Fulham 3 United 0 - view from the sofa

[PaulHalfway]

We have had a fantastic 18 months, now up against teams with massive budgets, PL relegation payments and owners prepared to put millions into their clubs, we are not in this ball park park and if the investment is not there from our owners we have to progress at a more patient, realistic rate. As previously stated if we cannot afford to pay a centre forward £30k a week then so be it, we have to build slowly and identify players in the UK or abroad who are younger have pace and more ability to improve on the current squad. This cannot be done over night and has to be a planned approach over a number of years, as we also don't want to destroy what has been built up over the last two years. Looks like we will miss out on the playoffs this season, so should now be planning for next season, who can we identify who can improve us next year, take us to a higher level.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

In my view, a fair report DB. We didn’t lay a glove on them all night. Other than a 30 min period overlapping the halves, I don’t think that they got out of 2nd gear. As good as they looked, they were happy at 3-0, and didn’t really go at us 2nd half. Sessegnon possibly wasn’t 100% fit.

Ricky Holmes will never be a championship level footballer as long as I have a hole in my arse. If he never plays for us again, he’ll have played too much for us.

He has played combined about two games for us, what a ridiculous thing to say!

 

[8lade]

Scores are overly harsh for example I don't think anybody in defence or midfield played particularly badly and could easily have scored between 6 and 8 but with the Fulham lads scoring between 8 and 10 it would make us look poor. Who knows just one lad in their who could take the pressure off could've made all the scores alter.

 

[Woodwardfan]

It's credit to our manager that Deadbat and everyone are comparing us with long-established Championship front runners whose plans and team-building have come to fruition.

As the manager says "Rather in London last night than 6 years in L1"

Wilder is building.For years in the Championship Fulham have been also -rans and have come good eventually. So will he and us come good too.

Realism has to tell anybody we are doing fine for the stage we are at.

 

[super_pig]

In my view, a fair report DB. We didn’t lay a glove on them all night. Other than a 30 min period overlapping the halves, I don’t think that they got out of 2nd gear. As good as they looked, they were happy at 3-0, and didn’t really go at us 2nd half. Sessegnon possibly wasn’t 100% fit.

Ricky Holmes will never be a championship level footballer as long as I have a hole in my arse. If he never plays for us again, he’ll have played too much for us.

i'm bookmarking that!

 

[Woodwardfan]

In my view, a fair report DB. We didn’t lay a glove on them all night. Other than a 30 min period overlapping the halves, I don’t think that they got out of 2nd gear. As good as they looked, they were happy at 3-0, and didn’t really go at us 2nd half. Sessegnon possibly wasn’t 100% fit.

Ricky Holmes will never be a championship level footballer as long as I have a hole in my arse. If he never plays for us again, he’ll have played too much for us.

How many times have you seen Holmes play? Maybe 60 less than Wilder. Fans favourite at Charlton too. No hoper? I trust Wilder's judgment.

 

[cooperblade]

Not sure there was 2 marks between our strikers. Donaldson won quite a few free-kicks. Agree that they both deserve fairly low marks though, for the two misses as much as anything else.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Possibly undercooking it CB, when the dust settles we should be looking at 10 players in/out. Even moving out players we brought in in the. It might be that Reading may represent our zenith this season. What is vital is knowing the timescale for the resolution of the KM/Prince situation. If it isn’t resolvable before the TW next year, we’ve got problems.

So negative, unnecessarily negative. Man up! 10 new players indeed. Let's discuss strategy seriously away from the emotion of a 3-0 defeat.

The ownership will take its course. In any case I cannot imagine investment will reduce. Wilder is building and it's not a 2 year project,much as we would like it to be.

