement on the state of mind of the players and it tells the rest of the division that coming to Bramall Lane holds absolutely no fears at all.
Work hard, press high and you'll fuck us over.

 

[Kenilworth]

I thought the second penalty was outside the box too, just as the Bury one was, but thank you ref for taking pity on us and trying to give us a helping hand.

Referees have been directed to award pens if the offence carries on into the penalty area as the defender is trying to gain an advantage by fouling the opponent outside the box. Makes sense to me.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

7 league games into the season and we are 5th.

Manager has been here just over 3 months.

We are without our 2 best players Brayford and Done plus other key players Harris, Kennedy, J. Wallace and have been all season to date. Four of them will be back by October all being well.

We know we are in the market for new players but 93 day loans take us only to 18th December.

Taking the example of Basham, the manager has to have a good long look at a player so highly regarded in midfield by the fans etc.. It all takes time as does his evaluation of each and every player individually as well as collectively playing with each other. He is learning things all the time.

Keep calm, these are early days. Once the side settles by November we will move onwards and upwards. 5th in the league is no disaster. Adkins will win numerous games we may have drawn in the past and he will also lose a couple we might have drawn. So what?

Brayford, Done, Harris, who's the fourth Woodward ?, Tel or Jamie ?. Those two may be back but for how long, their usual 2/3 match stint before another prolonged absence. Not blaming them, they are both good lads but how long do we persist, and what use are they constantly taking up space on the treatment table. Bash was highly regarded in midfield, now I'm not so sure. Thanks to the fuck ups in the transfer window and not getting them over the line for whatever reason, is why we are having to rely on loans, and juggling the dates to sign them by.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Referees have been directed to award pens if the offence carries on into the penalty area as the defender is trying to gain an advantage by fouling the opponent outside the box. Makes sense to me.

Wasn't aware of that Kenilworth, cheers.

 

[Grecian2000]

We know we are in the market for new players but 93 day loans take us only to 18th December.

I find this quite odd. If we need players NOW, whilst the injury list is large, why would we be bothered as to when the loan ends? Are points lost at this early stage still really important as they do actually count toward the total at the end of the season? It's still 3 points for a win on Sept 14 as it is on Dec 26th.

Sharp or.McNulty score any of numerous good chances and we don't have all this negativity.

There are real issues but I'm not sure many are addressed in the thread.

and Colchester get their just deserts for the first half and there would be mass suicide rather than a bit of negativity. The half time gathering we always have was a seriously down beat one last night, eight of us and not a clue between us what we'd just seen. It was a first half shambles however much we improved for a spell in the second.

 

[derryblade]

7 league games into the season and we are 5th.

Manager has been here just over 3 months.

We are without our 2 best players Brayford and Done plus other key players Harris, Kennedy, J. Wallace and have been all season to date. Four of them will be back by October all being well.

We know we are in the market for new players but 93 day loans take us only to 18th December.

Taking the example of Basham, the manager has to have a good long look at a player so highly regarded in midfield by the fans etc.. It all takes time as does his evaluation of each and every player individually as well as collectively playing with each other. He is learning things all the time.

Keep calm, these are early days. Once the side settles by November we will move onwards and upwards. 5th in the league is no disaster. Adkins will win numerous games we may have drawn in the past and he will also lose a couple we might have drawn. So what?

Brayford, Harris, Kennedy and Wallace all coming back from long term injuries, is it not a major risk to hope the will come back A1 and remain fit can we take that risk. Surely it is better to address the deficiencies we had last year and still have now, if after 3 months working with these players he hasn't spotted their shortcomings, I would be seriously worried.

 

[Revolution]

Sharp or.McNulty score any of numerous good chances and we don't have all this negativity.

There are real issues but I'm not sure many are addressed in the thread.

I am intrigued. What are the real issues in your eyes?

 

[alcoblade]

have to disagree with some of this
campbell ryce was bloody awful. gets in position and goes round again.. and again. just cross the fucking thing.. show pony. no end product
at least basham tried hard and came out with the ball a few times. he looked 'bothered'. it can't be easy playing with baxter.useless c*nt

Campbell Ryce awful? ......"you cannot be serious"!

