Lack of identity

[Grey Blade]

Honestly I do think Wilder sees what we see but sadly he’s had a year nearly to know what formation and tactics he wants to play. So despite the off the pitch noise he hasn’t fully landed on anything. That’s with Alan Knill and without.

I know it's been said before but I think he misses Alan Knill's input

 

[Paris_Blade]

I hate to admit it but you’re right another manager with this shower and we’d be relegated

It's funny, I feel totally opposite! Cardiff for example would love to take the majority of out players but their coach would have them playing in some sort of dynamic system. To take the other side of that though, if he had our budget in previous seasons he wouldn't have ended up going with the players we did in the first place.

Look at RND, for example. He's not particularly exciting, but he's solid, and QPR clearly valued him. I think we judge our players against a much higher standard than we actually need in the Championship. A lot of our players would probably be considered top players at most other Championship clubs and we should expect our coach to be getting more out of them.

 

[BladeByChoice]

Never clearer than tonight.
Started with 3 5 2, half time changed to 4 4 2 then went to 4 3 3.
CWs flexible I suppose.

Ether I have missed something or woken up in a parallel universe.

Haven't we all been criticising Wilder for a 'no plan B, like for like subs' approach to games for ages now.
changes shape 3 times to win a game and lets rip him to bits for having no identity.

Love him or hate him, the bloke has been screwed by the owners and has been left trying to build a team from shite.
He is actually trying to keep us in this league this season.

 

[bakeblade]

Ether I have missed something or woken up in a parallel universe.

Haven't we all been criticising Wilder for a 'no plan B, like for like subs' approach to games for ages now.
changes shape 3 times to win a game and lets rip him to bits for having no identity.

Love him or hate him, the bloke has been screwed by the owners and has been left trying to build a team from shite.
He is actually trying to keep us in this league this season.

Having a Plan B is fine, but last night he seemed to but plan C and then D into operation.

 

[BladeByChoice]

Having a Plan B is fine, but last night he seemed to but plan C and then D into operation.

And then plans E,F.G.H....... if that's what it takes, we are in deep shit this season and facing the nightmare of dropping and passing the piggies on their way up, anything to avoid that.

 

[bakeblade]

And then plans E,F.G.H....... if that's what it takes, we are in deep shit this season and facing the nightmare of dropping and passing the piggies on their way up, anything to avoid that.

If you are changing formations as much as we did yesterday, it suggests you got the starting and 2nd formation wrong

 

[The Fox]

If you are changing formations as much as we did yesterday, it suggests you got the starting and 2nd formation wrong

Or it means the team and replacements are experienced enough and flexible enough to adapt to in game tactical change or to suit the personell on the pitch.

Really depends if you have a half full or half empty view.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Or it means the team and replacements are experienced enough and flexible enough to adapt to in game tactical change or to suit the personell on the pitch.

Really depends if you have a half full or half empty view.

But Plan A was very clearly wrong. It was shocking. If they were clinical Blackburn would have been out of sight by the time we changed things. We will be playing much better teams than them and that’s the concern. We rode our luck last night.

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

I hate to admit it but you’re right another manager with this shower and we’d be relegated

Myth.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I know it's been said before but I think he misses Alan Knill's input

Yes, even the great Brian Clough was shit without Peter Taylor.

 

[SB_90]

Not being funny but everyone said we played shite all of the 92pts season. We've 'played shite' every game this season apparently.

You don't play shite and win that many points. Last season was shite. We've taken 9pts from from our first 5 games and I think most of us would've taken that before the season started.

i get that point. but if Micheal cooper wasnt performing miracles then we would bottom of the league on 2 or 3pts. because cardiff & bolton should've won, we were outplayed by 2 league 1 teams & blackburn deserve at least a point

 

[luffenhamblade]

It's funny, I feel totally opposite! Cardiff for example would love to take the majority of out players but their coach would have them playing in some sort of dynamic system. To take the other side of that though, if he had our budget in previous seasons he wouldn't have ended up going with the players we did in the first place.

Look at RND, for example. He's not particularly exciting, but he's solid, and QPR clearly valued him. I think we judge our players against a much higher standard than we actually need in the Championship. A lot of our players would probably be considered top players at most other Championship clubs and we should expect our coach to be getting more out of them.

You make many good points. In the end, as is often the case I suspect the reality is somewhere midway between the two extremes.

 

[luffenhamblade]

Myth.

Might be, might not be.

 

[The Fox]

But Plan A was very clearly wrong. It was shocking. If they were clinical Blackburn would have been out of sight by the time we changed things. We will be playing much better teams than them and that’s the concern. We rode our luck last night.

Plan A gave us a 2-1 lead , maybe unconvincing but thats football .

Point was that whilst I'm not pro or anti wilder , he's been criticised for not being flexible, no plan B ,C etc . Last night the players adapted well to changes in personnel and formation so credit where its due as it doesnt just happen .

If theres any benefit to having an older experienced squad it may be that they can adapt easier in game than younger less experienced players .

Last night was far from flawless but there were positives

 

[s20Blade]

Identidy is just another word we use because of wilder just like "togetherness" and "punters"

We are a championship club that has American owners that when got to the prem came down again pretty quickly.

Same as Half of the championship isn't it?

"Identidy"

 

[Carlton Blade]

In 24/25, United averaged 13 shots, conceded 11 shots per 90 minutes

In 25/26, 13 for, 12 against

So far in 26/27, 9 for, 17 against

Wednesday only gave up 16 per 90 last season.