 

[grafikhaus]

United – Discussed most of it above but now down to 9th and taken three pastings at Wolves, Cardiff and Fulham. We have not been close to these three in these games – granted we did well v Wolves at the Lane. We may still have a chance of the playoffs and Saturday is a big game but we are not putting a run together at all – it is win one, lose one, or win two, lose two and has been like that since Xmas really. We have lost 4 out of 7. We are putting in mid table type performances and getting mid table type results. Most of the top teams are winning and the top 4 have pulled away now.

Can't agree with the 'pastings' Db. 3-0 (Wolves and now Fulham and 2-0 at Cardiff) are not pastings. (Now, 4-0 thirty-nine years ago and stilll being crowed about in Southey Green, is a pasting...) Despite our great start this season and spending one game at the top of the table, we're still finding our feet and the players and CW deserve great credit. So we haven't got the funds to keep up with some other teams? That's football. That's life. Manchester United and Liverpool are excellent teams but can't keep up with Man. City. We're approaching mid March and we've just had a 'double' done over us for the first time this season. For the first time in many years, we haven't flogged our better players.

Thanks as always for these, grafikhaus.

On Wednesday, I'm pretty confident that they will be able to lose every remaining game and still stay up. They're having an absolute shocker yet there's somehow still 7 teams worse than them. They're on 37 points now (7 points clear) - I find it really hard to believe that any team goes down with more than 40 points this year.

And at our end of the table, teams keep winning. Der, that's why teams are at the top and others (Wednesday) are at the bottom. Fulham are enjoying being 'playground bullies' at the moment. Just like Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield were last season. We (and the Newcastle fans) will still be here next season, the others won't.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Thanks for the report as ever Deadbat .

Those of you criticising the report should maybe write your own instead. I love these reports, I don't always agree on everything but they are a darn sight better than the ones you get from the press.

Thankfully I was out drinking beer and didn't see the game, I even read the report through my fingers!

With regard to our current position, it's interesting. I would have snapped anyone's hand off at the start of the season for 9th and already safe now. I think we were allowed to dream when we were in the top two and generally playing really well. A combination of things has contributed to us falling away, the most obvious being the unfortunate injury to Coutts. I don't necessarily agree that were simply not good enough or can't live with some of the richer clubs. We outplayed Derby at our place against a team full of internationals and recent Premier League players and if we play as well as we can do, I believe we'll give anyone a game. It's just that we've been unable to sustain that level of performance for whatever reasons - could be a bit of fatigue over a long season, injury niggles and knocks.... who knows. If we'd been poor and struggling in the first half of the season and then hit form later and we were 9th, then I reckon we'd all be delighted.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Fulham were excellent and would have lots of 8s and 9s. However, when our players have nearly to a man been outplayed by respective opponent not sure they are going to get more than say 5/10 average. The midfield 3 barely had a kick for much of the game. O'Connell, Stearman and Stevens given a torrid game and front two poor but missed chances. I am not having a go at our players; they cannot help fact opponenents are much better but cannot say anyone played well. In the return fixture a few such as Fleck and Clarke were excellent and gave them problems.

A total of 54 for the Blades and something approaching, say, 95 for Fulham is reasonable and objective then?

 

[Hilly]

Was it not Stearman who kept losing the battles with Mitrovic when he got it into his feet?

 

[Wards]

Was it not Stearman who kept losing the battles with Mitrovic when he got it into his feet?

Pretty much, although he bullied all three of them to an extent.

 

[Greystones Blade]

It's all about consistency. Consistently good players play in the Premier league or near to - like Fulham, Wolves and Cardiff. Inconsistently good players are playing in and stay in the Championship or the lower reaches of the Premier league. Look at Deadbats ratings over the season - how many are 7,8,9s every week? None.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Thanks for the report as ever Deadbat .

Those of you criticising the report should maybe write your own instead. I love these reports, I don't always agree on everything but they are a darn sight better than the ones you get from the press.

Thankfully I was out drinking beer and didn't see the game, I even read the report through my fingers!

