Billy

[Gyp the blade]

It hard to say but with every game he plays now he absolutely gives nothing to the team we look slow and a poor team when he plays I think it’s time he hangs his playing boots up and gets involved training the youth strikers of sufc. He will always be a legend to us blades but I think now is the time

 

[DronnieBlade]

Offers.

Ab
So
Lute
Ly

Nothing .

Every feckin year !!

GOOD JOB GAFFER KNOWS BETTER. That is all.

UTB

 

[Berkshire Blade]

There was a sprint last night where he looked absolutely rapid and if I wasn't stone cold sober I should have thought I was seeing things!

 

[bladesmanluke]

Apart from drawing the 2 Bristol City defenders a mile away from Ndiaye to give him an easy finish in the only real chance of the game?

 

[ucandomagic]

… and after giving a subtle push to the defender in front which caused him to mistime his header straight to Iliman - hence being the major reason that we got 3 points instead of 1 - apart from that his contribution was just the same as everybody else!!!

William Sharp -U Can Do Magic

 

[Swannyblade]

How many times do our fans write off Billy and end up with egg on their faces.

 

[BigBed]

It hard to say but with every game he plays now he absolutely gives nothing to the team we look slow and a poor team when he plays I think it’s time he hangs his playing boots up and gets involved training the youth strikers of sufc. He will always be a legend to us blades but I think now is the time

Funny, I was pretty sure he drew the defenders away from Ndiaye last night, allowing him to knock it in with his bounce..??????
Best check my TV isnt broken now, ffs.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

It hard to say but with every game he plays now he absolutely gives nothing to the team we look slow and a poor team when he plays I think it’s time he hangs his playing boots up and gets involved training the youth strikers of sufc. He will always be a legend to us blades but I think now is the time

I think telling him to hang his boots up is a bit harsh.

Just because Championship football is a bit too quick for him doesn’t mean he wouldn’t perform & score goals in L2 & L1

 

[Dimyan93]

Ye of little faith.

He's just come back from injury, he's 38. It's going to take time to get back up to full match fitness and even so, our play isn't directed for him to go get goals anymore. It's to set up Ndiaye to be Ndiaye.

Which is exactly what Sharp did when he drew two defenders off him, which allowed him to get the winning goal.

If Sharp wasn't on the pitch last night, we wouldn't have won.

 

[Tarqs]

 

[SUFC Guy]

It hard to say but with every game he plays now he absolutely gives nothing to the team we look slow and a poor team when he plays I think it’s time he hangs his playing boots up and gets involved training the youth strikers of sufc. He will always be a legend to us blades but I think now is the time

We are only 1 injury away (McB) from having a major striker crisis. The more Billy is involved the better for the squad long term.

Just did a quick tot up and Billy has only played 414 minutes out of the last 2,700 minutes (the last 30 games) and was injured for 16 of them.

It's fair to say that he's a little rusty. Give him time and the minutes and he will deliver.

UTMB

 

[Russ]

It won’t be long before he finds the back of the onion bag again. That will shut the haters up.

Doesn’t matter if it comes off his arse, his knee or from the spot. I’m telling you he will score soon.

 

[CPB]

He's getting close to the end. I mean at 36 you'd expect so.

But I think he's just not quite got into it yet and that's the way we have played too. I don't think he's done yet. He wouldn't be being considered otherwise

I do think some matches or situations aren't going to suit him. But others will.
A bit like Brewster though get him 1 goal and things might seem different going forward

 

[ForgeBlade]

There will come a time (sadly) where we all keep saying "he'll prove you wrong and come good!" and then...he won't.

Is that now? I hope not, but maybe.

 

[Champagneblade]

With fairness to Billy, we haven't exactly played to his strengths the last few matches he's been in.

We put two balls of note into the box.

The first one was a little away from him and he got in a header the keeper saved.

The second one, he attracted two defenders, challenged and N'Diaye then scored.

That was all the service he got.

In a game of midfield attrition with zero chance creation, you're never going to see the best of him.

I wonder whether he might still play a big part vs Burnley. We'll be more on the front foot. Well quite possible have Anel marauding forward at every opportunity, Stevens, Baldock, Norwood and Doyle putting balls into the box, 3 of which didn't play the other day. He'll be against 2 very inexperienced centre backs in Harwood-Belis and Bayer. Remember you can't take your eyes off Billy for a moment, he's so wily.

