is this the end for billy

[Bladesman]

I disagree with most that Pinchy comes out with, but he's correct on this one. Billy in the first few months of the season was banging goals in and that in itself merits inclusion irrespective to what else you bring to the table.

Unfortunately the last couple of months everything has gone wrong for him, poor control, poor hold up, falling over... when the move get's to him it's generally broken down.

Nothing against him, he's been great for us the last 30 months or so, but his form over the past 2 months merited dropping.

Now it's up to him to put the effort in on the training ground and take his chance when it does come back around.

People do seem to be overlooking that the entire team has not been in perfect form for a while now and not all of that is down to Billy being out of form himself.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

It’s difficult to disagree with most of this. And ultimately, based on the gaffers selection policy, it is clear to all and sundry that Bill is currently not regarded as a shoe in, as may have been the case in the past.

No problems with that and, as you say, it’s down to him to show it in training and whatever limited pitch time he may get in the short term.

My concerns are not with Bill, but with Leon. Using your own words, if Leons form continues to drop, will he face the same fate as Sharp, and be dropped ?

I genuinely have my doubts.

UTB

Whilst Leon's form hasn't been superb, he's still contributing when he's not scoring. He's harassing, pressing, his energy levels are ridiculous for a previously regarded 'lazy' player.

 

[DronnieBlade]

His recent form is very poor. If and when he shows Tufty enough in training or maybe the U-23s, no doubt he’ll be considered for selection, not because of past glories or which team he supports.

For someone whom I could genuinely rely upon for a reasoned, rational and generally informed opinion on all things Blades, I have to say this is something we won’t be agreeing on anytime soon.

Maybe I’m wrong.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

For someone whom I could genuinely rely upon for a reasoned, rational and generally informed opinion on all things Blades, I have to say this is something we won’t be agreeing on anytime soon.

Maybe I’m wrong.

UTB

I agree with you. Well, no, but I do..

 

[Pinchy]

Whilst Leon's form hasn't been superb, he's still contributing when he's not scoring. He's harassing, pressing, his energy levels are ridiculous for a previously regarded 'lazy' player.

That’s the difference.

 

[Bladesman]

Whilst Leon's form hasn't been superb, he's still contributing when he's not scoring. He's harassing, pressing, his energy levels are ridiculous for a previously regarded 'lazy' player.

Billy just sits on the pitch and does nowt then?

 

[Superblades]

View attachment 35787

If the clu ever decides the badge was to be updated then I would hope they picked this. Class!

 

[DronnieBlade]

Billy just sits on the pitch and does nowt then?

Yes.

Obviously

UTB

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Billy just sits on the pitch and does nowt then?

I have already said, the last couple of months he's been well off it. Everything has broken down when the ball has got to him. So yeah, if you want to put it like that, yes, he's done nothing.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Agreed, ball sticks better too.

The frustrating thing with Friday night was that Leon spent most of the time on the wing being part of these triangles when there was nobody in the box to deliver too.

Another popular misconception unsupported by the facts.

Check the clubs website.

Pass completion 65% vs 74%.

UTB

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Another popular misconception unsupported by the facts.

Check the clubs website.

Pass completion 65% vs 74%.

UTB

I said the past two months..... You can say Billy is in the top ten goalscorers in the league if you want. Fact is he hasn't scored for 2 months, nor looked like scoring.

 

[DronnieBlade]

I said the past two months..... You can say Billy is in the top ten goalscorers in the league if you want. Fact is he hasn't scored for 2 months, nor looked like scoring.

Wrong.

What you said was quote “the ball sticks better too”.

It clearly doesn’t, something my eyeballs have been somewhat aware of more than most for some time.

UTB

 

[Darthblade]

I don't believe for a minute that Evans is in any sense ahead of Bill in the pecking order, either currently or in the foreseeable. That would be just about the most illogical move that Wilder could possibly make.

I would suggest that it depends upon fitness and form ....... that is what Tufty is likely to consider when picking the side .......

UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

I will eat my own liver with a dessert spoon if we still have clarke, sharp, evans, brooks, lavery & donaldson on our books at the end of the transfer window. Unless CW is going to play 3 upfront. Throw in wilson, why would we need 7 forwards, albeit with different skill sets?

Brooks isn't a striker and I would suggest that its likely that Lavery will be allowed to go out on loan ......

UTB & FTP

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Brooks isn't a striker and I would suggest that its likely that Lavery will be allowed to go out on loan ......

UTB & FTP

you may be right. i see brooks as a 2nd striker playing off clarke or a inside forward.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Wrong.

What you said was quote “the ball sticks better too”.

It clearly doesn’t, something my eyeballs have been somewhat aware of more than most for some time.

UTB

Don't worry, I'm sticking with that appraisal too.

Billy's hold up play recently has involved wrestling with centre halves and falling over. All about opinions.

 

[DronnieBlade]

Don't worry, I'm sticking with that appraisal too.

