I want an answer Mr Clough

[Fulwood Blade]

Instead, we clung on for a useless point, and now have to decide whether to rest players, and greatly increase our chances of having to play MK Dons or Preston over 2 legs (which looks a hopeless mission currently) or play a full strength side, and have a tired side to face a well rested Swindon.

I don't understand this - sorry, but you seem to have completely ruled out Chesterfield resting players also.

We might play our kids or some backup players - If Chesterfield did that also, it would be like watching their U16's.

Chesterfield appear to have a good first eleven and some very good key players at that, but they do not have anything like our depth of squad - I doubt they will play the first choice team with the play off games starting on Thursday week. If they played their 1st team against us I would be very surprised - injuries to Clucas and Ryan would be devastating to them.

UTB

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Why do you?

A draw was of no use to us. Only a win was of any value whatsoever. We may as well have gone for the win because a draw was of no greater value than a defeat.

Orient were throwing people forward, and every time we got the ball we had a fantastic opportunity to break - but instead, we took it as an opportunity to waste time.

Just once, we actually attempted a break - and we almost scored. If we'd have grabbed a goal, we'd have guaranteed playing an out of form Swindon side in the play-off semis as well as being able to rest players next week.

Instead, we clung on for a useless point, and now have to decide whether to rest players, and greatly increase our chances of having to play MK Dons or Preston over 2 legs (which looks a hopeless mission currently) or play a full strength side, and have a tired side to face a well rested Swindon.

I'm generally a defender of Clough, but I thought the approach at 1-1 on Satuday was illogical.

The approach was don't needlessly fuck with the game plan, which in this case was was not to lose.
To quote George W. - Mission accomplished.
Now onto the next challenge.

 

[Davie Blade]

Edwards is awful. Agreed.

You mean he tells it like it is.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

You mean he tells it like it is.

No. I mean he's awful. Unlistenably awful.

 

[Davie Blade]

No. I mean he's awful. Unlistenably awful.

In what respect?
Should he not criticise the messiah. Is that your grouse, with him?
I think he is very good, he frequently offers constructive criticism based up on his vast experience of watching most games.
We have been awful most of the season, and I see no reason for him not to say it as it is.

 

[SwissBlade]

Why do you?

A draw was of no use to us. Only a win was of any value whatsoever. We may as well have gone for the win because a draw was of no greater value than a defeat.

Orient were throwing people forward, and every time we got the ball we had a fantastic opportunity to break - but instead, we took it as an opportunity to waste time.

Just once, we actually attempted a break - and we almost scored. If we'd have grabbed a goal, we'd have guaranteed playing an out of form Swindon side in the play-off semis as well as being able to rest players next week.

Instead, we clung on for a useless point, and now have to decide whether to rest players, and greatly increase our chances of having to play MK Dons or Preston over 2 legs (which looks a hopeless mission currently) or play a full strength side, and have a tired side to face a well rested Swindon.

I'm generally a defender of Clough, but I thought the approach at 1-1 on Satuday was illogical.

Chesterfield were losing at home to Brizzle and although that was pretty much irrelevant to us making the play offs, the Rochdale result was the key. 3-1 down when we equalised, a point was enough to make the play offs

 

[Kenilworth]

In other words stop being Swiss, Swiss.

there are some you wouldn't want to score in

All of them

 

[WorkingtonBlade]

Chesterfield were losing at home to Brizzle and although that was pretty much irrelevant to us making the play offs, the Rochdale result was the key. 3-1 down when we equalised, a point was enough to make the play offs

The fact that Rochdale were losing meant we didn't need any points at all to reach the play-offs. The only reason we needed a point at the start of play was in case Rochdale won. With Rochdale 3-1 down, a point was useless.

 

[YES Blade]

Whilst at 3-3 away at Fulham with 10 men yesterday and time running out, the Boro manager decided to go for the win. He sent the keeper up in the dying moments.

Not content with a draw which would've left them in 2nd place and just 3 points off top, he wanted a win.

Fulham went up the other end and scored, leaving them in third with just one game left.

