I don't trust Wilder

[Bladezz]

I am reading these comments and hoping that 90% of them aren’t serious.

The fans really do know how to derail a team with the above comments.

 

[Champagneblade]

Mate, we were 1-0 up?!?!?

If you think the problems are further forward than the 5 chaps who are paid to defend, then you're barking up the wrong tree my friend....

We were lucky to be up. We were pretty abject and laborious all day. Took three touches to control the ball so many times I lost count. Huge gaps in midfield whenever they attacked.

The fact we scored was a blessing. It shouldn’t have hidden the fact we were struggling for momentum and a wise head like Duffy would have helped. But then again, I would have started him.

 

[Champagneblade]

Another mistake of Wilder's was not going 4 at the back at 1-0 after Montero came on.

It was a mistake doing absolutely nothing. Scoring merely papered over the cracks temporarily of a crap performance.

 

[Pinchy]

Firstly, Brooks isn’t a midfielder. Secondly, Brooks wasn’t (or wouldn’t have been) our best midfielder even if he was a midfielder. That’s Fleck.

No it isn’t. Our best midfielder got injured and we’ve been a different team ever since.

 

[LJBlade]

No it isn’t. Our best midfielder got injured and we’ve been a different team ever since.

So our best midfielder is someone who hasn’t played since November? The others must be terrible

 

[Pinchy]

FFS. There’s been some serious over reaction to yesterday’s result!!. I M H O.
Yes it was a disappointing performance and we looked really poor in patches throughout the game!!. I’m pretty certain wilder will try and rectify the issues but at the moment he’s got to work with his current players until other reinforcements are bought in!!.
It’s gonna be a rollercoaster of a season with ups and downs but let’s see where we are at Christmas before we all start hitting the panic button!!!. Let’s keep the faith. UTB.

It’s the Bladesfans’ Way. Predictable and embarrassing as one pundit put it.

 

[Pinchy]

So our best midfielder is someone who hasn’t played since November? The others must be terrible

Paul Coutts is a better player than John Fleck. He was the fulcrum of our team. We were top of the league last time he kicked a ball. We haven’t been as good since that moment. Fleck is a very good player but he doesn’t run the game like Paul Coutts.

 

[Snowman]

You could say the mistake was taking Lunny off, who was doing some good work tracking back on the right handside.

No. The mistake was playing him in the first place. However, much as I don't rate him, you have a valid point. I could see that (when he wasn't wandering off trying to be a right winger, waving his arms about or getting in the way) he was the one who was having to gallop over to cover the obvious ball to the left that Swansea had been playing all game trying to get down that side against the slow pace of Basham. As soon as he went off that left the field completely clear and it was right royally exploited. So the second mistake was not adjusting to cover that side. Lundstram might not have done much yesterday, but I'll give him credit for what he was doing well.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

No it isn’t. Our best midfielder got injured and we’ve been a different team ever since.

Indeed, but we continue to struggle to find an effective way of playing without him.

We have tried to shoehorn 2 different players to try and do this and have largely failed miserably.

If another injury follows on from the first, then we really are fucked - we need alternative ways of playing in case "this" player never reaches the same heights again.

UTB

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Watching on TV is never the best to get a real impression of what is going on. But this is how away teams have played against us since November, bar Fulham. We aren't as effective since Coutts injury, but the gung-ho approach that over ran teams has been sussed and we get the Ali rope-a-dope treatment, they know we will blow out and be vulnerable for the last 15 minutes or so. Over lapping centre backs is positive and pushes us forward for the majority of the game, but then all the opposition need to do, like yesterday is to bring on somebody with a bit of pace wide and exploit the space there and counter. We haven't changed what we're doing too much, but the opposition now tweak to nullify that. We have tried to do slightly different things, but not effectively. Balls sideways and backwards in midfield aren't always the fault of the midfield, again TV isn't the best for seeing this, but not having Duffy or another in the hole limits the passing forward.

It needs a revision, which might be evolving with the recent and pending arrivals. Only one game, but a bit of a worry.

 

[LJBlade]

Paul Coutts is a better player than John Fleck. He was the fulcrum of our team. We were top of the league last time he kicked a ball. We haven’t been as good since that moment. Fleck is a very good player but he doesn’t run the game like Paul Coutts.

Paul Coutts doesn’t run any game at the moment and hasn’t done since November. Fleck must not be very good if Coutts is currently better than him.

 

[Pinchy]

Indeed, but we continue to struggle to find an effective way of playing without him.

We have tried to shoehorn 2 different players to try and do this and have largely failed miserably.

If another injury follows on from the first, then we really are fucked - we need alternative ways of playing in case "this" player never reaches the same heights again.

UTB

Well, we need better players. That’s the first thing. Better players find alternative ways of playing naturally. What they don’t do, and what many of our ‘fans’ really want, is kick it long, hard and high and chase after it like kids in the playground.