Billy's hold up play recently has involved wrestling with centre halves and falling over. All about opinions.

Righdo.

Don’t let a few cold hard facts interfere with a preconceived notion !

All abart opinions.

UTB

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Righdo.

Don’t let a few cold hard facts interfere with a preconceived notion !

All abart opinions.

UTB

You can quote all the stats you want pal. I aint trying to pull Billy apart, I'm just saying what I believe is correct.

Wilder clearly thinks so too hence why he's not been in the first XI for the last 3/4 games.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Billy Sharp did nothing for an extended period of time when he was floating around at Forest, Reading and Leeds. Didn't mean he was finished.

Also worth noting that last season Rhodes was playing in the Premier League and Sharp was playing in League One.

“Playing”

 

[BushBlade]

you may be right. i see brooks as a 2nd striker playing off clarke or a inside forward.

If I watched that for 45 minutes, then turned it upside down and watched it again for 45 minutes, it would be like watching us last Friday, just without the shit crosses.

 

[DronnieBlade]

You can quote all the stats you want pal. I aint trying to pull Billy apart, I'm just saying what I believe is correct.

Wilder clearly thinks so too hence why he's not been in the first XI for the last 3/4 games.

Your right. Wilder has final say and has spoken.

But is it wrong of me to challenge his thinking ?

To challenge yours (and the vast majority of others as it turns out) ?

Like a lot of others I sometimes use stats as a way to amplify a point of view. They help to provide a semblance of “fact” in an otherwise subjective world.

I believe it would be fair of me to say that the majority hold your view on the particular point we are presently debating. That Clarke is better as a target. That it “sticks” better. That possession is retained via the completion of a “pass/header/flick on/ etc.”

The unfortunate truth is that Sharp, even though in poor form, wrestling with CBs and falling to the floor at an alarming rate has STILL managed to get the ball to stick 14% more than golden bollocks.

Baffling isn’t it !

UTB

P.S there’s more !

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

View attachment 35889 View attachment 35889
Your right. Wilder has final say and has spoken.

But is it wrong of me to challenge his thinking ?

To challenge yours (and the vast majority of others as it turns out) ?

Like a lot of others I sometimes use stats as a way to amplify a point of view. They help to provide a semblance of “fact” in an otherwise subjective world.

I believe it would be fair of me to say that the majority hold your view on the particular point we are presently debating. That Clarke is better as a target. That it “sticks” better. That possession is retained via the completion of a “pass/header/flick on/ etc.”

The unfortunate truth is that Sharp, even though in poor form, wrestling with CBs and falling to the floor at an alarming rate has STILL managed to get the ball to stick 14% more than golden bollocks.

Baffling isn’t it !

UTB

It's a healthy debate for sure.

But I'm sure you're intelligent enough to know that stats don't always tell a full story - that 'pass completion' percentage that you've quoted doesn't tell any story of 'hold up play'.

Anyhow, I personally hope Sharp gets another sniff and I'm sure he will. Perhaps the little layoff will invigorate him.

 

[DronnieBlade]

It's a healthy debate for sure.

But I'm sure you're intelligent enough to know that stats don't always tell a full story - that 'pass completion' percentage that you've quoted doesn't tell any story of 'hold up play'.

Anyhow, I personally hope Sharp gets another sniff and I'm sure he will. Perhaps the little layoff will invigorate him.

Agreed they can.

As can your eyeballs if your perspective is “skewed”, for whatever reason.

I hope your right about Sharp. But it’s also possible that, rightly or wrongly, he might find himself as low as 5th choice in the coming weeks and months.

Time will tell.

UTB

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

Agreed they can.

As can your eyeballs if your perspective is “skewed”, for whatever reason.

I hope your right about Sharp. But it’s also possible that, rightly or wrongly, he might find himself as low as 5th choice in the coming weeks and months.

Time will tell.

UTB

Not sure about that... I'm unconvinced with Wilson, we will see how his many injury problems have affected him.

Ched is unconvincing, Lavery will be going, Hanson going and I think Donaldson may be off at the end of the season too.

 

[Sean Thornton]

People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe.

 

[DronnieBlade]

People will generally accept facts as truth only if the facts agree with what they already believe.

Then I have a 32” waist, an11 inch cock and a trophy wife to blow on it

UTB

 

[Sean Thornton]

Then I have a 32” waist, an11 inch cock and a trophy wife to blow on it

UTB

16" shoulders and a 48" arse?

 

[1888to1889]

Based on what exactly?

Cos he is end of

 

[DronnieBlade]

16" shoulders and a 48" arse?

Broader shoulders than that pal.

Have you not read some of my utterly outrageous posts ?

UTB

 

[Sean Thornton]

Broader shoulders than that pal.

Have you not read some of my utterly outrageous posts ?

UTB

Yes, but you do believe 8 is better than 15 so I tend to take some of it with a punch of salt.