First post, few thoughts

[blades_95]

Saturday was my first league game since Preston at home in January when we won 2-1 because of uni. Came home a lot last year but what I've seen this season has been completely uninspiring, so don't see the point in traipsing back every week to watch that rubbish.

A few points:

- Went to away games at Fleetwood and Port Vale over Christmas, got 1 point from them. We spent well in January and Clough finally got Brayford and now has Done and Davies to improve the front line. Still, Saturday's performance was no different to those 2 nearly 3 months ago - no urgency, negative, dull and a lack of style. The atmosphere was also noticeably different to those away games, you can just tell the fans don't believe anymore and the season's just slipping away. Then the players looked shocked at the end when the fans gave them some deserved stick, has Clough got them living in some comfortable bubble? Because it was certainly not good enough.

- Since when did we start playing without a right bloody winger? Davies looks a decent striker but what's the point in having a big man when we don't get a single cross into him ? Same problem as with Higdon, not playing to his strengths. Playing with one winger is why we get no crosses in, and why when teams double up on Murphy they stifle us - we've got no other outlets in the team (Why send JCR out on loan too?). On Saturday Coutts and Done dropped wide every so often but Freeman was on his own basically all game, basic things Clough's making a meal of.

- Can't help but feel sorry for the people who've put up with this all season. I think another, more positive manager could get this team firing. Brayford and Harris bombing on are 2 of the best full backs in the league. Murphy, JCR, Adams, Davies, McNulty, Higdon, Done, Baxter, Scougall, Cuvelier - there's a lot of good attacking players at the club who've proved themselves elsewhere, but there's no encouragement for them to express themselves. Everything we do is backwards/sideways, slow passing then an aimless lump to nobody. Draining to watch.

- Also never seen a team be so comfortable for 90 minutes in terms of possession, yet only have 2/3 half chances and could easily have conceded 4

- If this has been the pattern for the games I've missed too then I'm surprised Clough has been afforded this patience, something needs to change cos we ain't going up in the play-offs playing like this, and based on Saturday I'm doubtful whether we'll even make them.

UTB

 

[dingledog]

Welcome to the discussions on 'the blades way'.

 

[Kenilworth]

Saturday was my first league game since Preston at home in January when we won 2-1 because of uni. Came home a lot last year but what I've seen this season has been completely uninspiring, so don't see the point in traipsing back every week to watch that rubbish.

A few points:

- Went to away games at Fleetwood and Port Vale over Christmas, got 1 point from them. We spent well in January and Clough finally got Brayford and now has Done and Davies to improve the front line. Still, Saturday's performance was no different to those 2 nearly 3 months ago - no urgency, negative, dull and a lack of style. The atmosphere was also noticeably different to those away games, you can just tell the fans don't believe anymore and the season's just slipping away. Then the players looked shocked at the end when the fans gave them some deserved stick, has Clough got them living in some comfortable bubble? Because it was certainly not good enough.

- Since when did we start playing without a right bloody winger? Davies looks a decent striker but what's the point in having a big man when we don't get a single cross into him ? Same problem as with Higdon, not playing to his strengths. Playing with one winger is why we get no crosses in, and why when teams double up on Murphy they stifle us - we've got no other outlets in the team (Why send JCR out on loan too?). On Saturday Coutts and Done dropped wide every so often but Freeman was on his own basically all game, basic things Clough's making a meal of.

- Can't help but feel sorry for the people who've put up with this all season. I think another, more positive manager could get this team firing. Brayford and Harris bombing on are 2 of the best full backs in the league. Murphy, JCR, Adams, Davies, McNulty, Higdon, Done, Baxter, Scougall, Cuvelier - there's a lot of good attacking players at the club who've proved themselves elsewhere, but there's no encouragement for them to express themselves. Everything we do is backwards/sideways, slow passing then an aimless lump to nobody. Draining to watch.

- Also never seen a team be so comfortable for 90 minutes in terms of possession, yet only have 2/3 half chances and could easily have conceded 4

- If this has been the pattern for the games I've missed too then I'm surprised Clough has been afforded this patience, something needs to change cos we ain't going up in the play-offs playing like this, and based on Saturday I'm doubtful whether we'll even make them.