With regard to our current position, it's interesting. I would have snapped anyone's hand off at the start of the season for 9th and already safe now. I think we were allowed to dream when we were in the top two and generally playing really well. A combination of things has contributed to us falling away, the most obvious being the unfortunate injury to Coutts. I don't necessarily agree that were simply not good enough or can't live with some of the richer clubs. We outplayed Derby at our place against a team full of internationals and recent Premier League players and if we play as well as we can do, I believe we'll give anyone a game. It's just that we've been unable to sustain that level of performance for whatever reasons - could be a bit of fatigue over a long season, injury niggles and knocks.... who knows. If we'd been poor and struggling in the first half of the season and then hit form later and we were 9th, then I reckon we'd all be delighted.

Good post.Agree with every word especially re Deadbat's quality reports. Actually I don't think the report is getting much reaction, it's more the context and the pessimism that's harsh indeed.

 

[RealMcCoy]

Really good point. I do fear next season will be tougher. We have to give Wilder chance to add 3 or 4 quality players to supplant likes of O'Connell, Baldock, Fleck, Coutts, Duffy, Brooks. If we do not then it will be very hard for us to get as close as we have this year as we wont have the same kind of start

Surely you mean “supplement”

 

[SB_90]

disappointed to lose that way yes. because no likes to be outclassed & is depressing to listen too.. but I realise you also have to be realistic. that at leeds I mention had 8 game spell until the next international break & we could easily win 7 of them, but lose remaining 1 to Fulham. because going away to the team currently 4pts clear of aston villa at the top of calendar yr table was going huge test. with good players like mitrovic sessesgon & cairney. that's why I feel we weren't poor take our chances at 0-0 & 1-0 its a different game but fulham were that good. Mitrovic is 1st choice at world cup

this squad aims were survival maybe midtable, not play offs so we are overachieving, beat burton we go joint 6th on GD, so to still be in contention amongst these rivals is testament to how successful we've been this season. but If this happened 2yrs time then every right to be annoyed. Because next season we need investment to improve this squad but we got to remember that we are 7 months in,

 

[Booker4]

I get that Stevens was done over by Ojo last night and having just watched the extended highlights I don't see how Stevens could have done any better. His positional sense is good and lets bear in mind that Ojo knows what he's going to do and then Stevens has to react after, with Stevens having less pace. Yes as a full back you stop them from cutting inside and Ojo did go on the outside and just did Stevens for pace, Stevens cost us nothing and hasn't looked out of pace. I don't see how our fans expect Stevens to do any better against very good players like Ojo.

Stevens has had a decent first season, created a few with assists and hasn't looked out of place overall. There's no disgrace in everyone being under par last night because Fulham made us look under par. As Wilder says we take our medicine and go onto games which we can win like Ipswich.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

So negative, unnecessarily negative. Man up! 10 new players indeed. Let's discuss strategy seriously away from the emotion of a 3-0 defeat.

The ownership will take its course. In any case I cannot imagine investment will reduce. Wilder is building and it's not a 2 year project,much as we would like it to be.

As a matter of interest WWF, did you go last night? I did. As I have done for 90% of the games this season, and my opinion is my reality & my view based upon what I witness first hand. Not sugar coated, not said to get a reaction, my honest appraisal.

The 10 players, is based on the following: Blackman, Long, Reed, Wilson, Wright, Donaldson, Lafferty, Carruthers, Thomas, Lavery, Ched Evans, Hussey & Hanson. That's not being controversial, that's being honest. You could probably add of couple more to be contrary/provoke a debate. We have serious problems coming our way and they need to be addressed. The strike force needs a radical overhaul, we have overloaded ourselves with fairly similar stodgy central midfielders and lack pace.

