The Curious Case of Billy Sharp

[PeterNdlovu081]

Okay so Billy has scored 18 goals this season but they've all been in different matches.

I've never seen a player score so many goals without bagging more than one in the same match.

Blades 2-0 Blackpool (Sharp 60')
Swindon 0-2 Blades (Sharp 75')
Blades 1-3 Bury (Sharp pen 72')
Blades 2-3 Colchester (Sharp pen 51')
Bradford 2-2 Blades (Sharp 70')
Blades 3-1 Doncaster (Sharp 79')
Blades 3-0 Fleetwood (Sharp 72')
Blades 1-0 Coventry (Sharp 79')
Scunthorpe 0-1 Blades (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-1 Bradford (Sharp 11')
Blades 2-3 Peterborough (Sharp pen 32')
Wigan 3-3 Blades (Sharp 75')
Colchester 1-2 Blades (Sharp 20')
Blades 1-1 Swindon (Sharp pen 8')
Blades 1-0 Port Vale (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-0 Oldham (Sharp 77')
Blades 3-2 Crewe (Sharp 87')
Blades 2-0 Walsall (Sharp 36')

I keep banging a fiver on him to score a hat trick but it ain't happening.

 

[Balham]

Okay so Billy has scored 18 goals this season but they've all been in different matches.

I've never seen a player score so many goals without bagging more than one in the same match.

Blades 2-0 Blackpool (Sharp 60')
Swindon 0-2 Blades (Sharp 75')
Blades 1-3 Bury (Sharp pen 72')
Blades 2-3 Colchester (Sharp pen 51')
Bradford 2-2 Blades (Sharp 70')
Blades 3-1 Doncaster (Sharp 79')
Blades 3-0 Fleetwood (Sharp 72')
Blades 1-0 Coventry (Sharp 79')
Scunthorpe 0-1 Blades (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-1 Bradford (Sharp 11')
Blades 2-3 Peterborough (Sharp pen 32')
Wigan 3-3 Blades (Sharp 75')
Colchester 1-2 Blades (Sharp 20')
Blades 1-1 Swindon (Sharp pen 8')
Blades 1-0 Port Vale (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-0 Oldham (Sharp 77')
Blades 3-2 Crewe (Sharp 87')
Blades 2-0 Walsall (Sharp 36')

I keep banging a fiver on him to score a hat trick but it ain't happening.

He doesn't really do first half goals (5 to date, including 2 penalties) and scores an extraordinary number of goals between the 70th and 79th minutes: 8 of his 18 by my reckoning with only one penalty.

 

[pommpey]

And that tells it's own story of the quality of supply. Billy does tend to dig opportunities out for himself. I don't doubt that if we had a midfield four (or five, if you like) that found him more regularly, he'd be well into the twenties by now. The goal against Walsall was a perfect example of what he can do when he is on the end of a 'half-a-yarder'.

He also lacks a tall strike partner to be on the end of the knock-downs.

pommpey

 

[Bladesman]

He has had the chances to get more than just one goal in a match.

 

[Revolution]

Okay so Billy has scored 18 goals this season but they've all been in different matches.

I've never seen a player score so many goals without bagging more than one in the same match.

Blades 2-0 Blackpool (Sharp 60')
Swindon 0-2 Blades (Sharp 75')
Blades 1-3 Bury (Sharp pen 72')
Blades 2-3 Colchester (Sharp pen 51')
Bradford 2-2 Blades (Sharp 70')
Blades 3-1 Doncaster (Sharp 79')
Blades 3-0 Fleetwood (Sharp 72')
Blades 1-0 Coventry (Sharp 79')
Scunthorpe 0-1 Blades (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-1 Bradford (Sharp 11')
Blades 2-3 Peterborough (Sharp pen 32')
Wigan 3-3 Blades (Sharp 75')
Colchester 1-2 Blades (Sharp 20')
Blades 1-1 Swindon (Sharp pen 8')
Blades 1-0 Port Vale (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-0 Oldham (Sharp 77')
Blades 3-2 Crewe (Sharp 87')
Blades 2-0 Walsall (Sharp 36')

I keep banging a fiver on him to score a hat trick but it ain't happening.

Even odder, he's had 7 game and 6 game consecutive scoring runs.

 

[stringjunior]

I keep banging a fiver on him to score a hat trick but it ain't happening.

And if he scored a hat trick before the end of the season you'd probably not recoup your outlay. But if you stop backing him he's bound to bag a 3er.

