Rose tinted spectacles?

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Agreed. And your point is proven on this forum, for every person who's said anything negative about the second half 3 have told them to 'shut up'. It was very different football between the halves whether from the 'reducers' dished out early on, the weather conditions, people tiring or dare I say the first half was so good a little complacency slipped in. United are a good team but we aren't going to walk away with this league so if we are going to get promoted we can't afford to drop points and if goal difference is to play a role let it be in our favour.
Having said all that I'm sure the management team behind closed doors will be looking at what happened at the weekend as they would with all the games.

To be honest, I thought Wilder's substitutions were poor. Brooks should never come on for Duffy, who is our linchpin. Should be Carruthers (or Lundstram, but I want to see more of Carruthers) for Duffy, Brooks should come on for a striker. It seems weird to say it, but Duffy is our hold up player, not any of the strikers. Brooks doesn't do that.

Agree with both of these.

I don't think Wilder will have been happy with the last 15/20 minutes but I also think his substitutions unbalanced the side and interrupted the flow.

However, all's well that ends well.

We won the game, we learn whatever lessons we can, and we move on.
 

Early 71 was when I became a Blade (by choice rather than by birth) after visiting various teams further North, whence I came. I have to say that this is the best football that I’ve watched since 71/72 season. Style of play, mostly necessitated by pitch condition, means that it is impossible to compare precisely. I would say that 71/72 was a better footballing side BUT (controversial) that Tufty is head and shoulders above John Harris who is head and shoulders above anything that has gone since.

We are playing off the pitch teams that cost ten times what our guys cost. Our guys have character - OK - but they had character where they were before. There is an analytical genius in the guy who wears our heart on his sleeve. For those of a certain age - imagine what he would have done with the 71/72 squad - with fire in their bellies. Best would have been taken out in that fucking MOTD goal and history would have been very different.

We have Fergie’s real successor here. Hold your breath - it might never happen - but it just might.

The Magic is Back

Excellent post.

The pitch conditions can't be understated enough when comparing era's.
The 70's sode were way better players too/
Woody and Currie both could pass a heavier ball in muddy conditions on a sixpence over 10 to 70 yards,On billiard table pitches today they would have been as sensational as de Bruyne is today..

I agree Chris Wilder/AK in charge of the early 70s side would have been the wettest of wet dreams. Add 70's players footballing skill allied to todays organisational and team tactics and fitness levels-- whoooooosh.
For our post 70s readers, this video below is why us old farts still love the wonderful heritage of a very special unglamorous unpretentious proper football club.
That's everything for me, that means to be a Blade.
 
I'm of a similar vintage and I posted elsewhere a few weeks ago now that I thought this was the most "consistent" I've ever seen from a Sheffield United team and the best passing football. I think John Harris's team of the early 1970's had two or three better individual players -Currie, Woodward, Reece, for example. But they didn't do it week in, week out, like this lot do. You just know when you go to the match that you are going to enjoy it - every single time. I've not known that before - ever!

The only danger I see is that when things are going well, people don't stop to inspect things closely, to look how to improve things even further. It's the opposite of what happens when things go bad. When things go bad there is a huge post-mortem to find fault. We've seen it before haven't we? Anyone and everyone is fair game for criticism, the manager, the players, the fans, the coaching staff, even the groundsman and catering staff. They all risk getting it in the neck when things aren't going well, but when things are going well no one looks for any faults, or how to improve things and make them even better. And anyone who dare to suggest that things could be better in some ways gets absolutely pilloried for it.

I've spent a career working in big commercial organisations and this is what I do for a living now, only I'm self employed. But there are some interesting parallels to draw with what happens in football and what happens in business. Because football is a business at the end of the day. Nothing breeds failure, more than success. Because when businesses are being successful they quickly get complacent and ignore small things that need attention. They keep doing what they've always done - because it's worked for them so far (hence my dislike of the phrase, "if it aint broke don't fix it"). Eventually what happens is those small things that need attention become bigger things and the environment they are operating in changes - but they don't change because they are stuck with repeating things that have made them successful so far. And the result is...failure.