I can potentially see us going that way and bringing McBurnie on later. We'll need McBurnie to start against Rotherham to be the zone man because of their set-pieces. Whereas in contrast, as a plan B having Oli's height in the last 20-30 might be a good change of tack. Oli doesn't have to start vs Burnley. I think he does vs the Millers.

 

[PaulHalfway]

Yes think it’s his last year at this level, time to go into coaching or drop down a division next season

 

[SwissBlade]

Billy is always there and if you stick him on he’ll do a job.

There’s a reason he’s bagged so many goals and at every level

He’s been written off for I don’t know how many seasons now but every time he brings something to the team.

He’s never had much pace so he’s not got that to lose with age. His game has changed though. From complete bagman he’s more of a provider now

He’s become a disrupter, the striker that sacrifices himself and his own scoring chances, but also a target man, despite his size. He’s the back up to McBurnie when he’s fit.

In the past all strikers played second fiddle to Billy but since last season with MGW we have created a different role for the key striker. Rather than being the target man we see the key as the pacy, tricky striker(s)

Hecky seems to see MGW, Ndiaye, Khadra, Brewster as that man with a hard worker alongside them - Billy now plays that role

McBurnie offers a bit of a difference as he’s awkward. But he plays the role well to disrupt, win balls and distract defenders creating gaps

Billy is still the most natural at finding space in the box - in the past he’d have been where Ndiaye was but he’s handed that role over by the looks of it

 

[DSJ Blade]

Billy is always there and if you stick him on he’ll do a job.

There’s a reason he’s bagged so many goals and at every level

He’s been written off for I don’t know how many seasons now but every time he brings something to the team.

He’s never had much pace so he’s not got that to lose with age. His game has changed though. From complete bagman he’s more of a provider now

He’s become a disrupter, the striker that sacrifices himself and his own scoring chances, but also a target man, despite his size. He’s the back up to McBurnie when he’s fit.

In the past all strikers played second fiddle to Billy but since last season with MGW we have created a different role for the key striker. Rather than being the target man we see the key as the pacy, tricky striker(s)

Hecky seems to see MGW, Ndiaye, Khadra, Brewster as that man with a hard worker alongside them - Billy now plays that role

McBurnie offers a bit of a difference as he’s awkward. But he plays the role well to disrupt, win balls and distract defenders creating gaps

Billy is still the most natural at finding space in the box - in the past he’d have been where Ndiaye was but he’s handed that role over by the looks of it

He is still probably the best crosser in the team as well!

 

[Maidenhead]

He is still probably the best crosser in the team as well!

Not as good at crossing the ball as Brian Deane was.

Just imagine how many Deane would have scored if he could have got on the end of his own crosses.

I always said of him "that for a centre forward he's the best winger at the club"

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Not as good at crossing the ball as Brian Deane was.

Just imagine how many Deane would have scored if he could have got on the end of his own crosses.

I always said of him "that for a centre forward he's the best winger at the club"

True that, used to be so frustrating, also to say Deane was such a big lad he didn't use it to his advantage in the box as much Bassett was always going on about it.

 

[Sheffsteel]

It’s the same old story. You need to understand a players strengths and weaknesses.

Billy has never been quick. He has a touch of the Keith Edwards, set him up and he’ll score. He’s easily the best finisher at the club.

But if you don’t set him up he offers very little. However his experience of hold up play drawing fouls is pretty good.

Think Billy will be an asset in home matches when the ball richochets around the box but in away marches when we play on the break then Billy is ineffective.

 

[bakeblade]

With fairness to Billy, we haven't exactly played to his strengths the last few matches he's been in.

We put two balls of note into the box.

The first one was a little away from him and he got in a header the keeper saved.

The second one, he attracted two defenders, challenged and N'Diaye then scored.

That was all the service he got.

In a game of midfield attrition with zero chance creation, you're never going to see the best of him.

I wonder whether he might still play a big part vs Burnley. We'll be more on the front foot. Well quite possible have Anel marauding forward at every opportunity, Stevens, Baldock, Norwood and Doyle putting balls into the box, 3 of which didn't play the other day. He'll be against 2 very inexperienced centre backs in Harwood-Belis and Bayer. Remember you can't take your eyes off Billy for a moment, he's so wily.

