A quick assessment....

[blader]

So, hang on, let me get this straight....at this moment in time:

1. we are the lowest scorers in the division. whenever we go a goal down, we know the best we can do is draw and our strikers are about as much use as a candy-floss condom.

2. Our captain and main-stay centre back is facing a stay on the sidelines, whilst a good defender is playing and doing phantom of the opera and nosworthy is playing like Oprah winfrey....

3. A likeable, but inexperienced manager, has no money, poor players and has support from the one and only Sam Ellis.

4. We just signed a premier league class midfielder who is warming the bench nicely

5. We have ever decreasing attendances, and i cant see that changing....

6. After 7 home games at 'Fortress' Bramall Lane, we have managed 2 wins. 1 from a screamer, and 1 from a deflected free kick.

7. We havent had a penalty for god-knows how many months and the standard of refereeing gets worse every week, its amazing.

8. Even the pretty football has dried up. we are no longer a long-ball team, we are no longer a football team, im not sure what we are really..... (shite, i suppose)

9. Don't know about anyone else, but i cant see us getting any points from the next 3 games, so we could be comfortably in the bottom 3 by then.

Other than that, anything else?

 

[ghandi]

So, hang on, let me get this straight....at this moment in time:

1. we are the lowest scorers in the division. whenever we go a goal down, we know the best we can do is draw and our strikers are about as much use as a candy-floss condom.

2. Our captain and main-stay centre back is facing a stay on the sidelines, whilst a good defender is playing and doing phantom of the opera and nosworthy is playing like Oprah winfrey....

3. A likeable, but inexperienced manager, has no money, poor players and has support from the one and only Sam Ellis.

4. We just signed a premier league class midfielder who is warming the bench nicely

5. We have ever decreasing attendances, and i cant see that changing....

6. After 7 home games at 'Fortress' Bramall Lane, we have managed 2 wins. 1 from a screamer, and 1 from a deflected free kick.

7. We havent had a penalty for god-knows how many months and the standard of refereeing gets worse every week, its amazing.

8. Even the pretty football has dried up. we are no longer a long-ball team, we are no longer a football team, im not sure what we are really..... (shite, i suppose)

9. Don't know about anyone else, but i cant see us getting any points from the next 3 games, so we could be comfortably in the bottom 3 by then.

Other than that, anything else?

Yes
Re 4) there's a strong rumour that he's now warming the treatment table

 

[DuncDisorderly]

So, hang on, let me get this straight....at this moment in time:

1. we are the lowest scorers in the division. whenever we go a goal down, we know the best we can do is draw and our strikers are about as much use as a candy-floss condom.

We have had a problem coming back from a goal down for three seasons now. I dont think we managed to win from a losing position last year or the year before. I recall doing a bit of research when this point was raised before and discovering that (I think I remember) only 8% of games were turnaround wins in the CCC, so it isn't just us.

 

[Kenilworth]

Re 9) We could be btm three by Tuesday 9th Nov at approx 21:50

 

[alcoblade]

Looking bleak. Time for the fans to stand up and be counted and make BDTBL an intimidating place once again. The players and the chairman don't deserve it, but when they're long gone and are counting their millions, it's still the club that we love.

UTB

 

[Bladesway]

Looking bleak. Time for the fans to stand up and be counted and make BDTBL an intimidating place once again. The players and the chairman don't deserve it, but when they're long gone and are counting their millions, it's still the club that we love.
UTB

Is it? do we? I'm not sure I love the club or the game in its current guise? When someone or something treats you so badly for so long you end up not loving it/them any longer. Pretty much where I am and I can't for the life of me understand why people choose to put themselves through this pain.

Looking at it, Blackwell wasn't doing such a bad job really was he? What I am struggling to comprehend is why people are booing the players and the team. We all know they are not good enough. Perhaps we are now starting to realise that Speed doesn't have a hope in hell with what he has got. You can't really judge how good he is as a manager because he isn't getting a fair crack at it. Blackwell got binned off at a ridiculous point of the season but I bet he is pleased as punch to have got out of that mess. I feel for Speed because he is a decent bloke and probably has his head in his hands wondering what the hell he has let himself in for. He would have been better at Brentford, Rotherham or Chesterfield. Perhaps that tells you the extent to which we have fallen.

Whilever McCabe keeps his current stance and we keep pretending we are a big club in waiting we will continue to have this problem.

In short, its going to be a long, long winter. We are going to take some real beatings and we will be in the bottom 3 one way or another by Christmas. I believe the club is getting what it deserves for short sighted stpuidity followed by austerity measures that strangle the life out of the club. The fans however, don't deserve this and McCabe should just for once stand up to be counted rather than sending Birch out to calm the masses.