I'd like to think that even though we are doing fantastically well at the moment, we are looking for ways of doing even better. Ways to improve the team further. Casting a critical eye over our performances as a team and as individuals and not just thinking everything and everyone is great. I'd like to think if there are small things that aren't quite where they should be, we will act to rectify them and not wait until it becomes a big problem. If we can do that then we can keep improving and get to where we need to be - and that's the Premiership.

Completely agree but I can't see Wilder and Knill resting on their laurels.

Can you?
 
I'm of a similar vintage and I posted elsewhere a few weeks ago now that I thought this was the most "consistent" I've ever seen from a Sheffield United team and the best passing football. I think John Harris's team of the early 1970's had two or three better individual players -Currie, Woodward, Reece, for example. But they didn't do it week in, week out, like this lot do. You just know when you go to the match that you are going to enjoy it - every single time. I've not known that before - ever!

The only danger I see is that when things are going well, people don't stop to inspect things closely, to look how to improve things even further. It's the opposite of what happens when things go bad. When things go bad there is a huge post-mortem to find fault. We've seen it before haven't we? Anyone and everyone is fair game for criticism, the manager, the players, the fans, the coaching staff, even the groundsman and catering staff. They all risk getting it in the neck when things aren't going well, but when things are going well no one looks for any faults, or how to improve things and make them even better. And anyone who dare to suggest that things could be better in some ways gets absolutely pilloried for it.

I've spent a career working in big commercial organisations and this is what I do for a living now, only I'm self employed. But there are some interesting parallels to draw with what happens in football and what happens in business. Because football is a business at the end of the day. Nothing breeds failure, more than success. Because when businesses are being successful they quickly get complacent and ignore small things that need attention. They keep doing what they've always done - because it's worked for them so far (hence my dislike of the phrase, "if it aint broke don't fix it"). Eventually what happens is those small things that need attention become bigger things and the environment they are operating in changes - but they don't change because they are stuck with repeating things that have made them successful so far. And the result is...failure.

I'd like to think that even though we are doing fantastically well at the moment, we are looking for ways of doing even better. Ways to improve the team further. Casting a critical eye over our performances as a team and as individuals and not just thinking everything and everyone is great. I'd like to think if there are small things that aren't quite where they should be, we will act to rectify them and not wait until it becomes a big problem. If we can do that then we can keep improving and get to where we need to be - and that's the Premiership.
Interesting post. How far would you draw a line between the professionals and the fans in all this? At half-time yesterday I'm sure CW/AK and players will have been talking about what to do next, etc. That's what they are paid to do. But after so many years of poor football and failure, I felt I had earned the right to sit back with a smile on my face and a feeling of joy. Whatever disasters follow (and I don't think I will ever lose my pessimism), I felt that nothing could take that 45 minutes away from me; even defeat at the end of 90 minutes. To have a team capable of playing like that is a privilege. But could my/our complacency spread to the team? I would have thought our appreciation of them would spur them on to even better performances.
 
Yup agree, this is all about the collective, as many have said before we have had far better individuals but I have heard numerous ex-Blades players say that in the past some of our 'stars' or 'foreign imports' were only in it for the money. These lot seem like a bunch of mates playing for the love.

Give me Duffy over Dellas any day.
 
We're playing with the sort of heart on sleeve/work your balls off commitment that we've always loved and defines all proper Blades players and sides.

We've sort of got the plucky underdog title we love having but this side are better than that.

We've got a born and bred Blade as skipper and one as manager that make everyone involved understand what it means to be a Blade, and that's got all the fans onside with the best feeling I can remember down the Lane.

We're not completely skint, got a chairman about to do a runner, or who owns sweatshops, or being bid for by an Iranian bankrupt transexual.

And we're playing fucking brilliant football. The gap between us and the opposition week in week out looks just as big as last year, often bigger, we've got far better depth too and get better every week.

I've never enjoyed going down the Lane so much and we've got all the potential in the world. Fucking fantastic intit?!
 
Yup agree, this is all about the collective, as many have said before we have had far better individuals but I have heard numerous ex-Blades players say that in the past some of our 'stars' or 'foreign imports' were only in it for the money. These lot seem like a bunch of mates playing for the love.

