My take ...

[Hague Blade]

We appeared fairly comfortable overall, last 20 mins aside, but collectively the team look so nervous. Maybe this originates with Ramsdale & permeates through the entire team? This has made the side error prone in the extreme. It’s as if they have accepted as inevitable that at some point someone will make a gaff that leads to a goal. And so it came to pass. Lundstram inexplicably pokes it towards Basham from the edge of our 18, putting him under unnecessary pressure. Bash then sort of stands on it & it comedically squirts to their guy who blasts it at Ramsdale. Said keeper then dives over the ball in slow motion. A joke of a goal. An embarrassment. I actually laughed out loud at the morbid inevitability of it all.

But Jesus Christ our midfield. Absolutely woeful. Dire. I doubt there’s been a worse midfield in EPL history than Lundstram, Fleck & Norwood. Lundstram somehow contrived to miss the sitter of all sitters. It’s as if the bloke doesn’t want to score. Fleck has somehow transformed into a pensioner compared to last season. It’s incredible how dithery, slow & ponderous he’s become. And as for Norwood.... well he looked semi comfortable against a L1 side because that’s now his level. It’s obvious his legs have gone. As evidenced by when he lost it in the centre under a modicum of pressure, then got a yellow in the attempt to retrieve the ball. EPL sides must lick their lips every time they see those 3 lining up against them.

Then there’s Enda Stevens. To me the bloke looks depressed. He managed to get forward more than usual this season but still faffed around & gave the ball away time after time. There was an incident in the 2nd half where he gave it away twice in quick succession & another where he combined with Fleck in comedy fashion to concede possession.

On the plus side Bogle looks to be a player, nice & composed & Burke will terrorise championship defences next season. Brewster though looks mardy. I hope he keeps plugging away & that it clicks at some point as he could combine well with Sharps last hurrah in the championship. Egan, Ampadu, Bash all looked decent but they won’t be immune to the malaise that’s permeated the squad. Christ knows how many Man Utd will put past us with Egan suspended

Overall I can’t help thinking that there’s something badly wrong. Trouble at the mill so to speak. But I’m at a loss as to what it might be other than a combination of poor recruitment, the loss of Henderson & the injury to JOC.

Big like for “the morbid inevitability of it all” - sums it up perfectly. Mistake compounded by another mistake to let them, finally, have a shot on target. But it’s going to be alright as it’s straight at the keeper. Oh....

Whoever said Wilder kept Ramsdale in the team in the hope he’d have an easy afternoon and keep a clean sheet to build his confidence is probably right. But now it looks even worse if you leave him out for Man Utd in midweek, and it’s hard to see that one doing much for the poor lad, especially without Egan trying desperately to hold it all together in front of him.

 

[pommpey]

We have a game at OT on Wednesday thats why he was subbed
You must be blind if you cant see that

Well, he'll need all his energy to chase Pogba back into our half and leg him over, won't he?

pommpey

 

[Bladeulike]

Yeah, we won. A win is a win and all that. But in honestly, can we all acknowledge that just like the Bristol Rovers game, we made the gap in expected capability between the two teams seem a little narrower. It's also okay coming out with old tropes like 'The FA Cup is a great leveller' and 'you should never expect a win', but if it is a win, you should not be making it look so treasured, or so rare. We didn't beat Everton, Aston Villa or even West Ham today. We (narrowly) beat Plymouth Argyle, eleventh in two divisions below. Today's match made it look like we were in the playoffs in that division and we'd just pulled off another valuable victory and three points, and maybe we were back on with an automatic slot come May. It's not like Plymouth are any good either. For the first twenty minutes they hardly got into our half and they gave us that mandatory ten square feet of space around every player which made initial forays up the wings easy to do, and Norwood to smack the ball stylishly across the pitch, like he does. Too many times Argyle failed to close up the gaps when we were in possession, a luxury we don't have in our 'day-job' of surviving in the Premier League. But fuck me, how much do we need in front of goal to make it count? We still seem a bit shot-shy at times and despite Brewster having an unthreatening shot on target, a fluffed chance six yards out and Lundstram missing a fucking sitter, it's only when our centre back pops up on the back stick to nod home with the sureity required from our forward line (McBurnie - pay the fuck attention)

But we again showed some alarming lack of attention to detail and Plymouth regularly showed threat, especially when involving Camara. We seemed to want to show them the same amount of space after we'd scored and were lucky not to go in for the break 1-1 or even worse. The second half still failed to impress. Where you'd expect us to come out firing and organised and ready to put Argyle to the sword and finish the game off, we are still playing Wilderball. knocking the ball across the back four and up one wing, until we are met with a block, backwards, across the back four and down the other wing, rinse and repeat. Norwood has acres of space to show off, Ampadu is knocking it long and we aren't doing much until thank fuck, Norwood spots Billy, slots him a pass and he's in, round the keeper and it's in the net. Amazing what you can do when you change the fucking record once in a while.

Then Plymouth smell blood and we are defending - properly - for too-long spells of the game and giving sloppy, predictable balls away. And with equal predictability (and maybe one of Deadbat or ROYs bingo card regulars, Norwood is caught in possession, chases back and fouls the opposition. And more - we still fuck up possession, fail to manage the panic and Camara - who'd looked threatening all game and really was Norwood's to cancel out, is free in the box and does what Lundstram should have done in the first half from the same position. I reckon however had he hit it low down and pretty central maybe Cooper would have got his body behind it, instead Ramsdale (bingo moment) flops down and allows it under his body, like he did with Rashford's.

