Coutts & Brooks vs Pigs (The 4-2 away win)

[BladeTillIDie]

WOW. Just watched the rematch in full (sober) and these two former players are legends in my eyes. Peak Coutts would still be at United now and a fully fit Brooks would be a quality player in our current squad. Brilliant performances!!!

UTB THE CITY IS OURS.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I really miss Coutts (and the Coutts song). But for that injury.....,

 

[DronnieBlade]

Peak Coutts was one of the first names on the team sheet.

Was peak Brookes (for whatever reason) ?

UTB

 

[stringer]

Was peak Brookes (for whatever reason) ?

100% not.

 

[Silvio Morris]

WOW. Just watched the rematch in full (sober) and these two former players are legends in my eyes. Peak Coutts would still be at United now and a fully fit Brooks would be a quality player in our current squad. Brilliant performances!!!

UTB THE CITY IS OURS.

watched it sober but was drunk by the end!

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Unpopular opinion: current Norwood is better now than Peak Coutts was then.

 

[DronnieBlade]

100% not.

Don’t get me wrong. Good player. A bit inconsistent but great on his day.

Ultimately sold for a massive profit that enabled squad improvements that have contributed significantly to where we are now.

If all our comings and goings “trend” in this direction, unlike the opposite that has seen our near neighbours go from the gates of the PL to knocking on Div 3s door, that’ll do for moi .

UTB

 

[DronnieBlade]

Unpopular opinion: current Norwood is better now than Peak Coutts was then.

Not unpopular at all.

Norwood has done it at PL level. Coutts never did.

But I’d still take peak Coutts !!

UTB

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Brooks on that day would still be the best player in our current squad. His illness and ankle injury may mean he never reached his heights but he was such a talent.

 

[1973Blade]

Never known an atmosphere like Burton away when he broke his leg. We had won to go top, but the atmosphere was totally sombre. We guessed we'd never see Coutts return the player he had been for us. Such a pity.

 

[Guesty]

Yeah it's hard to say on Coutts Vs Norwood. The romantic in me prefers Coutts, for that season and a half he was majestic, like he was floating above the match. He took us from the bottom of league one (4 games into Wilder's reign) to the top of the Championship (that game at Burton...)

Norwood took us from the Championship to the fringes of Europe. He didn't win the league though, whereas Coutts did have us top up to that point. He's done it at a higher level, that is undeniable. He can also do things Coutts can't. But he's more up and down that Coutts was during the latter's imperious phase and on the very odd occasion he can be a bit slack. Also, and this is a trifling matter really, I prefer Coutts aesthetically to Norwood's 'look to lay it off quickly' approach.

It's Coutts for me, anyway, but I completely understand anyone choosing Norwood.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Norwood has a much better range of passing than almost every player in England, never mind Coutts. Coutts was obviously better physically.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

But I’d still take peak Coutts !!

I wouldn’t though. We’ve moved on – brilliant player in the year and a half we saw him at full fitness. But I wouldn’t want to take any of the current players out to play him now. Same with Peak Duffy. Or Peak Wright.

 

[Guesty]

Norwood has a much better range of passing than almost every player in England, never mind Coutts. Coutts was obviously better physically.

Yeah Norwood has that long pass in his locker that Coutts didn't, as well as his set piece delivers (let us not forget the 'Toxic Ollie Zone', back and to the right of the penalty area). But for keeping the ball in a crowd, finding that right short pass and moving it position to receive the ball again, you can't beat Paul Coutts.

 

[Guesty]

I wouldn’t though. We’ve moved on – brilliant player in the year and a half we saw him at full fitness. But I wouldn’t want to take any of the current players out to play him now. Same with Peak Duffy. Or Peak Wright.

Agreed on Wright, agreed on Duffy (reluctantly) but I do think a pre-injury Coutts could hang with our current midfield - remember that he was largely (though by no means unanimously) considered better than Fleck, and unanimously better than Lundstram. As for competing with Norwood, we'll sadly never know.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Yeah Norwood has that long pass in his locker that Coutts didn't, as well as his set piece delivers (let us not forget the 'Toxic Ollie Zone', back and to the right of the penalty area). But for keeping the ball in a crowd, finding that right short pass and moving it position to receive the ball again, you can't beat Paul Coutts.

They played the same position, but in a different way. I think Norwood has more attributes that suit how we want to play now. Coutts may well have been more suited to games we dominated.

I'll be honest, even at his best I found Coutts frustrating at times. He was physically bigger and stronger than most opponents while remaining Mobile. Great ability on the ball. I always thought he had another gear. I never feel like that with Norwood. He knows his game and maximises his ability

 

[Inter_blade83]

Unpopular opinion: current Norwood is better now than Peak Coutts was then.

You just wait until Berge gets settled. You'll be wondering who Norwood was.

 

[Guesty]

They played the same position, but in a different way. I think Norwood has more attributes that suit how we want to play now. Coutts may well have been more suited to games we dominated.

