Challenges ahead

[BladeFisher]

Sometimes it can be difficult not to post on something that has already been discussed but forever the realist I note two intriguing difficulties ahead.

Much of my thoughts are expressed in other posts on United's current, some say woeful home performances and the record at Bramall Lane isn't that clever, given the purpose is to win, rather than not to lose.

Technically if we were to follow the well worn mantra of picking up 4 points for every pair of home and away games that would put us on 85 points at the end of the season, possibly enough to go up auto but not guaranteed. That can only be achieved now by attaining at least 28 points with the drawn game being against Swindon. Of course the magic total gets reassessed after every match involving us or our rivals.

However it is our inability to win at home, which must surely cause concern. The reasons why or a variety of opinions of why this is so is expressed elsewhere, I shall just comment on the impact.

With key games at home to Brentford and Swindon it is really important that we win these, but the omens aren't good. Last season we struggled beating eventual top 6 sides at home and again this pattern is being repeated.

Just say that we do manage to go up automatically. How are we expected to radically improve our performance at home playing like this?

Wilson must analyse what this failure is (and so should the Board) because without rectification a promotion gaining season this time is not likely to auger well in the Championship.

 

[broomhillblade]

I think one of the problems is that neither of our full backs is comfortable going forwards. In the days of the two Kyles, and Lowton, we had that additional attacking threat, and all of them could score a few goals

Westlake may be capable of getting forward but he seems to be vulnerable defensively.

The trick is to get men forward without leaving us open at the back. I'm sure Wilson knows this, but just how to achieve it is another matter, with the players that we've got.

 

[BladeInThatcham]

It might sound odd but we kind of need one of Robson, K Mac, Doyle or Flynn to get suspended / injured that will force Wilson's hand to inject a change to the team. Undefeated in 7 and only conceding 1 (which was a bit of a fluke anyway) shows we have a team that doesn't look like getting beaten, and with the quality we possess for this level we have players capable of doing something to win a match. So creating risking getting done on the counter of the sake of more attacking threat seems to be the order of the day. I would drop Flynn but then we lose balance as Robson would not stick to the right which would leave us open.
A much more attacking front 6 would be:
Murphy, Doyle, K Mac, Poleon
Kitson, Forte.
That has real pace about it but do Flynn and Robson deserve to be dropped from a team that is rock solid? Probably not.

 

[dingledog]

?....and with the quality we possess for this level we have players capable of doing something to win a match. .

Surely the point is we don't have any quality, we have a bunch of journeymen third division players, some players at the wrong end of their careers and past their best and a few youngsters.

 

[Rodley]

I think one of the problems is that neither of our full backs is comfortable going forwards. In the days of the two Kyles, and Lowton, we had that additional attacking threat, and all of them could score a few goals

Westlake may be capable of getting forward but he seems to be vulnerable defensively.

The trick is to get men forward without leaving us open at the back. I'm sure Wilson knows this, but just how to achieve it is another matter, with the players that we've got.

How about playing two wingers at two home and telling them to get to the by-line?

 

[Bergen Blade]

It might sound odd but we kind of need one of Robson, K Mac, Doyle or Flynn to get suspended / injured that will force Wilson's hand to inject a change to the team. Undefeated in 7 and only conceding 1 (which was a bit of a fluke anyway) shows we have a team that doesn't look like getting beaten, and with the quality we possess for this level we have players capable of doing something to win a match. So creating risking getting done on the counter of the sake of more attacking threat seems to be the order of the day. I would drop Flynn but then we lose balance as Robson would not stick to the right which would leave us open.
A much more attacking front 6 would be:
Murphy, Doyle, K Mac, Poleon
Kitson, Forte.
That has real pace about it but do Flynn and Robson deserve to be dropped from a team that is rock solid? Probably not.

A compromise might be to keep one of Robson and Flynn and try to do something at full back.