 

[Pinchy]

Paul Coutts doesn’t run any game at the moment and hasn’t done since November. Fleck must not be very good if Coutts is currently better than him.

A fully fit Paul Coutts is a better player than a fully fit John Fleck.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Well, we need better players. That’s the first thing. Better players find alternative ways of playing naturally. What they don’t do, and what many of our ‘fans’ really want, is kick it long, hard and high and chase after it like kids in the playground.

Sorry, not convinced our fans want to kick it long - but you are right with better players.

Swansea had no 14 and no 10 running the show, reminder me of Fulham's midfield last season.

As for alternate ways - yes, agree too. Can see us introducing 4 at the back soon. We might now have players capable of playing that way and it was the miserable start to the L1 season that started with a back 4 that led to the 3 at the back introduced at Gillingham away?? from memory that kick started that season off. Perhaps it may be the opposite this season?

UTB

 

[LJBlade]

A fully fit Paul Coutts is a better player than a fully fit John Fleck.

He might have been, that’s very much open to debate. When Coutts returns to full fitness there’s no saying how good he will be.

Which player do you think would attract most interest from other clubs?

 

[DifferentClass]

Here we go. Wilder out after 1 game.

The next 5 days will dictate our season. Quality in or mid-table at best.

Just remember that it took five games in Wilder's first season for us to gel. And we all know what happened afterwards...

 

[Steve Mackan]

A fully fit Paul Coutts is a better player than a fully fit John Fleck.

Don't think you're correct here. A fully fit Paul Coutts is a more important player than a fully fit John Fleck, not better...moot point.

The problem yesterday - and watch their first goal as an example - were the three midfielders are too high up the pitch and leave huge gaps EVERYWHERE.

I don't like oversimplifying, but where were Lundstram, Fleck and Evans actually playing? If you were playing a computer game, there would be no name to describe their position. None were deep-lying, advanced, playmaker, quarterback, defensive midfielder. It looked tactically inept and they only beat us because they were tactically smart.

 

[Sharpestblade]

Wrong tactics, not selection. Not helped by all the central midfield three being poor, as well as one wing back, two defenders and one forward. They're selected, they have instructions and it's not working. As has been said. A continuation of last season.

Agreed. Just before we went one up, we were completely overrun by Swansea, especially with their wide players exploiting the space behind our wingbacks. At that time I would have gone to 4-4-2 to get more control of the midfield. After we scored we continued to be overrun as before, and that is why we lost.

 

[super_pig]

Yeah it is...it's best i can do...prick...it annoys the fcuk out of me specially after 1 game that people are ripping our manager,team and club apart....don't you know what were about...through thick and thin and all that shit,4th division,3rd division 2nd division,league 1 championship,premiership it doesn't matter were all blades aren't we?

we were crap mate thats the simple truth we were crap for the same reasons as before that is worrying
we’ve all been to as many games as you mate in some cases more so come up with a better argument than ‘biggest blade here’ because you aren’t and neither am i

 

[super_pig]

Don't think you're correct here. A fully fit Paul Coutts is a more important player than a fully fit John Fleck, not better...moot point.

The problem yesterday - and watch their first goal as an example - were the three midfielders are too high up the pitch and leave huge gaps EVERYWHERE.

I don't like oversimplifying, but where were Lundstram, Fleck and Evans actually playing? If you were playing a computer game, there would be no name to describe their position. None were deep-lying, advanced, playmaker, quarterback, defensive midfielder. It looked tactically inept and they only beat us because they were tactically smart.

you’re both missing the point lads we need the three back ..the holy trinity .. Coutts fleck and Duffy.. this formation simply doesn’t work without them all .. it’s as simple as that

 

[ElephantBlade]

Unreal. Best manager we've had in a bloody long time.

Yesterday was frustrating, but Swansea were the better team. There's a long way to go, I guarantee we won't see a performance like that for a long while.

 

[Ricky]

I think Coutts is more influential but Fleck's a better player.

But it's hard to say whether Coutts is more important because we've very rarely been without Fleck.

Take Fleck out and not only would we suffer a big reduction in quality, but also work rate, bite and defensive ability.

 

[super_pig]

I am reading these comments and hoping that 90% of them aren’t serious.

The fans really do know how to derail a team with the above comments.

you think they read this shit?! .. cool..
here goes then..
mr evans you can play the ball forward mate.. cool huh?
mr Stevens you’ve developed an infuriating habit of stopping and checking instead of crossing on the move that you were so goid at before .. please rectify
bash .. stay on your bloody feet
lunny.. christ where to start

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

We were pretty awful today but to say you've lost trust in Wilder after game 1 is a bit of an overreaction

I haven't read the thread, but I suspect it's an overreaction on the basis of the OP being so excited for yesterday and then feeling so let down at fully, as we all did. I thought we would beat them comfortably yesterday - they aren't that great.