I can potentially see us going that way and bringing McBurnie on later. We'll need McBurnie to start against Rotherham to be the zone man because of their set-pieces. Whereas in contrast, as a plan B having Oli's height in the last 20-30 might be a good change of tack. Oli doesn't have to start vs Burnley. I think he does vs the Millers.

We need to pick strikers for an offensive and goal scoring role, not defensive.

 

[Keen Blade]

Strange time to call for Billy to retire when he's one of only 3 fit strikers and McB is due a hernia operation.
We have no money for a replacement.
We need him.

 

[Panini]

Ye of little faith.

He's just come back from injury, he's 38. It's going to take time to get back up to full match fitness and even so, our play isn't directed for him to go get goals anymore. It's to set up Ndiaye to be Ndiaye.

Which is exactly what Sharp did when he drew two defenders off him, which allowed him to get the winning goal.

If Sharp wasn't on the pitch last night, we wouldn't have won.

Agree with all this, but just clarify he's 36 not 38.

 

[Swannyblade]

He’s become a disrupter, the striker that sacrifices himself and his own scoring chances, but also a target man, despite his size.

This is a big one for me - when United aren't playing well, if Bill's on the pitch he will endeavour to find a way to swing the game in our favour. He'll run his arse off down the channels, be a complete nuisance to defenders, drop deep, do the unselfish stuff and wind up the opposition to get the crowd involved.

For example, without this moment I don't think the momentum swings in our favour and allows us to come back against Norwich...and it could be argued that this result stopped the rot and has allowed us to pick up some more useful results recently:



And, you know...

 

[Alfiesdad]

It wasn't long ago that a lot of people on here wanted McBurnie out of the club. Now the out of focus sights are starting to target Billy. Its already been rightly pointed out that without him we wouldn't have scored against City. Also we only have 2 fit strikers with McBurnie struggling so he has to play minutes to give the others some respite.
Having said that, when he does play the manager has to give him a chance. Playing 2 in midfield so that we're constantly overrun and forced to go long is not the the way to get the best out of either him or Reda. Billy is a nuisance for defenders, he occupies their attention, draws fouls and gets us up the pitch.
I still think he'll be useful this season and prove the doubters wrong.

 

[Champagneblade]

We need to pick strikers for an offensive and goal scoring role, not defensive.

We need to select a team for these matches that will give us maximum chance of taking the highest points total.

Within this we need to understand that certain players can only complete certain playing minutes.

Question is then which match best suits them?

No point picking McBurnie against West Brom and then resting him against Rotherham and losing three goals to Richard Wood from corners because we don’t have enough height in there.

I don’t think you can thoroughly discount that when you’re picking the team for the next couple.

 

[bakeblade]

We need to select a team for these matches that will give us maximum chance of taking the highest points total.

Within this we need to understand that certain players can only complete certain playing minutes.

Question is then which match best suits them?

No point picking McBurnie against West Brom and then resting him against Rotherham and losing three goals to Richard Wood from corners because we don’t have enough height in there.

I don’t think you can thoroughly discount that when you’re picking the team for the next couple.

I think you're over thinking it, for me Mcb starts against Burnley and then maybe take him off with 20 or 30 to go. He then starts against Rotherham if he can, if not we shouldn't fear Rotherham and Wood too much.
It's important we don't lose to Burnley

 

[Champagneblade]

I think you're over thinking it, for me Mcb starts against Burnley and then maybe take him off with 20 or 30 to go. He then starts against Rotherham if he can, if not we shouldn't fear Rotherham and Wood too much.
It's important we don't lose to Burnley

I do agree the latter point. They are not a team that should be 9 points ahead of us. I can be accused of bias but in my opinion, Our best XI > Their best XI

Hopefully McBurnie can get through both either way.

 

[Striker]

For the guys that made this point.
If the only contribution Sharp made on Tuesday night was

" to draw defenders away from Illi for the goal"

Then ask yourselves would you accept that level of contribution from any other player in the squad.

He's a 10 minutes at the end of a game player, if needed, now.

Take the point though that currently we are desperate for fit strikers.