FULL HOUSE CALLED IN THE LOUNGE, BARRY!

After this, we are simply hanging on and thank for it didn't go to extra time. They'd have beaten us, definitely. As soon as they scored, a thought bubble popped out of every United player's head which read, "Oh fuck. We're gonna lose now." It wouldn't have taken much either. We looked desperately fragile in the final ten minutes and Plymouth seemed to be enjoying us on the ropes.

Quite simply, yet another desperate, dismal, disappointing outcome with a win we 'achieved' but possibly didn't deserve. Neither did Plymouth to be honest, but that in measure is what we have now quickly become - another version of Adkin's strugglers a few short seasons ago. Wilder might chide us with regard 'the system' but even if it shades past a pretty average third division outfit hoping the remaining minutes will be kind, then his system still isn't working and I fear for our credibility against Manchester United.

Ramsdale 3/10: Still shockingly below what we need playing where we are and aspiring for survival or an FA cup run. Even the BBC commentator thinks he's shit, and women's game goalkeeping itself is one of the great debating points of the cross-gender comparison. When I suggest the women's game is actually entertaining and good to watch, the less politically correct observers just illustrate some of the fucking howlers women keepers make, and it kinda deflates the balloon somewhat. In short, Ramsdale should play for Sheff Utd women, and mebbe we should have their keeper? Discuss.
Bogle 5/10: Iffy game with him in and out of it. Looked far from comfortable at times up against another 5-3-2 wingback system
Basham 5/10: Well taken goal but over the past few matches has dropped in form and seems to be finding it difficult
Egan 7/10: As usual, the rock at the back
Ampadu 5.5/10: Better game from him but he's still not impressive, even when given space to maraud forward
Stevens 6.5/10: Managed to exploit space Argyle gave him to get intto places of danger then simply passed wrongly or fluffed up the initiative
Lundstram 4.5/10: Drops 1.5 points for that fucking sitter. Otherwise was involved with little outcome
Norwood 4/10: Slightly better game from him and a really great pass to Sharp, but otherwise he was just showing off.
Fleck 5/10: Seems to be standing still at times or frustrated at the lack of options when he is on the ball. He's not even 50% of the John Fleck of 12 months ago
Brewster 3/10: Unimpressed by his failure to put chances away. There is no fucking way he is worth £23m
Sharp 6/10: Put a shift in and was rewarded with a well taken goal. But outside of that was a victim of shit service

Baldock 5/10: Furious George. Good to see him back
Bryan 4/10: Thought he was no better than Ampadu
Burke 5/10: Typical gutsy performance but with fuck all to show
McGoldrick unmarked

Really surprised Wilder didn't capitalise on this game to bring in some alternate players and a change in lineup. He seems stuck on 5-3-2 and like I say, it costs us. Personally I would have liked to have seen Rodwell, Verrips, Lowe make a start to refresh the system but no, it's Wilderball from start to finish and we were nearly put to the sword because of this. Bristol City might not be so timid to punish our weaknesses as Argyle today. Although we walk away from today with a win - three in four - I urge people to look at that run for what it is - a scraped FA Cup sin against a Div Two team where we were still not impressive, a win against a very underperforming Premiership side with a VAR goal the difference and today, where we hung onto our victory and could have thrown it away.

Finally: Ref/VAR - cunts. That handball was handball with a strawberry flavoured, spit-lubricated, ribbed condom slid on it and up-with-a-'hup! into the slack, well trafficked yet one would imagine accommodating warmth of Katie Price's tattered fundament. Arms in unnatural position - check, Player crossing flight of ball - check. Ball falling to advantage of opposition - check. Had that been Liverpool or Spurs, the cunt would have been redded and had his head kicked in outside the ground, and on the coach on the way back to Pastyland, moi loverrrr.

pommpey

Think this post is a bit harsh and that you have let your love of hyperbole and florid prose overtake the more rational assessment of facts and context. I completely agree that the biggest fact and context of all is that this has been an absolute shitshow of a season and, without doubt, some withering fingers need pointing at the management, the coaching staff and the players with due responsibility with accountability acknowledged and taken by them. It’s been an embarrassment, an humiliation and once more, it seems, we have had yet another false dawn of a Blades’ renaissance. How the f**k this all went so horribly wrong needs looking at very closely, lessons learned and a repeat avoided.

