Is now the time for realism

[Guesty]

fulham broke exce;llently , but you missed we pulled them apart too , its why they collapsed on the pitch at the end
we havent had many breaks this season

birmingham had one shot at the lane but it was their goal of the seasdn and we drop 2 points through it

we were poor at millwall but all teams have off days
we suffer more from conversion rates of chances not being what they should

We can't finish our chances and we can't defend shots from distance. That doesn't make us better than everybody else.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

The contradiction for me is the knee-jerk reactions I see are posts about supposed meltdowns or knee-jerk reactions. I don't see what realism has to do with rightly pointing out that our play pace has dropped, system is creaking a bit and team selection being inconsistent to the point where out of form players continue to play, yet others are dropped like a stone.
Forget wolves, they have champions league players, our poor form over the last 14 games has been more about what we're doing, than about us suddenly being played off the park. That's what's frustrating some I think, we've abandoned a play style and, to some extent, personnel that contributed to the best 18 months we've seen in an age. We proved we are more than a match for the league and dropped our standards. Why is saying that unrealistic?

 

[WigglyBlade]

Could we be realistic and agree that Brooks is in no was our first or second best player? The lad starts most games on the bench.

Agree with this and I’d also point out that Coutts is not our best player either. I don’t know why but fans often turn injured players into messiahs who will solve all our problems when they return.

There’s no doubting Brooksy is incredibly talented but if he was our best/most important player he’d start every game. He def has the potential to be our best player but isn’t there just yet.

Coutts also isn’t our best player, I’d argue Fleck, Duffy and O’Connell have been better than him this season (and Fleck is our best player full stop) but he is a massive miss and it really seems to have affected Flecks game not having him by his side.

Coutts’ partnership with Fleck is what we’re really missing for me. They just read each other’s minds and it was like poetry in motion watching them play together at times. Hopefully they can get that back next season.

 

[BladeFisher]

weve had 2 of if not the 2 hardest games of our season
theres 16 games and 48 points available left in much more winnable games left

lets not panic , we only have derby h fulham a v top 6 teams left
we need 11 or 12 wins to make the play offs

we have the quality to do that

losing to a prem side assembled a year early is not the end of our chances

I hadn't heard the news that Sheffield United 3 Derby County 1 on 26th August had retrospectively been re-classed as a friendly.

 

[Davalon]

Realism for me means not talking about the play-offs. Realism for me is accepting our performances and results over that last 12 games haven't been good enough . Realism for me means understanding we have new players we need to bed in and adapt our playing style to get the best from them as no one can say what we are currently doing is successful. Realism to me means putting that right and doing the old old thing of taking one game at a time.

Boom. And here comes common sense.

Add in that teams are starting to nullify our style of play more, and it's a learning curve.

Personally you can stick your faux optimism for show up your jacksy. It' just for show.

 

[bladesman3]

weve had 2 of if not the 2 hardest games of our season
theres 16 games and 48 points available left in much more winnable games left

lets not panic , we only have derby h fulham a v top 6 teams left
we need 11 or 12 wins to make the play offs

we have the quality to do that

losing to a prem side assembled a year early is not the end of our chances

We have played derby at home! We still have Fulham and Brizzle away and Cardiff at home to play

 

[super_pig]

Could we be realistic and agree that Brooks is in no was our first or second best player? The lad starts most games on the bench.

perhaps in terms of impact?

 

[Davalon]

10/02/2018 12.30 Sheffield United v Leeds United

27/02/2018 20:00 Reading v Sheffield United

20/02/2018 19:45 Sheffield United v Queens Park Rangers

23/02/2018 19.45 Hull City v Sheffield United

03/03/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Burton Albion

06/03/2018 19:45 Fulham v Sheffield United

10/03/2018 15:00 Ipswich Town v Sheffield United

17/03/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest

31/03/2018 15:00 Brentford v Sheffield United

02/04/2018 19,45 Sheffield United v Cardiff City

07/04/2018 12.15 Barnsley v Sheffield United

10/04/2018 19:45 Sheffield United v Middlesbrough

14/04/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Millwall

21/04/2018 15:00 Birmingham City v Sheffield United

28/04/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Preston North End

06/05/2018 12.50 Bristol City v Sheffield United

16 games left need to win 10 or 11 to make the play offs
still eminantly possible theres at least 8 we should win with ease

That last sentence tells me how much you've actually watched closely this season. Empty propaganda mate. One game at a time. No disrespect but I believe you were one of those wiping your cock on the curtains around October.