Strategy? As much as I respect CW, he isn't the 2nd coming of christ. The way we set up leaves obvious holes to exploit, and we don't counter it. It worries me that our back 5 couldn't work out how to stop Mitrovic & Ojo last night in the 1st half, or at least hamper their progress. It worries me that Fredericks their right back puts the cross in for their 1st Sharp is the one tracking his run on the byline. It worries me that at the speed and ease they broke from our move to their 3rd goal. It worries me that our front 2 seem to operate in isolation to the other, with very little interaction. It worries me that we continue to waste Sharp's abilities. Mitrovic & Lasogga in recent games have shown what a target man should do. Take the ball in and build play through them, linking up with pace. We play passing football to feet and don't make runs into the box nor support play. We don't put crosses in. That's what Brooks got annoyed about, we get to the edge of the box and that's it. We were summed up last night by two moments. 2nd half, nearly 15mins to go, we eventually won a free kick, 5yrds inside their half, a chance to deliver something. O'Connell knocked it square & short, 5 yrds short to fleck, who have it him back, he then knocked it 5 yrds short to Holmes, who knocked it straight back, O'Connell then knocked it short to Stearman, a similar distance, who turned and put it all the way back to Blackman. The other was again at a similar time, the ball got played to Duffy on our right wing, 20 yrds into their half, he took a touch, he looked up, the cross was on, he cruyffed it back and played it all the way back to the CB on the half way line. Simple stuff like that WWF.

I'll bet a pound to your penny that if the ownership situation is not sorted out sufficiently to allow the investment of money in the close season, CW will not be at the club much longer. He is not stupid. And if that is the case, then next season will be an eye opener for some people.

As much as I wish for more investment, part of our problem as a club is not looking after what we have. If Wolves, Fulham & Cardiff get promoted this season, that'll be 7 ex-blades and an ex manager going up, to join the ones already there. Let's not pretend that Fulham have an expensively assembled squad, they haven't. I don't know what they pay out in wages, but their success is based upon sensible acquisitions, retention of talent & the property use of the loan market. Do you honestly think that if Sessignon was a United player he'd still be playing for us? Do you think we'd be holding out for £50m?

And I stand by my comment about Holmes. If the best someone can say about him is that he was a crowd favorite at Charlton, then that says it all. He isn't good enough for the United I want. Who out of the top six teams in this division would he start for? None. Who out of the top 6 teams in the division attempted to sign him? None. A 30 yr old (31 in June) journeyman, above average League 1 at best.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

i'm bookmarking that!

I'll happily set up an 'Arsewatch', every month I'll check whether the hole in my arse is still there & if not I'll let everyone know.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

Nice report as always Deadbat.
Our season hinged on Coutts' injury as we all deep down feared/knew it would.
Before then we really did look a team that belonged near the top of the table but since then we have been lower midtable in terms of results and performances.
Real shame as next season is likely to be much tougher without proper investment in the summer and none of us could blame Wilder if he walks if and when a better offer comes along.

Your right but has any manager come to the lane and expected there to be proper investment, United just don't spend big.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

In my view, a fair report DB. We didn’t lay a glove on them all night. Other than a 30 min period overlapping the halves, I don’t think that they got out of 2nd gear. As good as they looked, they were happy at 3-0, and didn’t really go at us 2nd half. Sessegnon possibly wasn’t 100% fit.

Ricky Holmes will never be a championship level footballer as long as I have a hole in my arse. If he never plays for us again, he’ll have played too much for us.

Harsh but probably fair... The upper echelons of The Championship is suddenly very very good...I'd have to stick Chedwyn in that category too.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

As a matter of interest WWF, did you go last night? I did. As I have done for 90% of the games this season, and my opinion is my reality & my view based upon what I witness first hand. Not sugar coated, not said to get a reaction, my honest appraisal.

The 10 players, is based on the following: Blackman, Long, Reed, Wilson, Wright, Donaldson, Lafferty, Carruthers, Thomas, Lavery, Ched Evans, Hussey & Hanson. That's not being controversial, that's being honest. You could probably add of couple more to be contrary/provoke a debate. We have serious problems coming our way and they need to be addressed. The strike force needs a radical overhaul, we have overloaded ourselves with fairly similar stodgy central midfielders and lack pace.