He was easily our MOTM with 6/10

UTB

 

[super_pig]

Campbell Ryce awful? ......"you cannot be serious"!
He was easily our MOTM with 6/10
UTB

MoM.. six out of ten. we must have been good then.. you should watch more carefully.
beats his man.. gets into position to cross.. cuts back.. beats the same man again.. gets half a yard to cross.. cuts back.. ad infinitum.. meanwhile all of the forwards make a run for the 'expected' cross.. check .. stop. go back.. turn round . do it again.. and again
and anyway.. what would ryan say

 

[alcoblade]

MoM.. six out of ten. we must have been good then.. you should watch more carefully.
beats his man.. gets into position to cross.. cuts back.. beats the same man again.. gets half a yard to cross.. cuts back.. ad infinitum.. meanwhile all of the forwards make a run for the 'expected' cross.. check .. stop. go back.. turn round . do it again.. and again
and anyway.. what would ryan say

The serious point is that despite overdoing it, he does beat his man and he does provide ammunition.

We are bereft of people who take responsibility with the ball and look to do anything other than offload.

For me, he's out star performer. Even at 6/10 - which, as you point out, goes to prove how fucking awful we were last night.


UTB

 

[LSF]

The serious point is that despite overdoing it, he does beat his man and he does provide ammunition.

We are bereft of people who take responsibility with the ball and look to do anything other than offload.

For me, he's out star performer. Even at 6/10 - which, as you point out, goes to prove how fucking awful we were last night.


UTB

Agree there Alco, JCR, for all his over elaboration does usually deliver a telling ball into the box. I kinda get where he comes from at times, he wants to make sure the space for delivery is there rather than the cross getting blocked, hence the feints, twists and turns. He has been and was last night, our main source of supply and threat up front all season. SP will never give him credit as once the SP knife is in the ribs, it stays there forever (ask Monty!)

 

[shrubbery]

Agree there Alco, JCR, for all his over elaboration does usually deliver a telling ball into the box. I kinda get where he comes from at times, he wants to make sure the space for delivery is there rather than the cross getting blocked, hence the feints, twists and turns. He has been and was last night, our main source of supply and threat up front all season. SP will never give him credit as once the SP knife is in the ribs, it stays there forever (ask Monty!)

I can't disagree more. There is absolutely no point in unnessesarily beating the same man three times then to have your 'cross' immediately blocked by the same player or have it hit the knees of the man on the near post or float past the man on the far. His crossing is unacceptable at the best of times and no matter how many times he can run around in circles with the ball is going to help that. The fact that we have to watch him waste the best opportunity to cross when he first receives the ball just rubs salt into the wound.

Saying all that he was still our best player last night and that speaks volumes.

 

[LSF]

I can't disagree more. There is absolutely no point in unnessesarily beating the same man three times then to have your 'cross' immediately blocked by the same player or have it hit the knees of the man on the near post or float past the man on the far. His crossing is unacceptable at the best of times and no matter how many times he can run around in circles with the ball is going to help that. The fact that we have to watch him waste the best opportunity to cross when he first receives the ball just rubs salt into the wound.

Saying all that he was still our best player last night and that speaks volumes.

We'll agree to disagree then as he got most of his crosses in last night and one or two blocked (that won corners). Well that's what my independent eyes saw anyway. I have no axe to grind with any players, they start the game with a clean slate with me. Some fuckwits near me booed McEveley for having his name read out before the game started !

 

[super_pig]

Agree there Alco, JCR, for all his over elaboration does usually deliver a telling ball into the box. I kinda get where he comes from at times, he wants to make sure the space for delivery is there rather than the cross getting blocked, hence the feints, twists and turns. He has been and was last night, our main source of supply and threat up front all season. SP will never give him credit as once the SP knife is in the ribs, it stays there forever (ask Monty!)

heh. no i like JCR. i just wish he'd cross the bloody ball when he gets the chance
after quiet reflection i think only baxter was stand outly (is that a word??) crap.. otherwise they were all crap all at once but admittedly perhaps i've been a bit harsh on JCR

 

[Mickey Jupp]

....Sorry too tired, its late, I simply cant be arsed to do my usual match report/summary.

I have an early start for work tomorrow and quite simply after watching that shambles I do not have the time nor inclination to pen more than a few paragraphs. It will more of a rant as I go to full Alan Bennett mode

Sadly this was worse than a cream cracker under the settee.

In short, it was as bad if not worse than anything under Weir, Wilson, Clough. We looked a disorganised mess.

I await those who come on and say but we could have scored 5 or 6 goals...maybe more. Yes you are right. Sharp missed a penalty. He missed two sitters and McNulty could have scored. We had a few other near misses. All of those were after we could have been 5--0 down. 5-0 down to Colchester and it would have been a fair reflection. An awful side at the bottom of the league and they tore us apart...in fact they did not even have to.

