Misleading 1st day performances

[ReeceofBDTBL]

I keep reminding myself to temper the excitement of Friday nights dominance with memories of how much a poor team can make you look miles better than you are.

The quintessential example surely being the opening and only victory of David Weirs 13 game reign against Notts County.

Here so many of our fans were thinking we’d suddenly turned into the tiki taka champions elect of league 1, completely ignoring the part our horrific opposition played in having no structure or ability to pressure the ball and essentially provide an escort service for our players to pass around the pitch like a training exercise.

Plymouth were like that against the pigs with the added bonus that they were stupid enough to try and play out from the back for 90 minutes.

Preston at least tried to kick and disrupt us but Christ were they utterly talentless on the ball.

 

[ReeceofBDTBL]

I also fell into the trap after the 1st game against palace of thinking ‘well we’ll struggle to score this season like last time but at least we’ll be a tough team to play against’

 

[wardonia_blade]

In 1975-76 we put up a good opening day performance against a very good derby county team. We were relegation certainties by mid September.

 

[Karaoke Blade]

In 1975-76 we put up a good opening day performance against a very good derby county team. We were relegation certainties by mid September.

That's the spirit

 

[Westran]

It really is too difficult to take that first game as an indicator, we might have players coming in and going out, it's a new system that might or might not work and the new players we do have need time to bed in. It was a positive opening day, but we'll get a better indicator after 7 or 8 games.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Went to Preston on Friday and came away thinking I'd never seen a worse proffesional football team, then I watched Plymouth yesterday and couldn't believe that they were in fact worse. Ryan Lowe gets the sack and Rooney lives to fight another day( god knows how ).
The song can we play you every week was made for these two awful teams.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Wise words, you can read nowt into either of our credentials after one game against two very poor teams. Not that the pigs will have that humility, mind.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Went to Preston on Friday and came away thinking I'd never seen a worse proffesional football team, then I watched Plymouth yesterday and couldn't believe that they were in fact worse. Ryan Lowe gets the sack and Rooney lives to fight another day( god knows how ).
The song can we play you every week was made for these two awful teams.

PNE had dropped in form under Lowe at the end of last season, so he'd had more time to prove himself. It's a strange move to give a bloke a full summer and a full preseason to bin him off after one game, though...

 

[Silent Blade]

In 1975-76 we put up a good opening day performance against a very good derby county team. We were relegation certainties by mid September.

Yeah, new kit, sparkling new stand, hot day, Jim Brown saved a Bruce Rioch Penalty (see below). Eddy gave us the lead, Charlie George hit a late equaliser with a screamer.

I thought we were going to be in the top division for ever!

 

[Westran]

Went to Preston on Friday and came away thinking I'd never seen a worse proffesional football team, then I watched Plymouth yesterday and couldn't believe that they were in fact worse. Ryan Lowe gets the sack and Rooney lives to fight another day( god knows how ).
The song can we play you every week was made for these two awful teams.

Probably the fact that Lowe has managed Preston for 3 years, whereas it's Rooney's first game.

 

[Snowflake]

It really is too difficult to take that first game as an indicator, we might have players coming in and going out, it's a new system that might or might not work and the new players we do have need time to bed in. It was a positive opening day, but we'll get a better indicator after 7 or 8 games.

What I did see is a team with some attacking talent playing quickly and positively. That’s what I want to see all season.
There will be games when it will not be good, but if overall it is positive football and we score goals that is fine for this season. Let’s build from there.

 

[blade too long]

I keep reminding myself to temper the excitement of Friday nights dominance with memories of how much a poor team can make you look miles better than you are.

The quintessential example surely being the opening and only victory of David Weirs 13 game reign against Notts County.

Here so many of our fans were thinking we’d suddenly turned into the tiki taka champions elect of league 1, completely ignoring the part our horrific opposition played in having no structure or ability to pressure the ball and essentially provide an escort service for our players to pass around the pitch like a training exercise.

Plymouth were like that against the pigs with the added bonus that they were stupid enough to try and play out from the back for 90 minutes.

Preston at least tried to kick and disrupt us but Christ were they utterly talentless on the ball.

yes , being positive is not what blades do

lets sit around like the Glums and whinge

fucks sake , enjoy a win, theres only 45 games left we will lose some , moan then

 

[sufc323]

I came out of that Notts County game feeling like we were a striker away from winning the league. It probably didn’t help that the pre season game before against a Greek team, we scored straight from kick off without them even touching the ball.

Everything went through Kevin McDonald and I think that was the only tactic Weir had cos when we sold him we didn’t know what to do past halfway.

 

[Eels]

In 1975-76 we put up a good opening day performance against a very good derby county team. We were relegation certainties by mid September.

Without TC or Eddie Colquhoun if I remember correctly - I sat in the new south stand and thought we were really going places.

 

[Stretch]

I keep reminding myself to temper the excitement of Friday nights dominance with memories of how much a poor team can make you look miles better than you are.

The quintessential example surely being the opening and only victory of David Weirs 13 game reign against Notts County.

Here so many of our fans were thinking we’d suddenly turned into the tiki taka champions elect of league 1, completely ignoring the part our horrific opposition played in having no structure or ability to pressure the ball and essentially provide an escort service for our players to pass around the pitch like a training exercise.

Plymouth were like that against the pigs with the added bonus that they were stupid enough to try and play out from the back for 90 minutes.

Preston at least tried to kick and disrupt us but Christ were they utterly talentless on the ball.