UTB

Welcome and have your first "like" young feller.

 

[Blade56]

you can just tell the fans don't believe anymore

That sums up my feelings young man, horrible feeling but take a Like, good first post.

 

[Lane Ender]

The Peterbrough and Fleetwood games ended what faith I had in Clough.

Most Blades I know have thrown the towel even through the play offs.
I believe confidence is low and I reckon he's lost the dressing room.
I honestly wasn't that keen with his appointment but obviously wanted him to succeed.
Anybody on here that says we are progressing are deluded.
To completely ignore the central defensive problems is bad enough but he brings in three players nobody wants Freeman, Coutts and Holt and ships our only genuine wide player to Notts.
Sorry lads but we've got another season in L1.

 

[bartman]

The Peterbrough and Fleetwood games ended what faith I had in Clough.

Most Blades I know have thrown the towel even through the play offs.
I believe confidence is low and I reckon he's lost the dressing room.
I honestly wasn't that keen with his appointment but obviously wanted him to succeed.
Anybody on here that says we are progressing are deluded.
To completely ignore the central defensive problems is bad enough but he brings in three players nobody wants Freeman, Coutts and Holt and ships our only genuine wide player to Notts.
Sorry lads but we've got another season in L1.

And some fans moan that Nigel is negative. Pot-kettle-black ?

 

[Lane Ender]

And some fans moan that Nigel is negative. Pot-kettle-black ?

I still await the manager to take us back to the promised land.
Clough is not that man

 

[mark hones]

The Peterbrough and Fleetwood games ended what faith I had in Clough.

Most Blades I know have thrown the towel even through the play offs.
I believe confidence is low and I reckon he's lost the dressing room.
I honestly wasn't that keen with his appointment but obviously wanted him to succeed.
Anybody on here that says we are progressing are deluded.
To completely ignore the central defensive problems is bad enough but he brings in three players nobody wants Freeman, Coutts and Holt and ships our only genuine wide player to Notts.
Sorry lads but we've got another season in L1.

Still don't get why confidence should be low. Must be a real set of pampered little shits if they can't raise their game at this stage of the season in the position we're in. It's ours to lose, and if we do indeed miss out then the players and management deserve all the shit that heads their way.

FFS this shower needs to show some fight and stop sulking, more like a bunch of squealing pigs than Blades.

 

[Dkc]

Most Blades I know have thrown the towel even through the play offs.
I believe confidence is low and I reckon he's lost the dressing room.
.

Most Blades I know haven't "thrown in the towel". Automatic may be out of the window but the Play Offs are still there to be won.

And there's no evidence at all that Clough has "lost the dressing room" - unless you know something that we don't. If you do please let us know.

 

[Bladesway]

The Peterbrough and Fleetwood games ended what faith I had in Clough.

Most Blades I know have thrown the towel even through the play offs.
I believe confidence is low and I reckon he's lost the dressing room.
I honestly wasn't that keen with his appointment but obviously wanted him to succeed.
Anybody on here that says we are progressing are deluded.
To completely ignore the central defensive problems is bad enough but he brings in three players nobody wants Freeman, Coutts and Holt and ships our only genuine wide player to Notts.
Sorry lads but we've got another season in L1.

Oh well, best give up then. Better we don't bother trying and stew in our own shit than give it a go and get in the play offs eh?

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Never mind all the negativity, just getting ready for work and I just love that feeling when you wake up in the morning of a match, that sense of anticipation, excitement, nerves and pride. I am hoping for the best, prepared for the worst. Love being a Blade.

Any comparisons with the emotions of waking up the day after a disappointing match unwelcome, just yet.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

- Went to away games at Fleetwood and Port Vale over Christmas, got 1 point from them. We spent well in January and Clough finally got Brayford and now has Done and Davies to improve the front line. Still, Saturday's performance was no different to those 2 nearly 3 months ago - no urgency, negative, dull and a lack of style. The atmosphere was also noticeably different to those away games, you can just tell the fans don't believe anymore and the season's just slipping away. Then the players looked shocked at the end when the fans gave them some deserved stick, has Clough got them living in some comfortable bubble? Because it was certainly not good enough.