Strategy? As much as I respect CW, he isn't the 2nd coming of christ. The way we set up leaves obvious holes to exploit, and we don't counter it. It worries me that our back 5 couldn't work out how to stop Mitrovic & Ojo last night in the 1st half, or at least hamper their progress. It worries me that Fredericks their right back puts the cross in for their 1st Sharp is the one tracking his run on the byline. It worries me that at the speed and ease they broke from our move to their 3rd goal. It worries me that our front 2 seem to operate in isolation to the other, with very little interaction. It worries me that we continue to waste Sharp's abilities. Mitrovic & Lasogga in recent games have shown what a target man should do. Take the ball in and build play through them, linking up with pace. We play passing football to feet and don't make runs into the box nor support play. We don't put crosses in. That's what Brooks got annoyed about, we get to the edge of the box and that's it. We were summed up last night by two moments. 2nd half, nearly 15mins to go, we eventually won a free kick, 5yrds inside their half, a chance to deliver something. O'Connell knocked it square & short, 5 yrds short to fleck, who have it him back, he then knocked it 5 yrds short to Holmes, who knocked it straight back, O'Connell then knocked it short to Stearman, a similar distance, who turned and put it all the way back to Blackman. The other was again at a similar time, the ball got played to Duffy on our right wing, 20 yrds into their half, he took a touch, he looked up, the cross was on, he cruyffed it back and played it all the way back to the CB on the half way line. Simple stuff like that WWF.

I'll bet a pound to your penny that if the ownership situation is not sorted out sufficiently to allow the investment of money in the close season, CW will not be at the club much longer. He is not stupid. And if that is the case, then next season will be an eye opener for some people.

As much as I wish for more investment, part of our problem as a club is not looking after what we have. If Wolves, Fulham & Cardiff get promoted this season, that'll be 7 ex-blades and an ex manager going up, to join the ones already there. Let's not pretend that Fulham have an expensively assembled squad, they haven't. I don't know what they pay out in wages, but their success is based upon sensible acquisitions, retention of talent & the property use of the loan market. Do you honestly think that if Sessignon was a United player he'd still be playing for us? Do you think we'd be holding out for £50m?

And I stand by my comment about Holmes. If the best someone can say about him is that he was a crowd favorite at Charlton, then that says it all. He isn't good enough for the United I want. Who out of the top six teams in this division would he start for? None. Who out of the top 6 teams in the division attempted to sign him? None. A 30 yr old (31 in June) journeyman, above average League 1 at best.

Cracking post...

I'd just add that one thing that rankles with me is that Tufty hasnt adjusted his tactics for these tough away games. I'm not advocating a full on Park-the-bus mentality, but we're just so open that teams like Fulham & Wolves have gone straight through us. I can understand being on the front foot as that's his way, but games like last night was just reckless... Likelihood is we still lose, but making us hard to beat would be better than what we've done in these big Away games...

 

[mablethorpe utd]

As a matter of interest WWF, did you go last night? I did. As I have done for 90% of the games this season, and my opinion is my reality & my view based upon what I witness first hand. Not sugar coated, not said to get a reaction, my honest appraisal.

The 10 players, is based on the following: Blackman, Long, Reed, Wilson, Wright, Donaldson, Lafferty, Carruthers, Thomas, Lavery, Ched Evans, Hussey & Hanson. That's not being controversial, that's being honest. You could probably add of couple more to be contrary/provoke a debate. We have serious problems coming our way and they need to be addressed. The strike force needs a radical overhaul, we have overloaded ourselves with fairly similar stodgy central midfielders and lack pace.