Had McDonald not gone to Wolves, I think we would have done much better under Weir. I know one player doesn't make a team, but him going like was a real kick in the nuts to the fanbase and Weir clearly didn't have a clue how to replace his contribution on the pitch.
I also remember that team having a few sliding doors moments where we could have easily picked up more points with just a slice of luck here and there. Fabian Brandy missing an open goal from a few yards out (v MK Dons?) before running up the other end and getting a straight red card pretty much summed it up.
Good job that team didn't pick up though, because that first Clough season after he replaced him was an absolute banger.

 

[Shadota]

I think there's still some to be gleaned from the Preston game.

- There is actually pace in our team now, and we seem able to counter attack very well;

- Retaining possession, particularly via the Souza/Blaster partnership, was very solid. Both looked comfortable under pressure, and were keen to find passes where possible to progress us up the pitch;

Defensively we looked okay; Preston never truly put the pressure on, but there were one or 2 moments where they were able to get a shot off too easily - this could be a concern against a stronger side.

Thought we were decent overall, although Preston allowed us to be that to a degree through their poor performance. Whether them playing badly is their own issue, or as a result of our display, is another question altogether.

That said, I'd hope that Wilder and the coaching staff can look back at the game, and use it as material to improve us individually and collectively. As there were still a lot of moments where we made small mistakes (mainly misplaced passes, not uncommon for a team with several new signings and a brand new tactic).

 

[Eels]

I also thought we'd be alright in 1993 when we beat Swindon 3-1. Wrong again.

 

[BladesOnToast]

I keep reminding myself to temper the excitement of Friday nights dominance with memories of how much a poor team can make you look miles better than you are.

The quintessential example surely being the opening and only victory of David Weirs 13 game reign against Notts County.

Here so many of our fans were thinking we’d suddenly turned into the tiki taka champions elect of league 1, completely ignoring the part our horrific opposition played in having no structure or ability to pressure the ball and essentially provide an escort service for our players to pass around the pitch like a training exercise.

Plymouth were like that against the pigs with the added bonus that they were stupid enough to try and play out from the back for 90 minutes.

Preston at least tried to kick and disrupt us but Christ were they utterly talentless on the ball.

Plus we were only playing ten of Notts County's hopeless starting 11 for almost the entire match!

 

[bladestrivia]

Carlisle 0 Blades 3 start of 80/81 season Hatton and Peters think scoring for us ,,we all know what happened at the end of the season

 

[HD8 Blades]

10 games before things begin to take shape.

 

[VictoryBlade]

I keep reminding myself to temper the excitement of Friday nights dominance with memories of how much a poor team can make you look miles better than you are.

The quintessential example surely being the opening and only victory of David Weirs 13 game reign against Notts County.

Here so many of our fans were thinking we’d suddenly turned into the tiki taka champions elect of league 1, completely ignoring the part our horrific opposition played in having no structure or ability to pressure the ball and essentially provide an escort service for our players to pass around the pitch like a training exercise.

Plymouth were like that against the pigs with the added bonus that they were stupid enough to try and play out from the back for 90 minutes.

Preston at least tried to kick and disrupt us but Christ were they utterly talentless on the ball.

Good word 'quintessential'

 

[VictoryBlade]

It really is too difficult to take that first game as an indicator, we might have players coming in and going out, it's a new system that might or might not work and the new players we do have need time to bed in. It was a positive opening day, but we'll get a better indicator after 7 or 8 games.

No sorry Pigs are promoted!

 

[Houston_Blade]

We’ve had a few really shit performances first day and gone on to do ok.

 

[Bell4]

In 1975-76 we put up a good opening day performance against a very good derby county team. We were relegation certainties by mid September.

This

Super Sheffield Turn On Style - was the headline in the NOW .

Opening league game for new South Stand - what could possibly go wrong

 

[Greg.]

Blackburn getting playoffs every year if we go off week 1!

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Probably the fact that Lowe has managed Preston for 3 years, whereas it's Rooney's first game.

But he's screwed up at other clubs, see what Birmingham fans thought of his efforts there.

 

[BladesOnToast]

View attachment 190311

Wish we really were on 3 points!

 

[Westran]

But he's screwed up at other clubs, see what Birmingham fans thought of his efforts there.

I get what you're saying, I agree Rooney hasn't proved himself as a manager in any job he's had yet. But they're still not going to sack him after 1 game in charge.

 

[PokerBlade]

It's more about getting a look at the players, but you can't forget that the games are still worth three points whether it's the first few game or the last. That and it's a big weight off us to have a game where we controlled it for ninety minutes. There's players out there for us that needed to remember they can play football. Plus we can call the -2 wiped off and just get on with it. It was a very good performance all round.

All the positives aside, I can't relax until we've got a keeper. He had a good game but I'm not entirely convinced by Brooks out wide as a long term plan. Plus we're still in the position that someone might offer silly money for Hamer or Souza and then I don't see us having the time to replace them.

As a general thing, seeing the opening games, it's looking like it'll be a cracking division to watch again. That's all I ask for, really. Just to have some excitement again.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Yeah, new kit, sparkling new stand, hot day, Jim Brown saved a Bruce Rioch Penalty (see below). Eddy gave us the lead, Charlie George hit a late equaliser with a screamer.

I thought we were going to be in the top division for ever!

View attachment 190284

Aye
Chris Guthrie debut - ran then England c/h Roy McFarland ragged ?!?!?!?!?!?
Shortly afterwards he got an (all headed?) hat-trick @ ‘ Hafilax’ (4-2?) in League Cup - the rest, they say, is history ?