7 clean sheets all season, 2 in the last 4 months

[Blade for Sale]

My son is just making the transition out of nappies and he has kept more than that!

Seriously if you are going to have a porous defence you had better be prepared to score more than 1 goal a match to get out of this league. Something we have managed in less than half our games this season.

 

[Revolution]

I still maintain that the biggest mistake made this season (and there have been a number of them) is the sale of Maguire when it wasn't financially necessary.

But I know, he wanted to go, and we can't keep them to contracts and blah blah blah.

The disappointing thing is that a lot of problems seem to have been self-inflicted or avoidable.

 

[grafikhaus]

I'll post the latest 'when are goals scored/conceded' stats after last night:



Now stats can and do lie, but this set pretty much highlights what most of us know - the first half is a non-event (home and away) and we only come to life (well, relatively) on the hour mark.

Worryingly, the opposition score most in the 15 minutes before the end of both halves. Lack of fitness? Motivation? Nous?

Two more stats:

• Absolutely no goals in first-half injury time is a bit bizarre. I know United are already halfway down the tunnel by then, but you'd think the opposition would put a bit of effort in! and

• Six out of seven dwarves aren't happy!

 

[Coily]

Looking at their goals, you may well say well done for the shot on the first but from that far out Turner should not be beaten. In fact he didn't get close to it. In this regard Howard is no better, goalkeeper is a weak area for us at present.

The second was again finished well, but that's the second game at home on the spin where Harris has neshed out of a simple challenge and it's led to a goal. Take the ball, the ball and man or even just the man, but don't wave a foot at it and let both through! How a professional can get this so badly wrong again beggars belief.

I'm not concerned about automatic promotion, that's long gone (although had we won on Saturday and last night we'd have had a sniff), but getting into the play offs needs to be secured. A win on Saturday is a must to get things back on track.

 

[Blade for Sale]

I still maintain that the biggest mistake made this season (and there have been a number of them) is the sale of Maguire when it wasn't financially necessary.

But I know, he wanted to go, and we can't keep them to contracts and blah blah blah.

The disappointing thing is that a lot of problems seem to have been self-inflicted or avoidable.

I would add to that, if we had managed the sale in a mature manner and not pissed off Hull with our pathetic attempts at pushing up the price, they might have been willing to send him to us and not Wigan on loan.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

I still maintain that the biggest mistake made this season (and there have been a number of them) is the sale of Maguire when it wasn't financially necessary.

But I know, he wanted to go, and we can't keep them to contracts and blah blah blah.

The disappointing thing is that a lot of problems seem to have been self-inflicted or avoidable.

A proper a replacement for Maguire should have been lined up as soon as the club saw which way the wind was blowing for him leaving. We're conceding very sloppy goals and have done all season thanks to the lack of a dominant centre half. We are also seeing how vital that type of player is at the other end of the park when attacking set plays. Yet Clough still acknowledges there's a problem there but doesn't seem to be that bothered about solving the problem via a transfer in.

 

[super_pig]

sooo.. all we need is a dominant centre back.. a dominant centre forward. a dominant midfielder and a dominant keeper. hmm

 

[sheffielder]

I am not sure what happened between Doyle, Collins and Butler in the week leading up to the start of the season, however something obviously went off and we are playing without recognised centre backs

 

[yuley82]

sooo.. all we need is a dominant centre back.. a dominant centre forward. a dominant midfielder and a dominant keeper. hmm

And a new manager

 

[super_pig]

And a new manager

heh. not yet.
edit. heh i get it now.. nice one

 

[Cyprus Blade]

It would be interesting to see how many goals we have conceded a) From set pieces and b) long ball down the middle as both seem a recurring theme.

 

[Kenilworth]

I'll post the latest 'when are goals scored/conceded' stats after last night:

View attachment 10881

Now stats can and do lie, but this set pretty much highlights what most of us know - the first half is a non-event (home and away) and we only come to life (well, relatively) on the hour mark.

Worryingly, the opposition score most in the 15 minutes before the end of both halves. Lack of fitness? Motivation? Nous?

Two more stats:

• Absolutely no goals in first-half injury time is a bit bizarre. I know United are already halfway down the tunnel by then, but you'd think the opposition would put a bit of effort in! and

• Six out of seven dwarves aren't happy!

My observation, which I suggest is backed up from your excellent graphic, Graffers, about it is this.
We spend a lot of time with the ball in areas we cannot hurt the opposition
We create very few clear cut chances despite dominating possession
We hardly ever trouble the oppo goalkeeper through a 90 minute period
We are very week at corners - both defending them and attacking with ours
Teams set up to keep us under control and let us piss about with the ball knowing that we cannot bulldoze our way through (like Preston can)
They wait until an element of frustration takes hold and an air of desperation kicks in
We begin to throw more men forwards at the end of a half and then BANG - suckered again.

