Hoofball v 'proper' football

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

If you can only enjoy football when it's winning you picked the wrong club to follow.

Last night was like travelling back in time and watching us from the opposition's end. We were exactly the kind of team that Warnock could never handle. He's all about direct football, win your individual fights, and get it out wide and into the box quickly. Whenever a team could match Warnock's physically (like we did last night with Basham and JOC) and also had the players to move the ball around he was in for a bad night.

Warnock's a good manager. Cardiff are a good team. But it's limited. Basically the pinnacle of it in the modern game is Allardyce in the top half with Bolton, or Pulis with Stoke. At some point, those teams realise that they've gone as far as they can go and have to make wholesale changes to the management and squad. Often as not that goes badly.

Even if we're short of Cardiff right now, at least we have the foundations to go all the way. It's not going to be about changing the philosophy of the club, it's about whether we can compete for the players.

Yeah, I'd take second over ninth, but that's not the option. There's a reason the top of the game isn't about hoofing it forward to a big man any more.

I didn't pick being a blade, i was born into it, just as every single generation of my family has since 1889.

To play devil's advocate, what 'foundations' are these? A good manager, an aging squad and ongoing ownership issues which may/may not impact on our already small budget? We're hardly looking at the start of a dynasty.

 

[robbiez666]

Bit harsh on Cardiff. If I remember correctly they owned us at their place. Sure, they play direct football. As we did under Warnock. Doesn't mean it can't be entertaining. They weren't last night but the weather didn't really suit their game. I remember suffering under the stigma of hoofball for years, whether we were playing it or not. I'm uncomfortable labelling another team with it.

 

[wizadry]

Bit harsh on Cardiff. If I remember correctly they owned us at their place. Sure, they play direct football. As we did under Warnock. Doesn't mean it can't be entertaining. They weren't last night but the weather didn't really suit their game. I remember suffering under the stigma of hoofball for years, whether we were playing it or not. I'm uncomfortable labelling another team with it.

Do you need a cushion, Robbie?

 

[oldblade]

It's been great football to watch for the majority of the season but we do struggle to mix it up a bit. At the moment we don't have the players to outclass every team in the league with our football so in terms of grinding out results you do wonder whether we would have picked up more points against the better sides playing a different way.

That said the reason we love this team is because of how they play. When we are bored shitless under another manager in years to come we will talk about this era with great delight. I've hugely enjoyed this season and the main reason is because how we have approached most games and how we have established ourselves not just as the old "tough team to beat Sheffield United" but as one of the best footballing sides in the league.

It's been extremely refreshing to hear the plaudits we have received for our style after decades of having the "direct, hard working and tough" label.

I agree with that.

But in the past 25 years or so, although our style has generally been more direct than it is now, there have also been times when we played some very, very good football and not really been recognised for it. 2002-3 being one example. Our first choice midfield of Tonge, Brown, McCall and Ndlovu were all 'footballers' and that team produced more excitement in one season than we'd experienced in the previous 30.

 

[Esablade]

We played very well and are starting to look like the team who started this season...

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Bit harsh on Cardiff. If I remember correctly they owned us at their place. Sure, they play direct football. As we did under Warnock. Doesn't mean it can't be entertaining. They weren't last night but the weather didn't really suit their game. I remember suffering under the stigma of hoofball for years, whether we were playing it or not. I'm uncomfortable labelling another team with it.

A cold, wet evening in Sheffield should have suited their long-ball game well, with the long throw-ins and a greasy ball. My guess is that such conditions are no longer as important, because even though the Desso pitch was below par, it was still good enough to play a passing game on. The more playing-surfaces improve, the less effective the long-ball game will be. Possibly.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Darren Gough made a strange comment on Talksport radio about 5pm ish.

Ian Durham was talking about Warnock being manager of the year of the year and asking if he deserved it
Because he said he watched the game last night and it was just physical organised percentage football from Cardiff. He admitted he’d done a great job and was a fantastic manager but asked whether the Wolves manager deserved the big acolade of manager of the season instead of Warnock based on Wolves playing more attractive entertaining football.

Gough said he watched the match too.
Said it was strange watching Neil Warnock 1 playing Neil Warnock mark 2, playing a club built in his long ball image.

He commented that both teams were just lumping it forward playing a physical well organised very direct game.
He then said “to be fair though he found it entertaining as the match was fast and end to end”

 

[Roygbiv]

Darren Gough made a strange comment on Talksport radio about 5pm ish.