Not being negative doesn't mean having to get ahead of yourself.

 

[super_pig]

Realism for me means not talking about the play-offs. Realism for me is accepting our performances and results over that last 12 games haven't been good enough . Realism for me means understanding we have new players we need to bed in and adapt our playing style to get the best from them as no one can say what we are currently doing is successful. Realism to me means putting that right and doing the old old thing of taking one game at a time.

and having a bit of patience..

 

[super_pig]

To say we should easily win half of our remaining games with the way things have been going is astounding arrogance.

what is so arrogant about expecting to beat teams that are below us in the table.. many who we have beaten already??

 

[Rob86]

If we win the next 4 I'll change my mind but anything less and it'll just go down as a very good season which has shown we have serious potential to push on from it next season.

Then it's over to the board and scouting network in summer to pick up some gems for reasonable fees (£1m ish). Evans so far looking like such a player. But strikers are going to be difficult to find as there's 40 odd clubs looking for that goal scoring gem in every transfer window.

 

[Guesty]

what is so arrogant about expecting to beat teams that are below us in the table.. many who we have beaten already??

Probably that we've won two league games in the two and a half months since we lost Coutts. But I'm sure a monumental winning run is around the corner.

We'd already beaten Wolves and look how easy it was for them last night.

 

[BladeFisher]

10/02/2018 12.30 Sheffield United v Leeds United

27/02/2018 20:00 Reading v Sheffield United

20/02/2018 19:45 Sheffield United v Queens Park Rangers

23/02/2018 19.45 Hull City v Sheffield United

03/03/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Burton Albion

06/03/2018 19:45 Fulham v Sheffield United

10/03/2018 15:00 Ipswich Town v Sheffield United

17/03/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest

31/03/2018 15:00 Brentford v Sheffield United

02/04/2018 19,45 Sheffield United v Cardiff City

07/04/2018 12.15 Barnsley v Sheffield United

10/04/2018 19:45 Sheffield United v Middlesbrough

14/04/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Millwall

21/04/2018 15:00 Birmingham City v Sheffield United

28/04/2018 15:00 Sheffield United v Preston North End

06/05/2018 12.50 Bristol City v Sheffield United

16 games left need to win 10 or 11 to make the play offs
still eminantly possible theres at least 8 we should win with ease
I am sat in the fat ladys dressing room and shes not booked in here till end of April

There is no bloody way we will win 10 or 11 of these games no way on earth.

Since Burton (A) 13 league games ago we have won just er twice, yes twice making us at the moment the fourth worse team in the league according to Sky.

At this rate I expect us to finish below Birmingham, probably about 16th or 17th. To my mind Wilder and Nill have lost the plot and I am not happy. We seemed to have completely and utterly failed on two possibly three counts.

1. Probably (who knows) the Coutts injury coincided with teams finally sussing us out and CW's style. However both he and AK and us thought it was because of Coutts' horrible leg break that we lost form. I am now beginning to doubt that. His response. We’ll continue as we are. That’s what the German’s did. No CW, you need to suss out how to overcome the way teams have now sussed you out mate.

