Most improved over the year

[TonyAgana]

He most certainly was. It was obvious he had the ability, doesn't mean he was doing it for us though.

Coutts was never "terrible" though. That's what you said. He was indifferent and borderline anonymous on a number of occasions but he was never terrible.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

For me it's Chris Basham.

There is a reason some have called him bashenbauer as he is just that sort of player.

For the ones old enough to have seen "Der Kaiser" or even Bobby Moore, Basham's style of play is very similar. Of course he is a poor man to them both, but he is just a good all round player who reads the game early and can do most jobs well at the level he plays at.

Apparently he told Clough he wanted o play in midfield, which was tried, but he isn't. An poor CM in a 4 (we now know this from Fleck/Coutts), but by being in a 3 at the back enables him to see the game in front of him and use his reading of the game to great effect.

Is it down to CW & AK? quite possibly, so well done the pair (YET AGAIN) in making an average footballer better - it is all we can ask from our management team.

He should run Billy very close to player of the year this time as it seems he will play most games this season on the right side of the 3 and seeing as the defence will be under more pressure than last season, we can hopefully see even more improvement.

UTB

 

[LJBlade]

Coutts was never "terrible" though. That's what you said. He was indifferent and borderline anonymous on a number of occasions but he was never terrible.

So being indifferent and anonymous is good?

Sounds like we're just using different words to describe the same thing.

 

[iBlade.]

Coutts by far the most technically gifted of the three, it just didn’t happen for him under previous management but since wilder came in he now looks irreplaceable.

Bash the least technically gifted of the three, forget him as a midfield player but admittedly he is playing very well in a back three, should we invest in another centre back I still think he will be the one that has to give way.

Freeman has certainly improved greatly since Brayford left the scene as up until that point he never got a real the chance to shine. I do at times worry about his defensive qualities although the way modern day wing backs have evolved you could same the same for a lot of them. Be interesting to see what happens when Baldock becomes fully fit, by all accounts he is very good going forward.

Out of the three I can only see Coutts holding down a place should the team continue to improve and push on to greater things (touch wood). So Coutts it is for me.

 

[TonyAgana]

So being indifferent and anonymous is good?

No. But there are degrees in between "good" and "terrible".

 

[LJBlade]

No. But there are degrees in between "good" and "terrible".

Is your opinion of how good Coutts was closer to 'terrible' or is it closer to 'good' on the scale?

Terrible might've been a bit much but he was certainly the worst out of the three though it was obvious he had the most footballing ability.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Depends on what you mean by improved. If "improved" refers to fitness it's Coutts. If it's effort its Coutts. If its application it's between Coutts and Freeman. If it's confidence it's Freeman. If it's positional improvement its Basham. My take for what its worth.

 

[sheffielder]

Coutts was never "terrible" though. That's what you said. He was indifferent and borderline anonymous on a number of occasions but he was never terrible.

He was worse than terrible. His heart wasn't in it for us. That's changed now and was fantastic on Saturday but for people to overlook what happened before is not right. Everyone could see there was a player in him but everyone who knows anything about that gem knows you need more than that to succeed

 

[DronnieBlade]

Coutts was never "terrible" though. That's what you said. He was indifferent and borderline anonymous on a number of occasions but he was never terrible.

This.

UTB

 

[DronnieBlade]

He can't use that excuse, sorry you can't use that excuse for him because Hammond was only here for one year. I am guessing he just needed a few pre-seasons etc is coming next?

It is not an excuse. It's an informed and well qualified opinion.

IMHO !

UTB

 

[TonyAgana]

Is your opinion of how good Coutts was closer to 'terrible' or is it closer to 'good' on the scale?

Terrible might've been a bit much but he was certainly the worst out of the three though it was obvious he had the most footballing ability.

I dunno pal. Just agreeing with Pinchy that the word "terrible" shouldn't really be used in describing Coutts, even in his worst games for us. Like you say, a bit much.

 

[kop_blade9]

Coutts turned over a new leaf when Wilder transfer listed him and is now playing to his potential and is probably training harder. I always thought he was talented but carrying a permanent physical condition as a result of his career threatening injuries. As it happens he just wouldn't play for Adkins but will for Wilder. Wilder's quote after an early away game last season " I told Couttsey at half time, don't you disappear in the second half like you usually do". That's management for you.

( who was also transfer listed by Wilder).

Two things stuck out for me with Coutts, apart from the fact that he has a lot of skill.
1) He gave an interview to a Scottish newspaper/magazine when Adkins was there and said that He was fined every week for being overweight. Not very motivating was our Nigel.
2) I went to a fair few matches at the start of last season and Wilder was shouting at him all match, get into position, make the tackle, track back. It was like nobody else was on the pitch. Wilder has motivated him by being his personal trainer until his contribution was up to scratch. I cannot comment about him now as I don't get to as many games as I would like at the moment but its clear to me that Wilder has changed him as he has nowhere to hide.

