Just been watching Barnsley v Forest..

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

Whilst waiting for The Blacklist...

I know I'm bias but nothing I'm seeing makes me think we're not currently playing to that level. If anything the play is a lot less structured and neither side seems to have the tactical organisation or discipline we've currently got.

Just need to make sure we get out of this division!!!!

 

[cahill]

Completely agree, watching Barnsley a mixture of Benny Hill and Keystone Cops comedy football. As you say, have to get out of this league first

 

[cahill]

Neither team knocks the ball about as well as United, mind you we are playing poorer teams

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

They've both earned the right to be as shit as they want in the division above by smashing League One.

Let's not slag teams off who are better than ourselves.

 

[Bladesman]

They were shocking defensively but it gives us hope that would could go and stay up.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

They were shocking defensively but it gives us hope that would could go and stay up.

Definitely. I think we've already got a Championship quality defence and GK.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

Take out Newcastle and the Championship is pretty bog standard really, its competitive but most of it in a hustle and bustle way, I think the Blades will be okay in there, the bottom half is full of teams going stale as well or at least trying to rebuild/stabilize and push on up.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

Barnsley went up and ditched the decent style they had going that got them up from the start of this year! More fool them!

 

[Ricky]

Barnsley are better than us. Forest aren't great yet beat them 5-2. I'd say that actually emphasises how wide the gap is between the Championship and L1. Look at Wigan looking hopeless as well. I expect the three promoted L1 sides to finish 21st, 22nd and 23rd with good old Rotherham propping them up. The momentum of promotion isn't enough to take you very far in that league anymore. If we go up we'll have to invest, and smartly.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

I think some of you are in for a shock if we do manage to get up.
I went through our squad the other day, putting a tick (good enough), Cross (Not good enough) or Question mark (Not Sure) against each player.
Let's just say there wasn't many ticks.
Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.
If we do manage to go up we would need some serious money spending just to survive.(Let's hope the Prince was telling the truth about serious investment only comming when we get to the championship).
But let's worry about that if and when we get there.

 

[Keen Blade]

Keep focussed on the next game boys don't look further and take your eye off the ball that is about to hit you in the face.

 

[Caveblade]

I think some of you are in for a shock if we do manage to get up.
I went through our squad the other day, putting a tick (good enough), Cross (Not good enough) or Question mark (Not Sure) against each player.
Let's just say there wasn't many ticks.
Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.
If we do manage to go up we would need some serious money spending just to survive.(Let's hope the Prince was telling the truth about serious investment only comming when we get to the championship).
But let's worry about that if and when we get there.

Would that be the same prince who is conspicuous by his abscence recently?

 

[I should coco]

hey've both earned the right to be as shit as they want in the division above by smashing League One.

Let's not slag teams off who are better than ourselves.

Why not?

Dingles v Scabs - how can they possibly be 'better' than God's own Blades!

Let's stop this reasoned argument bollocks and put our one-eyed red and white tinted glasses back on.

No more defeatist crap, WE ARE BLADES,

 

[Pinchy]

The truth lies somewhere in between the starry-eyed optimists and the Bladey forelock-tuggers.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I'll worry about the Championship , next season after were promoted as champions
from this league , this season .
Lets not get all piggie and start talking about the premiership while bottling it at Wembley .

 

[Lazerblade]

I think some of you are in for a shock if we do manage to get up.
I went through our squad the other day, putting a tick (good enough), Cross (Not good enough) or Question mark (Not Sure) against each player.
Let's just say there wasn't many ticks.
Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.
If we do manage to go up we would need some serious money spending just to survive.(Let's hope the Prince was telling the truth about serious investment only comming when we get to the championship).
But let's worry about that if and when we get there.

I wonder how many ticks there would have been at the side of Leicester city names in August 2015.
I get your thinking and yes the players have to have a certain level of skill but, it's as much about the team and style/organisation as it is about individuality and their perceived level of worth.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Yeah we've got to earn the right to play in that league - and yes we are playing poorer teams.

I also think players like Lansbury and Assombalonga have some real quality - that we havent got (certainly proven in championship anyway).

 

[Pinchy]

I'll worry about the Championship , next season after were promoted as champions
from this league , this season .
Lets not get all piggie and start talking about the premiership while bottling it at Wembley .

Or we could just say what we like without giving a fuck about the Pigs.

I think we're a massive club and attract great crowds.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I think some of you are in for a shock if we do manage to get up.
I went through our squad the other day, putting a tick (good enough), Cross (Not good enough) or Question mark (Not Sure) against each player.
Let's just say there wasn't many ticks.
Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.
If we do manage to go up we would need some serious money spending just to survive.(Let's hope the Prince was telling the truth about serious investment only comming when we get to the championship).
But let's worry about that if and when we get there.

I think we'd need 4 or 5 additions, but the majority of that squad is definitely good enough to play at Championship level. In my opinion, it would be a massive mistake to think otherwise. Sometimes clubs feel they've got to shed all the players that got them out of the league below in order to recruit a higher standard of player. In fact there's no evidence that this works - it's actually far more successful to keep most of the players that got you promoted and just add one or two to that as you go along. If you look for evidence of teams who went quickly from League 1 to Prem then take a leaf out of Southampton and Norwich's book. They used the same set of players, with very few changes, to get them from League 1 to Prem in consecutive seasons. Look at little Northampton Town this season. They could have said, "these players won't be good enough for League 1". But they haven't, they've stuck with what they had and they are doing alright.