Strategy? As much as I respect CW, he isn't the 2nd coming of christ. The way we set up leaves obvious holes to exploit, and we don't counter it. It worries me that our back 5 couldn't work out how to stop Mitrovic & Ojo last night in the 1st half, or at least hamper their progress. It worries me that Fredericks their right back puts the cross in for their 1st Sharp is the one tracking his run on the byline. It worries me that at the speed and ease they broke from our move to their 3rd goal. It worries me that our front 2 seem to operate in isolation to the other, with very little interaction. It worries me that we continue to waste Sharp's abilities. Mitrovic & Lasogga in recent games have shown what a target man should do. Take the ball in and build play through them, linking up with pace. We play passing football to feet and don't make runs into the box nor support play. We don't put crosses in. That's what Brooks got annoyed about, we get to the edge of the box and that's it. We were summed up last night by two moments. 2nd half, nearly 15mins to go, we eventually won a free kick, 5yrds inside their half, a chance to deliver something. O'Connell knocked it square & short, 5 yrds short to fleck, who have it him back, he then knocked it 5 yrds short to Holmes, who knocked it straight back, O'Connell then knocked it short to Stearman, a similar distance, who turned and put it all the way back to Blackman. The other was again at a similar time, the ball got played to Duffy on our right wing, 20 yrds into their half, he took a touch, he looked up, the cross was on, he cruyffed it back and played it all the way back to the CB on the half way line. Simple stuff like that WWF.

I'll bet a pound to your penny that if the ownership situation is not sorted out sufficiently to allow the investment of money in the close season, CW will not be at the club much longer. He is not stupid. And if that is the case, then next season will be an eye opener for some people.

As much as I wish for more investment, part of our problem as a club is not looking after what we have. If Wolves, Fulham & Cardiff get promoted this season, that'll be 7 ex-blades and an ex manager going up, to join the ones already there. Let's not pretend that Fulham have an expensively assembled squad, they haven't. I don't know what they pay out in wages, but their success is based upon sensible acquisitions, retention of talent & the property use of the loan market. Do you honestly think that if Sessignon was a United player he'd still be playing for us? Do you think we'd be holding out for £50m?

And I stand by my comment about Holmes. If the best someone can say about him is that he was a crowd favorite at Charlton, then that says it all. He isn't good enough for the United I want. Who out of the top six teams in this division would he start for? None. Who out of the top 6 teams in the division attempted to sign him? None. A 30 yr old (31 in June) journeyman, above average League 1 at best.

 

[mablethorpe utd]

Brilliant.made my day.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I think we all need to be objective about this result, and I don't think Deadbat's report is. That performance from Fulham was top-drawer, and they looked at least as good as 2/3rds of the teams in the Prem. OK - over a season that may not turn out to be the case (assuming they go up) but based on that performance they are a much better team than Leicester for example. Can anyone who watched the match seriously think they're not as good as, say, Huddersfield, Stoke, West Ham, Palace, Newcastle, West Brom and Southampton - for starters?
The difference in class for me was epitomised by their willingness and comfort in passing and receiving the ball without necessarily being in space, but being covered by a Blades man on their shoulder. No-one has mentioned this, but most teams won't consider giving the ball to a colleague who is closely marked UNLESS they are under pressure to get rid of the ball, and we were under pressure to do that for most of the 90 minutes. They were ultra-confident and totally comfortable and never felt under pressure. For the man on the ball he had options all over the pitch because colleagues were available and willing to receive it with their backs to Bladesmen and simply lay it off to a choice of runners or turn the man and get on the front foot themselves.
To watch that game and rate our lads so low is not being objective. You need to rate the Fulham lads first (at least 8/10 for any one of them) before thinking about scoring one of ours 3/10 !!!!

I didn’t see the game as it was late here. However if our players didn’t have room to pass why did Fulham’s?

In a game where we lost 3 nil and by all accounts didn’t really do much to compete our players don’t deserve praise. It was Fulham, not Barcelona.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

As a matter of interest WWF, did you go last night? I did. As I have done for 90% of the games this season, and my opinion is my reality & my view based upon what I witness first hand. Not sugar coated, not said to get a reaction, my honest appraisal.