One man to blame for the mess. One man to point the finger at. McCabe isn't interested now we aren't in touching distance of the Premiership. He is becoming as bad as anyone who has gone before him. Thats some slide for a guy who was largely seen as the savior not all that long ago.

Thanks Kevin, you have managed to switch the passion off of amongst the most passionate fans in the game.

 

[Micalijo]

Is it? do we? I'm not sure I love the club or the game in its current guise? When someone or something treats you so badly for so long you end up not loving it/them any longer. Pretty much where I am and I can't for the life of me understand why people choose to put themselves through this pain.

Looking at it, Blackwell wasn't doing such a bad job really was he? What I am struggling to comprehend is why people are booing the players and the team. We all know they are not good enough. Perhaps we are now starting to realise that Speed doesn't have a hope in hell with what he has got. You can't really judge how good he is as a manager because he isn't getting a fair crack at it. Blackwell got binned off at a ridiculous point of the season but I bet he is pleased as punch to have got out of that mess. I feel for Speed because he is a decent bloke and probably has his head in his hands wondering what the hell he has let himself in for. He would have been better at Brentford, Rotherham or Chesterfield. Perhaps that tells you the extent to which we have fallen.

Whilever McCabe keeps his current stance and we keep pretending we are a big club in waiting we will continue to have this problem.

In short, its going to be a long, long winter. We are going to take some real beatings and we will be in the bottom 3 one way or another by Christmas. I believe the club is getting what it deserves for short sighted stpuidity followed by austerity measures that strangle the life out of the club. The fans however, don't deserve this and McCabe should just for once stand up to be counted rather than sending Birch out to calm the masses.

One man to blame for the mess. One man to point the finger at. McCabe isn't interested now we aren't in touching distance of the Premiership. He is becoming as bad as anyone who has gone before him. Thats some slide for a guy who was largely seen as the savior not all that long ago.

Thanks Kevin, you have managed to switch the passion off of amongst the most passionate fans in the game.

Good stuff, although let's not forget that Blackwell was operationg last term with a £14m wage bill which McCabe said at the forum was the 4th highest in the division so I would rather say Blackie did a pathetic, incompetent job but there you go - I agree every word you say about McCabe and the passion. If McCabe is right about the wage bill last term it is hard to complain too much about austerity measures isn't it? we just had a joke manager - although the walker deal really sticks in my throat as a desperate measure by McCabe.

We'll see if McCabe uses any of the Tevez wedge to keep us up or if he just wants maximum cash back and isn't really bothered if we end up in 3rd tier.

 

[raul]

Given our gates and all our off-field cash cows, wouldn't it be at least reasonable to assume we had something along the lines of 4th highest income too?

 

[Revolution]

I disagree with this statement:

What I am struggling to comprehend is why people are booing the players and the team. We all know they are not good enough

There are a number of players who are performing well below their best form this season: Morgan, Ward, Cresswell, Nosworthy, Simonsen, Bogdanovic and Britton have all shown form last season which suggests they are capable of better things (so is Quinn, but 2007 was a long time ago...). Some of this is down to aging, perhaps (Morgan, Cresswell) but there are a number of players who are simply not pulling their weight.

Other than that, I agree with everything else you say.

 

[Micalijo]

Yes, fair enough, but I think alot of that income went on non-football expenditure (interest, loan repayments) and I think that 4th highest wage bill did show willing on McCabe's part to keep us competitive last term. The sad thing is a better manager could in my opinion have made the play-offs last term with less resources.

 

[broomhillblade]

Why blame McCabe?

When you have a child you give him/her pocket money.

As time goes by he/she grows up but still keeps coming back to you to ask for money to help with the latest crisis or opportunity.

Eventually you decide to draw the line. You write off any outstanding loans and tell your child "enough is enough - you must stand on your own feet".

If your son/daughter is extravagant and gets further into debt, should he/she blame the parent for the financial problems simply because he wont bail him/her out yet again?

 

[Revolution]

Why blame McCabe?

When you have a child you give him/her pocket money.

As time goes by he/she grows up but still keeps coming back to you to ask for money to help with the latest crisis or opportunity.

Eventually you decide to draw the line. You write off any outstanding loans and tell your child "enough is enough - you must stand on your own feet".

If your son/daughter is extravagant and gets further into debt, should he/she blame the parent for the financial problems simply because he wont bail him/her out yet again?