With Orient staring at relegation, a must win game for them, Chesterfield and Rochdale losing, you take a draw. Yesterday wasn't a must win, it was a must not lose. I listened to most of the second half and Keith Edwards was really doing my head in. He seems to live in a fantasy world at times. We'd all love us to play wonderful football at home and away, with 2-3 permanent strikers, but you have to deal with what you have.

I think if we'd had kicked on this season like Bristol City we could've played with a lot of freedom, we can talk about points lost, however as its turned out we've had to hold on to our play off slot.

I don't like to hear Clough talking about what 3 pts would've done, sure it was a nice to have but we're in the play offs, that's the importance.

The question I have for Clough is what carries more value: playing the best side possible and risk injury v Chesterfield to players like Done, Davies, Kennedy, Murphy etc or rest the 'stars' for the play offs?

Personally I'd do the latter, the Chesterfield game doesn't really matter other than local rivalry. It'd do something for confidence but so would a win with kids.

Think Rotherham last year...

Boro needed the win, simple as. With Bournemouth's much better goal difference, Boro needed to win to give them the best chance possible to go up. Maybe not settling for draws is one of the reasons they are/were in with a chance of automatic?

 

[YES Blade]

Our success rate at (attacking) corners has increased significantly since the new year.

One of the things that has successfully been worked on in training.

Based on what? When did we last score from a corner?

 

[Wards]

Boro needed the win, simple as. With Bournemouth's much better goal difference, Boro needed to win to give them the best chance possible to go up. Maybe not settling for draws is one of the reasons they are/were in with a chance of automatic?

agree with your final point entirely. Promoted teams generally go out with the ambition of taking a few calculated risks knowing their superior players will see them over the line more often than not. Sure you'll experience a few hiccups along the way, Bristol being a fine example this year.

It's the bloody minded attitude of Clough that irks me somewhat. I can't see that settling for a point in this shitehouse of a division is good enough in any regard.

 

[Chezzy Blades]

Based on what? When did we last score from a corner?

Oldham, and before that Fleetwood at home I think.

I take both points though, we don't generally score many from set pieces, partly due to our lack of stature as a team. Even a decent delivery can often be defended as our players simply aren't big enough or robust enough to attack them.

We have however scored more in the second half of the season as we have stopped floating every corner to the front post, law of averages will drop one straight on Basham or Davies' head eventually.

 

[Sheff de party]

Why do you?

A draw was of no use to us. Only a win was of any value whatsoever. We may as well have gone for the win because a draw was of no greater value than a defeat.

Orient were throwing people forward, and every time we got the ball we had a fantastic opportunity to break - but instead, we took it as an opportunity to waste time.

Just once, we actually attempted a break - and we almost scored. If we'd have grabbed a goal, we'd have guaranteed playing an out of form Swindon side in the play-off semis as well as being able to rest players next week.

Instead, we clung on for a useless point, and now have to decide whether to rest players, and greatly increase our chances of having to play MK Dons or Preston over 2 legs (which looks a hopeless mission currently) or play a full strength side, and have a tired side to face a well rested Swindon.

I'm generally a defender of Clough, but I thought the approach at 1-1 on Satuday was illogical.

i agree with every word of that. I'm also a defender/supporter of Clough, but a point is of the same value as a defeat, so we should have gone for it.

 

[grafikhaus]

agree with your final point entirely. Promoted teams generally go out with the ambition of taking a few calculated risks knowing their superior players will see them over the line more often than not.

As we saw this weekend, for teams like Watford and Bristol promotion was not sufficient. They were/are determined to go up as champions. Compare and contrast that winning mentality with going to places like Oldham and Orient and hoping to scuffle your way to a draw.

 

[Sharrowblade]

Sheff de party, and others have every right to ask the question. If anything he could ask a few more:

1. Why when we are defending a corner do we bring everyone back, all 11 players within 18 yards of our own goal.
Once cleared it just comes back. Its totally illogical. Put one up front the opposition will put at least two back, leave two up front, ( a bit reckless I know), they'll put three back.

2. When we have an opportunity to put the ball into a dangerous area we don't. You know what lads short sideway passes and then back again isn't fooling anyone. Start asking some questions of the opposition.