Ok, so now to yesterday’s game. My issue with your post, Pompey, is that it appears to be written from some other, parallel universe where dispatching a side to gain a place in the 5th round of the FA Cup has somehow become, in your words, “another desperate, dismal, disappointing outcome”. Really? Then I must try and suppress these feelings so relief, pleasure and optimism (yep, still have a soupçon of that buried deep somewhere) for a berth in the QFs further down the line. God knows, we all need something to celebrate at the moment

You speak of the ‘gap in expected capability’ as a reason for your criticism but that’s not real is it (neither the expectation or the capability)? We simply aren’t a Prem team, we are a Championship team at best eking out our season in the Prem so that’s the context we need to insert. I don’t like it, in fact I bloody hate it and the smug ‘told you so’ bastards who are now living off it (I mean the punters and the pig fans). Fact is, we won. We won fairly comfortably apart from a very dodgy last 20 minutes and that wasn’t down to collective capability, it was down to Lundstram, Basham, and Ramsdale deciding to carry out a passable Keystone Cops impersonation for about 30seconds that managed to undermine the very, very, fragile confidence of this squad. If it hadn’t been for that abominable penalty decision that you rightly called out we could have cruised the game

The ‘showing off’ comment in relation to Norwood is a bit bizarre. Yes, he was given acres of space and so much more time on the ball but you can only play what is in front of you and he, for once, had a pretty good game. That doesn’t mean your season long criticism of him as a liability in the team isn’t valid - it is, but I think you are in danger of a creating a deficit assessment model in which no-one can succeed because it’s just the oppositions ‘fault’ if they do well. There’s an constructivist approach commonly know as ‘appreciative inquiry’ that takes the view that focusing on what has gone well and doing more of it is more successful than constantly looking for what’s wrong and trying to fix it. I just think we got quite a bit right yesterday, including winning the game and progressing to the next round, and that isn’t acknowledged in your post at all.

The context we have to face is that we are a bloody awful team in a bloody awful season but we won and have a winnable game next to get to the QFs. So ‘smile though you heart is breaking’. I know, it’s a game of football, a game of opinions and a tasty bit of vitriol is good for the soul. I think it’s your heart rather than your soul Im worried about because if that’s your response after a win, God only knows how you will be after the steamrollering we will receive from the Manchester behemoths!

Having said all that, always entertaining posts so keep em coming

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

We didn't play great I agree, scoring harsh in places - thought Brewster was average, but not shocking 3 for me is like Norwoods performance vs Spurs

I completely agree on Basham though.

He's looking good in between both boxes at the moment, dribbling is very good for a defender. But his defending is getting worse and his crossing/ shooting is absolutely dreadful. Great header for the goal, if we were to be promoted next season he needs to be upgraded.

 

[pommpey]

Think this post is a bit harsh and that you have let your love of hyperbole and florid prose overtake the more rational assessment of facts and context.

Really? Moi? Hyperbole and florid prose? Let's read on ...

I completely agree that the biggest fact and context of all is that this has been an absolute shitshow of a season and, without doubt, some withering fingers need pointing at the management, the coaching staff and the players with due responsibility with accountability acknowledged and taken by them. It’s been an embarrassment, an humiliation and once more, it seems, we have had yet another false dawn of a Blades’ renaissance. How the f**k this all went so horribly wrong needs looking at very closely, lessons learned and a repeat avoided.

That's a tad harsh, isn't it?

Ok, so now to yesterday’s game. My issue with your post, Pompey, is that it appears to be written from some other, parallel universe where dispatching a side to gain a place in the 5th round of the FA Cup has somehow become, in your words, “another desperate, dismal, disappointing outcome”. Really? Then I must try and suppress these feelings so relief, pleasure and optimism (yep, still have a soupçon of that buried deep somewhere) for a berth in the QFs further down the line. God knows, we all need something to celebrate at the moment

Um ... fifth round next. We have to deal with a habitually resistive (florid prose) Bristol City, who will already be preparing their brief on how to deal with Wilderball, and the brittleness of our serially shit goalkeeper, whom Wilder refuses to bench. Relieved? Pleasured? Optimistic?

You speak of the ‘gap in expected capability’ as a reason for your criticism but that’s not real is it (neither the expectation or the capability)? We simply aren’t a Prem team, we are a Championship team at best eking out our season in the Prem so that’s the context we need to insert. I don’t like it, in fact I bloody hate it and the smug ‘told you so’ bastards who are now living off it (I mean the punters and the pig fans). Fact is, we won. We won fairly comfortably apart from a very dodgy last 20 minutes and that wasn’t down to collective capability, it was down to Lundstram, Basham, and Ramsdale deciding to carry out a passable Keystone Cops impersonation for about 30seconds that managed to undermine the very, very, fragile confidence of this squad. If it hadn’t been for that abominable penalty decision that you rightly called out we could have cruised the game

So in essence, you kind of agree that we are underperforming and at Championship levels of output and we had the propensity to fuck things up even when on top against a team who, if we were playing in the Championship, would still be a whole division below us? On balance, aside from the penalty, had Camara and their wingback buried their first half chances, we would have been far from 'cruising the game'. We'd have been 1-2 down.

The ‘showing off’ comment in relation to Norwood is a bit bizarre. Yes, he was given acres of space and so much more time on the ball but you can only play what is in front of you and he, for once, had a pretty good game. That doesn’t mean your season long criticism of him as a liability in the team isn’t valid - it is, but I think you are in danger of a creating a deficit assessment model in which no-one can succeed because it’s just the oppositions ‘fault’ if they do well. There’s an constructivist approach commonly know as ‘appreciative inquiry’ that takes the view that focusing on what has gone well and doing more of it is more successful than constantly looking for what’s wrong and trying to fix it. I just think we got quite a bit right yesterday, including winning the game and progressing to the next round, and that isn’t acknowledged in your post at all.