2. The old contract extension = loss of form. Leon Clarke say no more. I think he is a nice person, probably quite maligned and I admire CW standing by him but at the moment he appears a luxury. Yes he puts himself about drawing players in around him and all that but let's be honest he isn't in there as some 'holding attacker' he's there to score goals. And he isn't. Billy Sharp seems sidelined for some reason I would appreciate greater explanation on. The service to these guys appears bollox at the moment and so we 'ain't scoring goals'. Sky stat was something about where we haven't scored first we've only not lost twice or something. A stato can advise the actual facts. In the transfer window where was the focus on us getting goals. Seems it wasn't. We just seemed to get more of the same midfield types. Only Holmes looked creative last night.

3. Will CW stop banging on about L1 players. He makes the requests to the Board or purchases committee or whatever it is called. Instead of 5 players from L1 maybe he should have got 1 from the Chumpionship (sic). He seems to have fallen into the 'I am just happy to be here (a bit like getting to a cup final as underdog and that was all that mattered) playing at Molyneux, the Villa, Leeds et al'. FFS Chris this is Sheffield United, not bloody Rochdale, Accrington or Barnet. Amazing it didn't seem to affect Dave Bassett when he brought us up from the Third division and we were dross when he took us down to it as well.

I strongly suspect our shit run has been quietly noted in the boardroom and CW will be on quite a sticky wicket if things don't improve, because if we play like this at the beginning of next season he'll be toast as McCabe will probably have to make some big decisions (will the Prince go, what about me I'm not getting any younger, will the boys take it on – probably not). After all DW got flamed out and he was still within touching distance of the play offs!

I like CW a lot but just recently he seems like a rabbit in headlights. When it ain’t working Chris doing the same thing is likely to lead to the same result. It isn’t rocket science. He needs to behave like a Championship manager with Championship thinking, not a League One manager having a good time. Maybe go off and secretly study some continental tactics or whatever (Huddersfield often cited as having bugger all dosh too, do have a continental manager)

Finally forget promotion. It isn’t going to happen and if it did we’d be a laughing stock getting absolutely fucking hammered. It would make the Tevez season seem like a holiday. We need quality and especially up front and in defence.

 

[super_pig]

There is no bloody way we will win 10 or 11 of these games no way on earth.

Since Burton (A) 13 league games ago we have won just er twice, yes twice making us at the moment the fourth worse team in the league according to Sky.

At this rate I expect us to finish below Birmingham, probably about 16th or 17th. To my mind Wilder and Nill have lost the plot and I am not happy. We seemed to have completely and utterly failed on two possibly three counts.

1. Probably (who knows) the Coutts injury coincided with teams finally sussing us out and CW's style. However both he and AK and us thought it was because of Coutts' horrible leg break that we lost form. I am now beginning to doubt that. His response. We’ll continue as we are. That’s what the German’s did. No CW, you need to suss out how to overcome the way teams have now sussed you out mate.

2. The old contract extension = loss of form. Leon Clarke say no more. I think he is a nice person, probably quite maligned and I admire CW standing by him but at the moment he appears a luxury. Yes he puts himself about drawing players in around him and all that but let's be honest he isn't in there as some 'holding attacker' he's there to score goals. And he isn't. Billy Sharp seems sidelined for some reason I would appreciate greater explanation on. The service to these guys appears bollox at the moment and so we 'ain't scoring goals'. Sky stat was something about where we haven't scored first we've only not lost twice or something. A stato can advise the actual facts. In the transfer window where was the focus on us getting goals. Seems it wasn't. We just seemed to get more of the same midfield types. Only Holmes looked creative last night.

3. Will CW stop banging on about L1 players. He makes the requests to the Board or purchases committee or whatever it is called. Instead of 5 players from L1 maybe he should have got 1 from the Chumpionship (sic). He seems to have fallen into the 'I am just happy to be here (a bit like getting to a cup final as underdog and that was all that mattered) playing at Molyneux, the Villa, Leeds et al'. FFS Chris this is Sheffield United, not bloody Rochdale, Accrington or Barnet. Amazing it didn't seem to affect Dave Bassett when he brought us up from the Third division and we were dross when he took us down to it as well.