Ian Durham was talking about Warnock being manager of the year of the year and asking if he deserved it
Because he said he watched the game last night and it was just physical organised percentage football from Cardiff. He admitted he’d done a great job and was a fantastic manager but asked whether the Wolves manager deserved the big acolade of manager of the season instead of Warnock based on Wolves playing more attractive entertaining football.

Gough said he watched the match too.
Said it was strange watching Neil Warnock 1 playing Neil Warnock mark 2, playing a club built in his long ball image.

He commented that both teams were just lumping it forward playing a physical well organised very direct game.
He then said “to be fair though he found it entertaining as the match was fast and end to end”

Darren Gough knows absolutely nothing about football and supports three clubs. It was a complete contrast of styles last night and not end to end at all

 

[sufcboy95]

Was listening to talkSPORT earlier, and Adrian Durham and Darren gough said it was “Warnock vs Warnock dna.”
Basically said it was 2 teams that played the exact same way, just hoofed it up to the front man and hoped for a flick on.

What game were they watching!!!

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Darren Gough made a strange comment on Talksport radio about 5pm ish.

Ian Durham was talking about Warnock being manager of the year of the year and asking if he deserved it
Because he said he watched the game last night and it was just physical organised percentage football from Cardiff. He admitted he’d done a great job and was a fantastic manager but asked whether the Wolves manager deserved the big acolade of manager of the season instead of Warnock based on Wolves playing more attractive entertaining football.

Gough said he watched the match too.
Said it was strange watching Neil Warnock 1 playing Neil Warnock mark 2, playing a club built in his long ball image.

He commented that both teams were just lumping it forward playing a physical well organised very direct game.
He then said “to be fair though he found it entertaining as the match was fast and end to end”

He knows plenty about cricket and dancing; seems he knows bigger-all about football.

 

[Roygbiv]

There are a few Wednesday fans embarrassing themselves too saying we are a long ball team. It would be annoying if it wasn't so obviously ridiculous

 

[wizadry]

Darren Gough made a strange comment on Talksport radio about 5pm ish.

Ian Durham was talking about Warnock being manager of the year of the year and asking if he deserved it
Because he said he watched the game last night and it was just physical organised percentage football from Cardiff. He admitted he’d done a great job and was a fantastic manager but asked whether the Wolves manager deserved the big acolade of manager of the season instead of Warnock based on Wolves playing more attractive entertaining football.

Gough said he watched the match too.
Said it was strange watching Neil Warnock 1 playing Neil Warnock mark 2, playing a club built in his long ball image.

He commented that both teams were just lumping it forward playing a physical well organised very direct game.
He then said “to be fair though he found it entertaining as the match was fast and end to end”

I don’t think Goughy could’ve said any more wrong if he tried.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

With some strengthening to the current outfit you will get both , a winning consistent team playing a god brand of football that’s worth paying the entrance fee for , we’re not far off that, don’t be too critical of the architect until the buildings finished

 

[JJ Sefton]

I loved last night's game, apart from the 92nd minute, of course. We mainly played good, attacking football, quick passing, on the ground, trying to create the killer chances. Cardiff lumped the ball long and high, and created little. I was interested in the crowd reaction (I am in the middle of the Kop). Despite the fact that Cardiff playing hoofball are likely to be promoted and we are outsiders now, the crowd spent most of the game mocking and jeering every long high punt of theirs, and made it clear that United should be playing the ball on the ground. Our worst spell in the first half provoked lots of calls to get the ball on the ground, and as soon as we did, we scored. Cardiff played more route 1 football than I remember us doing under Warnock, especially when we had the likes of Tonge and Brown, and everybody I have spoken to since sees it as better for the long-term for us to keep our style of play, as Cardiff look likely to be relegation candidates if they go up. Was this true of the crowd as a whole? It seemed to me that even though Cardiff are likely to get the short term gain, our fans prefer the Wilder style of football. As long as it is played with passion and attacking intent, the crowd is behind the style of play.

We did everything right but score. Frustrating, but when you spend on strikers what most people spend on Soy Sauce what do you expect?

 

[robbiez666]

A cold, wet evening in Sheffield should have suited their long-ball game well, with the long throw-ins and a greasy ball. My guess is that such conditions are no longer as important, because even though the Desso pitch was below par, it was still good enough to play a passing game on. The more playing-surfaces improve, the less effective the long-ball game will be. Possibly.

If I remember correctly, they had a lot of success running the channels down the side of our defenders at home. Also, balls over the top. It was skidding on last night so they couldn't do either.