Blimey. 'Deficit Assessment Model', 'Constructivist Approach' and 'Appreciative Inquiry'. Check out the big brains on Brad. You're a clever motherfucker. FYI, I have completed countless leadership and management modules in my satisfyingly complete career. There still is no substitute to removing a serially underperforming member of your team if he or she is hampering progress of the mission. You can sit and clap someone who cleans a marine gas turbine engine really well, but if the fucking fucker is fucked, and stays fucked because this fucker is fucking shit, then it's your job to get someone in who can fix it, or you ship sits idle alongside and misses the war. And yes, I have acknowledge the win in the post. Go read it again. Just because I'm not pissing down my trouser leg we beat two lower division sides without a fight doesn't mean I don't want to see us progress. I'd rather we took Plymouth on however and beat them more convincingly. Regardless of your above assessment, I still consider us to be a Premier League side. That's what it says on the badges, anyway.

The context we have to face is that we are a bloody awful team in a bloody awful season but we won and have a winnable game next to get to the QFs. So ‘smile though you heart is breaking’. I know, it’s a game of football, a game of opinions and a tasty bit of vitriol is good for the soul. I think it’s your heart rather than your soul Im worried about because if that’s your response after a win, God only knows how you will be after the steamrollering we will receive from the Manchester behemoths!

I am ever optimistic we do exactly what Burnley did against he bindippers and defend well, our goalkeeper stops some critical efforts on goal and we get the win we deserve. But how we play at the moment, we deserve very little, especially playing the same players in the same positions with the same strategy and getting beaten week in, week out. It's a harsh thing to say because in that team, there are players who are capable, do their best and don't deserve this opprobrium. Then there's others who are simply makeweights, others who are straphangers and then others still who are bad errors in acquisition. That is the tale of the tape. Our season. Wilder's responsibility.

Having said all that, always entertaining posts so keep em coming

Thank you.

pommpey

 

[ISZA ⚔️]

pommpey you don’t come across very well.

 

[pommpey]

pommpey you don’t come across very well.

pommpey

 

[Bladeulike]

Really? Moi? Hyperbole and florid prose? Let's read on ...



That's a tad harsh, isn't it?



Um ... fifth round next. We have to deal with a habitually resistive (florid prose) Bristol City, who will already be preparing their brief on how to deal with Wilderball, and the brittleness of our serially shit goalkeeper, whom Wilder refuses to bench. Relieved? Pleasured? Optimistic?



So in essence, you kind of agree that we are underperforming and at Championship levels of output and we had the propensity to fuck things up even when on top against a team who, if we were playing in the Championship, would still be a whole division below us? On balance, aside from the penalty, had Camara and their wingback buried their first half chances, we would have been far from 'cruising the game'. We'd have been 1-2 down.



Blimey. 'Deficit Assessment Model', 'Constructivist Approach' and 'Appreciative Inquiry'. Check out the big brains on Brad. You're a clever motherfucker. FYI, I have completed countless leadership and management modules in my satisfyingly complete career. There still is no substitute to removing a serially underperforming member of your team if he or she is hampering progress of the mission. You can sit and clap someone who cleans a marine gas turbine engine really well, but if the fucking fucker is fucked, and stays fucked because this fucker is fucking shit, then it's your job to get someone in who can fix it, or you ship sits idle alongside and misses the war. And yes, I have acknowledge the win in the post. Go read it again. Just because I'm not pissing down my trouser leg we beat two lower division sides without a fight doesn't mean I don't want to see us progress. I'd rather we took Plymouth on however and beat them more convincingly. Regardless of your above assessment, I still consider us to be a Premier League side. That's what it says on the badges, anyway.



I am ever optimistic we do exactly what Burnley did against he bindippers and defend well, our goalkeeper stops some critical efforts on goal and we get the win we deserve. But how we play at the moment, we deserve very little, especially playing the same players in the same positions with the same strategy and getting beaten week in, week out. It's a harsh thing to say because in that team, there are players who are capable, do their best and don't deserve this opprobrium. Then there's others who are simply makeweights, others who are straphangers and then others still who are bad errors in acquisition. That is the tale of the tape. Our season. Wilder's responsibility.



Thank you.

pommpey

You seem a tad stung by my comment on your ‘florid prose’No offence intended but for Exhibit A may I present:

“That handball was handball with a strawberry flavoured, spit-lubricated, ribbed condom slid on it and up-with-a-'hup! into the slack, well trafficked yet one would imagine accommodating warmth of Katie Price's tattered fundament”

Is ever so slightly a bit ornate innit?

Any association with Pulp Fiction, no matter how fleeting is always welcome.

I’m not ‘pissing down my trouser leg’ at our victory and I think you may wish to read my post again if you think I am. I am simply saying if we are now at a point where we are treating victories as “another desperate, dismal, disappointing outcome” we may be missing identifying what we want more of in favour of constant diatribes about what is going wrong. I just think there’s room for both

 

[DorsetSUFC]

Can't disagree with anything in your assessment and marks Pommpey - pretty much spot on. Great to be in the next round but cant get exited about that performance - less then convincing IMO.

 

[Pedro Verde]

Well, he'll need all his energy to chase Pogba back into our half and leg him over, won't he?

pommpey

Yes 1.6m Ollie Norwood v 80m Pogba (who is finally playing like his price tag)
Not a great comparison but it suits your agenda

 

[georgebernardshaw]

FYI - Sunday Times today:

 

[VictoryBlade]

I probably will get this wrong (and hope I do) but please pay Brewster up coz he is shite!!! Woodburn anyone?