I strongly suspect our shit run has been quietly noted in the boardroom and CW will be on quite a sticky wicket if things don't improve, because if we play like this at the beginning of next season he'll be toast as McCabe will probably have to make some big decisions (will the Prince go, what about me I'm not getting any younger, will the boys take it on – probably not). After all DW got flamed out and he was still within touching distance of the play offs!

I like CW a lot but just recently he seems like a rabbit in headlights. When it ain’t working Chris doing the same thing is likely to lead to the same result. It isn’t rocket science. He needs to behave like a Championship manager with Championship thinking, not a League One manager having a good time. Maybe go off and secretly study some continental tactics or whatever (Huddersfield often cited as having bugger all dosh too, do have a continental manager)

Finally forget promotion. It isn’t going to happen and if it did we’d be a laughing stock getting absolutely fucking hammered. It would make the Tevez season seem like a holiday. We need quality and especially up front and in defence.

i've bookmarked this in anticipation
it's going to be sweeeet

 

[Tunstall Fred]

i've bookmarked this in anticipation

I've marked him down as an idiot.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Board ready to sack Wilder. You almost heard it here first

 

[BushBlade]

Board ready to sack Wilder. You almost heard it here first

Fucking hope so. I'm much happier when I'm a moaning cunt and recently I've had very little to moan about.

 

[1066blade]

weve had 2 of if not the 2 hardest games of our season
theres 16 games and 48 points available left in much more winnable games left

lets not panic , we only have derby h fulham a v top 6 teams left
we need 11 or 12 wins to make the play offs

we have the quality to do that

losing to a prem side assembled a year early is not the end of our chances

Play offs? Really? after the last few performances I have just been reassuring myself we're safe from relegation!
If we did (stretching the imagination here) achieve the play offs, WTF do you think would happen? Having just lost at home to two of the likely opponents? We are so far off the required level to even dream of Prem football, Chris did a brilliant job last year, and only the amazing start this year has avoided what I thought would be a relegation struggle.
With no big cash, we are only left with little hope.
Sorry to have to print that fellow Blades.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

Play offs? Really? after the last few performances I have just been reassuring myself we're safe from relegation!
If we did (stretching the imagination here) achieve the play offs, WTF do you think would happen? Having just lost at home to two of the likely opponents? We are so far off the required level to even dream of Prem football, Chris did a brilliant job last year, and only the amazing start this year has avoided what I thought would be a relegation struggle.
With no big cash, we are only left with little hope.
Sorry to have to print that fellow Blades.

Sorry,lol

You delight in our losing,we never hear a peep out of you when we are winning.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Think it’s time for some realism with our fans.

The last 2 weeks we have played 2 genuine promotion contenders and lost both. Both times I have seen there teamsheet and thought wow how can we compete against them.

We are in our first season in the championship and currently missing our 2 best players in Coutts and Brooks. Teams around us are spending so much more than we are. Fulham rejected bids for Sessengon and Cairney both meant to be £40million + for the pair. Financially we are so far away from these teams.

Yet we as fans don’t expect us to compete (we were the better team against Villa) we expect to win no matter who we play against.

We play good football infront of a very poor atmosphere at home. Who constantly shout get it forward get it into box. Wolves didn’t do that today as you can see by there second goal. Also when wolves played it out from the back there fans weren’t moaning about “look at him messing about with it”.

Every game we go into with a formation and tactics that allows us to compete with these teams who have better players than us. This is a credit to CW!

We need to be realistic CW has his hands tied behind his back in this league. The top 7 all have better players and more finances than us. We expect miracles week on week from CW we just need to be realistic about our place and position in this league.

All that is true but what specifically are fans being unrealistic about?

We have a realistic chance of being promoted. Maybe we’re looking at the play offs now as opposed to top 2, but that’s still realistic.

I think the most unrealistic thing is to think that we should think about this season as consolidation and expect us to do even better next season. There is absolutely no guarantee that we’ll be in a better situation than this next season, so we have to grasp this golden opportunity now and push on to give ourselves the best chance of returning to the Prem since we left it all those years ago.