 

[Steve Mackan]

you’re both missing the point lads we need the three back ..the holy trinity .. Coutts fleck and Duffy.. this formation simply doesn’t work without them all .. it’s as simple as that

Yeah, I'd agree. 'This' formation wouldn't work. But we could try varying it. And may need to.

 

[SuperDuperBlades]

Unreal. Best manager we've had in a bloody long time.

Yesterday was frustrating, but Swansea were the better team. There's a long way to go, I guarantee we won't see a performance like that for a long while.

Theirs or ours?

 

[SuperDuperBlades]

Fast buggers down the wings and we're stuffed.

 

[super_pig]

Yeah, I'd agree. 'This' formation wouldn't work. But we could try varying it. And may need to.

directly replacing either of the three with a back up hasn’t worked because back ups for them would be 3 million each .. we’re relying on inferior players to plug the gaps and it shows unless they are on the absolute top of their game

 

[snootyfenooty]

Massive overreaction by some but a few points are valid IMO:

-No pace all over the pitch
-Lack of flair
-Wingbacks/Fullbacks are average at best
-Not playing someone in the ‘Duffy’ role doesn’t work

I can’t quite believe Baldock got MoM, though he and Basham were two massive weak links when they brought Montero on who ripped us a new arsehole. Incedentally a player with pace and flair..

Basham was also shocking defending yesterday.

We get murdered down that flank. Second half of last season and yesterday saw a helluva lot of goals coming from there. I sit in H Block and every fucking cross from just in front of me causes panic and you're expecting each one to end up in the net. The two defenders responsible for that area are Basham and Baldock. The former is usually the one who gets turned or outpaced but the latter is usually nowhere to be seen so I'm giving Bash the benefit of the doubt so far. If you're playing a back three then it's essential your WB is athletic enough to keep up with counter attacks and not to leave it to one of your plodders in the back line.

I've pondered this one for a while and noticed with interest its usually Stevens who cops all the flack whilst Baldock gets a free ride. Yesterday I thought Stevens did OK, It was down the other flank where our defensive shortcoming was glaringly obvious and has been for the past 7 months.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I've mentioned before about the 6 P's. Pace, Purpose, Position, Possession, Passing & Precision at both an individual player and team level.

Pace: We lack it both at the individual level and now at the team level. The speed at which we'd go about our business has dropped off since the beginning of last season. Individually, we don't have a player who can turn a poor pass into an average pass, and an average pass into a good pass due to speed. When Montero broke with the ball before their 2nd, had our defender squared up, we knew we were in the shit. We've not got that type of player.
Purpose: We seem to have either lost it or have doubts. It ties in with the above, at the start of last season we played with more belief, purpose & pace. Swansea always seemed to have options & ideas in open play & set pieces, we didn't. We also seem to drift into those 3 men on the touch line, playing short passes to each other cul-de-sacs.
Position: At the moment, and possibly for a while the 3-5-2 isn't suiting the players on the pitch. The shape of the central midfield 3 isn't working and the WB's are getting exposed. There's a lack of over lap and of MF's getting into the box at critical times.
Possession: Yesterday, the ball was like a hot potato, and it was probably our worst display of possession football that i've seen at BDTBL for a long while. We couldn't keep it & the players didn't seem to want it.
Passing: It was off yesterday. O'Connell seemed to be deliberately making it difficult for the midfield, who in turn seemed to be taking no care in the quality of the ball that they gave to the two forwards.
Precision: It was off yesterday. Too any misplaced passes, too many mishit crosses and too many poor shots.

I think the lack of playing time/understanding between the keeper & defence showed as well yesterday.

I don't think that the supporters want long ball football, but I think they get frustrated by our inability to mix up our style. I watched Reading v Derby on tv, and Derby's 2nd goal was a great example of what can happen when your delivery is quick, and you 're not playing the ball into the box having given the defence time to set themselves up.

As an aside, CW's substitutions worry me. Lundstram looked visibly knackered a good 20 mins before he came off and his misplaced passes were a problem. Duffy should've been on a lot sooner. The Woodman substitution was the correct one, but possibly should've been made 10mins earlier & the Sharp one was poor knee jerk sunday league and buggered the shape up. I would've probably started with Clarke & Sharp, as I don't see Clarke & McG as good bedfellows.

IMHO, it's time the nettle was grasped. We should've broke the bank last season to get ryan woods in when coutts got injured and we should do the same again now. Quickly. It's rumoured that he's in talks with swansea. CW needs to admit that 3 or 4 of the midfielders on the books, and whom he rated aren't of the right quality, get rid and bring in the right quality.