Edwards vs Reality

[Bartleby]

Tuesday night I will be listening to the away commentary, I've literally had enough of him.

Eyup, I'm assuming from your username that you are in North Yorks. How do you pick up the commentaries? Im on the West Yorks/North Yorks border and cannot get a signal for Radio Sheffield, and on the web the live commentaries are blocked "for contractual reasons"

 

[Grappler]

But this is my point. I don't know for sure but when I read the posts I feel like I can tell who was at the game and who was listening on the radio, so the ones agreeing with Edwards are often the ones listening to Edwards on the radio without anyone there challenging what he's saying.

Eg McFadzean, had an absolute nightmare defending, out of position, muscled off the ball when he was in position, couldn't control or pass (almost always a sign of loss of confidence) but this doesn't make him a crap player, it just means that he's either not ready or clearly out of position or both.

Flynn at RB worked. McFadzean at LB didn't.

Ok. What's the alternative? Suggest something positive (I mean Edwards suggest something positive) and try that.

Constructive criticism.

On the plus side for McFadzean, he did put a good ball into the box in the last 5 minutes, which is what I expect he was in the team for.

If we had lost 1-0 mate and had chances on goal, then I would say Keith Edwards was out of order, as he can be.

But as goal after goal went in, resulting in a 4-0 defeat, embarrassing to say the least, then I am not sure how anyone could say that he was saying the wrong things? Blame Billy Sharp, Jamie Murphy or Conor Sammon for not scoring, but let's not try and blame anyone else for leaking goals.

Don't like arguing with fellow Blades but yesterdays performance was indefensible, whether Keith Edwards said it or not.

 

[Kempy]

What pissed me off re. Edwards is that he was going bat shit crazy only 10 mins into the season when we were only 1-0 down.

What's wrong with him?! Fair enough it was justified at the end of the game but if we'd have beat them 4-1 he would've looked a right dickhead.

Oh and then he tells us he's not seen a thing of us pre-season... well that explains it then doesn't it Keith?

He needs to pipe down a bit and offer quality insight rather than a load of bollocks that any knuckle-dragger on the Kop could have come out with.

Surely that's quite obvious to see? KE was going rightly bat shit crazy because 8 mins into the first game of the season with a (supposedly new manager), against a very poor Gills team, we were 1-0 down to a horrifically poor goal. A goal you'd see in fucking Sunday league pub team game, despite NA coming out and saying they'd worked on defending set pieces and also realised Gills had a man with a long throw!?!!?

The goal was reminiscent of last year if not worse for god sake! When you concede a goal like that and your back four continues to play like a bunch of five year olds what the hell do you expect? To anybody with a handful of brain cells it only takes five mins to see a defense is misjointed and clueless. It would be evident from 60-70% of the videos of last years games. You're never in a million years going to win a game with a defence set up like we did on Saturday. Let alone the manor in which they played. So yes , anybody with the slightest forsight and understanding of the game would realise we have done nothing to improve on the crap defence we had last year and have actually gone backwards with the selection made on Saturday! Therefore, the comments made around 10 mins into the programme were hugely justified. Simply, as it was clear as daylight to see where the game was going and how unbelievably the errors of last year, arguably even further back than that have STILL not been addressed. This all supposedly by a highly experienced manager at getting out of league one!?!?

I'm not surprised he didn't watch any pre-season. Pre-season means bollocks all. We beat Fenebache last year ..... Collins scored the winning goal from a corner.... Yet we did crap all from corners but concede for the rest of the season.

KE comments were hugely justified as there was no way we were going to beat a physically dominating side like Gills with that lineup. Let alone seeing how they actually played. I for one like his passion and brutal honesty of the crap we currently serve up on a pitch. His comments are harsh because they are true. it's understandable if you get annoyed at his comments because you yourself will be annoyed with how the game is going. If your the type to clap along constantly and only ever think encouragement works to fix things then I can also see why. However, It doesn't always work like that and when things are clearly a piece of crap I want people to tell me they are, not sugar coat it.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Eyup, I'm assuming from your username that you are in North Yorks. How do you pick up the commentaries? Im on the West Yorks/North Yorks border and cannot get a signal for Radio Sheffield, and on the web the live commentaries are blocked "for contractual reasons"

We're in Harrogate. In the old days I used to sit in the car in the drive and listen to games, as I could just about pick up Radio Sheffield there. Now I've got Bladeplayer, but LS26 I think it was gave me a link to another site that does commentary. pm him

 

[Erad]

KE's opinions aren't often 'wrong', but the way he goes on and on about one thing for 90 minutes is pathetic.

