A team half asleep

[The Vicar]

If ever there was a performance to highlight why promotion is only possible & not probable! That was it!

Won virtually no second balls
Missed 2 excellent chances that would have put the game to bed in the first half
Brought on Madine & Clarke & knocked in long balls from around the centre circle, I cannot remember hardly one where we got to the bye line
Numerous passes that were astray or on a number of occasions over hit
Once again a game of 2 halves, we were unrecognisable in the 2nd half
Apart from O'Connell every one was just not at it today
Showed the virtue of having pace in the team

An opportunity to gain at least a point, & it should have been 3 thrown away, & what's next on the agenda an away trip to Norwich, who after watching that must be licking their lips.

A very very disappointing result, there are far tougher away games to come & if we turn in performances like the 2nd half, & fail to bury chances like the first half, then there will be more disappointments to come.

 

[blademark]

I prefer to think of us as half awake !

 

[Champagneblade]

Concerned as well by our lack of fight at the end of the game.

It was testimonial pace at times.

No conviction in our approach at all last ten minutes.

So very disappointing.

 

[Stretch]

Absolutely outplayed 2nd half. We looked slow and disinterested, bar a few exceptions. Apart from v Rotherham and maybe Boro in the first 20 minutes that is as bad as we have been this season.

We don't often play shit twice in a row though. Expect a reaction next week.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

We shouldn’t need a “reaction” it’s ridiculous that they can just turn up when it suits.

 

[Roygbiv]

Biggest game of ALL TIME next weekend. Lose and we are finished. Win and we are definitely going up.

 

[Baildon Blade]

I bet Swansea wish they could play us every week

 

[Guesty]

It was like the Frank Lampard's Derby County away game. In command (though drawing) at half time then seemingly suffering a collective lack of bottle in the second half. We dropped deep, never looked like attacking or even getting hold of the ball and got taken apart until they scored. Made a sort of attempt to get back into it late on but never really threatened. Very similar performance, I thought.

 

[HeySethUTB]

Just annoying when you see a team running at opponents, smashing into to tackles and trying to win every second ball at home and then you go away and they all just look out of it. Reminded me of the Barnet game especially first half plenty of the ball but just nonchalantly passing it around while Swansea got back in shape. Chris was bound to know that Swansea would step it up in the second half because they looked as slow as us first half and we just let them, sucked in and out played in the second half unfortunately.

 

[The Vicar]

A slight over reaction Roy. Finished or Promoted on one game?

I think a defeat could finally see the end of our automatic hopes, mainly because we are so inconsistent with our performances & the defeats count is mounting. We would probably need to suffer no more than 2 defeats until the end of the season to be automatically promoted, & it is not going to happen!

 

[BigBed]

Swansea, first season from prem, were just fitter toward the end, we burnt out to early.
It's our own fault, should've been 2 or 3 up by the time they scored.

 

[BritishSteel]

Not often that I will slag off the team but there did seem to be a big gap between midfield and the attack today which Swansea exploited.

Disjointed performance today and the result reflected it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Lose and we are finished.

that's far too harsh.

Today's results show exactly what this league is like and that it will go right to the end.

Plenty of time.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

If ever there was a performance to highlight why promotion is only possible & not probable! That was it!

Won virtually no second balls
Missed 2 excellent chances that would have put the game to bed in the first half
Brought on Madine & Clarke & knocked in long balls from around the centre circle, I cannot remember hardly one where we got to the bye line
Numerous passes that were astray or on a number of occasions over hit
Once again a game of 2 halves, we were unrecognisable in the 2nd half
Apart from O'Connell every one was just not at it today
Showed the virtue of having pace in the team

An opportunity to gain at least a point, & it should have been 3 thrown away, & what's next on the agenda an away trip to Norwich, who after watching that must be licking their lips.

A very very disappointing result, there are far tougher away games to come & if we turn in performances like the 2nd half, & fail to bury chances like the first half, then there will be more disappointments to come.

We seemed in control first half, second half we didn’t really come out

 

[Bladesman]

We got back in the coach at half time.

 

[Guesty]

I think Roy is joking, isn't he?

 

[Roygbiv]

A slight over reaction Roy. Finished or Promoted on one game?

I think a defeat could finally see the end of our automatic hopes, mainly because we are so inconsistent with our performances & the defeats count is mounting. We would probably need to suffer no more than 2 defeats until the end of the season to be automatically promoted, & it is not going to happen!

I was only joking. That said I do think a defeat next week will see us looking down rather than up. I've never thought automatic was realistic because we can't get enough points against decent sides. You can't complain but I think tonight was more evidence we are a play off challenging side rather than a top 2 one.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

We seemed in control first half, second half we didn’t really come out

Think Swansea had a rollicking - it's happened before.

We should have gone in 1 nil.