On balance Peter, I'd prefer you to stop backing him now please - that hat trick might help us sneak in to the playoffs

 

[Revolution]

Incidentally, Paul Coutts has now played 78 games in a row without scoring.

 

[SwissBlade]

He has had the chances to get more than just one goal in a match.

He could quite easily be bagging 'double hattricks' with the chances he gets

 

[Bladesman]

Incidentally, Paul Coutts has now played 78 games in a row without scoring.

I think Adkins was the one who signed him as well.

 

[sitwell]

Incidentally, Paul Coutts has now played 78 games in a row without scoring.

And McEveley has helped keep 2 successive clean sheets.

 

[Champagneblade]

And that tells it's own story of the quality of supply. Billy does tend to dig opportunities out for himself. I don't doubt that if we had a midfield four (or five, if you like) that found him more regularly, he'd be well into the twenties by now. The goal against Walsall was a perfect example of what he can do when he is on the end of a 'half-a-yarder'.

He also lacks a tall strike partner to be on the end of the knock-downs.

pommpey

Do you really think he's the striker to make his own chances?

I'd say he's a reasonable finisher at this level though he's not in the same class as Evans.

I'd say Adams is more one to create his own chances e.g. Swindon play off game; cuts in from the right ghosts past a man and pings it in the corner when nothing on.

Evans away at Chesterfield as an example, goes around a couple of players and slots home unassisted.

I don't believe Sharp is this type though I do agree that having a target man to feed off would certainly help his game. With Adams the hope when they work in tandem is that the running of one creates space for the other. Certainly having a few different types of partner would help.

 

[BushBlade]

Do you really think he's the striker to make his own chances?

I'd say he's a reasonable finisher at this level though he's not in the same class as Evans.

I'd say Adams is more one to create his own chances e.g. Swindon play off game; cuts in from the right ghosts past a man and pings it in the corner when nothing on.

Evans away at Chesterfield as an example, goes around a couple of players and slots home unassisted.

I don't believe Sharp is this type though I do agree that having a target man to feed off would certainly help his game. With Adams the hope when they work in tandem is that the running of one creates space for the other. Certainly having a few different types of partner would help.

I'm guessing Adkins thought Sammon would be able to partner Sharp. Hopefully, next season we'll have a big lad up front who didn't go to the Jostein Flo School of Heading.

 

[The Crab]

I'm guessing Adkins thought Sammon would be able to partner Sharp. Hopefully, next season we'll have a big lad up front who didn't go to the Jostein Flo School of Heading.

Flo was a genius compared to Sammon, a man about as useful in the air as John Denver.

 

[Revolution]

Flo was a genius compared to Sammon, a man about as useful in the air as John Denver.

If you type Connor Sammon into Google, it auto completes to "Conor Sammon miss". This leads to a video of his Blackpool miss.

 

[Woodwardfan]

He could quite easily be bagging 'double hattricks' with the chances he gets

Disagree completely with that. Sharp has to work his socks off to get any chances because the creative supply to him is next to zero. Look at the assists statistics, if there was one for 'opposition last touch' it would be winning by a street now that Baxter is no longer playing.

 

[The Crab]

If you type Connor Sammon into Google, it auto completes to "Conor Sammon miss". This leads to a video of his Blackpool miss.

What a legacy he will leave with that eh? I know I've got some need to talk but fuck me, his incompetence is going to make him a fairly wealthy man.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Okay so Billy has scored 18 goals this season but they've all been in different matches.

I've never seen a player score so many goals without bagging more than one in the same match.

Blades 2-0 Blackpool (Sharp 60')
Swindon 0-2 Blades (Sharp 75')
Blades 1-3 Bury (Sharp pen 72')
Blades 2-3 Colchester (Sharp pen 51')
Bradford 2-2 Blades (Sharp 70')
Blades 3-1 Doncaster (Sharp 79')
Blades 3-0 Fleetwood (Sharp 72')
Blades 1-0 Coventry (Sharp 79')
Scunthorpe 0-1 Blades (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-1 Bradford (Sharp 11')
Blades 2-3 Peterborough (Sharp pen 32')
Wigan 3-3 Blades (Sharp 75')
Colchester 1-2 Blades (Sharp 20')
Blades 1-1 Swindon (Sharp pen 8')
Blades 1-0 Port Vale (Sharp 50')
Blades 3-0 Oldham (Sharp 77')
Blades 3-2 Crewe (Sharp 87')
Blades 2-0 Walsall (Sharp 36')

I keep banging a fiver on him to score a hat trick but it ain't happening.