I don't think he knows much about modern football, I don't think he even likes it. He's a blades fan but not a football fan. He admitted on air yesterday that he doesn't watch premier league football. For someone working in punditry, how can you not take an interest in the thing you are supposed to 'expertly summarise'. The only football he appears to watch is blades games and his opinions and analysis seem to be entirely based on his experience as a player many years ago.

This is why I think his punditry is so shallow and completely lacking in in-depth analysis. There's no comments on the oppositions players, tactics, style of play etc, there's absolutely no insight that you would expect from an 'expert summariser'. Frankly RS might add well stick a microphone on a random fan in the stand each game.

Time for a change Radio Sheffield...

 

[Worksop II]

Time for a change Radio Sheffield...

Radical I know ..... give Nigel Clough a go .......................

 

[Grecian2000]

Oh and then he tells us he's not seen a thing of us pre-season... well that explains it then doesn't it Keith?

Explains what exactly? That pre-season, none competitive games, are a complete waste of time when judging what the season holds? You gain fitness, work on a few moves but it is no reflection in what happens when everyone is "going for it". Whatever had gone before, the only thing that matters in the first 10 minutes is how you're playing NOW! Setting up wrongly and conceding early, that's all that needs explaining.

I always find this mauling of Edwards quite funny. It usually comes after we've been beaten as some people seem very uncomfortable being told we're not very good. Fuck knows why. We are what we are, Keith Edwards complaining/eulogising isn't going to change diddly squat.
Just need to give Morecambe a good thrashing to liven it up.

 

[SB_90]

i always enjoy keith edwards punditing, i feel he has high standards & is more like a fan than professional so that when like us he can see obvious problems wrong with the defence same mistakes happen he does get frustrated which is a problem for radio sheffield, because i remember carlisle away under weir where he came very close to swearing/letting rip

but id rather someone spoke the mind than saying everything is brilliant

 

[Guesty]

People complaining that Edwards was tearing into the team at just 1-0 down didn't see what we saw. I genuinely don't think we strung three passes together before their goal. I'm not even sure we managed three consecutive touches. The restarts were ill-thought out at best and panicky at worst (Long chipping the ball over Freeman's head with a GK at 1-0 down, for instance). The team didn't have a clue in possession, never mind the set pieces.

It wasn't just the opening goal that was wrong with the first ten minutes. And yes, it really was that bad (albeit only day one!).

 

[Dnblade]

I listened to RS while at work...it's a hard listen as Keith is commenting on every single play,to the extent the commentator hardly gets a word in.I think it would be better to have mainly commentary and just the occasional insight from Keith...maybe 2 or 3 times each half,then pre and post match...How many times do we need to hear tat you score goals by getting across the defender,or why the winger should have gone on the outside...it's one thing to mention it,but Keith's now going on a rant every couple of minutes,and makes you feel that we are several fathoms below shit and will never score a goal ...just gives off a negative vibe about the whole thing.
I'm not saying he's not calling it right...he's just got to much input.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Listened to the game tonight just to see, ok hear, what he was like:

Pros (including fair comments)

• Lack of movement up front
• We're still not up to speed
• Front players not working together yet
• Accepted that when Morecambe broke near the end and could've scored - it was because we were attacking - and those are the chances you take especially in the cup where a result in normal time either way is useful

Cons

• Advocated (to my ears at least) hoofing it up front at least twice
• "Football hasn't changed since I played it."
• Didn't know who James Wallace was - that lad from Ilkeston
• Advocated "forget[ting] about defence"

Over all

Not unlistenable, like he was last time I tried. Some decent insights but, for me, generally far too negative and stuck in the past.

(Also as an aside I got the sense just from the number of chances that we were all over Morecambe in the second half and if so we didn't get enough credit for that.)

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

KE's opinions aren't often 'wrong', but the way he goes on and on about one thing for 90 minutes is pathetic.