 

[pommpey]

Yes 1.6m Ollie Norwood v 80m Pogba (who is finally playing like his price tag)
Not a great comparison but it suits your agenda

In context, both are Premier League midfielders. It is now you who is downmarking Norwood, suggesting his bought value signals his playing capability. Let's not forget therefore that he was bought when we were Championship hopefuls and apparently last season he played out of his skin, whereas Pogba has serially performed underwhelmngly since he arrived at OT. So where does that balance the two out?

There's no agenda here. Mr Oliver Norwood esq is very probably a decent, honest chap. As Sheffield United's number 16 he has his shortcomings in midfield, noteworthy within this season where he seems to be struggling to do the basics at times.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

FYI - Sunday Times today:

View attachment 103834

Fucking hell. Bit harsh that. Can I ask you what game you were watching? Norwood a seven? nine at least. Never been a Blades fan.

etc

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

You seem a tad stung by my comment on your ‘florid prose’No offence intended but for Exhibit A may I present:

“That handball was handball with a strawberry flavoured, spit-lubricated, ribbed condom slid on it and up-with-a-'hup! into the slack, well trafficked yet one would imagine accommodating warmth of Katie Price's tattered fundament”

Is ever so slightly a bit ornate innit?

Not stung, just making literary comparisons with your own work

Any association with Pulp Fiction, no matter how fleeting is always welcome.

You're welcome. I'm in a transitional period.

I’m not ‘pissing down my trouser leg’ at our victory and I think you may wish to read my post again if you think I am. I am simply saying if we are now at a point where we are treating victories as “another desperate, dismal, disappointing outcome” we may be missing identifying what we want more of in favour of constant diatribes about what is going wrong. I just think there’s room for both

Did you find any joy from that victory? What about them going 2-1 and the last twenty, desperate, dismal and disappointing minutes?

Before you answer, one thing: Plymouth Argyle.

pommpey

 

[Bladeulike]

Not stung, just making literary comparisons with your own work



You're welcome. I'm in a transitional period.



Did you find any joy from that victory? What about them going 2-1 and the last twenty, desperate, dismal and disappointing minutes?

Before you answer, one thing: Plymouth Argyle.

pommpey

I remain unconvinced that the comment “That handball was handball with a strawberry flavoured, spit-lubricated, ribbed condom slid on it and up-with-a-'hup! into the slack, well trafficked yet one would imagine accommodating warmth of Katie Price's tattered fundament” is ever, in any context other than this forum, going to be used as a basis for literary comparison. Having said that, the English education system is going to hell in a handcart to such an extent it may well feature in next year’s English GCSE papers (I kind of hope it does)

Good luck in your transitional period - maybe a tasty beverage or two will help

...and yes I found some joy in that victory. I know, I am feeding off scraps but we are through to the next round and they aren’t. I’m not particularly proud of the win but then, fuck pride. Pride only hurts. It never helps.

To be continued...

 

[true99blade]

Always fun to see pommpey floundering at the genuine valid criticism of his reports from some posters. Fun reading about the VAR/handball fiasco, the rest I sort’ve expected. Let me know where the rusks are when you’re ready.

 

[pommpey]

Always fun to see pommpey floundering at the genuine valid criticism of his reports from some posters. Fun reading about the VAR/handball fiasco, the rest I sort’ve expected. Let me know where the rusks are when you’re ready.

Your rusks?

Usual place, petal. I note you've been hiding under your rock. Welcome back.

Now. Any comments on the game, or you gonna make this thread all about me?

pommpey

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Pretty much sums it up for me MKY. Thought it was a perfect fixture for Billy to shine and he proved me correct, Brewster is work in progress and is about as good as you will get for 20 mil in today's market. Burke has much to prove and I think he's going about it the best he can. Let panic set in against Brizzle and we'll be in trouble. I'm starting to think a lot of defensive problems stem from the bloke between the sticks UTB

Brewster reputedly cost/will cost us £23.5m, and for that we could've had a front pairing of Ivan Toney & Jean-Philippe Mateta and still had enough money left over to buy Moose another highly priced supercar to write off.

Mateta is a player who Palace have just wisely paid £2.7m to loan in for 18 months with a pre-agreed purchase price at the end of £13.4m. The lad is 23 yrs old, scored 17 in 35 in the french 2nd division, moved to germany and has scored 24 times in 67 Bundesliga games & yet Palace have structured a deal that protects themselves in case either he flops or they get relegated. In the words of Mr. Punch "That's the way to do it!".

 

[The Crab]

I've said my piece on Ramsdale on other threads, he should have saved their goal.

Happy we won obviously, but I felt they played like what they are, a mid table league 1 side, although I was concerned they were getting at us down our right in the first half and with a little more composure in front of goal they might well have lead.

Absolutely rinsed by VAR. "green zone"? Fuck off, he put his arms up. Yes it might have been to protect his face, but it's still handball. That gets given, it's a goal and we are more comfortable.

When they did score, we looked terrified, that's terrified of a League 1 side. Just goes to show how fucked we are mentally.

So, happy we won, but more questions than answers for me. The main question being the goalkeeping situation

 

[Kop sufferer]

Brewster reputedly cost/will cost us £23.5m, and for that we could've had a front pairing of Ivan Toney & Jean-Philippe Mateta and still had enough money left over to buy Moose another highly priced supercar to write off.