For example:

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins McFadzean​

Murphy McDonald Doyle Robson​

Kitson Forte​

While Murphy is capable of causing problems on his own down the right, Robson would require help from an attacking full back to overlap at every opportunity and I think the energy and pace of McFadzean would be worth a try. I accept that this would make us less solid, but in contrast to what we've tried lately it is a team with great attacking balance and complementary partnerships all over the pitch.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

A compromise might be to keep one of Robson and Flynn and try to do something at full back.

For example:

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins McFadzean​

Murphy McDonald Doyle Robson​

Kitson Forte​

While Murphy is capable of causing problems on his own down the right, Robson would require help from an attacking full back to overlap at every opportunity and I think the energy and pace of McFadzean would be worth a try. I accept that this would make us less solid, but in contrast to what we've tried lately it is a team with great attacking balance and complementary partnerships all over the pitch.

6 clean sheets on the bounce Bergen, no way will the back four get disturbed unless it needs to be. More likely to see Westlake brought in when McMahon gets suspended. In that case, swap Murphy and Robson and you get what you wanted but on opposite wings!

 

[bartman]

A compromise might be to keep one of Robson and Flynn and try to do something at full back.

For example:

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins McFadzean​

Murphy McDonald Doyle Robson​

Kitson Forte​

While Murphy is capable of causing problems on his own down the right, Robson would require help from an attacking full back to overlap at every opportunity and I think the energy and pace of McFadzean would be worth a try. I accept that this would make us less solid, but in contrast to what we've tried lately it is a team with great attacking balance and complementary partnerships all over the pitch.

Robson would drift in and leave us exposed on the left . He doean't seem to like to stay wide which is why we are playing a central 3 at the moment . I would rather drop KMac and play Robson in the centre.Flynn gives us the balance on the wing although Forte could play there with Poleon up front.

As for MacFadzean at left back ? Hill has been excellent there this season so no need to drop him

 

[davidpinder]

starting to tinker with the side now would be suicide, the problem is our style of play suits us away not home. They should not need motivating to beat Brentford and Swindon so i am more hopeful of beating them rather than the likes of carlisle and Preston who will come for a bore draw and no doubt get it.

 

[Bergen Blade]

6 clean sheets on the bounce Bergen, no way will the back four get disturbed unless it needs to be. More likely to see Westlake brought in when McMahon gets suspended. In that case, swap Murphy and Robson and you get what you wanted but on opposite wings!

Two successive no scoring games at home is why I think a couple of tweaks are needed, but agree that your scenario is more likely to happen.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Robson would drift in and leave us exposed on the left . He doean't seem to like to stay wide which is why we are playing a central 3 at the moment . I would rather drop KMac and play Robson in the centre.Flynn gives us the balance on the wing although Forte could play there with Poleon up front.

As for MacFadzean at left back ? Hill has been excellent there this season so no need to drop him

My suggestion makes us less solid defensively. The question is whether we could gain more by the attacking tweaks. Could we see 0-0 draws turned into 3-1 wins?

Robson played wide midfield regularly for Middlesbrough with a license to roam around a bit. Usually there's less defensive responsibility connected with a wide midfield role (which I suggested) than a central midfield role which you suggested.

I agree that Hill has been strong defensively. I do not agree that he's an attacking left back that will help us create more chances at home. Is he regularly an attacking outlet? Does he regularly take players on and put in dangerous crosses?

 

[bartman]

I agree that Hill has been strong defensively. I do not agree that he's an attacking left back that will help us create more chances at home. Is he regularly an attacking outlet? Does he regularly take players on and put in dangerous crosses?

In the first half an Saturday he tried to overlap 2/3 times and got a couple of crosees in which was good to see as he normally doesn't do this

 

[ghandi]

How about dropping Doyle or Kmac for Elliot Whitehouse who will provide more drive as a "box to box" midfielder in a similar way Parker does for Spurs plus he also has an eye for goal.

 

[Selly]

starting to tinker with the side now would be suicide, the problem is our style of play suits us away not home. They should not need motivating to beat Brentford and Swindon so i am more hopeful of beating them rather than the likes of carlisle and Preston who will come for a bore draw and no doubt get it.