I don't think he knows much about modern football, I don't think he even likes it. He's a blades fan but not a football fan. He admitted on air yesterday that he doesn't watch premier league football. For someone working in punditry, how can you not take an interest in the thing you are supposed to 'expertly summarise'. The only football he appears to watch is blades games and his opinions and analysis seem to be entirely based on his experience as a player many years ago.

This is why I think his punditry is so shallow and completely lacking in in-depth analysis. There's no comments on the oppositions players, tactics, style of play etc, there's absolutely no insight that you would expect from an 'expert summariser'. Frankly RS might add well stick a microphone on a random fan in the stand each game.

Time for a change Radio Sheffield...

I dont like watching premiership football , i only like watching United . Nothing wrong with that.

At least KE doesn't sit on the fence , and ok , he may well overeact , but its local radio . Dont hear him much , but at least he starts a debate , so he must be doing something , right , and / or , wrong.

UTB

 

[metalblade]

We need this bloke as a pundit ...............

 

[Erad]

I dont like watching premiership football , i only like watching United . Nothing wrong with that.

At least KE doesn't sit on the fence , and ok , he may well overeact , but its local radio . Dont hear him much , but at least he starts a debate , so he must be doing something , right , and / or , wrong.

UTB

You would expect that an expert summariser in any sport or anything else would watch and take an interest in the subject in question.
Obviously there is absolutely nothing wrong with you not watching prem football, but KE not watching any football apart from blades games is like Nick Robinson (before he left his political correspondent role) saying that he doesn't watch prime minister's questions and only watches party political broadcasts from the green party!

 

[Angef1Blade]

Yes he was mate, and he said that the entire back four, plus the keeper, needed moving on. He said McEveley was not good enough last season and should never have been in the starting line up this season. He blasted Collins for trying to pin the blame on George Long for everything. He blasted the back four standing like statues when set pieces led to goals.

To be honest, if you think any of the above was wrong, I'd love to hear it. I wasn't at the match but everything I have read on here today, from people who attended, seems to back up what Edwards said.

I was there & from what I've heard & read of his comments during the game, he wasn't far off the mark, if a tad harsh at times

 

[Dkc]

Eyup, I'm assuming from your username that you are in North Yorks. How do you pick up the commentaries? Im on the West Yorks/North Yorks border and cannot get a signal for Radio Sheffield, and on the web the live commentaries are blocked "for contractual reasons"

Comms are always re-broadcast by someone, links aren't posted on here but always posted on that forum that people keep abandoning

 

[Dkc]

He's a blades fan but not a football fan. He admitted on air yesterday that he doesn't watch premier league football. .

I'm the same (though not a pundit). Can't sit through a PL game, but love watching the Blades. In fact, I have pretty much zero interest in watching other teams play. I'll watch England, and occasionally see a live non-Blades game at a stadium, but almost never watch other live games on TV.

 

[Bartleby]

Comms are always re-broadcast by someone, links aren't posted on here but always posted on that forum that people keep abandoning

yeah cheers mate, actually someone kindly sent me a link to an IRC style broadcast so I heard the second half, complete with backround belches and somebody's missus (or mum?) calling him, worked a treat

 

[SandyMcBlade]

People complain about the affect negative post have on peoples perception of the team,for me Edwards is a bigger downer than all the boards put together..
He turns any poor piece of play or slow patch in the match (and every team has them), into a disaster by his constant negativity which has to have an affect anyone listening .
You only have to hear the non attending experts who phone into Football.Heaven to see the affect he has and that's just the tip of the Iceberg.
No, having Keith as the PERMANENT expert summarizer does the Blades no favors at all...

 

[Rodders]

People complain about the affect negative post have on peoples perception of the team,for me Edwards is a bigger downer than all the boards put together..
He turns any poor piece of play or slow patch in the match (and every team has them), into a disaster by his constant negativity which has to have an affect anyone listening .
You only have to hear the non attending experts who phone into Football.Heaven to see the affect he has and that's just the tip of the Iceberg.
No, having Keith as the PERMANENT expert summarizer does the Blades no favors at all...