The 10 players, is based on the following: Blackman, Long, Reed, Wilson, Wright, Donaldson, Lafferty, Carruthers, Thomas, Lavery, Ched Evans, Hussey & Hanson. That's not being controversial, that's being honest. You could probably add of couple more to be contrary/provoke a debate. We have serious problems coming our way and they need to be addressed. The strike force needs a radical overhaul, we have overloaded ourselves with fairly similar stodgy central midfielders and lack pace.

Strategy? As much as I respect CW, he isn't the 2nd coming of christ. The way we set up leaves obvious holes to exploit, and we don't counter it. It worries me that our back 5 couldn't work out how to stop Mitrovic & Ojo last night in the 1st half, or at least hamper their progress. It worries me that Fredericks their right back puts the cross in for their 1st Sharp is the one tracking his run on the byline. It worries me that at the speed and ease they broke from our move to their 3rd goal. It worries me that our front 2 seem to operate in isolation to the other, with very little interaction. It worries me that we continue to waste Sharp's abilities. Mitrovic & Lasogga in recent games have shown what a target man should do. Take the ball in and build play through them, linking up with pace. We play passing football to feet and don't make runs into the box nor support play. We don't put crosses in. That's what Brooks got annoyed about, we get to the edge of the box and that's it. We were summed up last night by two moments. 2nd half, nearly 15mins to go, we eventually won a free kick, 5yrds inside their half, a chance to deliver something. O'Connell knocked it square & short, 5 yrds short to fleck, who have it him back, he then knocked it 5 yrds short to Holmes, who knocked it straight back, O'Connell then knocked it short to Stearman, a similar distance, who turned and put it all the way back to Blackman. The other was again at a similar time, the ball got played to Duffy on our right wing, 20 yrds into their half, he took a touch, he looked up, the cross was on, he cruyffed it back and played it all the way back to the CB on the half way line. Simple stuff like that WWF.

I'll bet a pound to your penny that if the ownership situation is not sorted out sufficiently to allow the investment of money in the close season, CW will not be at the club much longer. He is not stupid. And if that is the case, then next season will be an eye opener for some people.

As much as I wish for more investment, part of our problem as a club is not looking after what we have. If Wolves, Fulham & Cardiff get promoted this season, that'll be 7 ex-blades and an ex manager going up, to join the ones already there. Let's not pretend that Fulham have an expensively assembled squad, they haven't. I don't know what they pay out in wages, but their success is based upon sensible acquisitions, retention of talent & the property use of the loan market. Do you honestly think that if Sessignon was a United player he'd still be playing for us? Do you think we'd be holding out for £50m?

And I stand by my comment about Holmes. If the best someone can say about him is that he was a crowd favorite at Charlton, then that says it all. He isn't good enough for the United I want. Who out of the top six teams in this division would he start for? None. Who out of the top 6 teams in the division attempted to sign him? None. A 30 yr old (31 in June) journeyman, above average League 1 at best.

Seen a lot of him have you? You know, more than the 180ish minutes we've all seen him play in the United shirt?

 

[coolhandluke]

As a matter of interest WWF, did you go last night? I did. As I have done for 90% of the games this season, and my opinion is my reality & my view based upon what I witness first hand. Not sugar coated, not said to get a reaction, my honest appraisal.

The 10 players, is based on the following: Blackman, Long, Reed, Wilson, Wright, Donaldson, Lafferty, Carruthers, Thomas, Lavery, Ched Evans, Hussey & Hanson. That's not being controversial, that's being honest. You could probably add of couple more to be contrary/provoke a debate. We have serious problems coming our way and they need to be addressed. The strike force needs a radical overhaul, we have overloaded ourselves with fairly similar stodgy central midfielders and lack pace.