The problem here is that Championship football clubs do not stand on their own two feet. They need investment. It's a sad fact and shows that football is broken, but that is the reality. Anyone expecting to put out a championship side without some support from the bank or from a benefactor will soon have a league one side, unless they have an exceptional manager or superb youth development and scouting.

In addition, this club is loaded with considerable debt that is nothing whatsoever to do with the team. That is on McCabe.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Why blame McCabe?

The problem here is that Championship football clubs do not stand on their own two feet. They need investment. It's a sad fact and shows that football is broken, but that is the reality. Anyone expecting to put out a championship side without some support from the bank or from a benefactor will soon have a league one side, unless they have an exceptional manager or superb youth development and scouting.

In addition, this club is loaded with considerable debt that is nothing whatsoever to do with the team. That is on McCabe.

All companies need investment. Watch Cloughie arguing with his Chairman in The Damned United.
There is also nothing wrong with debt. It is unmanageable debt that's a problem.
McCabe's problem is attracting investment in a down economy. Also the shortsighted and brain-dead Sheffield council.

 

[Ted Danson]

I think its a bit wrong to have a go at Mcabe for austerity measures when the financial climate is as it is. We may have debt from property investments but the main thing thats caused the problems we're in now is the appointment of Robson and the huge amount of cash he was given to piss away.

 

[Revolution]

I think its a bit wrong to have a go at Mcabe for austerity measures when the financial climate is as it is. We may have debt from property investments but the main thing thats caused the problems we're in now is the appointment of Robson and the huge amount of cash he was given to piss away.

In other words, it's wrong to have a go at McCabe for certain decisions that he's made when the main problem is caused by other decisions that he's made.

Fair enough I suppose...

There is also nothing wrong with debt. It is unmanageable debt that's a problem.

True, but although our debt may not be unmanageable:

1. We can't spend money on the team because we have to manage it; and
2. Much of our debt (i.e the hotel) was unnecessarily incurred.

 

[alcoblade]

Is it? do we? I'm not sure I love the club or the game in its current guise? When someone or something treats you so badly for so long you end up not loving it/them any longer. Pretty much where I am and I can't for the life of me understand why people choose to put themselves through this pain.

What a shame this is happening but I know what you mean. However, the part of me that remembers that It's my team and my job to support them "through thick and thin" hasn't died.

UTB

 

[Fiery Blade]

I think the main part of the problem is the extremely poor communication from Bramall Lane.
In each of the aftermatch interviews Speed has generally offered different excuses for the defeat / poor performance
When challenged regarding replacement players or additions to the squad we have had varied replies from no additions to hoping to bring in 2 or 3 before the weekend!
All we have heard from Birch is that negotiations regarding an investment is 'ongoing' but these things are protracted - it seems Wendy has the same problem - it must be a Sheffield thing!
From McCabe - NOTHING
At a time when the Captain of the ship should come out, reassure the fans that plans are in place, back the manager to the hilt and rally the fans.
But, alas our chairman has Bugger All to say!

 

[SteelCity Blade]

I think the main part of the problem is the extremely poor communication from Bramall Lane.
In each of the aftermatch interviews Speed has generally offered different excuses for the defeat / poor performance
When challenged regarding replacement players or additions to the squad we have had varied replies from no additions to hoping to bring in 2 or 3 before the weekend!
All we have heard from Birch is that negotiations regarding an investment is 'ongoing' but these things are protracted - it seems Wendy has the same problem - it must be a Sheffield thing!
From McCabe - NOTHING
At a time when the Captain of the ship should come out, reassure the fans that plans are in place, back the manager to the hilt and rally the fans.
But, alas our chairman has Bugger All to say!

I'm with you on this Fiery. There is definately a lack of communication just at the moment. Some people have played this down, saying that the directors cant make statements all the time and would we want them to do the same after win?.......that's totally beside the point!

We haven't had a dickey bird from anyone since Speed was appointed. All we get is what Gary Speed is allowed to tell us; or generic white collar statements from Trevor Birch.....who for all I know is doing a fine job, but it just leaves everyone in limbo about what is going on!

I dont expect a statement every couple of weeks about what we plan to do. That would be repetitive and impractical. But since we've spent the last two months getting spanked week in week out, some reassurance of support for the manager and plans for January would be nice!!!!!

Instead..........

 

[broomhillblade]

The way these things go, a message of support for the manager from the chairman is usually followed by a P45 a week later...