Teams have scouted us now and the secret is out. Press us high up, harry us and watch the Blades give it away. It happened on Saturday and happened tonight. All that crap about we have to be patient and teams will defend versus us; is garbage. Bury and Colchester have had a go and scored goals and could have had more.

Our slow ponderous side was picked off time after time and they ghosted through. Baxter at fault for the first, second not sure, but another giveaway. It happened 3 or 4 more times. A lot will point to the centre of the defence and other areas but iin truth the biggest weakness tonight was our awful central midfield. Those two were embarrassing. They were walked past, out fought, out run and generally out played. Soares and Mellis did the same Saturday. Those two are not good enough but they are the best we have. Slow, unathletic, lacking creativity, bite or steel. We are soft as shit in the middle and easy to play against. Sorry all those who laud Basham, the guy is not good enough. Slow and pathetically weak for a big man. With him and Sammon we seem to have the weakest, neshest 6 foot 2 players I have seen since Tony Philliskirk. Baxter was as bad with his stupid overplaying and daft sideways balls intercepted. I would have Doyle back tomorrow in some ways. At least he gave us bite.

I can cope with crap football and lack of idea (plenty of that tonight as they all passed the buck as they treated the ball like a hot potato and could not wait till play it back or got rid) but the total absolution of responsibility was appalling. Noone cared about taking initiative. This coupled with the lack of passion and effort much of the game added up to a mixture of dreadful play individually and collectively.

I thought Adkins would come ina nd give us some organisation, some steel and some shape. Tonight we looked like a kids side, running all over, no one in positions, no one keeping discipline. All the bollocks will come out to say we were chasing the game so had to take risks is garbage. We were all over the place at 0-0, 0-1, 0-2. If they had been more clinical it would have been over long before Sharp missed those two.

We had a go for 15 mins and got level. Interesting for all this talk over Adkins will get us playing properly etc and passing football, away from Dinosaur Dave and Warnock; our best spell came when we played balls behind the defence (long balls) that got the defenders turnings. Sharp and McNulty chasing stuff and Campbell Ryce down the win onto long balls was out best tactic. That may depress some but compare that with the nonsensical passing out from the back when they tried to play it around stupidly and it nearly led to more goals being conceded. the players are not good enough to play this stuff. I admire Adkins to wanting to play the right way but this will not work with these players. Like under Weir they will make mistakes and lead to chances.

Players - No ratings

Played well - Campbell Ryce - Got a few crosses in, continued to try and go forward and our main threat. Yes he is frustrating but without him where was our threat? He was the only one who looked bothered for much of the game.

Decent -

McEveley -yes I cant stand the guy and he had a bad 15 mins at the start overplaying but you know what he tried tonight and actually did not hide. He won the pen and I felt gave a damn. Many will automatically criticise him but today he was not the worst.

McNulty - Made a difference for a while and nearly scored a wonder goal. After this did not quite have same impact but helped change game just by looking interested.

Freeman - Made a few mistakes but again maybe our best defender and at least stuck at it and tried to pass it forward.

Howard - Tempted to put him in poor but he made 2 or 3 good saves (ones you would expect) and had little chance on the goals. Put us in some awful situations with his kick out, stupid short passes and then 2 shots hit the bar he knew nothing about. He is a weak link for me but there are about 8 or 9 others too in the side.

Poor -

Sharp - Stupid to put 3 pens in same spot and he missed 2 sitters. He did try hard and for a 15 minute spell looked lively.

Woolford - A few decent runs and the goal (well finished apart) not sure he did much of note.

Collins and Edgar - Got caught too many times ball watching and both made mistakes but to be fair had no protection in front despite slowness of speed defending and inability to sense danger.


Awful -

Sammon - Did well first game I saw, since then he has been awful. No control, no goal threat (apart from missing sitters) and no physical presence. He looks no more the answer than Higdon (being serious). So poor in the air and looks like bambi on ice.

Basham / Baxter - Both awful. Did not get close to the opponents all night, slow and sluggish. Poor on the ball and no protection to the defence. It was like we did not have a midfield much of the night.

