So was it the crowds fault?

[dingledog]

We don't help if we boo apparently, so tonight we didnt even get chance to do that before they self destruct. Not heard what Mr Motivator has to say, but pretty sure it will cause more depression for me.

 

[silverfox]

We don't help if we boo apparently, so tonight we didnt even get chance to do that before they self destruct. Not heard what Mr Motivator has to say, but pretty sure it will cause more depression for me.

I agree to some extent but some players do get personal abuse from our "supporters".

Who is.......

You faggort.

Puff.

Tosser.

Tw@t.

I'm sure you lot could add more.

I'm sure it all helps the cause.

 

[Foxy]

Not the crowds fault, but it certainly doesn't help and must effect the players thinking/confidence.

I know they get paid enough to put anything like that out of their minds, but it will have an effect. Even if I was our top earner, I'd absolutely hate to play at the lane at the moment.

The bloke next to me (who constantly bleats crap throughout every game), shouted 2 touches into the game as we passed backwards from the kickoff... "Bloody useless, why are we doing this?, we might as well just pass the ball straight to them!, you f*cking w*nkers!". Sadly, this kind of moron is far from alone these days.

In a situation like we were in today, I really don't see any point in the slightest in booing at all, even after the game. Does anyone seriously think they needed to be booed to know how bad tonight was? and how unhappy the fans were? What was booing them at 1/2 nil down going to achieve?, they were already all down/shit scared to touch the ball, it's hardly going to help matters.

 

[Bladesman]

True fans have been rather harsh in recent home games.

Although concede 3 goals in 20 minutes then the players cant expect anything but abuse from the fans.

 

[silverfox]

Although concede 3 goals in 20 minutes then the players cant expect anything but abuse from the fans.

And I thought I was there to support??

No personal abuse from me.

 

[Greasy Chip Butty]

And I thought I was there to support??

No personal abuse from me.

Don't be silly, we're not known as supportners ya know

But for once i just couldnt get into the game and didnt sing at all (apart from GCB).

 

[silverfox]

Don't be silly, we're not known as supportners ya know

But for once i just couldnt get into the game and didnt sing at all (apart from GCB).

Nothing wrong with not getting too excited.

I still managed to clap those who I thought did well and didn't abuse players throughout the match as many others did.

Supporting your team can be difficult at times.

I will carry on as I have for many years.

 

[Keith Curle's tenant]

Worst excuse?

So,

What was the worst excuse you heard for todays loss?

I heard it was Beatties fault as he is on such a high wage and doesn't bother getting involved.

And the fact we only had Beattie upfront was the reason we were so shit in defense!

And I wondered what I was missing

 

[silverfox]

Some stood and cheered near us when Monty was took off so it must have all been his fault.

 

[dansufc]

they may deserve booing at times but i'd never do it, makes me wonder if we had cheered them off the pitch at half time v plymouth if they could have come back out and got a result.

I believe it was right to make a sub when robbo did but i felt sorry for monty, i'd have felt sorry for whoever it was that got subbed.

 

[RIP Niftos]

Some stood and cheered near us when Monty was took off so it must have all been his fault.

best player on the pitch til he went off IMO

 

[happyhippy]

True fans have been rather harsh in recent home games.

Although concede 3 goals in 20 minutes then the players cant expect anything but abuse from the fans.

Granted, it's hard to think of another way of ensuring a total fuck up than being 3-0 down at home to a poor side after not much more than 15 minutes, but it would be nice to see some positive notes, no matter how awful we'd been.

That said, that was the worst since the infamous Port Vale match, and it showed as the crowd who stayed until the Last Post wouldn't have numbered much more than those who turned up on that dreadful Tuesday night.

I missed the first goal as I was waiting for my daughter to grab some food outside (I couldn't make her have food inside the ground - the napkins have warnings about E-Coli), and missed the second as she went up to meet our mates as I recycled Russian Orangina.

I must say though, yes, playing one up front at home was a dreadful choice; changing it at 2-0 might have been a good idea, but can't we just say this was an awful day at the office?

No, it shouldn't have happened, but the game was lost before we'd started, just about?