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Having just looked at the fixtures, there are some very winnable games this month. If we can get a settled side through November and start finding the net then we might be able to rectify this piss poor start. Games as follows:-

Ipswich (H)
Leicester (A)
Millwall (A)
Palace (H)
Bristol City (A)

Three of those sides are struggling and one is a bit out of sorts after a great start. Having said that United are just as capable of losing to all of them as they are beating them! Gary ought to be laying a challenge down to them to go unbeaten. No reason why we cant take 10 or 11 points from those games if we up it a bit.....wishful thinking? Probably!

 

[super_pig]

i reckon a 'keep the faith' message to the fans from mr maccabe would be extremely useful at the moment.. are you reading this kev?.. do you give a sh*t?.. it's your money mate.. i can't understand why you aren't attempting to protect your investment

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Having just looked at the fixtures, there are some very winnable games this month. If we can get a settled side through November and start finding the net then we might be able to rectify this piss poor start. Games as follows:-

Ipswich (H)
Leicester (A)
Millwall (A)
Palace (H)
Bristol City (A)

Three of those sides are struggling and one is a bit out of sorts after a great start. Having said that United are just as capable of losing to all of them as they are beating them! Gary ought to be laying a challenge down to them to go unbeaten. No reason why we cant take 10 or 11 points from those games if we up it a bit.....wishful thinking? Probably!

When we play Swansea at home on Dec 18th it will be Speed's 20th game in charge. If we're still only averaging a point a game, scoring an average of less than a goal a game and consistently seeing sterile, dull performances I would expect the manager's position to be reviewed at that point. 20 games is more than enough time for a manager to put his own stamp on a team, with or without fresh funds being handed to him. Bassett, Warnock and Blackwell were all expected to generate a large transfer profit while improving the team while people seem to think Speed should only be judged once he's been granted a big transfer kitty to play with.

If we're still struggling badly in mid-December I personally wouldn't trust Speed to reshuffle the team in the next transfer window and I'd like to see a proven, experienced manager drafted in before the 1st January. I really hope it doesn't come to that but to let the current situation fester and then end up making a panicky managerial change in March or April could be disastrous.

 

[Ted Danson]

I think its a bit wrong to have a go at Mcabe for austerity measures when the financial climate is as it is. We may have debt from property investments but the main thing thats caused the problems we're in now is the appointment of Robson and the huge amount of cash he was given to piss away.

In other words, it's wrong to have a go at McCabe for certain decisions that he's made when the main problem is caused by other decisions that he's made.

Fair enough I suppose...

The thing is people are having a go at McCabe for not spending any money (not having ambition) yet the reason we arnt spending is because he did have ambition and spent too much money on Robson. As far as Im concerned the property market getting screwed up is nothing to do with McCabe but obviously we have suffered from it. I think the investment in property will proove to be a good move too as the property market will go up again in a few years and so will the value of our investments.

Someone else has mentioned in this thread that McCabe should spend to protect his investment but if he spend more than he / we can afford to then we could go bust and he would loose his investment

 

[broomhillblade]

i reckon a 'keep the faith' message to the fans from mr maccabe would be extremely useful at the moment..

Really? I can't see what good that would do unless it is allied to some positive news about new investment in players etc. The fans are not stupid (most of them at any rate!). A bland message to 'keep the faith' would most likely trigger a negative reaction from the fans.

McCabe is the Chairman - not the PR manager.

 

[Mad Mick]

The GOOD NEWS is we're not trying to stave off administration

 

[SteelCity Blade]

When we play Swansea at home on Dec 18th it will be Speed's 20th game in charge. If we're still only averaging a point a game, scoring an average of less than a goal a game and consistently seeing sterile, dull performances I would expect the manager's position to be reviewed at that point. 20 games is more than enough time for a manager to put his own stamp on a team, with or without fresh funds being handed to him. Bassett, Warnock and Blackwell were all expected to generate a large transfer profit while improving the team while people seem to think Speed should only be judged once he's been granted a big transfer kitty to play with.

If we're still struggling badly in mid-December I personally wouldn't trust Speed to reshuffle the team in the next transfer window and I'd like to see a proven, experienced manager drafted in before the 1st January. I really hope it doesn't come to that but to let the current situation fester and then end up making a panicky managerial change in March or April could be disastrous.

Do you honestly think any other manager could get this team playing well?

 

[SheepdipBlade]

When we play Swansea at home on Dec 18th it will be Speed's 20th game in charge. If we're still only averaging a point a game, scoring an average of less than a goal a game and consistently seeing sterile, dull performances I would expect the manager's position to be reviewed at that point. 20 games is more than enough time for a manager to put his own stamp on a team, with or without fresh funds being handed to him. Bassett, Warnock and Blackwell were all expected to generate a large transfer profit while improving the team while people seem to think Speed should only be judged once he's been granted a big transfer kitty to play with.