Strategy? As much as I respect CW, he isn't the 2nd coming of christ. The way we set up leaves obvious holes to exploit, and we don't counter it. It worries me that our back 5 couldn't work out how to stop Mitrovic & Ojo last night in the 1st half, or at least hamper their progress. It worries me that Fredericks their right back puts the cross in for their 1st Sharp is the one tracking his run on the byline. It worries me that at the speed and ease they broke from our move to their 3rd goal. It worries me that our front 2 seem to operate in isolation to the other, with very little interaction. It worries me that we continue to waste Sharp's abilities. Mitrovic & Lasogga in recent games have shown what a target man should do. Take the ball in and build play through them, linking up with pace. We play passing football to feet and don't make runs into the box nor support play. We don't put crosses in. That's what Brooks got annoyed about, we get to the edge of the box and that's it. We were summed up last night by two moments. 2nd half, nearly 15mins to go, we eventually won a free kick, 5yrds inside their half, a chance to deliver something. O'Connell knocked it square & short, 5 yrds short to fleck, who have it him back, he then knocked it 5 yrds short to Holmes, who knocked it straight back, O'Connell then knocked it short to Stearman, a similar distance, who turned and put it all the way back to Blackman. The other was again at a similar time, the ball got played to Duffy on our right wing, 20 yrds into their half, he took a touch, he looked up, the cross was on, he cruyffed it back and played it all the way back to the CB on the half way line. Simple stuff like that WWF.

I'll bet a pound to your penny that if the ownership situation is not sorted out sufficiently to allow the investment of money in the close season, CW will not be at the club much longer. He is not stupid. And if that is the case, then next season will be an eye opener for some people.

As much as I wish for more investment, part of our problem as a club is not looking after what we have. If Wolves, Fulham & Cardiff get promoted this season, that'll be 7 ex-blades and an ex manager going up, to join the ones already there. Let's not pretend that Fulham have an expensively assembled squad, they haven't. I don't know what they pay out in wages, but their success is based upon sensible acquisitions, retention of talent & the property use of the loan market. Do you honestly think that if Sessignon was a United player he'd still be playing for us? Do you think we'd be holding out for £50m?

And I stand by my comment about Holmes. If the best someone can say about him is that he was a crowd favorite at Charlton, then that says it all. He isn't good enough for the United I want. Who out of the top six teams in this division would he start for? None. Who out of the top 6 teams in the division attempted to sign him? None. A 30 yr old (31 in June) journeyman, above average League 1 at best.

Fuck me, we've lost again

 

[Jon P]

Hull loss and last night was final nail in the coffin for playoffs for me. Even if we made them, what is the point - Villa, Bristol City, Derby, Fulham would beat us hands down - they have far more quality and experience. Just going to enjoy last few games, top 10 would be a bonus.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Seen a lot of him have you? You know, more than the 180ish minutes we've all seen him play in the United shirt?

To my untrained eyes, he looks out of his depth. No shame in that. I've seen enough of him to form an opinion, as you appear to have to the contrary. I've no problem, with that, you say 'po-tay-toes' and I say 'po-tah-toes'. Unless you haven't & you're putting full faith in CW's judgement, despite a CV that reads Fairfax Rangers, Southend Utd, Chelmsford City, Barnet, Portsmouth, Northampton Town & Charlton.

If we are plucking unpolished gems from the lower leagues, we need to be buying players like Lundstram; early 20's who have the potential to play in the premiership in 3 years time, not players in their 30's the majority of whose career has been spent no higher than the 2nd division, and who have not shown sufficient in that time and at that level for a larger club to take a chance on them before us, less than 100 days before his 31st birthday. And whilst I'm being brutally honest, I'm yet to be 100% convinced by Lundstram, but at only 24 and a Finch Farm graduate, I'm prepared to cut him some slack and realise why we need to persevere with him. In 3 years time Lundstram hopefully will be blossoming in the championship or higher, Holmes on the other hand, will be retiring at a level below the championship.