Chris Foy is a twat too. How their right back stayed on the park is beyond me (having been booked), but I'm sure he had a shocker against Norwich too a while back. He's never liked us, and he certainly did nothing to make me think his opinion had changed.

 

[happyhippy]

So,

What was the worst excuse you heard for todays loss?

I heard it was Beatties fault as he is on such a high wage and doesn't bother getting involved.

And the fact we only had Beattie upfront was the reason we were so shit in defense!

And I wondered what I was missing

I missed the first two goals, so I can't say that much, but I'll take the blame as I wore my Keith Edwards shirt for the first time, AND I predicted us to win in the work's Prediction League.

Clearly I have to predict us to lose and wear my 2002/3 home colours for normal service to be resumed.

 

[happyhippy]

Nothing wrong with not getting too excited.

I still managed to clap those who I thought did well and didn't abuse players throughout the match as many others did.

Supporting your team can be difficult at times.

I will carry on as I have for many years.

Difficult took on a new meaning today.

That said, as we all knew, after it went to 3-0, it was like a reserve match.

Of course I booed the officials.

 

[happyhippy]

they may deserve booing at times but i'd never do it, makes me wonder if we had cheered them off the pitch at half time v plymouth if they could have come back out and got a result.

I believe it was right to make a sub when robbo did but i felt sorry for monty, i'd have felt sorry for whoever it was that got subbed.

Everyone knows I'm a Monty fan, if nothing else because he does a job for us, but he had to go to try and get something going forward.

Everyone has a part to play in our squad, and Monty is pivotal. Every side needs a stopper. Without him, we could be in real trouble.

 

[Foxy]

I must say though, yes, playing one up front at home was a dreadful choice; changing it at 2-0 might have been a good idea, but can't we just say this was an awful day at the office?

The thing is, its the formation we've looked most solid using and that's got us the most points. You can guarentee if we'd have started 4-4-2 and lost people would be saying he shouldn't have changed a winning formula.

One up front didn't cause the inability to defend or the lack of fight.

Chris Foy is a twat too. How their right back stayed on the park is beyond me (having been booked), but I'm sure he had a shocker against Norwich too a while back. He's never liked us, and he certainly did nothing to make me think his opinion had changed.

Whilst I agree he is, he didn't actually officiate last night, he was replaced by Steve Tanner. Who clearly hasn't ever studied the rules or played a game of football in his life.

 

[derrywan]

I'm glad I saved myself the 330 mile round trip to the lane last night. The home form depresses the hell out of me at the minute. if they even played like they'd met each other before it'd be a start. Other than Robson carrying some curse around like the cold hand of footballing death i can't understand how everything can be so bad.

 

[Keith Curle's tenant]

Even though we were already 3-0 down at the time, I place blame on the half time act we dragged in from Pontins cabaret 'c' list menu. What the feck was that all about?!

 

[Foxy]

Even though we were already 3-0 down at the time, I place blame on the half time act we dragged in from Pontins cabaret 'c' list menu. What the feck was that all about?!

In fairness, it did make the performance of the players seem not quite so bad in comparison

 

[dingledog]

It was awful, dire and a whole lot of similar descriptive words. People around where I sit are generally Monty fans and I am sure he was taken off for two reasons, one we had to be more attacking so sacrifice a defensive midfielder and two it was to stop those in the crowd who get on his back for everything destroying his confidence. Monty wasn't responsible for any of the goals.

I was trying to work out the cost in players wages of last night, its obscene, they should all donate their wages to charity.

still depressed about it all this morning.

 

[TonyAgana]

Yep, felt sorry for Monty, but he "took one for the team" so to say. I applauded loudly for him but it was the right decision in my eyes and it took some balls by Robson to make a change so early on - Monty is strong minded so I hope it won't affect his confidence.

 

[Bladesman]

Even though we were already 3-0 down at the time, I place blame on the half time act we dragged in from Pontins cabaret 'c' list menu. What the feck was that all about?!

Yes when I saw them I was very tempted to just go home. It is one thing seeing united fuck up at home but it makes it 10x worse when you have to endure some shit live act at half time. How come we always seem to find the worst and most embarrasing half time acts.

 

[Robbie]

Yes when I saw them I was very tempted to just go home. It is one thing seeing united fuck up at home but it makes it 10x worse when you have to endure some shit live act at half time. How come we always seem to find the worst and most embarrasing half time acts.