Of all the things wrong with SUFC at the moment, a bloke off the radio being a bit grumpy watching our superstars do their thing is about 7492637291926 on the list.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Radical I know ..... give Nigel Clough a go .......................

Nah - he's on a far more lucrative circuit than Radio Sheffield while he waits for his compo to come through

https://secure.pitchero.com/clubs/radfordfc/news/nigel-clough-speakers-night-1466456.html

 

[SandyMcBlade]

That depends on who's and which list your looking at surely Rodders ?

 

[Fulwood Blade]

He tells it how he sees it. I see it very differently. Others do too.

and some see as Edwards does. We are average and that is what Edwards sees because it hurts and we actually deserve more than average and the average keeps going on and on and on.............just like it is now - we are nothing more than average - again.
I wish Adkins all the best in taking what we have and making it better -he has probably realised by now what a tough job he and his management team have.

UTB

 

[Northyorksblade]

Last night I only swore at the computer half a dozen times, so he was marginally more positive. I like the commentator who did the game last night - he commentates. Kept getting interrupted by KE and when KE was talking tried to get back to telling us what was going on on the pitch. He sounded quite frustrated at times. KE sounded as if he'd rather be anywhere else rather than at the game. He was positive about the start of the second half. And very pleased when Collins scored, so he didn't have to suffer extra time. Mind you so was I!!!

 

[Worksop II]

he has probably realised by now what a tough job he and his management team have.

I am sure when he looks at his Payslip he still smiles

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Last night I only swore at the computer half a dozen times, so he was marginally more positive. I like the commentator who did the game last night - he commentates. Kept getting interrupted by KE and when KE was talking tried to get back to telling us what was going on on the pitch. He sounded quite frustrated at times. KE sounded as if he'd rather be anywhere else rather than at the game. He was positive about the start of the second half. And very pleased when Collins scored, so he didn't have to suffer extra time. Mind you so was I!!!

The kid from Humberside who was commenting is in my opinion the best of the Radio Sheffield lot NYB, like you say he does what what he's paid to do commentate.

 

[bladesmanluke]

The guy who commentated last night, Jonathan Buchan is getting better and better. He's also a great journalist and asks more forward questions in interviews than the rest of them. Keep it up!

 

[BushBlade]

I am sure when he looks at his Payslip he still smiles

Providing you earn enough to live comfortably, the benefits of having more are far outweighed by job satisfaction. A big salary is scant consolation for being miserable all the time.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I agree with those that say Edwards’ analysis lacks expertise and depth. I’m glad he never got the manager’s job. His ideas about football are extremely outdated (defenders just defend, attackers just attack etc). Also, like a lot of fans, he can be very fickle about how he wants the game played. Under Warnock and Blackwell he used to bang on about the importance of keeping good possession all the damn time (and also had a bizarre hatred of Peter Ndlovu) and be critical if we went direct. These days, he complains that we play it about in defence too much and need to launch it up to the strikers and try to play off them. A lot of fans do it but you’d expect better from an “expert summarizer”.

All that being said, I like Keith. I like his passion and his humour. When he’s not co-commentating (let’s face it, he doesn’t really analyse), I kind of miss him. When he had his op last season, I though Kevin Gage was the best of the replacements. He was very constructive and positive but also offered a lot of good analysis of how the game was developing. David Holdsworth was also entertaining for his one-liners and funny analogies. (“he’s gone to Sainsbury’s for a chicken”). But I liked having Keith back. It just doesn’t feel like a blades commentary without him. Winning away at Brisol last season with Gage waxing lyrical about how great we were was just bizarre and a real shock to the system!

I agree that Jonathan Buchan is the best of the RS guys. Certainly when presenting the phone ins. He facilitates discussion rather than just shouting down those callers with different views (like Walker and previously Bennett). I do think Walker and Giddings are good commentators though.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I am sure when he looks at his Payslip he still smiles

Indeed - if Adkins gets us out of this shit, this season and gets us promotion then he will have earned every penny.

I genuinely wish him all the best - I like his comments last night that he wants us to move the ball much quicker - have been wanting this for 5 seasons.
We are just too slow and pedestrian and by the time the ball (Clough style) went across the back four, with each taking a touch to stop and then move it on - every single team had got everyone back into their defensive formation.

UTB