UTB

 

[Guesty]

Think Swansea had a rollicking - it's happened before.

We should have gone in 1 nil.

UTB

Arguably two, although cause and effect dictates that, had Sharp scored, the McGoldrick chance wouldn't have happened...

 

[SwissBlade]

Think Swansea had a rollicking - it's happened before.

We should have gone in 1 nil.

UTB

Yeah, we needed those two chances first half. Not having a go at Billy or McG but both chances in that first half should’ve been buried and normally would’ve been

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Yeah, we needed those two chances first half. Not having a go at Billy or McG but both chances in that first half should’ve been buried and normally would’ve been

Indeed - Billys was difficult - looked slightly behind him, but McG HAS to hit the target.

If there is one thing that really really pisses me off with United, it's playing very well first half, creating good chances and not converting. We then allow their manager to have a right go at HT AND alter their formation/style. Swansea still weren't brilliant but had a purple 15 minute spell that did for us.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

Indeed - Billys was difficult - looked slightly behind him, but McG HAS to hit the target.

If there is one thing that really really pisses me off with United, it's playing very well first half, creating good chances and not converting. We then allow their manager to have a right go at HT AND alter their formation/style. Swansea still weren't brilliant but had a purple 15 minute spell that did for us.

UTB

Yeah daft thing is that if we’d had a bad first half we’d have come out fighting. If we’d had a great first half we’d have been flying second half

We played alright first half and I guess we just came out for an alright second...

 

[Blade58]

The word I'd use for today's performance is "lacklustre"

We just weren't at it compared to how Chris's team is usually set up to play

Reminded me of the Pride Park debacle

 

[CarlMcBlade]

We can be such a dumb team sometimes. It’s common knowledge that good teams in this league know how you beat SUFC home or away. They let us run ourselves into the ground with the lions share of possession, keep it tight till halftime. Then take the points in the second half when we’re fucked and breathing out of our collective arses.

 

[Jan Age]

Today’s game is evidence why we deff won’t get aoutimatic and will struggle for play offs. Far too many times we sit in neutral for either the whole or large chunks of the game and have no plan b.

We have done fantastic to be where we are but it is beyond me why it happens. I hate losing but I can take it if we go down fighting.

Anyone know what Wilder has said? As according to him the ‘bare minimum’ is to run around which we didn’t do 2nd half.

Needed a positive display today going in to a tough run.

 

[Deadbat]

I was only joking. That said I do think a defeat next week will see us looking down rather than up. I've never thought automatic was realistic because we can't get enough points against decent sides. You can't complain but I think tonight was more evidence we are a play off challenging side rather than a top 2 one.

I got hammered last week for saying to my mates I'd take 6th now. I stand by that. We have some really tough away games. Today was one of the easiest games we have left away really and Swansea tore us to pieces 2nd half. Hope it is a blip. Next week is big not ust in terms of the league placings but for the confidence and belief. It is a huge game. It wont be season defining but will show a lot about whether the team believe they can contend for promotion.

 

[S40BLADE]

We didn't play second half, whether its Swansea stopping us but past the 50min we were awful. We cannot afford any more performances like that for the rest of the season, it happened to many times last year Barnsley, Villa , Brum, Hull , Bolton etc

 

[Roygbiv]

I got hammered last week for saying to my mates I'd take 6th now. I stand by that. We have some really tough away games. Today was one of the easiest games we have left away really and Swansea tore us to pieces 2nd half. Hope it is a blip. Next week is big not ust in terms of the league placings but for the confidence and belief. It is a huge game. It wont be season defining but will show a lot about whether the team believe they can contend for promotion.

Obviously I hope they prove me wrong but automatic promotion isn't even on my radar right now. Top 6 will be a phenomenal season for us and I don't think it's negative to suggest we are looking at 6th rather than 2nd.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

If ever there was a performance to highlight why promotion is only possible & not probable! That was it!

Won virtually no second balls
Missed 2 excellent chances that would have put the game to bed in the first half
Brought on Madine & Clarke & knocked in long balls from around the centre circle, I cannot remember hardly one where we got to the bye line
Numerous passes that were astray or on a number of occasions over hit
Once again a game of 2 halves, we were unrecognisable in the 2nd half
Apart from O'Connell every one was just not at it today
Showed the virtue of having pace in the team

An opportunity to gain at least a point, & it should have been 3 thrown away, & what's next on the agenda an away trip to Norwich, who after watching that must be licking their lips.

A very very disappointing result, there are far tougher away games to come & if we turn in performances like the 2nd half, & fail to bury chances like the first half, then there will be more disappointments to come.

That’s the problem with Sheffielders. Always look on the negative side of things.

Personally I thought we were a team half awake today.

 

[Toronto Blade]

Just too many players off their game today. Go again at Norwich.