It's not just United, every football club has poor half time acts.

This is why I always am at the bar.

 

[dingledog]

It's not just United, every football club has poor half time acts.

This is why I always am at the bar.

I am more concerned about the poor 'acts' either sides of halftime and thats why soon, if things dont radically alter we will be searching for the 'missing' 5000, who may well also be in a bar.

 

[Robbie]

I am more concerned about the poor 'acts' either sides of halftime and thats why soon, if things dont radically alter we will be searching for the 'missing' 5000, who may well also be in a bar.

Good point,

Think you may need to change your signature

 

[matth]

It had nothing to do with the crowd last night. The crowd were good to begin with and even sang louder after we shipped the first and second goals. Any shouts aimed toward individual players - i.e. Monty - were lost in the crowd, as neither I nor the people I sat with heard them, so I doubt the players did either.

At half time, there was a little booing, but most of it was saved until after the players had left the pitch; it was then directed toward the referee and his assistants.

After the second half, when they had a chance to get their heads up and didn't, the crowd went flatter. I have not heard us outsung by opposition fans at BL for a long time, but we were in the second half, and no wonder. There was simply nothing to cheer, or to boo. Apathy had set in; rather than the crowds affecting the players, it was the flat performance on the pitch that had affected the crowd. I'm not surprised so many people left early - I've never left a match early in my life, but I certainly don't blame anyone for doing so last night.

I did do something for the first time last night - I booed the players at full time. And I make no apologies for that; they deserved it. Entirely without fight, passion or belief. I've really never seen us capitulate so easily. And it's all well and good the players coming out and saying it doesn't help - well give us something to cheer about, you useless bastards, and maybe we will.

Beattie was woeful all match - he didn't break a sweat, and didn't play to the whistle. Tonge was anonymous. Monty was playing well until he was taken off. Carney played a decent game, but with no bite at the end, and there was no point in lumping in high crosses with players of Stoke's size in the area. Keef wasn't too bad, but didn't seem to know where he should have been on the pitch, leading to a problem with width. Armstrong was ok, but nothing special. Killa looked like he was still carrying his injury, and in fairness shouldn't have been on the pitch. Cahill looked like he couldn't be bothered, and Bardsley was more interested in running forward than defending his zone. Naysmith was below par.

Stead started ok when he came on but was nothing special, and Squinn ran himself into the ground with no end product. I'm not even sure Sharp touched the ball when he came on.

Further to this, the tactical genius that is Robson dropped a both wingers into full back positions, whilst playing Squinn out wide and a left back - Stretch - in central midfield. What was he thinking?

If they carry on playing like that, and the management team carry on making woefully inept decisions like that, I'll carry on booing. It's my right as a paying spectator. And maybe it's not helpful, but it's better than getting into a fight through frustration, or indeed applauding their horrendous displays on the pitch.

Until we get a manager who can inspire the team and make bold, informed tactical decisions, we're going nowhere but down, and lucky wins on the road aren't going to help us. We're going to end up with the best ground in League 1 at this rate.

 

[MAQ]

i dont think that we can say that the crowd are to blame we are currently experiencing something very strange as blades, that being the distinct lack of "support" from the home fans.

What shows this in its entirety is when there are all of a few hundred stoke fans at most outsinging the remaining sides of the ground.................whats all that about?

 

[TonyAgana]

To be fair to the Stoke fans MAQ, they were unbelievably loud from the first whistle!

And Matth, about the ridiculousness of positioning Carney at left back when we had Stretch and Squinny in Midfield was something I was going to touch on too.

 

[jodman]

What shows this in its entirety is when there are all of a few hundred stoke fans at most outsinging the remaining sides of the ground.................whats all that about?

I want to say "the fact we were 3-0 down before most fans had finsihed their pre-match pie" but it seems like such an easy answer

 

[Foxy]

In terms of the dropping the two wingers to full back positions, i'm guessing it was due to the fact both were tiring somewhat and both have played such positions for their respective international sides.

Carney had rave reviews playing that position for Australia, against no less than Brazil.

It wasn't that that cost us the game, we'd already lost it with criminal defending/not getting one back before half time.