Great Expectations

[thehet]

After reading a few recent threads and articles about our relatively successful start to the season, I have started to wonder about expectations for the season, but specifically the expectations from Wilder and the squad.

I am yet to hear Wilder say, publically at least, anything of the sort to do with 'avoiding relegation' or 'staying up', likewise he has not mentioned about 'challenging', 'playoffs' or 'consolidating'.

Generally he's repeated the remarks about opponents having to do well to beat us and how we aren't here to make up the numbers.

This is a clever move on his part for several reasons. He wants to see how the team starts before committing to any public statement regarding where we should be. Secondly, it doesn't put pressure on the team in terms of being at the top end of the table (Pigs, Boro) or being involved in a relegation scrap from the off where every point is precious (I'm thinking Bolton here).

I think he will continue to avoid giving any expectations until we are further down the line. Like many have said before it's almost a season of two halves... get yourself safe in terms of points then you might as well go for it. There are no prizes for finishing between 7th-21st.

Any thoughts?

 

[Digger]

He's clever at not putting too much pressure on anyone at the club while at the same time getting everyone UNITED. In other words he's a very,very good boss.

 

[TJB.]

I am yet to hear Wilder say, publically at least, anything of the sort to do with 'avoiding relegation' or 'staying up', likewise he has not mentioned about 'challenging', 'playoffs' or 'consolidating'.

It's a Tale of Two Cities in that respect.

Means the Lane won't seem like a Bleak House if we fall on Hard Times.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Expectation creates unneccessary pressure. It shouldn't extend beyond your next opponent.

 

[Westran]

I remember him saying at the start of last season and repeating it throughout the season until we were promoted, that he doesn't set targets incrementaly through the season but on a game by game basis. I think that's part of why he's so succesful and I don't think he'll ever change.

Take each game as it comes, don't go into a game thinking 'well if we don't win today, at least we've got an easy game next week', go in to each game thinking about how you can win that game and focus solely on that one fixture.

 

[8lade]

I'm still happy with my pre season prediction of 11th

 

[Torrix1889]

Certainly nowt wrong with hedging your bets, as long as it doesn't spectacularly backfire...

We may be performing well on the pitch but in the transfer market we are getting battered......I am not advocating that we should start spukin moneh at the levels some are, or anywhere near but looking at some of the signings our contemporaries are making at the moment we appear not to be able to compete even with a modest transfer fee involved.

You can put what spin on it you like but I do fear our failure to "significantly invest game changing money" could be our Achilles heel...

 

[thehet]

Certainly nowt wrong with hedging your bets, as long as it doesn't spectacularly backfire...

We may be performing well on the pitch but in the transfer market we are getting battered......I am not advocating that we should start spukin moneh at the levels some are, or anywhere near but looking at some of the signings our contemporaries are making at the moment we appear not to be able to compete even with a modest transfer fee involved.

You can put what spin on it you like but I do fear our failure to "significantly invest game changing money" could be our Achilles heel...

I hear what you are saying, but the teams that have spent the most money so far find themselves in the bottom of the league. As proven by our noisy neighbours and others, the success of the team is not proportionate to the amount of money you spend.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

All I know is I've loved this football club against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

It's a Tale of Two Cities in that respect.

Means the Lane won't seem like a Bleak House if we fall on Hard Times.

Pip-ped to it.

 

[Torrix1889]

I hear what you are saying, but the teams that have spent the most money so far find themselves in the bottom of the league. As proven by our noisy neighbours and others, the success of the team is not proportionate to the amount of money you spend.

Agree, but if the teams spending the money who are currently in the lower half of the league improve through their acquisitions they will move up the table and take the place of those who fail to maintain their form of the first 5 games.....hopefully that wont be us but with our squad already stretched through injury and suspension our failure to invest could be the differentiator.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Some of the best man management, squad management and media management we've had at the Lane in a long time, if ever.

 

[Cheets]

It's a Tale of Two Cities in that respect.

Means the Lane won't seem like a Bleak House if we fall on Hard Times.

A lot depends on what happens in the transfer window. Bramall Lane has been treated like a place to pick up bargains in the past, as if it's an old curiosity shop. Hopefully we'll be far away from relegation danger by the time we hear the first Christmas carol.

 

[Houston_Blade]

50 points is my expectation, if we get more then fantastic if not we've done ok. Obviously if we get to this target by January I'll alter my expectations accordingly but irrespective of who we sign I think lower mid table is a reasonable expectation for the season.