Strongly disagree with this - and pretty much all of the rest of the post. As I've pointed out any number of times we created at least 5 or 6 decent chances. Any one of which could have resulted in a goal.

The players looked well up for it, and I agree with Clough that the first half was as good as we've played - then our frailties were exposed.

The stick was emphatically not deserved and I would have welcomed the opportunity to applaud the players for their efforts who I thought had done everything apart from put the ball in the net - instead they were abused.

Are they living in a comfortable bubble? No. I find it absurd to even suggest this.

There is plenty of support for this view of the team as negative. I'm just posting here and elsewhere to point out that I for one strongly disagree with this.

I really like the direction the club is going.

If we don't kick on next year then it may be time for a reassessment but whatever his faults Clough and the players deserve far far better than they got from some vocal elements last Saturday.

UTB

 

[Lane Ender]

Still don't get why confidence should be low. Must be a real set of pampered little shits if they can't raise their game at this stage of the season in the position we're in. It's ours to lose, and if we do indeed miss out then the players and management deserve all the shit that heads their way.

FFS this shower needs to show some fight and stop sulking, more like a bunch of squealing pigs than Blades.

If. The players show fight and desire you never know it might rub off on us

 

[Lane Ender]

Oh well, best give up then. Better we don't bother trying and stew in our own shit than give it a go and get in the play offs eh?

I've tried all season to be positive
To be honest I'm looking forward to the summer and not just for weather
Sorry for being such a miserable fucker it's just the way I feel about things at the moment

 

[Lane Ender]

Most Blades I know haven't "thrown in the towel". Automatic may be out of the window but the Play Offs are still there to be won.

And there's no evidence at all that Clough has "lost the dressing room" - unless you know something that we don't. If you do please let us know.

Most of our crew have thrown in the towel.
But if they show some bottle that could change
Hope it does

 

[Small Mendonca]

I really like the direction the club is going.

You must really love League One

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

The word of the season for me is 'frustration'. At times we've looked good but then as soon as we look like we've got things going we hit another bad patch and it's back to square one.

I am getting a bit pissed off with Clough's 'where were we after Crewe last season' defence and now it seems that our target is to stay in the play-offs.3 months or so ago we were 3 points off 2nd and despite bringing in the likes of Brayford, we seem to be going backwards again. It's OK saying we've not had the rub of the green in certain games, we're getting close and it's a thin line between winning and losing but we're playing Fleetwood at home, relegation threatened Crawley etc etc.

Regardless of the loss of certain players for various reasons (and I have a certain amount of sympathy for Clough there), we have under-performed this season with the players he's had at his disposal and the lack of consistency is the biggest worry going forward. If we could see a steady improvement as we did in the final 3rd of last season then I think the fans would still be reasonably content but as I say, it's 1 step forward, 2 steps back and that's the frustrating, and worrying thing.

 

[Deano's Shorts]

I understand all the concerns and frustrations, but still think we'll show the mettle to secure our position in the playoffs, scrape through to Wembley and then fuck it up.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

I understand all the concerns and frustrations, but still think we'll show the mettle to secure our position in the playoffs, scrape through to Wembley and then fuck it up.

Agree with the very last point but for me, it could come before the 'play offs' - unfortunately.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I understand all the concerns and frustrations, but still think we'll show the mettle to secure our position in the playoffs, scrape through to Wembley and then fuck it up.

The only plus point on that front is that you need to be on a roll in the 5 or 6 games prior to the play-offs not necessarily now as per Peterborough and Barnsley.

 

[ghandi]

Most Blades I know haven't "thrown in the towel". Automatic may be out of the window but the Play Offs are still there to be won.

And there's no evidence at all that Clough has "lost the dressing room" - unless you know something that we don't. If you do please let us know.