Given current positions, and assuming our Away for holds up, I would see no particular problem with 2 points from those two matches.

Of course the regular BDTBL attendees might, but from a season perspective...

 

[blade too long]

We had a blip at home losing 3 on the bounce which put the jitters up everyone , wed lost a couple of players through injury, miller collins and blackman sold , so losing 3 of a regular 11 or 30% of the outfield at the time cost us some ground, and teams come and play 11 in the 6 yard box it seems at times, NOW , even though we are unbeaten in ages some still are far too jittery , lets try and have more faith in our ability, we can match anything thats thrown at us , have just about everyone fit, and most important dont concede goals, if we can score 10/12 or so in 9 games be buzzing.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Is it just me, or hasn't Hill actually got forward quite regularly this season ? Not in a Kyles or Lowton way, granted. He tends to stop outside the box, a few yards in from the touch, supporting an attack not leading it or overlapping. But I'd swear he's knocked a good number of balls in from that position this season.

Have to say I think Hill's been one of our better players this year. Great (and quite funny too) to see him outleaping some big lads when he's filled in at centre-half. He looked like a car crash defender to me last season, and always seemed to be on the end of a bollocking from Collins. I remember one match having a laugh with a mate who said he'd rather have Nyron back. Those bollockings haven't figured much recently, either.

 

[RealMcCoy]

I have to agree.
The way Hill wins headers is great (and amusing too) He did refer to this ability himself once on Bladesplayer. He's improved beyond recognition from his very early appearances, which is great, but I'm not convinced he's the full deal or ever will be at a higher level.

 

[Ted Danson]

But I'd swear he's knocked a good number of balls in from that position this season.

Hes definitely been getting better but at the start of the season one of our biggest problems was him and Williams knocking a good number of balls out, mainly into the southstand.

As I said he is improving but for me hes just not got the quality going forward. Id much rather have LJF playing there if only he was fit.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I agree that he's been reliable and a good defender. Both he and Higginbotham have taken the opportunity to go forward on occasions when we've been on top and room's been opened up for them. There was one occasion where Hill made a well timed run in behind MK Dons' defence which had pushed to high up. Robson's ball out to him looked good at first, but unfortunately bounced out.

But we must separate between occasional things like these, two or three times a match, and how an attacking full back/wing back plays. McMahon isn't really that type either, but his crossing is better, which is reflected by a few assists. Hill has 1 assist in 44 starts for us.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

He's improved beyond recognition from his very early appearances, which is great, but I'm not convinced he's the full deal or ever will be at a higher level.

Agreed ! He's a 3rd division player, in a team made up mainly of 3rd division players. We moan about the inconsistency, dodgy technique, nesh factor and laziness of our players, but they're all playing in the third division for a reason. Even more than last year, for me, the quality in this division seems dreadful. Hill has been one of the ones who has done good things as well as poor things for us, but 3rd div defenders can get away with a lot, week in and week out, because 3rd div strikers can be counted on to hit row Z or the corner flag just as often as they hit the target. Much though he's grown on me, I couldn't see Hill playing as first choice in a lower-middling Champ team.

But we must separate between occasional things like these, two or three times a match, and how an attacking full back/wing back plays.

Agreed ! He's cautious getting forward, and never really looks like he believes he can cause damage. Those are striking assist stats ! Would be interesting to see stats for how many balls he's put in the box that haven't led to a goal, or not found a Blades player. His crossing usually looks like hit and hope to me, but that's the case with an awful lot of players in this division.

Hes definitely been getting better but at the start of the season one of our biggest problems was him and Williams knocking a good number of balls out, mainly into the southstand.

As I said he is improving but for me hes just not got the quality going forward. Id much rather have LJF playing there if only he was fit.

Agreed ! Hoofing it into the stand was one of the main reasons I still thought he was crap at the start of this season, and one of the reasons I still worry every time he gets the ball. Sometimes you don't know whether to laugh or cry. It would be great to see LJF back, and all things being equal he'd be my first choice. But LJF was also inconsistent last year.