Give me Duffy over Dellas any day.
I'd prefer Dellas at centre half ;)
 
Been watching since 1988 and I’d agree. Play better football than Bassett or Warnock and seem to have plenty of their team’s spirit.
 
Upping the length of time to 64 years of watching United. Comparisons are very hard, but the football now is at least as enjoyable as at any time since 1953. I cannot remember a more complete home performance than the first 45 minutes today. I welcome suggestions of performances as good. 3-0 up at Newcastle in the Cup 6th round in the early 60s is one candidate. But the quality today was outstanding.

Yes, March 61 the Newcastle match. I was there with my old man and when it got to 3-0 all the older Blades fans started singing " On Ilkley Moor b'aht 'at". - I think it was the most emotional experience I ever had at a football match.

My other two all time faves were the 7-3 Pig Slaughter and the 5-0 crushing of Arsenel by the great early 70's team.

The way this team are heading I can we'll see them giving me equally memorable moments to savour before I shuffle off this mortal coil. - which would be nice.
 
Yes, March 61 the Newcastle match. I was there with my old man and when it got to 3-0 all the older Blades fans started singing " On Ilkley Moor b'aht 'at". - I think it was the most emotional experience I ever had at a football match.

My other two all time faves were the 7-3 Pig Slaughter and the 5-0 crushing of Arsenel by the great early 70's team.

The way this team are heading I can we'll see them giving me equally memorable moments to savour before I shuffle off this mortal coil. - which would be nice.
I didn't start going until the season after the 7-3.:mad:
 
I've been going to games for about twenty years now, and we've certainly had some talented individuals and heroes in that time. Players like Fjortoft and Borbokis through to future England internationals like Jags. And maybe I'm a cynic, but I still can't really believe we'll keep this up through the season as other teams with big players like Villa and Boro find their feet. Even if we do, I think Cardiff and Wolves will take the top two slots and let's not even talk about what happens to the other four of the top six.

Objectively, the Premiership promotion team achieved something that this side hasn't (granted, they haven't had the full chance yet). And we've had top six Championship finishes and top flight teams in the early 90's. By that measure, you can of course argue that this side is far from the best of even the past decade based on achievements so far.

Still, watching the Blades live regularly from the age of ten, last season was the first I actually saw us win something. Not be the nearly men, not be second place, but outright champions. That counts for a lot.

And I'm not greedy. The Premiership relegation was hard to take, given circumstances, but even when we weren't winning many games, and even with all the squabbling about Warnock's often negative tactics and a lack of investment in the squad, that side was willing to run through walls for the club. Any Blade will take a team that gave it their all and be proud.

The difference with this side is that, not only do they give the blood and guts we demand, they're a class act to watch. We play with attacking centre backs ffs. Basham and O'Connell spend half the game in the opposition's half running the overlap. We play good, passing football, scoring team goals. Even the games we've lost so far this season, I could watch us play all day long (the Bolton game being the only exception).

If this team and manager finish mid-table, or even somehow in the bottom half, the only reason will be because we don't have the millions to throw away on individuals. It won't be because the players don't give everything they have, and it won't be because we aren't playing passing, high tempo, attacking football. I'll take that from a Blades side and love every minute of it.
 
Said to my son this was the best team performance id seen from a united team , started watching the season we sold mick jones, weve had better teams due to individuals ,but to have the sum of the parts so much better is now surreal
 
Best side I've seen...triple assault was fantastic but this seems better. For the majority of last season and now this I don't feel like I have to shout 'advice' pitchside. I just let them get on with it, smile and applaud.

If you want to compare it to teams in the prem, I'd say better than most.

Struggling to deal with it!!!
 

It's impossible to compare teams across generations because of the many changing conditions and circumstances the game has evolved through... the ball, the pitches, and the influx of foreign players plus the crazy money involved to name but a few, so my attitude is to judge teams and individual players only in their own time. If you were to put this team up against the great teams under John Harris then obviously this team would beat them, probably comfortably. However, re-run the game with that old leather ball in the display cabinet in the Legends of the Blades suite, on a pitch with grass only peeping through down each wing, and 4 inches of mud in each goalmouth, with 2 to 3 inches of mud across the rest of the pitch and some of John Harris's teams would murder 'em.

