If the owners decided to take a new direction

[100% part time blade]

Once again another poster missing the point.

At one time Sheff Utd would do well against the really big teams, especially at home. That's long gone. We are powder puff tbh and quite boring to watch. Main reason our inability to excite, entertain and score goals. Compared to other teams our much vaunted defence is now looking very average as our GD continues to diminish.

So our record against the other top 6 is 1 win v Sunderland, 2 draws and 4 defeats. Superb.

The two points I can see here are that our defeats this season have been against the best sides in the league, and that although we’ve gained 50 points in half a season, we haven’t done it in an exciting enough way. Also, a third one that our defence isn’t as good since we lost Souttar.

If I was nitpicking I’d say Blackburn are a better side than West Brom (who they’re level with on goal difference but have a game in hand), and they have beaten Leeds and Sunderland and lost to nobody above them - except us, which alters the stats you mentioned slightly.

However, your point is obviously correct that we have lost more times to good sides than we have to poor ones. Is this a surprise though?

I accept all the above points.
My point is that almost every other club in this division would love to have had the results and performances we’ve had this season, be on our points total, and be in the position our manager has got us into. And it seems from this that some people have expectations that are pretty unrealistic.

 

[utd4ever]

That thought process is so flawed i don’t know where to begin.

Just for context of the 42 managers that make up our history we have had 41 British managers and 1 Serbian. In terms of time its 0.5 season out of 138, or 0.35%

I can’t see how the Serbians half a season in charge gives any balance or indication of how a non-brit would manage us.

I look at Villa: smith, Gerard as manager. Nearly relegated. They bring in Emery - Champions league.
Forest. Cooper- nearly relegated. Bring in Santo. - champions league contenders.

I’m not saying these two haven’t done it without the money but when we did spend.

Brewster, McBurnie, Ben Osborn , max Lowe.

 

[100% part time blade]

I look at Villa: smith, Gerard as manager. Nearly relegated. They bring in Emery - Champions league.
Forest. Cooper- nearly relegated. Bring in Santo. - champions league contenders.

I’m not saying these two haven’t done it without the money but when we did spend.

Brewster, McBurnie, Ben Osborn , max Lowe.

Good point.
If we get nearly relegated this year, we should change the manager.

 

[The Bear]

The two points I can see here are that our defeats this season have been against the best sides in the league, and that although we’ve gained 50 points in half a season, we haven’t done it in an exciting enough way. Also, a third one that our defence isn’t as good since we lost Souttar.

If I was nitpicking I’d say Blackburn are a better side than West Brom (who they’re level with on goal difference but have a game in hand), and they have beaten Leeds and Sunderland and lost to nobody above them - except us, which alters the stats you mentioned slightly.

However, your point is obviously correct that we have lost more times to good sides than we have to poor ones. Is this a surprise though?

I accept all the above points.
My point is that almost every other club in this division would love to have had the results and performances we’ve had this season, be on our points total, and be in the position our manager has got us into. And it seems from this that some people have expectations that are pretty unrealistic.

No we can agree here. The trouble is when you drill down in it/to it we've just won.

Apart from Oxford we've never thumped anybody. Our 'friends (cough)' from S6 have scored 4 on two occasions and we struggle to score more than two. I accept we only have realistically two seasons and then it is join the also rans - unless the new owners seriously invest.

Many including the media were falling into the trap of thinking 'hey ho Sheff U serious contenders but we are not we are too lightweight. Give CW his due he has done a good job getting a tune out of these guys, but for me it is midfield to attack that is shite, always giving the ball away on the edge of the box or the block. Invariably somebody like Hamer or O'Hare trying to take on too many players. It is that the pisses me off.

And yeah I find watching it frustrating and turgid. He needs to get the mojo of L1 days coupled with this defensive mindset and he might have a team that excites.

As far constantly going back and sideways fk me. Wilder must be having sceances with the late Ray Wilkins (for those who dont remember him he was known as square ball for his perpetual sideways passes).