Mateta is a player who Palace have just wisely paid £2.7m to loan in for 18 months with a pre-agreed purchase price at the end of £13.4m. The lad is 23 yrs old, scored 17 in 35 in the french 2nd division, moved to germany and has scored 24 times in 67 Bundesliga games & yet Palace have structured a deal that protects themselves in case either he flops or they get relegated. In the words of Mr. Punch "That's the way to do it!".

Completely understand where you're at and what you're saying. I'm in no doubt CW knows all about Toney, a player who at 24 has put in plenty of mileage throughout the league's.
The French lad is a different proposition, a risk for us, good business for Palace who have the lure of London and a circle of players to go with it, obviously a wage structure we can only dream about and an established Prem position, doubt the lad has even heard of Sheffield, OK CW went for Brewster he/we desperately need a goal from him and then I believe he will push on, only time will tell

 

[tincan]

Much of this is true, but confidence for our team is a big issue, so prior to manure and citee games tell them all they are world beater's...

 

[true99blade]

Your rusks?

Usual place, petal. I note you've been hiding under your rock. Welcome back.

Now. Any comments on the game, or you gonna make this thread all about me?

pommpey

Don’t you remember we tried talking about football a few times, but every time it descends into petty little comments because you don’t know how to deal with others challenging you.

Other than Plymouth’s goal (should’ve been saved) they had one decent chance of note they fluffed. That’s not looking a regular threat. We controlled the game until a couple of brain farts led to their goal, and as a team that have currently lost 16/19 games in the league this season it’s no shock that it wobbled us. Blackpool wobbled Brighton the very same day, I doubt there’s much uproar over there over an FA Cup win. And as another poster has already point out, you do very nicely to avoid talking about how the wobble occurred straight after Norwood was subbed. Feel free to come back with any lazy facetious comments though, always hilarious.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Pretty much sums it up for me MKY. Thought it was a perfect fixture for Billy to shine and he proved me correct, Brewster is work in progress and is about as good as you will get for 20 mil in today's market. Burke has much to prove and I think he's going about it the best he can. Let panic set in against Brizzle and we'll be in trouble. I'm starting to think a lot of defensive problems stem from the bloke between the sticks UTB

£20m is a significant fee. For that amount you could have bought multiple grown ups with a decent pedigree who would at the very least offer you a baseline of competent performance. Instead we gambled everything on the evidence of 22 adult competitive games

 

[Carlton Blade]

I really enjoy the Norwood conversations. I have always loved his style of play. His long passing is genuinely exceptional. But last season he was part of an organised, determined defensive unit that covered for each other and didn't give away silly goals. We were mostly able to cover for his frailties and I would say he was definitely playing at a much higher level individually.

That is dead now and we require a player who can use athleticism and strength to help cover for the failings of others. That's about as far away from Oliver Norwood as you can get. I don't think we have any good answers available to the questions we have but it's been proven consistently that if we are unable or unwilling to change our style and approach Norwood is incapable of providing the defensive cover our back line requires. I don't think that will change next season against the better Championship teams.

 

[pommpey]

Don’t you remember we tried talking about football a few times, but every time it descends into petty little comments because you don’t know how to deal with others challenging you.

No, as I recall, last time out it was the expected 'man not ball' playmaking that is expected from the silly end of S24SU such as you. If you start with personalised, petty little comments, you'll get them back. Let's not forget how it always begins. But being as I have called you out on that ...

Other than Plymouth’s goal (should’ve been saved) they had one decent chance of note they fluffed. That’s not looking a regular threat.

Counted two in the first half. Maybe you were doing something else when their wingback was clean on goal and put it into the side netting? And Camara's, which effectively shot our defence to bits. Near the end also they were pressing hard and had a few chances round our goal. That, to me, is a 'regular threat', from a Division One outfit. Feel free to smoke and mirrors that.

We controlled the game until a couple of brain farts led to their goal, and as a team that have currently lost 16/19 games in the league this season it’s no shock that it wobbled us.

So we can expect similar treatment from Bristol City then? There's confidence for you. Personally I expect more from a Premier League outfit, made up from mostly players from two seasons ago in the Championship. Still a league above Plymouth, in fact, back then, they were in Division Two.

Blackpool wobbled Brighton the very same day, I doubt there’s much uproar over there over an FA Cup win.

Really, really don't give a fat fuck about Brighton, or Blackpool. I don't doubt over on the Seagull's board some wearisome old duffer is cranking out similar stuff about Plymouth giving Sheffield United a scare. The net sum of that is nil, with regard Brighton, as it is here.

And as another poster has already point out, you do very nicely to avoid talking about how the wobble occurred straight after Norwood was subbed. Feel free to come back with any lazy facetious comments though, always hilarious.

We were rock solid before Norwood went off then? I mean, he was running the midfield and nothing was getting past him?

No, that's not the case is it? Truth is, Plymouth were already coming back at us and given Wilder's reluctance to pack the midfield to battle it out, Plymouth played much further up the pitch and capitalised on a mistake by ... Lundstram and then Basham to gain the goal. Given they scored three minutes after Norwood was hooked, it's difficult to envisage how you can align him being off to Plymouth coming back at us. And as I have suggested (and you fail to acknowledge) we are - this season - not good when teams score against us. The heads drop anyway (as seen) and we don't defend well when teams are pressing.