I'll be honest, even at his best I found Coutts frustrating at times. He was physically bigger and stronger than most opponents while remaining Mobile. Great ability on the ball. I always thought he had another gear. I never feel like that with Norwood. He knows his game and maximises his ability

True, could we accommodate both? Again, sadly we'll never know.

Norwood has a few weaknesses too, of course. He's not great defensively, especially against runners. And he's sort of set in his ways in how he likes to play (the following will sound much more critical than I mean it to). He'll always prioritise passing over moving with the ball, he'll always prioritise passing early over waiting, and he'll usually choose to go long when he can rather than short. I don't mean to suggest he's a longball player by any means, but he always has his eyes down field. None of this is bad by any means, but you can often guess what he's going to do.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

You just wait until Berge gets settled. You'll be wondering who Norwood was.

Quite possibly. As I said when we signed him, I thought he was potentially going to settle there long-term. If we keep him for the length of his contract I think it’s likely.

 

[Carlton Blade]

True, could we accommodate both? Again, sadly we'll never know.

Norwood has a few weaknesses too, of course. He's not great defensively, especially against runners. And he's sort of set in his ways in how he likes to play (the following will sound much more critical than I mean it to). He'll always prioritise passing over moving with the ball, he'll always prioritise passing early over waiting, and he'll usually choose to go long when he can rather than short. I don't mean to suggest he's a longball player by any means, but he always has his eyes down field. None of this is bad by any means, but you can often guess what he's going to do.

It's always a difficult balance when you have an elite skill. How often should you use it. Norwood is the best long passer of a ball I've ever seen, but maybe there are times when he lacks variety?

The ball carrying thing is interesting, I think it's a tactical thing. There are loads of times in games when I think Norwood and JOC should carry the ball forward from our half and 99.9% of the time they don't. (JOC plays the ball on the floor to Stevens who's hugging the touchline almost every time). Bash on the other hand will carry it 2 or 3 times a game. I think they've been told that (could be wrong but we've seen this happen hundreds of times now)

 

[bornablade]

That day was one of my best days supporting the Blades.

We were brilliant. But watching it back we are so much better now. All the players have improved. I cannot ever see Wilder / Knill standing still. They will continually look to improve.

As soon as we get back to normal life there's no limit on what we can achieve.

 

[Oreyt]

watched it sober but was drunk by the end!

Me too. Watched it with the boy. Fantastic memories.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

A year and a half before this performance most people wouldn't have minded us selling coutts. He was on the transfer list Wilder put out on his first day on the job partly due to his wages, no bidders.

 

[DronnieBlade]

A year and a half before this performance most people wouldn't have minded us selling coutts. He was on the transfer list Wilder put out on his first day on the job partly due to his wages, no bidders.

It’s a fair point.

As is his introduction in earnest to a side 0-3 down at half time at home, rock bottom of Div 3 that then went on to romp the division at a canter.

The catalyst and the genesis .

Our debt is, frankly, enduring .

UTB

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Never known an atmosphere like Burton away when he broke his leg. We had won to go top, but the atmosphere was totally sombre. We guessed we'd never see Coutts return the player he had been for us. Such a pity.

I went to that one as well, but I was amongst the home fans. Didn't realise until later what a shocking injury it was.

 

[JackSUFC]

e were brilliant. But watching it back we are so much better now. All the players have improved.

I think watching it back, a notable example of that is Enda Stevens. His development since his first season here, to now one of the best left-sided players in the country, has been phenomenal.

 

[Wards]

Would’ve loved to have seen what Coutts could’ve been if not for that injury. Would have probably meant we never even signed Norwood though, and he’s ultimately what got us promoted.

I loved watching Coutts in full flow, just effortless at times. Him and Fleck dovetailed perfectly.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Not sure I want to step into the Norwood v Coutts 'battle'. I'll just say Coutts is/was my favourite player of the modern era and the one undeniable fact is that the injury changed the trajectory of his career...

1,2,3,4....

 

[wavy-blade]

WOW. Just watched the rematch in full (sober) and these two former players are legends in my eyes. Peak Coutts would still be at United now and a fully fit Brooks would be a quality player in our current squad. Brilliant performances!!!

UTB THE CITY IS OURS.

I agree with you but you miss another ( mind you they were all hero`s that day ) but Leon Clarke was also outstanding that day as well , his link up play with Brooks was outstanding , i really think Leon was unlucky not getting a little run in the prem , i know hes a bit past it and that but boy was he unlucky when he came on and just missed that chance in the prem , i think it was the Liverpool match ??

 

[Danny Blade]

WOW. Just watched the rematch in full (sober) and these two former players are legends in my eyes. Peak Coutts would still be at United now and a fully fit Brooks would be a quality player in our current squad. Brilliant performances!!!

UTB THE CITY IS OURS.

Whats this rematch you speak of? We beat them 4-2 again?

I must've still been pissed from the first time to miss this rematch!!