Well if he hasn't lost the dressing room someone has because I was walking by the Cricketers earlier today and there was a load of showers, wall pegs, toilets and wooden benches with SUFC logos lying about, pretty obvious that they had fell out of someone's pocket who works at the Lane.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Never mind all the negativity, just getting ready for work and I just love that feeling when you wake up in the morning of a match, that sense of anticipation, excitement, nerves and pride. I am hoping for the best, prepared for the worst. Love being a Blade.

Any comparisons with the emotions of waking up the day after a disappointing match unwelcome, just yet.

yep, me too. It's another day when the R&W Wizards play and as usual I hope we win.
Not going so will listen on Radio Sheffield.
Hope he doesn't play 4-4-2, but that's just a personal thing.

P'boro/Fleetwood/Scunny - all gone, results will be the same for ever, can't change the past - we move on.

UTB

 

[grafikhaus]

Still don't get why confidence should be low. Must be a real set of pampered little shits if they can't raise their game at this stage of the season in the position we're in.

I think you'll find that any half-decent pub manager accepts that motivating players is the least of his duties.

 

[Lane Ender]

I think you'll find that any half-decent pub manager accepts that motivating players is the least of his duties.

You are spot on there fella the only motivation they should need is putting the red and white shirt on.

 

[CG Blade]

Strongly disagree with this - and pretty much all of the rest of the post. As I've pointed out any number of times we created at least 5 or 6 decent chances. Any one of which could have resulted in a goal.

The players looked well up for it, and I agree with Clough that the first half was as good as we've played - then our frailties were exposed.

The stick was emphatically not deserved and I would have welcomed the opportunity to applaud the players for their efforts who I thought had done everything apart from put the ball in the net - instead they were abused.

Are they living in a comfortable bubble? No. I find it absurd to even suggest this.

There is plenty of support for this view of the team as negative. I'm just posting here and elsewhere to point out that I for one strongly disagree with this.

I really like the direction the club is going.

If we don't kick on next year then it may be time for a reassessment but whatever his faults Clough and the players deserve far far better than they got from some vocal elements last Saturday.

UTB

Are you talking about the Scunthorpe game, because I am buggered if I remenber 5 or 6 chances in the entire 90 minutes. Rose tinted and all that.... Lots of posesion, but no end product.

 

[blades_95]

Strongly disagree with this - and pretty much all of the rest of the post. As I've pointed out any number of times we created at least 5 or 6 decent chances. Any one of which could have resulted in a goal.

The players looked well up for it, and I agree with Clough that the first half was as good as we've played - then our frailties were exposed.

The stick was emphatically not deserved and I would have welcomed the opportunity to applaud the players for their efforts who I thought had done everything apart from put the ball in the net - instead they were abused.

Are they living in a comfortable bubble? No. I find it absurd to even suggest this.

There is plenty of support for this view of the team as negative. I'm just posting here and elsewhere to point out that I for one strongly disagree with this.

I really like the direction the club is going.

If we don't kick on next year then it may be time for a reassessment but whatever his faults Clough and the players deserve far far better than they got from some vocal elements last Saturday.

UTB

Respect we see games differently mate, but if that's 'as good as we've played' then we really are buggered. Lots of possession, no end product.

Watched the highlights back too, had no guilt edged chances aside from Davies's header which was offside anyway, whereas Scunny had 3 or 4 that they should have buried (not to mention Turner's howler).

The lack of a right winger makes us criminally unbalanced, it seemed like Clough just wanted to shoehorn Done and Davies into the team by playing two up top, but there was no way that was a 4-4-2.

Football should be about entertainment, unfortunately it's not anymore as even the country's best side in Chelsea are boring to watch. But when there's no entertainment and we're not even getting the results, it's difficult to back the manager. When Blackwell was in charge everyone wanted a change despite us never finishing outside the top 8 of the championship - now the football's just as bad and we're clinging on to the play offs in League 1.

UTB

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Any comparisons with the emotions of waking up the day after a disappointing match unwelcome, just yet.

And even more unwelcome this morning.