Really hope this helps your point of view, 'True99Blade'.

pommpey

 

[true99blade]

No, as I recall, last time out it was the expected 'man not ball' playmaking that is expected from the silly end of S24SU such as you. If you start with personalised, petty little comments, you'll get them back. Let's not forget how it always begins. But being as I have called you out on that ...



Counted two in the first half. Maybe you were doing something else when their wingback was clean on goal and put it into the side netting? And Camara's, which effectively shot our defence to bits. Near the end also they were pressing hard and had a few chances round our goal. That, to me, is a 'regular threat', from a Division One outfit. Feel free to smoke and mirrors that.



So we can expect similar treatment from Bristol City then? There's confidence for you. Personally I expect more from a Premier League outfit, made up from mostly players from two seasons ago in the Championship. Still a league above Plymouth, in fact, back then, they were in Division Two.



Really, really don't give a fat fuck about Brighton, or Blackpool. I don't doubt over on the Seagull's board some wearisome old duffer is cranking out similar stuff about Plymouth giving Sheffield United a scare. The net sum of that is nil, with regard Brighton, as it is here.



We were rock solid before Norwood went off then? I mean, he was running the midfield and nothing was getting past him?

No, that's not the case is it? Truth is, Plymouth were already coming back at us and given Wilder's reluctance to pack the midfield to battle it out, Plymouth played much further up the pitch and capitalised on a mistake by ... Lundstram and then Basham to gain the goal. Given they scored three minutes after Norwood was hooked, it's difficult to envisage how you can align him being off to Plymouth coming back at us. And as I have suggested (and you fail to acknowledge) we are - this season - not good when teams score against us. The heads drop anyway (as seen) and we don't defend well when teams are pressing.

Really hope this helps your point of view, 'True99Blade'.

pommpey

Just as I expected, no attempt to actually find evidence of me playing ‘man not ball’, you simply always do it; “rusks”, “petal” etc, an overall unpleasant tone towards others.

I was watching the game myself, you must’ve only had it in the corner of your eye if you think this is “clear on goal”.

Apart from the Camara chance they offered nothing in terms of a creating a clear goal scoring opportunity. The reason they scored wasn’t due to being out-thought or out-played by League One opposition.

Once again all you’ve written after this is an emotional rant at someone who disagrees with you. We were a lot more solid with Norwood on the pitch and controlled the game, do you actually disagree? Because all you’ve tried to do is minimise his efforts on the pitch, like instead of praising his distribution you call it “showing off”. The evidence is there that we were entirely comfortable for the first 75 mins, another needless disruption to the team and they’re back in it with help from our keeper again. Regardless of who we’re playing it’s gonna give the opponent a boost when that happens. We should’ve been 4 up before they nicked one.

 

[pommpey]

Just as I expected, no attempt to actually find evidence of me playing ‘man not ball’, you simply always do it; “rusks”, “petal” etc, an overall unpleasant tone towards others.

IIRC, your response was personal and somewhat childish. Hence, 'rusks'. I shouldn't have to explain, let alone to you, but I am okay with people who say 'I disagree, and here is why', but you're all about the ad hominem straight away, aren't you? Which says more about you than me. And as before, if you don't like what I put, scroll the fuck on past and don't comment. I don't give a shit if you do.

I was watching the game myself, you must’ve only had it in the corner of your eye if you think this is “clear on goal”.

Roll it back two seconds and you'll see how Camara danced through our big old midfield and advanced toward our 18 yard box with that wingback in acres of space, free to run on goal. Given the shit-your-pants way we had to defend that (and I'd add that an angled drive low into the far corner would have beaten Ramsdale any day) it hardly suggests us being 'in control' of our first division opponents, does it?

Apart from the Camara chance they offered nothing in terms of a creating a clear goal scoring opportunity. The reason they scored wasn’t due to being out-thought or out-played by League One opposition.

What was it then? A lucky deflection? Wind assisted? A poor VAR decision? Face it, they pressed us started playing further up the pitch, Norwood was already being outrun and picked up a yellow and Lundstram is caught in possession, dispossessed, Basham makes a fuck up of the challenge and it's squared to their man and he tucks it under Ramsdale. Not exactly luck, is it? More 'pressing' and outfighting us in the middle of the park and burying the chance, from the same spot Lundstram missed in the first half.

Once again all you’ve written after this is an emotional rant at someone who disagrees with you. We were a lot more solid with Norwood on the pitch and controlled the game, do you actually disagree?

Yes, because as with most games this season, he gets found out and can't defend and ends up legging his opponent up, frustrated by his lack of ability and energy. I get that when he's up against PL players - then he does it against Plymouth. That's not 'solid', is it? They know what his game is and they play round it and counter it. NOte: I haven't suggested we were any better with Ampadu in the CM role. Note also: I consistently say that three in midfield is our undoing this season and all three 'regulars' are not a patch on last season and this isn't 'recent' news - since lockdown the midfield has been a disaster. See also Norwood's crossing which until recently has been hitting the first man on the front stick.

Because all you’ve tried to do is minimise his efforts on the pitch, like instead of praising his distribution you call it “showing off”.