I'm delighted we have 9 points. It gives much more leeway while the club figures out a way to be more solid defensively while not completely giving up attacking

 

[Ned the Donkey]

Haven't we all been criticising Wilder for a 'no plan B, like for like subs' approach to games for ages now.
changes shape 3 times to win a game and lets rip him to bits for having no identity.

Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

It's almost like some so-called fans want to criticise no matter what.

Last night's result must have really upset a few of those so-called fans.

 

[FTPE]

Won’t be as lucky in the next 40 or so matches. Wilder needs to sort it. His tactics are way off. Need to go to 4-3-3 and aim for more control in matches instead of shitting ourselves every time we have the ball.

It must be so depressing being like this all the time

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Might be, might not be.

It's definitely not. If you believe CW is the only manager on the planet to be able to get a few results with this squad then

 

[coolasanidiot]

Fantastic 3 points. Identity can follow but the constant hoof up field needs to stop immediately. Conceding possession constantly is never a good idea. Best part of match was late in second half where United kept possession and saw the game out. Blaster was good in this period.

 

[HIBGIA]

The hoof comes from the opposition press and it "(hoof)" being the easiest option to negate it whilst being in possession, however, you generally require mobile players with pace to play on the counter (not the sh@@e that we sign) and also not players stood at the side of Cooper for the "hoof" to be effective.

 

[William Large]

Not being funny but everyone said we played shite all of the 92pts season. We've 'played shite' every game this season apparently.

You don't play shite and win that many points. Last season was shite. We've taken 9pts from from our first 5 games and I think most of us would've taken that before the season started.

The 92 points season we were a very tough watch for the majority with occasional glimpses where we looked really good.
I put it mainly down to us not really having any particular style of play.
We were extremely fortunate in that some of the 1-0 wins could easily have gone the other way.
I get that over a full season you can’t be completely shit and get 92 points but if you equate that to this season, the way we are currently playing will not get us 92 points.

 

[GymClassHero]

i get that point. but if Micheal cooper wasnt performing miracles then we would bottom of the league on 2 or 3pts. because cardiff & bolton should've won, we were outplayed by 2 league 1 teams & blackburn deserve at least a point

But we do have Michael Cooper, and he's just doing his job. As long as it stays out who cares

 

[GymClassHero]

The 92 points season we were a very tough watch for the majority with occasional glimpses where we looked really good.
I put it mainly down to us not really having any particular style of play.
We were extremely fortunate in that some of the 1-0 wins could easily have gone the other way.
I get that over a full season you can’t be completely shit and get 92 points but if you equate that to this season, the way we are currently playing will not get us 92 points.

Yeah we weren't great to watch, but we had the quality to see us through most games.

Think my point is a win used to be enough most fans, there wasn't a 'right or wrong' way to do it. Nowadays you'd think you have to have at least 10 shots on target and >50% possession or you'll only get 2 points.

 

[The Fox]

Yeah we weren't great to watch, but we had the quality to see us through most games.

Think my point is a win used to be enough most fans, there wasn't a 'right or wrong' way to do it.

I was listening to Sean Dyche recently saying he got infuriated by managers saying " we might go down but were going to do it playing the right way" .. As he said , if you going down its obviously the wrong way.

Its not apropo anything blades related but outlined the obsession of coaches thinking theres only one way to play football.

 

[William Large]

Yeah we weren't great to watch, but we had the quality to see us through most games.

Think my point is a win used to be enough most fans, there wasn't a 'right or wrong' way to do it. Nowadays you'd think you have to have at least 10 shots on target and >50% possession or you'll only get 2 points.

Personally speaking, a win in isolation is enough however when we continually play like we have this season - which the vast majority will agree, has been pretty shit. It’s not sustainable.

The promotion season under Hecky, we were not a great watch at all but we were effective and at least had some sort of consistent shape to the team. We never really had a style of play which is similar to how we are now and I think that (along with selling Berge and Ndiaye) contributed to the horror show that followed.

Under Wilder mk1, we had a real identity, a shape, a style of play and discipline which helped us in the premier league.

There’s a difference between being shit but winning and having an effective but not eye catching style and winning.

Pre social media I think both were more widely accepted than they are now.

 

[luffenhamblade]

It's definitely not. If you believe CW is the only manager on the planet to be able to get a few results with this squad then

Don’t believe that but don’t trust the board to appoint someone who would. Keep saying that we’ll see come November and if things are not positive then in my view it’s time for a fresh start. However I won’t go along with this rubbish that CW is either the messiah or useless. Like most human beings he’s a long way from being either.

 

[Harrisblade]

It must be so depressing being like this all the time

Winning a game is a real killer for some!

 

[Roygbiv]

The 92 points season we were a very tough watch for the majority with occasional glimpses where we looked really good.
I put it mainly down to us not really having any particular style of play.
We were extremely fortunate in that some of the 1-0 wins could easily have gone the other way.
I get that over a full season you can’t be completely shit and get 92 points but if you equate that to this season, the way we are currently playing will not get us 92 points.

It's been a bit like the 92 points season but with worse players so far. Obviously it's completely unsustainable but hopefully the decent start raises confidence and we can start looking like we have a plan

 

[CarlMcBlade]

i get that point. but if Micheal cooper wasnt performing miracles then we would bottom of the league on 2 or 3pts. because cardiff & bolton should've won, we were outplayed by 2 league 1 teams & blackburn deserve at least a point

Hope I’m wrong, but without a serious formation and tactical rethink, I have a feeling our luck will run out quite badly on Sunday.