If we're still struggling badly in mid-December I personally wouldn't trust Speed to reshuffle the team in the next transfer window and I'd like to see a proven, experienced manager drafted in before the 1st January. I really hope it doesn't come to that but to let the current situation fester and then end up making a panicky managerial change in March or April could be disastrous.

The cost of buying Speed out of his shiney, new contract makes it very unlikely that he'll be shown the door this season. If there's no improvement by Christmas it'd be nice to think we'd draft in a "Director of Football" to help out our novice manager. His ideas
are clearly more attractive than the long ball, but he doesn't seem to be able to either mould the team to his ideas (get the best from his players), or to identify tactics to suit the players we have. Rather begs the question about where Sam Ellis' much vaunted "experience" sits within all this though.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Do you honestly think any other manager could get this team playing well?

Not the team that Speed picked against Leeds (for example), NO. No pace, skill or creativity either up front or out wide and three defensive central midfielders:-
----------Simonsen
Calve Nosworthy Bartley Jordan
----------Britton
Creswell Ertl Montgomery Quinn
----------Evans

The team that he could and I think should pick instead, YES. Pace, skill and creativity up front, out wide and Britton pushed further forward in central midfield:-
------------Simonsen
Lowton Nosworthy Bartley Jordan
Yeates--- Ertl Britton-------Reid
---------Creswell Ward

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Not the team that Speed picked against Leeds (for example), NO. No pace, skill or creativity either up front or out wide and three defensive central midfielders:-
----------Simonsen
Calve Nosworthy Bartley Jordan
----------Britton
Creswell Ertl Montgomery Quinn
----------Evans

The team that he could and I think should pick instead, YES. Pace, skill and creativity up front, out wide and Britton pushed further forward in central midfield:-
------------Simonsen
Lowton Nosworthy Bartley Jordan
Yeates--- Ertl Britton-------Reid
---------Creswell Ward

Thats all a matter of opinion Sothall. I dont see much difference there if I'm honest. So essentially the goalkeeper and back four are the same except Calve for Lowton.....

Where does this idea come from that Britton can play further forward? He made his name at Swansea as a deep sitting midfield player in front of the back four and that is what he's good at! Look him up on wikipedia and check his goal scoring record.....then tell me he is suited to playing further up the pitch.

Ertl is a passenger and offers nothing in the centre of midfield. He is fairly ordinary and doesnt cover a lot of ground.....probably because he's a centre back! Neither the supporters or the manager seem to be able to see that to be fair. Despite Monty's limitations he offers much more in terms of energy and tackling so I would go with him.

Andy Reid is a good player but I thought we were lacking pace on the left wing? We certainly wont get it out of him and with his talents I would prefer him the middle of the park dictating play. It doesnt matter who you play up front.....none of them are in form and we're creating a minimal amount of chances.

Cresswell is totally anonymous this season and is lucky to have kept his shirt (and thats coming from someone who likes him). Ward is about the only forward we have who keeps himself busy and shows any initiative.....he hasnt scored yet. Evans and Bogdanovic might as well be flogged!

Not the team I would pick Sothall but then again no one else has come up with a better suggestion..........

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Creswell has only played one match as a striker and Ward only has played there for about 20 minutes, so it's a bit harsh to criticise either of them for their scoring record this season. I agree we should cut our losses and try and sell Evans before we have to fork out any more appearance-based fees for him. I have in fact been saying so since before the season started.

I picked Ertl over Monty as we are otherwise very short of height at set pieces etc. As you say he is basically a centre-back who's being asked by Speed to get up and down the park and theoretically support the lone centre-forward (again not a good use of his players). I would instead ask him to protect the back four allowing Britton to vacate that position. I'm well aware how Swansea used Britton but as we all keep saying, we don't have players who are technically as good as Swansea's are. So why persist in trying to get Britton to start moves from deep when it clearly hasn't been working over the last 12 games or so. The main tangible contribution that Britton has made this season was his neat assist against Cardiff when he was playing in an advanced position. We've all said for years that we need a midfielder who can play the "killer ball" and now we finally have one, we play him so deep that he never gets the chance to do it.

With Britton, Yeates and Reid all offering skill and creativity in midfield and the pace of Ward in attack, I'm confident that we would at very least create more chances and score more goals. Yes, it would weaken us defensively and we may concede more but at least we'd have a damn sight more entertaining and attacking team.