Still cant beat the 70-71 season for drama. I mean if we did turn Leeds over 5-1 a la Cardiff well that would be a start. Yeah and then we had strikers Billy D, Woody, Geoff S, Gill R

 

[100% part time blade]

The ‘S6 friends’ you mention would swap those two ‘4 goal’ performances in a heartbeat for our points total and we both know it. They would do absolutely anything to be anywhere near our position in the table.
In two years we might be also rans. Or we might not. If we’d had a really poor start to the season and been nowhere near the top 6, then anxiety about this might make more sense. However, off the back of a 50 point 1st half, it makes less sense.

Just winning is the difference between promotion and relegation.
Most of Birmingham and Southampton’s results last year were the same. In over 30 games they were matched for wins draws and defeats. The rest, Southampton got wins, where Birmingham came out with draws and defeats. One got relegated and the other promoted. Getting promoted is about being slightly better than all the other teams over 46 games. That’s the reality.

 

[utd4ever]

Good point.
If we get nearly relegated this year, we should change the manager.

No my point was more calibre of manager. The changes they bring. The class of players they get.

 

[dc_blade]

No my point was more calibre of manager. The changes they bring. The class of players they get.

It's not a very good point though is it? The teams you mentioned had to change manager because they were flirting with relegation despite having expensively-assembled squads. They were under-performing. We're not in that situation at all. So why would we change?

 

[McGrath]

It's not a very good point though is it? The teams you mentioned had to change manager because they were flirting with relegation despite having expensively-assembled squads. They were under-performing. We're not in that situation at all. So why would we change?

The correct analogy for this lot would be swapping Moyes for Julen Lopetegui. But I guess they'll find a convenient excuse for that too

 

[100% part time blade]

Also, Emery and Santo are doing well now, but they will get sacked eventually.

Here’s a good point:
Sheffield United - Weir, Clough Adkins.
Struggling to even get into League 1 play-offs.

They bring in Wilder - Champions League contenders.

 

[McGrath]

Also, Emery and Santo are doing well now, but they will get sacked eventually.

Here’s a good point:
Sheffield United - Weir, Clough Adkins.
Struggling to even get into League 1 play-offs.

They bring in Wilder - Champions League contenders.

Emery didn't do well at Arsenal and Santo lasted about 5 minutes at Spurs

Unlike English managers, they seem to get second and third chances to prove themselves!

 

[dc_blade]

Unlike English managers, they seem to get second and third chances to prove themselves!

Lampard? Rooney?

 

[McGrath]

Lampard? Rooney?

Why not give examples of the vast majority of young English managers who just get chewed up and spat out as soon a few bad results arrived, they've no time to learn.

English managers have no chance. Too much money and expectation. It's tragic

 

[Striker]

I can't believe this debate is even taking place.
The people trying to make a case for changing a manager, who's done wonders for our club, are seriously in need of therapy.

 

[GymClassHero]

I can't believe this debate is even taking place.
The people trying to make a case for changing a manager, who's done wonders for our club, are seriously in need of therapy.

It's absolutely embarrassing

 

[The Bear]

The ‘S6 friends’ you mention would swap those two ‘4 goal’ performances in a heartbeat for our points total and we both know it. They would do absolutely anything to be anywhere near our position in the table.
In two years we might be also rans. Or we might not. If we’d had a really poor start to the season and been nowhere near the top 6, then anxiety about this might make more sense. However, off the back of a 50 point 1st half, it makes less sense.

Just winning is the difference between promotion and relegation.
Most of Birmingham and Southampton’s results last year were the same. In over 30 games they were matched for wins draws and defeats. The rest, Southampton got wins, where Birmingham came out with draws and defeats. One got relegated and the other promoted. Getting promoted is about being slightly better than all the other teams over 46 games. That’s the reality.