Colchester were no great shakes but they had some pace, runners from midfield (what are they?!) and attacked. They had loads of shots and really could have had a lot more. Other than that 20 minutes spell where we got back in it, they had more shots, more of the play and looked better than us. They deserved the win and if it had finished 7-4 it would have been about right. The fact the 2nd bottom side as they were can play us off the park s a worry. Defeats to Bury and Colchester, sides that will be nowhere near the top tossing us outside means Adkins now has some stark choices to make.

People may see it is a blip, and it is early doors but this is 3 seasons with many of the same players and basis still contriving to be mostly hopeless. We cant keep changing the managers. In reality a mass clear out should have happened in the summer. Pay players off, do whatever we needed to change the culture, the ethos of the side. Get hungry, fast and athletic players with bite and will to win. Get winners. We did not do that. Adkins chose to wait, To look at what we have. Sadly this may mean we have lost another season. I do not see anywhere close to a promotion side here. There is too many fundamental weaknesses.


I thought Adkins may have got the shape and discipline and some basics in order but the fact he has struggled maybe is as much down the fact these players do not 'get it' and many of the will never 'will get it.' We have players in reserve than for the most part are as bad or even worse. Sure Done, Brayford may come back but for the most par they are not good enough. He needs leaders, a spine and some experience that can come in and shake up this comfortable plod along mentality many have. We cannot wait till the end of the season to bin many of them.

Sadly the best thing I can say is that there is no home game for nearly two weeks. The last two games have been a massive disappointment; not just the results but the manner of the performances. Players that still in the main (save for a few bursts when we are already losing and chasing games) look totally unlikely to get us anywhere neat a top two finish.

Rant over.

The Alan Bennett reference made me laugh but the rest was depressing. The fact that Adkins chose to stick with these players tells you all you need to know. There is no alternative, there is no more money let alone "gamechanging investment". That ship has sailed. What is puzzling is that Adkins, so called expert at getting out of League 1, cannot get the tactics right. Building slowly from the back is laudable and can be very pretty but not with this lot. They cannot do what he wants them to do, so change it and play fast and direct up to the front two. One big un and one little un. Not rocket surgery is it?

 

[alcoblade]

I can't disagree more. There is absolutely no point in unnessesarily beating the same man three times then to have your 'cross' immediately blocked by the same player or have it hit the knees of the man on the near post or float past the man on the far. His crossing is unacceptable at the best of times and no matter how many times he can run around in circles with the ball is going to help that. The fact that we have to watch him waste the best opportunity to cross when he first receives the ball just rubs salt into the wound.

Saying all that he was still our best player last night and that speaks volumes.

He's expected to switch side so often that I don't know what his preferred foot is - but presumably he's got one, and presumably he likes to get onto it. That's probably why he takes the extra "twists". We have no other winger, or midfielder, who delivers anything like the number of quality of balls into the box.

UTB

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I am intrigued. What are the real issues in your eyes?

The way I see it the biggest issue last night was they came out of the blocks at 100mph. As a team we weren't prepared for that, and it took us too long to up the tempo. We needed someone with leadership and authority on the pitch to go round waking everyone up.

For me endlessly listing individual failings in the first half misses the point, they played at breakneck pace, and maybe we were set up psychologically and tactically to break down a team parking the bus. If you're all expecting one thing, and you all get another, then you'll all make mistakes.

A Roy Keane manager-on-the-pitch type figure might've been able to go round fist-pumping and got us up to speed sooner. As it was they got a 2 goal start. (I am not a fan of Roy Keane at all, but this illustrates the point.)

Another obvious issue is finishing. Adkins said after two pre-season games we created chances and should've scored more. I posted about this at the time. I really don't know what the answer to this is. Billy can't miss that many chances again can he?

Another technical issue is how static we are from throw ins. Again I posted on this months ago. For the first ten minutes or so it looked like we'd done something about this but then we reverted to customary poor practice. It might sound like a minor detail, and maybe it is, but last night it cost us the second goal: they gained possession from our throw, and McEveley who had taken it deep on the corner played them.onside.

4-3 or 5-3 would've been about right, but you can only say that so many times before it looks like pleading bad luck is hiding bad failings.

Another big picture issue is we are just not going to look as solid playing 4-4-2. When Clough went for a theoretically solid 4-5-1 he was criticised as negative. I think it was just caution. We are more adventurous but less secure.

Last night should've been a classic outscoring the opposition game but we couldn't put the ball in the net.

Credit to Colchester who neither parked the bus nor kicked and cheated their way to an ugly win, but I am getting a bit fed up of feeling happy for small numbers of dedicated opposition fans who've made long journeys on a Tuesday night and win at the Lane.