Our lack of clean sheets is a factor of us chasing games having not scored when on top.
If we had scored early doors and drained the confidence out of the opposition then they would be far less likely to score.
If we were more potent in front of goal the oppo would be more concerned about us and set up to negate our threat for longer as they would be under the cosh more and their keeper would be having far more to do.
If we scored a couple for starters then our crowd would be more vocal and more supportive and that has two impacts 1) it knocks the stuffing out of the opposition and 2) it inspires our lads to work that little bit harder.

This is an observation based on attack being a very good form of defence because if you have a team of mainly 5'7" or 5'8" lads then you are not going to manage to keep out a set of 5 or 6 six footers for 90 mins - one set piece and you're fucked.

Tell me I'm fucking wrong!

 

[grafikhaus]

Tell me I'm fucking wrong!

No, Ken you're right. I'd add something I've mentioned before. We never - ever - start a game on the front foot. At home, particularly, this is unforgiveable. We allow the opposition time to settle and get into their own rhythm.

Also, we simply cannot pull all eleven back when defending corners. As our team is full of vertically-challenged individuals (), it's not as if they're going to win many headers. At least one, preferably two, men on or near the halfway line offers an outlet and ties up 2/3 of their men.

Final point. What were the official times of the Posh goals? Everywhere I look, including the OS says 88 and 90 mins. Was their second in added time?

 

[Blade82]

easy in hindsight but I'm sure we'd have had more with butler and Collins as our partnership.

 

[robbiez666]

I still maintain that the biggest mistake made this season (and there have been a number of them) is the sale of Maguire when it wasn't financially necessary.

But I know, he wanted to go, and we can't keep them to contracts and blah blah blah.

The disappointing thing is that a lot of problems seem to have been self-inflicted or avoidable.

Good piece of business which suited both parties really. Harry deserved a chance at a higher level. We got good cash.

The biggest mistake was not replacing him. The Butler/Collins fiasco and playing a midfielder, left back, rightback, Mrs Brown at CB. He brought Butler in to replace him. They had a spat. Then didn't replace him. Clough has a fair few questions to answer if we don't go up. One of many bizarre management decisions.

We also have 3 keepers and none of them are good enough. The defence are too small. we can't defend set pieces. We make far too many individual errors. the midfield cover isn't good enough. so many issues at the back.

 

[KingSlayers]

Too many problems and unfortunately I think it's too late in the season to sort many key issues.

 

[Revolution]

Good piece of business which suited both parties really. Harry deserved a chance at a higher level. We got good cash.

The biggest mistake was not replacing him. The Butler/Collins fiasco and playing a midfielder, left back, rightback, Mrs Brown at CB. He brought Butler in to replace him. They had a spat. Then didn't replace him. Clough has a fair few questions to answer if we don't go up. One of many bizarre management decisions.

We also have 3 keepers and none of them are good enough. The defence are too small. we can't defend set pieces. We make far too many individual errors. the midfield cover isn't good enough. so many issues at the back.

If you don't replace him it's not a good piece of business. You're looking at it in isolation rather than considering the effect of the deal on other things...a bit like the board have tended to in recent years.

 

[Bladesway]

I still maintain that the biggest mistake made this season (and there have been a number of them) is the sale of Maguire when it wasn't financially necessary.

But I know, he wanted to go, and we can't keep them to contracts and blah blah blah.

The disappointing thing is that a lot of problems seem to have been self-inflicted or avoidable.

I'd go with that

 

[Bladesway]

Good piece of business which suited both parties really. Harry deserved a chance at a higher level. We got good cash.

The biggest mistake was not replacing him. The Butler/Collins fiasco and playing a midfielder, left back, rightback, Mrs Brown at CB. He brought Butler in to replace him. They had a spat. Then didn't replace him. Clough has a fair few questions to answer if we don't go up. One of many bizarre management decisions.

We also have 3 keepers and none of them are good enough. The defence are too small. we can't defend set pieces. We make far too many individual errors. the midfield cover isn't good enough. so many issues at the back.

Many bizarre management decisions? Go on this should be interesting. As for the keepers Howard is good at this level so I'm sorry that's just plain wrong. Turner is inconsistent I'll grant you that.

 

[Gavlar]

I don't get the hatred for our keepers on here. Howard is a decent keeper in nets, as good as anyone else in the league in my view.
Turner is ok, I would rather have Long back in tho, I think he needs another chance (although he has had his problems and fair criticism). If Turner gets injured then we're screwed with Willis in nets.

 

[robbiez666]

Many bizarre management decisions? Go on this should be interesting. As for the keepers Howard is good at this level so I'm sorry that's just plain wrong. Turner is inconsistent I'll grant you that.

Howard is a decent to good League 1 keeper. He's not an excellent one, and he'd be a below average Championship keeper. If you want a strong spine you look at keeper, CBs, CM and Striker. Howard is just about good enough, but does make errors fairly regularly. He's not helped by the defence, and he might be a lot better keeper with a good defence in front of him.

Many bizarre decisions: Just looking at the defence. smallish Left back at CB. Played Alcock at CB. Started season with Harrison. Played Harrison at RB. Butler, Collins, Not replacing them. Using a player bought for CM as a CB