 

[Esablade]

He t'owd me we're going up!....after a few Peroni's mind...

 

[TarquinDelouche]

It's a Tale of Two Cities in that respect.

Means the Lane won't seem like a Bleak House if we fall on Hard Times.

I think our mutual friend Cheets is the only other one in on the joke.

 

[BushBlade]

I think our mutual friend Cheets is the only other one in on the joke.

Not at all but we've already hammered the Dickens puns on another thread. And it was a far better thing I did then than owt I can come up with today.

 

[gavtheblade]

The force is strong in you.

 

[snootyfenooty]

A lot depends on what happens in the transfer window. Bramall Lane has been treated like a place to pick up bargains in the past, as if it's an old curiosity shop. Hopefully we'll be far away from relegation danger by the time we hear the first Christmas carol.

It would help if we didn't have Mr Micawber as chairman. He's been there since the 60's but seems to regenerate every few years.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

To be honest, game changing investment 4 years ago would have been 5-10m in this division and that would have seen us comfortably compete.

At the moment you need at least 5x that to compete.

BUT...and it's a huge BUT, we have the best man manager in the game bar none. If he was managing at any of the big spending clubs, they would be GUARANTEED PROMOTION!

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Which actually makes me think.

If the Prem is a guarantee of at least 100m....with the manager we have, surely it's worth the 10m to get a few players over the line. We have Chris Wilder FFS :-D

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Reminded me of the old joke:
Do you like Dickens? Dunno never been to one.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

After reading a few recent threads and articles about our relatively successful start to the season, I have started to wonder about expectations for the season, but specifically the expectations from Wilder and the squad.

I am yet to hear Wilder say, publically at least, anything of the sort to do with 'avoiding relegation' or 'staying up', likewise he has not mentioned about 'challenging', 'playoffs' or 'consolidating'.

Generally he's repeated the remarks about opponents having to do well to beat us and how we aren't here to make up the numbers.

This is a clever move on his part for several reasons. He wants to see how the team starts before committing to any public statement regarding where we should be. Secondly, it doesn't put pressure on the team in terms of being at the top end of the table (Pigs, Boro) or being involved in a relegation scrap from the off where every point is precious (I'm thinking Bolton here).

I think he will continue to avoid giving any expectations until we are further down the line. Like many have said before it's almost a season of two halves... get yourself safe in terms of points then you might as well go for it. There are no prizes for finishing between 7th-21st.

Any thoughts?

The idea "get yourself safe in terms of points then you might as well go for it", is something that Wilder has never said, and would never say for reasons you've already explained. (I appreciate you are referring to what others, not Wilder, have said). It suggests we will only "go for it" once we are sure of being safe, and that's not how it works at all. We "go for it" from the off - in every game.

In terms of expectations, well, to be honest, most Blades fans don't have "great expectations" at all do they? I mean, the majority on here seem to be quite happy with mid-table or even just avoiding relegation. Whether that's some kind of self-protection mechanism kicking in, whether it's superstition or some belief that by saying something the opposite will happen, I don't know. It's not unusual though for folks from this part of the world to see the glass half-empty. So maybe it's something to do with that as well?

I've been watching United for a long time - since the early 1970's. I've never seen a more competent team, a more professional, capable, manager or a better set up at the club, including all the infrastructure that goes with it. I've honestly never known it be this positive before. I've never seen a United team completely decimate the teams around them like they did last season and absolutely blast their way out of the division. And I've never seen us manage to hold on to our best players and not have to start building more or less from scratch again at the start of a season.

For all these reasons I am very optimistic that we will continue to do well. Most of these players that are changing hands at Championship level for millions were just inexpensive lower league players a few years ago. It's not like there's a super race of footballer that we just can't afford to buy. They've all had to start somewhere and been nobodies at one stage. It's spotting them early and bringing them into the club that matters - not waiting till they've proven themselves and the price has gone through the roof. I think we're doing that - and I think that some of these lads who are playing for us now will find themselves with big price tags around their necks if they continue to do well. So, I'm envious of clubs that have huge budgets at their disposal, because that does give them some advantage to be able to go out and buy a ready-made solution. But, as we've seen at S6, that doesn't always work out.

The only negatives for me are that the team lacks pace and to some extent, power. I think we've seen evidence of that already. I think if we could fix that then our "total football" approach and the "never say die" attitude that they show in every game can take us all the way. If we stay as we are now I still think we could be pushing for a top 6 finish, although I'd drop my expectations a bit to 8th -10th place.