Yes I do. Booting it all over the pitch to no effect is simply showing off, especially if the receiver is instantly put under pressure or is in no position to capitalise on space in front of him. See also these neatly clipped balls across the backline which twenty seconds later are going the other way. Looks great. Achieves nothing. Now if you want to go watch Oliver Norwood do that for ninety minutes then groovy, fill your boots. But as soon as he actually looks up and there is Billy Sharp, back to defender, opening the door for a central through pass we are suddenly in on goal and two-up. Go check and see if I praised that, will you? No need for this fancy-arsed 'ping'. Just find a fucking forward, eh? As it stood with that, Plymouth were expecting him to go sideways again and a huge space opened up in front into which he could have run into also, something else he's not great at doing.

The evidence is there that we were entirely comfortable for the first 75 mins, another needless disruption to the team and they’re back in it with help from our keeper again. Regardless of who we’re playing it’s gonna give the opponent a boost when that happens. We should’ve been 4 up before they nicked one.

Yep - we should have been four up and controlling the game. But it wasn't because Norwood was subbed that we started to shit our pants and let them get back at us. We were still error prone and going nowhere before that, hence two nil instead of four.

Glad we are discussing the game here. Makes a change.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

Just as I expected, no attempt to actually find evidence of me playing ‘man not ball’, you simply always do it; “rusks”, “petal” etc, an overall unpleasant tone towards others.

IIRC, your response was personal and somewhat childish. Hence, 'rusks'. I shouldn't have to explain, let alone to you, but I am okay with people who say 'I disagree, and here is why', but you're all about the ad hominem straight away, aren't you? Which says more about you than me. And as before, if you don't like what I put, scroll the fuck on past and don't comment. I don't give a shit if you do.

I was watching the game myself, you must’ve only had it in the corner of your eye if you think this is “clear on goal”.

Roll it back two seconds and you'll see how Camara danced through our big old midfield and advanced toward our 18 yard box with that wingback in acres of space, free to run on goal. Given the shit-your-pants way we had to defend that (and I'd add that an angled drive low into the far corner would have beaten Ramsdale any day) it hardly suggests us being 'in control' of our first division opponents, does it?

Apart from the Camara chance they offered nothing in terms of a creating a clear goal scoring opportunity. The reason they scored wasn’t due to being out-thought or out-played by League One opposition.

What was it then? A lucky deflection? Wind assisted? A poor VAR decision? Face it, they pressed us started playing further up the pitch, Norwood was already being outrun and picked up a yellow and Lundstram is caught in possession, dispossessed, Basham makes a fuck up of the challenge and it's squared to their man and he tucks it under Ramsdale. Not exactly luck, is it? More 'pressing' and outfighting us in the middle of the park and burying the chance, from the same spot Lundstram missed in the first half.

Once again all you’ve written after this is an emotional rant at someone who disagrees with you. We were a lot more solid with Norwood on the pitch and controlled the game, do you actually disagree?

Yes, because as with most games this season, he gets found out and can't defend and ends up legging his opponent up, frustrated by his lack of ability and energy. I get that when he's up against PL players - then he does it against Plymouth. That's not 'solid', is it? They know what his game is and they play round it and counter it. NOte: I haven't suggested we were any better with Ampadu in the CM role. Note also: I consistently say that three in midfield is our undoing this season and all three 'regulars' are not a patch on last season and this isn't 'recent' news - since lockdown the midfield has been a disaster. See also Norwood's crossing which until recently has been hitting the first man on the front stick.

Because all you’ve tried to do is minimise his efforts on the pitch, like instead of praising his distribution you call it “showing off”.

Yes I do. Booting it all over the pitch to no effect is simply showing off, especially if the receiver is instantly put under pressure or is in no position to capitalise on space in front of him. See also these neatly clipped balls across the backline which twenty seconds later are going the other way. Looks great. Achieves nothing. Now if you want to go watch Oliver Norwood do that for ninety minutes then groovy, fill your boots. But as soon as he actually looks up and there is Billy Sharp, back to defender, opening the door for a central through pass we are suddenly in on goal and two-up. Go check and see if I praised that, will you? No need for this fancy-arsed 'ping'. Just find a fucking forward, eh? As it stood with that, Plymouth were expecting him to go sideways again and a huge space opened up in front into which he could have run into also, something else he's not great at doing.

The evidence is there that we were entirely comfortable for the first 75 mins, another needless disruption to the team and they’re back in it with help from our keeper again. Regardless of who we’re playing it’s gonna give the opponent a boost when that happens. We should’ve been 4 up before they nicked one.

Yep - we should have been four up and controlling the game. But it wasn't because Norwood was subbed that we started to shit our pants and let them get back at us. We were still error prone and going nowhere before that, hence two nil instead of four.



Glad we are discussing the game here. Makes a change.



pommpey

 

[gordoncharles]

Just as I expected, no attempt to actually find evidence of me playing ‘man not ball’, you simply always do it; “rusks”, “petal” etc, an overall unpleasant tone towards others.

I was watching the game myself, you must’ve only had it in the corner of your eye if you think this is “clear on goal”.
View attachment 103879

In that move, which it's true to say Camara did just waltz through our midfield, you'll see we're 3 against 3 in the middle. The lad at the far post would have had a tap in if he'd drilled it across and Camara was completely free in front of goal on the penalty spot for the cut-back , when the daft wing-back decided to go for glory.

In that instance we were a bit lucky.