Don't worry.

[Rustyblade]

James Shields has got it covered.

"But there's a chance that we could welcome back some important players after the break"

The United manager is, of course, referring to the likes of Nick Montgomery, Richard Cresswell and Gary Naysmith who have all missed sizeable chunks - and, in the latter's case, all - of the season.

Okay, it's our manager making noises to the press without saying anything of any real substance or importance but despite his statement being almost entirely meaningless, just what the ding dong merrily on high is Mr Shields on about?

I know we could all argue from here to breakfast and back about Monty and how much difference he'll make but Cresswell and Naysmith? Having been out throughout our good start and our subsequent plummet, how much of a difference could Naysmith possibly be said to make? And as for Cresswell, that beggars belief. He hasn't played what, three games for us yet and he's the difference already. Dearie me.

I know he's just a journalist on a provincial paper but for fuck's sake, he's writing for Sheffield people who have been following the Blades for a hell of a lot longer than he has. What kind of idiots does he take us for?

The Star competing with the Lane and Football Heaven for the accolade of Bullshit Central? Oh, what fun!

And inhale. Somebody give me a fish.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Well said that man !

 

[Foxy]

To be fair to him, whilst hardly likely to be the saviour, it can only help on all three fronts.

If nothing else, from having a bit of choice and being able to field someone not playing through injury.

Regardless of anyones opinion of Monty, I don't think anyone (even his biggest critics) could say that we don't miss at least his bite.

Naysmith is a seasoned pro and international (albeit only Scotland) and offers an additional option to a patched up defence.

Cresswell, well, it's far too early to say, but again offers us an option.

Extra competition for places and more options can surely only help us?

 

[shorehamview]

With regard to the excellent journalistic abilities of James Shield, if I was on a ship with him and he told me that everything was coming good I'd be inflating my lifejacket, launching the lifeboats and screaming "Mayday" into the radio like there was no tomorrow. Which give his predictions there probably wouldn't be.

 

[Revolution]

Having been out throughout our good start and our subsequent plummet, how much of a difference could Naysmith possibly be said to make?

A big difference. A fit Naysmith, unspectacular but consistently good, is a hell of a lot better than Taylor or Stewart.

Together with Morgs that would be 2 out of 4 of our excellent back 4 from last season in the side. We have missed him.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

James Shields has got it covered.

"But there's a chance that we could welcome back some important players after the break"

Really! In an interview, the manager says that we should be getting some of our best players fit again for next weekend, and you try to turn the whole thing into some conspiracy theory. What do you think has happened to them, alien abduction..?

 

[Rustyblade]

Really! In an interview, the manager says that we should be getting some of our best players fit again for next weekend, and you try to turn the whole thing into some conspiracy theory. What do you think has happened to them, alien abduction..?

I'm not quite sure I understand that. I simply pointed out that our manager made a statement which has zero content. It means nothing. He did not say "we should", he said "there is a chance." There is a chance that Sheffield will be destroyed in a massive earthquake just after breakfast on Saturday morning. Meaningless. No conspiracy there, then.

As for the rest, my point with Naysmith was that he was absent during our 'good' start to the season. So how Shields can attribute at least part of the slump to his absence is a little strange. And similarly for Cresswell. Shields makes a case for the absence of a player who has started what is it, one game for us and that one after the run of bad results began as again, part of the reason for our shitty performances. No conspiracy there either.

Just a manager spouting vacuous nonsense and a journalist with a deadline and no bloody idea/scruples/ethics/ whatever.

None of the above is, nor was the original post denying the injury situation nor going off on a paranoia inspired conspiracy rant. Christ, I didn't even make any mention whatsoever of the complete shambles of what has passed for management at the Lane since the season began. And Dunc, if it is really your opinion that some of our best players are Monty, Naysmith and Cresswell, okay, I can get my head around that, opinion after all, but if after all our much trumpeted reprofiling, young players, high resale value etcetera etcetera, what does it say if three of our 'best' players are 28, 31 and 32? I don't quite see a conspiracy either in the fact that of those three, there are two whose legs can reasonably be said to have gone and who also contribute heavily to the team being one-paced (pedestrian), high on huff and puff but desperately low on skill and finesse.

Now, where's that fish?

 

[super_pig]

here mate have a fish..:fishy:

 

[madeinsheffield]

Does anybody else think that loads of pressure and hope is being applied to these currently unfit players, what I mean is if and when they are all fit and they have a run of a few matches and we still aren't winning or playing decently, what's going to happen then. My glass is half full, I don't think we'll go down despite recent results and lack of points but I think the excuses are just about to finally run out

 

[Rustyblade]

Does anybody else think that loads of pressure and hope is being applied to these currently unfit players, what I mean is if and when they are all fit and they have a run of a few matches and we still aren't winning or playing decently, what's going to happen then. My glass is half full, I don't think we'll go down despite recent results and lack of points but I think the excuses are just about to finally run out

I think that in this, as with a lot of other things, the club has made a rod for its own back. Most of the deep frustration evident in some supporters at this time comes from the consideration of the differences between that which the club says and that which it actually does. Or in other words between the spin and the substance. McCabe and his Europe in 5 years, top 10 Premier League ambitions, Beattie is not for sale, huge investment, Evans being worth either 3 mill or 750 thou depending on the argument, reprofiling with young and hungry players with a high resale value, investment in foreign clubs will benefit the Blades etc etc all demonstrably the purest bollocks.