3. Given that Davies had no joy yesterday against their CH/s, asking DCL to play up front on his own, wasn't that asking a bit much?

4. Coutts,,,,,no I'm not going there.

I spent six hours on the road yesterday with the little un's, a hour on the tube, a hour in the Leyton Technical before, an hour on Leyton High Street after, having something to eat amongst eastern european refugees in dodgy tracksuits clutching cans of wifebeater, and I can honestly say the two hours at the game were the worst part of the whole day.

Yes I know we're in the play-offs, but on current form Swindon offer the easier passage, no disrespect intended. You have that opportunity, you seize it.
That issue should have been put to bed long before yesterday, and its still not been resolved.

Sadly, we're resembling a wounded animal, limping along, waiting for somebody to finally put us out of our misery,

 

[metalblade]

Why does anyone need to ask for answers from Clough, I'd have thought it obvious to anyone who cares to look that he is a dull, boring manager with an ultra slow negative way of playing this season. I wonder what changed from the last quarter of last season ? Is it because we were so far off the play off's last season we had nothing to lose by going for it, same in the FA cup last season nothing to lose and a great effort at Wembley, remember the 40 pass move where Hull never got near the ball ................... a joy to watch where did it all go ? The main thing holding us back is Clough's fear of losing.

 

[WorkingtonBlade]

I don't understand this - sorry, but you seem to have completely ruled out Chesterfield resting players also.

We might play our kids or some backup players - If Chesterfield did that also, it would be like watching their U16's.

Chesterfield appear to have a good first eleven and some very good key players at that, but they do not have anything like our depth of squad - I doubt they will play the first choice team with the play off games starting on Thursday week. If they played their 1st team against us I would be very surprised - injuries to Clucas and Ryan would be devastating to them.

UTB

I'm not ruling it out - but when Clough picks his team he won't know what team Chesterfield are going to put out - so he's still left with the choice I described.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Based on what? When did we last score from a corner?

Based on watching the games. It's pretty clear this has improved significantly. Remember Floaters? We were in danger from our own corners.

 

[Dkc]

Good original post.

If, with both Chesterfield and Rochdale two goals down, we were genuinely wasting time and playing for a draw in the latter stages of our game, then serious questions need to be asked about the instructions from the dugout.

If this was the case I can only assume that Clough and co had a look at the situation and decided that they really don't care who we get in the Play Off semi, and not losing was psychologically more important. Perhaps they were aware that Swindon were resting players while MK Dons and Preston were still going for it. We got stuffed at the County Ground, remember, but have been competitive in all our league games against MK Dons and Preston.

The alternatives - that we 'd prefer Swindon but were guarding against our rivals getting three late goals or -- even worse -- that the implications of a draw were somehow miscalculated or the bench didn't know the scores elsewhere -- don't bear thinking about. I can't believe incompetence played a part.

 

[boo radley]

I wonder what the reaction would've been had we sent loads of players up and lost?
On a side;from NC interview in the week are we going after some Orient players if we do not go up?

 

[bartman]

4. Coutts,,,,,no I'm not going there.
,

Strange comment after what was a very good performance from him on Saturday where he contributed considerably more that the other four midfield players

 

[Sharrowblade]

Strange comment after what was a very good performance from him on Saturday where he contributed considerably more that the other four midfield players

I confess I may have been suffering from mild sunstroke on saturday afternoon,...... but what exactly was his contribution?

 

[bartman]

I confess I may have been suffering from mild sunstroke on saturday afternoon,...... but what exactly was his contribution?

passing the ball to someone in a Blades' shirt(something Jose forgot about on Saturday),strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, good movement, got forward and was always available to receive the ball. These elements were missing from his game a few weeks ago but not at the weekend

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I spent six hours on the road yesterday with the little un's, a hour on the tube, a hour in the Leyton Technical before, an hour on Leyton High Street after, having something to eat amongst eastern european refugees in dodgy tracksuits clutching cans of wifebeater, and I can honestly say the two hours at the game were the worst part of the whole day.

,

That should be printed off and nailed to the changing room wall.

 

[Blade56]

Will JCR and Collins be back for playoffs?