This is the best football I've seen from any Blades team.... but as I say, judge teams only in their own time-frames.

For that reason, if Wilder can get us to the very top of the Top Division, to be toppled only by someone of George Best's ability to score a goal of that standard, then I'll acknowledge he's done the impossible. He's already written his own legends of the Lane chapter; let's hope he gets to finish the book.
 
Do you think you'll be hanging around in the Prem to play us next season? I hope you do mate, but it's a big ask isn't it?
I think we have enough to stay up. The most encouraging part of yesterday was how Wagner showed he can learn lessons and compromise his principles to get results against the big boys. Spurs took us apart, so we went solid yesterday (Hoggy and Williams superb).

I honestly believe there’s not much between the clubs outside the top six. We have two very good strikers in Depoitre and Mounie so yeah I believe.
 
Rose tinted spectacles?

No, not for me. Not seen a more consistent, week in, week out, team in my time (started 62/63 season).

We've had better individual players, we've NOT had better teams.
We might only be in Div2 but that's as high as you can be if you start in Div3 one season ago.
My favourite team was the 70/74 version (pre selling Sammons). That team could produce performances that this one doesn't quite match (yet), but they could also get thumped out of the blue on quite a frequent basis and more than one injury at a time and the squad was paper thin really (just remember the unmentionable big haired CB was only an Eddie Colquhoun injury away from starting!).
As mentioned elsewhere, the promotion sides in the interim were enjoyable but not as constantly good on the eye as these boys.

Last 7 months of last season were great, first 2 of this have been off the scale for enjoyment.
 
Excellent post.

The pitch conditions can't be understated enough when comparing era's.
The 70's sode were way better players too/
Woody and Currie both could pass a heavier ball in muddy conditions on a sixpence over 10 to 70 yards,On billiard table pitches today they would have been as sensational as de Bruyne is today..

I agree Chris Wilder/AK in charge of the early 70s side would have been the wettest of wet dreams. Add 70's players footballing skill allied to todays organisational and team tactics and fitness levels-- whoooooosh.
For our post 70s readers, this video below is why us old farts still love the wonderful heritage of a very special unglamorous unpretentious proper football club.
That's everything for me, that means to be a Blade.

Brought back many memories. Have not been to many away matches over the years but was at Everton and Leicester (the old Filbert Street) to see the 1-0 away wins as well as the home games. It was a great ride at the time but I don't remember feeling as exhilarated as I do watching this team and I always felt at the time that our great start would not last. We were not playing teams off the pitch as we are at the moment. I suppose at the time I had never experienced watching us play in the Third and Fourth Divisions - such an experience would have been unthinkable then. Now having had to put up with that this season is even more wonderful.
So no I don't think the OP has rose tinted glasses. This is just a wonderful TEAM who play wonderful football!
 
‘Spackers’ was a useless article. Left to him, we would never have signed Borbokis or Dellas. He’d never seen nor heard of them until they walked through the door. He wouldn’t have signed Deano either.

Spackman was Charles Green’s puppet. He didn’t complete a full season at any of the three clubs he managed.

An S2 myth, I’m afraid. He hadn’t a clue.

That's a load of twaddle pal. In my time watching the Blades Spackman put together our strongest squad/team that were pissing that division until the board started moving players out and in right, left and centre.
 
That's a load of twaddle pal. In my time watching the Blades Spackman put together our strongest squad/team that were pissing that division until the board started moving players out and in right, left and centre.

It’s not. Every word is entirely accurate. I was close to the club at the time. Spackman hadn’t a clue. Why do you think he never lasted a full season, anywhere?
 
I’ve been going for about 27 years. It’s certainly the most cohesive and well balanced team I’ve seen at Bramall Lane. It’s debatable whether I have seen better individuals. Until this season I would have said so but one or two of our current crop have made me question that.

The biggest compliment I can offer Wilder and Knill is that they have assembled and developed a squad where pretty much every player is up to the mark in terms of what they need to produce. Every player brings something to the party and they all buy in to what we’re doing. It’s very rare to see something like that in any sport and if maintained there is very little they won’t be able to achieve.
 
Struggle to get Now but loving every moment , great read every day ❤️ Love to beat them Friday
 

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