Any huge investment has been in the ground itself, a fact many overlook when arguing transfer fees and all of it is in the form of loans which are now falling due and being repaid. Beattie was sold. Young and hungry players? I guess they mean Cotterill, Kyel Reid, Jamie Ward and Ched Evans one of whom is nowhere near the manager's first eleven and another who can only make the subs' bench and as for Evans? That was 3 million quid well spent, wasn't it? On a development player. One for the future.

Against those are, France 29, Williamson 27, Harper 29, Stewart 27, Cresswell 32, Little 34 and Camara 32. And then Blackwell has the balls to say we have a young squad and that is part of his problem. Blackwell seems to have taken his cue from McCabe in that he will say anything, mainly what he thinks we want to hear and well, I don't want to say lie but certainly bend the truth and apply the most rigorous spin.

Supporters are, I think, beginning to see through most of this and are getting fed up of all the bullshit coming out of the club on an almost daily basis. Each time the club spins is another straw on the fans' backs. This injury malarky is yet another. It is the job of management to actually manage crises. It's that simple. Not to whinge, blame and dodge responsibility. To manage.

If both McCabe and Blackwell treated the fans with respect, told us the truth and stopped the relentless spinning, I think we could handle that. The club says our expectations are unrealistic. Well, we didn't just clutch them out of thin air, we just believed what McCabe told us. He set the bar high, not us.

Chickens coming home to roost? You have to admit it's at least possible.

 

[Fiery Blade]

First Class Post Rusty!

 

[Kentblade]

First Class Post Rusty!

Excellent post Rusty.
It was vital that we got promotion last season before the parachute payments ran out, but we failed in the final.
We are where I expected us to be and will probably be in this division for a long time, unless we can start to change our style of play.
There have been a lot of excuses coming out of the club, and as you rightly say the bar was set to high and now we are seeing the extent of the problem.
I would be delighted to be wrong as I am a glass half full guy, but in all honesty I cannot see us getting out of this division unless some major changes are made soon.
A win on Saturday is vital at home, but we are shipping to many goals and if we concede early on it places more pressure on the team usually resulting in hoofing up to the front.
Time will tell, but a win on saturday is urgently needed to lift the spirits.
UTB

 

[raul]

Rusty, that is one hell of a post. Have an aquarium.

 

[broomhillblade]

From the O/S:

"Reserves 4-0 Walsall - result
Posted on: Tue 17 Nov 2009

Lee Williamson scored two impressive goals as the Blades ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a comfortable win.

Glen Little netted and had a hand in all thee other goals as United completed their ToteSportCasino.com League Cup campaign at Sheffield FC on tonight. Zeyn S-Latif was also on target.

Derek Geary completed a full ninety minutes and Gary Naysmith completed an hour in the victory."

Feeling any better now Rusty?

 

[broomhillblade]

From the O/S:

"Reserves 4-0 Walsall - result
Posted on: Tue 17 Nov 2009

Lee Williamson scored two impressive goals as the Blades ended a run of six consecutive defeats with a comfortable win.

Glen Little netted and had a hand in all thee other goals as United completed their ToteSportCasino.com League Cup campaign at Sheffield FC on tonight. Zeyn S-Latif was also on target.

Derek Geary completed a full ninety minutes and Gary Naysmith completed an hour in the victory."

Feeling any better now Rusty?

 

[Houso]

While I agree with the general sentiment of the post, you don't get a fish from me simply because of the Naysmith element.

He's a very important player in my opinion, because despite only being a left back, his experience results in a much steadier defence with him in it than out. Sure he was shit at the start of last season, but he grew into our most consistent player as the season went on.

For that reason, no fish for you Rusty.

 

[Rustyblade]

While I agree with the general sentiment of the post, you don't get a fish from me simply because of the Naysmith element.

Houso, the Naysmith element was mainly referring to Shields' implication that his absence was a contributory factor to our abominable run of results. As he was out for the whole season, including our good start, the most he could have done is helped stop the rot. His not being available was not the reason why we imploded.

Further to that, he is 32 and despite his experience and relative solidity, I can't help feeling he's too ponderous to be a really effective full back. Not a great deal of use going forward in that he can't make it up and down too often and vulnerable to pace at the back.

But yeah, I take your point in that having him available would give that certain solidity but it's a fine line between that and stolidity. We lack movement and pace all over the park and Naysmith gives us neither.