But I am talking about now, the reality is we are slipping away big time. We will see what happens at Watford, but I expect a defeat.

And as for the Southampton comparison did they err finish in the top two and how well are they doing this season? The only club in recent times that to me really hammered it was Fulham - and that's because a-they had a goalscorer and b- they err scored goals. We dont have 'a'.

 

[KOPPO]

hes one of us so tufty the kop legend is the only man for the job..utb..

 

[100% part time blade]

But I am talking about now, the reality is we are slipping away big time. We will see what happens at Watford, but I expect a defeat.

And as for the Southampton comparison did they err finish in the top two and how well are they doing this season? The only club in recent times that to me really hammered it was Fulham - and that's because a-they had a goalscorer and b- they err scored goals. We dont have 'a'.

As I type this, we are just beating Watford in another tight game that could go either way - which was my point about Southampton and Birmingham: it’s a tight division, and the margins between success and failure are slim - nothing more.

Honestly, it would be great if we could have a season like Fulham’s last promotion season, scoring over 100 goals and running away with the championship. Fulham who in the last 25 years have had 18 seasons in the Premier league, and who had £50 million Mitrovic - the most prolific striker in a single season in Championship history.

If you’re saying just getting promoted isn’t good enough, just getting autos isn’t enough, or even just winning the championship without absolutely hammering lots of other teams isn’t good enough … then I think that’s a somewhat unrealistic expectation of anyone sitting in the role of Sheffield United manager in the summer of 2024.

Realistically, every other team in this division would be wildly happy with any season that ends in promotion. As would any owner. Most haven’t been anywhere near that level of success for years.

Defining the bar for managerial success this season as winning our most significant trophy for over 50 years (the championship), and running away with the division, and scoring over 100 goals and hammering lots of other teams along the way … seems a bit like wishful thinking.

I think it’s fine for fans to dream that this could happen, but for me a more realistic expectation for the manager at the start of this season would be to begin rebuilding the squad, get over the trauma of last season, prevent a Luton-esque slide towards the bottom end of the table, and mount a challenge for promotion. Wilder is exceeding those expectations in my view, and deserves credit for it.

 

[McGrath]

As I type this, we are just beating Watford in another tight game that could go either way - which was my point about Southampton and Birmingham: it’s a tight division, and the margins between success and failure are slim - nothing more.

Honestly, it would be great if we could have a season like Fulham’s last promotion season, scoring over 100 goals and running away with the championship. Fulham who in the last 25 years have had 18 seasons in the Premier league, and who had £50 million Mitrovic - the most prolific striker in a single season in Championship history.

If you’re saying just getting promoted isn’t good enough, just getting autos isn’t enough, or even just winning the championship without absolutely hammering lots of other teams isn’t good enough … then I think that’s a somewhat unrealistic expectation of anyone sitting in the role of Sheffield United manager in the summer of 2024.

Realistically, every other team in this division would be wildly happy with any season that ends in promotion. As would any owner. Most haven’t been anywhere near that level of success for years.

Defining the bar for managerial success this season as winning our most significant trophy for over 50 years (the championship), and running away with the division, and scoring over 100 goals and hammering lots of other teams along the way … seems a bit like wishful thinking.

I think it’s fine for fans to dream that this could happen, but for me a more realistic expectation for the manager at the start of this season would be to begin rebuilding the squad, get over the trauma of last season, prevent a Luton-esque slide towards the bottom end of the table, and mount a challenge for promotion. Wilder is exceeding those expectations in my view, and deserves credit for it.

Well said. Some of the utter nonsense I've read on here lately is mind blowing. You start to wonder whether people actually think they're watching a sport where there's opposition teams equally as desperate to win as ourselves, often with better players and squads!

They all make it sound so easy too. Just hire a foreign manager,.who adopts all out "positive" attacking football with "tactics", and with this squad we've got we'll win every game between now and the end of the season by a minimum of 4 nil.