Back to the Blades and I think that midfield with Fleck, Coutts and Duffy is one of the best we've had for years. It's at least as good as the midfield we had when we were in the Championship for several years, most of which we spent in the top 6.

I'd be looking to strengthen down the left hand side and add a striker and maybe another centre half. But I'd fully expect most of this current squad to be able to more than hold their own at Championship level.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Or we could just say what we like without giving a fuck about the Pigs.

I think we're a massive club and attract great crowds.

Thought you weren't going to mention pigs .

 

[Antonb]

For us to to well in the championship, Wilder going to have to rebuild the team again. A number if our players would struggle in the Championship. When we played derby preseason they looked a good side but have struggled this season. There is a gap without a doubt.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.

Look, there is only one team in the league who can fuck things up just as spectacularly as us and its this fucking lot. They are going nowhere quick and you'll all see who would get in their team and who wouldn't next season when we play them. So in the meantime please stop deferring to these bastards.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Watching last night's game I thought the players on the pitch were technically better than most of ours and moved the ball much quicker. Movement up front for Barnsley by both strikers was really good and the lad Brie? looked different class on the right flank.

However all teams have to defend properly and neither team did so last night. No point playing fast, mobile football if you let goals in so easily, so yes, on current form we would appear to be more solid than both those teams.

Man for man we have weaknesses and we all have our opinions about individual players but IMO from last night add Winnell, Brie, Hammill and Morsey to our squad and we'd do well up there. I like the lad who got sent off too, was it Watkins?

 

[PokerBlade]

There's a big gap between divisions. There's loads of players that have stood out at this level and then struggled or failed at the next step up. Worry about it if we get there.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

I think we'd need 4 or 5 additions, but the majority of that squad is definitely good enough to play at Championship level. In my opinion, it would be a massive mistake to think otherwise. Sometimes clubs feel they've got to shed all the players that got them out of the league below in order to recruit a higher standard of player. In fact there's no evidence that this works - it's actually far more successful to keep most of the players that got you promoted and just add one or two to that as you go along. If you look for evidence of teams who went quickly from League 1 to Prem then take a leaf out of Southampton and Norwich's book. They used the same set of players, with very few changes, to get them from League 1 to Prem in consecutive seasons. Look at little Northampton Town this season. They could have said, "these players won't be good enough for League 1". But they haven't, they've stuck with what they had and they are doing alright.

Back to the Blades and I think that midfield with Fleck, Coutts and Duffy is one of the best we've had for years. It's at least as good as the midfield we had when we were in the Championship for several years, most of which we spent in the top 6.

I'd be looking to strengthen down the left hand side and add a striker and maybe another centre half. But I'd fully expect most of this current squad to be able to more than hold their own at Championship level.

I get what you are saying and Fleck and Coutts were 2 players I had a question marks against them. Duffy on the other hand I had a cross against mainly because of his age and the fact Burton didn't fancy him for the Championship.

 

[Pinchy]

For us to to well in the championship, Wilder going to have to rebuild the team again. A number if our players would struggle in the Championship. When we played derby preseason they looked a good side but have struggled this season. There is a gap without a doubt.

The players hadn't got to grips with Tuftyball at all at that point. It would be a very different game, now.

Tufty's not daft. He has a plan of continuous improvement. That will be evident in January. He'll have no intention of going into the Championship with, just for example,
Jake Wright or Runaround Done.

 

[BushBlade]

Our income will go up significantly when we get promoted as we'll get a lot more TV money, away fans, higher sponsorship revenue etc. Spent wisely, it should be sufficient to keep us up and then we build from that. I've got every confidence in Wilder to spend it wisely.
We've got used to having poor or average managers, we've forgotten what a good one can do.

 

[ThatJa]

The quality difference between Championsip -> League One has gotten a lot lot lot smaller in recent years. Not many teams that go up come straight back down.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I think some of you are in for a shock if we do manage to get up.
I went through our squad the other day, putting a tick (good enough), Cross (Not good enough) or Question mark (Not Sure) against each player.
Let's just say there wasn't many ticks.
Look how Wednesday struggled when they first went up, even now they are only mid table after spending God knows how many millions, and not one player out of our squad would get in Wednesday's side.
If we do manage to go up we would need some serious money spending just to survive.(Let's hope the Prince was telling the truth about serious investment only comming when we get to the championship).
But let's worry about that if and when we get there.

Fact is that Sharp and Clarke along with the rest of the squad are not Championship quality.

 

[bornablade]

Fact is that Sharp and Clarke along with the rest of the squad are not Championship quality.

The fact this squad is not good enough for the Championship is the reason why Wilder and Knill should be devoting time to planning for next season.

An example, if EEL is available till the end of the season on loan then let's snatch Wolves hand off. If on the other hand they want us to purchase him then I'd be reluctant to do so. He could help finish the job of promotion this season but would struggle in the Championship.