It is strange isn’t it. He should have had a hat-trick at home to Colchester. 2 pens and a couple of other great chances.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Incidentally, Paul Coutts has now played 78 games in a row without scoring.

I think we got an insight as to why Coutts has been so goal-shy on Saturday. Had one great chance that he failed to take. He also had a lot of openings around the edge of the box but took so long to shoot that the opposition were able to block. He seems to want to take the shot like a free kick. Seems to be lacking the ability to get a snap shot off.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I think we got an insight as to why Coutts has been so goal-shy on Saturday. Had one great chance that he failed to take. He also had a lot of openings around the edge of the box but took so long to shoot that the opposition were able to block. He seems to want to take the shot like a free kick. Seems to be lacking the ability to get a snap shot off.

By the time he arrives in the penalty area he can hardly catch his breath, hey I'm serious.

 

[blader]

I'd say he's a reasonable finisher at this level though he's not in the same class as Evans.

Do you mean as a finisher? Really? Id say Sharp was leagues ahead of Evans in terms of finishing, Evans had a powerful shot and could run past players, but in terms of finishing I fail to see a comparison. Sharp has made a career above this level with a reputation for his finishing ability.

 

[SwissBlade]

Disagree completely with that. Sharp has to work his socks off to get any chances because the creative supply to him is next to zero. Look at the assists statistics, if there was one for 'opposition last touch' it would be winning by a street now that Baxter is no longer playing.

Not disputing that... But he misses a lot of chances which a striker of his quality normally puts away.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Not disputing that... But he misses a lot of chances which a striker of his quality normally puts away.

One of the best strikers ever, Malcolm MacDonald stated that 1 goal in 6 chances was a good yardstick, it's getting the chances that is the key.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Any criticism of Sharp is, bluntly, futile.

His overall contribution this season has been excellent and I dare not Imagine how much lower in the league we would now be without said contribution.

Said contribution will NOT have gone unnoticed by clubs in higher divisions and with larger payroll budgets.

Be thankful, not critical !!

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

One of the best strikers ever, Malcolm MacDonald stated that 1 goal in 6 chances was a good yardstick, it's getting the chances that is the key.

Yeah, the point i was making was that he certainly gets chances, but he misses a lot too. Whether we see missing sitters as a good thing or not is subjective, the point was just that he misses many a chance.

 

[Champagneblade]

Do you mean as a finisher? Really? Id say Sharp was leagues ahead of Evans in terms of finishing, Evans had a powerful shot and could run past players, but in terms of finishing I fail to see a comparison. Sharp has made a career above this level with a reputation for his finishing ability.

Just going on the fact at this level Evans got 34 goals in 40 games and at the end was guaranteeing a goal a game.

Sharp has 18 in a similar amount of games.

 

[Revolution]

Just going on the fact at this level Evans got 34 goals in 40 games and at the end was guaranteeing a goal a game.

Sharp has 18 in a similar amount of games.

Sharp has also scored3 times as many league goals than Evans, at a better goals per game average.

 

[Champagneblade]

That's very misleading though Revolution:

Evans - 0.36 goals per game (but counting sub as full appearances for which he had a lot at Man City, 35% I.e. Less game time). Evans was trying to break through at a PL team and given cameo appearances.

Sharp - 0.40 goals per game (18% as sub I.e. More game time per match). Sharp was breaking through at Rushdon but three divisions lower.

Evans only had been a pro for 5 years. Comparing to Billy's first 5 years:

Billy
9 in 18 in League Two
24 in 45 in League One
32 in 50 in League One
6 in 36 in Championship
6 in 27 in Championship

Ched
10 in 29 in Championship
1 in 27 in Premiership (mainly cameos)
4 in 38 in Championship
9 in 36 in Championship
35 in 42 in League One

Evans has only one season, not even a full one at this level and outscored Billy 1:2.

Evans in League One was up there with Deane in terms of what he was delivering. Billy isn't.

 

[Kev Gee]

Imagine an evans and sharp partnership.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Imagine an evans and sharp partnership.

Some years ago, I was chomping at the bit to see this.

We ended up with Blackwell and, thus, Henderson !!!

UTB

 

[mattbianco1]

Just going on the fact at this level Evans got 34 goals in 40 games and at the end was guaranteeing a goal a game.

Sharp has 18 in a similar amount of games.

If Sharp had those 10 players around him would have scored 30+ too.