I thought we had a storming-ish second half, and what was really great was to hear some singing and support from the fans even at 2-0 down.

Another big issue I think is Route 1 is ineffective for us. We tried it Saturday, and obviously last night, but I can't recall it producing anything in either game.

Hard to read the tea leaves this early on but the picture would be better if we hadn't just lost two in a row at home that's for sure.

 

[sitwell]

heh. no i like JCR. i just wish he'd cross the bloody ball when he gets the chance
after quiet reflection i think only baxter was stand outly (is that a word??) crap.. otherwise they were all crap all at once but admittedly perhaps i've been a bit harsh on JCR

Twice he put early balls into the box and the forwards didn't anticipate it ,great balls that just went across the area ,Sharp would have been there but he had carved out the opening for JCR ,Sammon and Wooford were on their heels and Basham and Baxter were probably on the edge of our box.

 

[sitwell]

For the first, Baxter just watches as the runner goes past him - he knew he was coming as he looked over his shoulder a second or two before
For the second, Collins performs a similar routine

Not fookin good enough. I hope Adkins let's them know the same.

I agree ,absolutely disgraceful ,even worse if you can wind back the first one Baxter had given the ball straight to Colchester with a simple pass.

 

[Guesty]

I can't disagree more. There is absolutely no point in unnessesarily beating the same man three times then to have your 'cross' immediately blocked by the same player or have it hit the knees of the man on the near post or float past the man on the far. His crossing is unacceptable at the best of times and no matter how many times he can run around in circles with the ball is going to help that. The fact that we have to watch him waste the best opportunity to cross when he first receives the ball just rubs salt into the wound.

Saying all that he was still our best player last night and that speaks volumes.

'At the best of times'? You must have missed those sitters he laid on for Sammon in consecutive games.

 

[OllyBlade]

The 4 successive 2 goal victories had given me hope but this is more like what I expected. The team simply isn't an automatic promotion team. Our best player at the moment seems to be a 30+ year old journeyman and our bright hope is a bunch of crocks or a 19 year old kid. I think we'll make playoffs but we know how those end with a group of players that have never looked like handling the pressure. Adkins will need another season.

 

[Large Mendonca]

Another big issue I think is Route 1 is ineffective for us. We tried it Saturday, and obviously last night, but I can't recall it producing anything in either game.

I noticed in both games that we have fired a few decent long balls to Sammon. Unfortunately, he couldn't trap a bag of cement

 

[super_pig]

i'm fascinated to see what happens at Bradford.. if we play well i'm convinced it is a home thing.. it isn't the fans fault but some of the players look a bit intimidated IMO.. we need to find out how Leicester got their amazing atmosphere on sunday

 

[sitwell]

I noticed in both games that we have fired a few decent long balls to Sammon. Unfortunately, he couldn't trap a bag of cement

It was feed the fish 3 weeks ago ,a couple of poor games does not make him a dead loss.

 

[Large Mendonca]

It was feed the fish 3 weeks ago ,a couple of poor games does not make him a dead loss.

I agree that's it too early to judge, but I'm starting to agree with other fans views from his previous clubs, that he's an athlete and not a footballer. We shall see.

 

[sheffielder]

It was feed the fish 3 weeks ago ,a couple of poor games does not make him a dead loss.

McNulty looks very sharp so should get a start with Sharp on Sunday.

Too many of our players looked ok 3 weeks ago, so what happened? Maybe a couple of teams worked out we have two guys in midfield who are not playing their best positions (Basham and Baxter), a right winger who can't buy a cross and a left winger, well I am not sure what to say about. Sammon didn't win one header all night and yet that's not the worst thing, Edgar kept lobbing it up to Sharp to win next to f-all.

We need a midfield general, and have done since we got fucking relegated with Doyle 5 years ago. We severely miss a midfield worthy of the name and some leadership.

Those wins in August masked the problem, and we should have paid that little bit extra to get those 2 signings over the line. Can't keep blaming the managers for our boards and Branigans incompetence! You can't keep trying to get out of this division by selling your best player every year and not strengthening the positions of weakness.

 

[Revolution]

It was feed the fish 3 weeks ago ,a couple of poor games does not make him a dead loss.

His scoring record is very poor - 1 every 10 games. I had hoped it would improve lower down the leagues but some of his finishing has been shocking. He needs to do better (as does Sharp)