 

[Pinchy]

So being indifferent and anonymous is good?

Sounds like we're just using different words to describe the same thing.

I prescribe a good dictionary...

 

[Pinchy]

I dunno pal. Just agreeing with Pinchy that the word "terrible" shouldn't really be used in describing Coutts, even in his worst games for us. Like you say, a bit much.

Not only that, it was followed up by an emphatic 'most certainly' before the immediate retreat.

Blades fans, eh?

 

[Woodwardfan]

I prescribe a good dictionary...

Pinchy. How about communicating with Blades rather than against them. Also why do you self-appoint yourself as the font of all knowledge and claim that old age somehow means wisdom?

Just saying like. Why did I do that? Been talking myself out of doing so for weeks.

Sometimes you are sensible but a lot of the time you are a WUM. You may or may not be serious when you do it but numerous younger posters get wound up. Whats the fun in that? We are all Blades arent we?

 

[stringer]

I couldn't go with Coutts in this poll. He always had it, you just had to look a wee bit closer

Certainly helped when he decided to show it.

 

[Pinchy]

Pinchy. How about communicating with Blades rather than against them. Also why do you self-appoint yourself as the font of all knowledge and claim that old age somehow means wisdom?

Just saying like. Why did I do that? Been talking myself out of doing so for weeks.

Sometimes you are sensible but a lot of the time you are a WUM. You may or may not be serious when you do it but numerous younger posters get wound up. Whats the fun in that? We are all Blades arent we?

Experience, not old age, brings wisdom. Computer games certainly don't. I take no lessons about football or anything else from wet behind the ears young tyros who play Junior Computer Manager or some such trivia and think they know it all but have seen nowt. One or two of them are far too full of their own computer generated opinions when in truth they haven't a fucking clue. I try to help them with the benefit of quite a lot of real world experience - of football and life. Instead of thanks, I get confrontation. They get what they ask for. Arguments they can't win. It's not a level playing field. They are kicking up hill.

Anyone who regards "terrible" as synonymous with "indifferent" is indeed in urgent need of a dictionary. On that topic, Paul Coutts was never "awful" either. If you want "awful", let's consider your boy Little Louis after the novelty wore off. Subbed at half-time on two different occasions to save him from further embarrassment - that's awful.

 

[TonyAgana]

Certainly helped when he decided to show it.

Out of interest, do you think you'd find yourself more inspired writing about Sheffield United or about some people pointing at a pavement with sad faces?

I'm not defending Paul Coutts under Adkins per se, but plenty of footballers need motivation and good relationships with their managers, as do other humans. It's not always a case of "deciding".

 

[stringer]

Out of interest, do you think you'd find yourself more inspired writing about Sheffield United or about some people pointing at a pavement with sad faces?

I'm not defending Paul Coutts under Adkins per se, but plenty of footballers need motivation and good relationships with their managers, as do other humans. It's not always a case of "deciding".

I'm writing on a fans' forum, just as you are. My profession isn't relevant. Coutts had a pretty good relationship with Nigel Clough before Adkins, and he wasn't half the player then as he was last season. Now, he's undroppable. The amount of times I saw people ghost past him as he gave up meant I wouldn't have shed any tears if he left at any point prior to last season.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

PS: Nigel Clough (with a little input from the shopkeeper) signed all three - perhaps he wasn't that bad after all?

Who wants to bite on that one?

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

He most certainly wasn't. The half a dozen of us who can spot a good footballer have said so consistently.

Indeed

UTB

 

[TonyAgana]

I'm writing on a fans' forum, just as you are. My profession isn't relevant.

Alright, Danny. Just drawing a comparison.

Coutts had a pretty good relationship with Nigel Clough before Adkins, and he wasn't half the player then as he was last season. Now, he's undroppable. The amount of times I saw people ghost past him as he gave up meant I wouldn't have shed any tears if he left at any point prior to last season.

I wouldn't have shed tears either. But I would've been very disappointed in knowing we hadn't seen anything like the best of him. That's probably the same opinion as 99% of Blades fans.

Clough signed him as a gamble and refused to drop him when he was clearly neshing out of tackles and was blowing after 45. Adkins mismanaged him, IMO, and played him alongside Dean "fucking" Hammond in the biggest rag-tag of a Blades team in my lifetime. I'm sure everyone has their excuses for under-performance but his excuses always seemed legit to me. My point is I think it's unfair to suggest it was purely choice, that's all.

 

[TonyAgana]

PS: Nigel Clough (with a little input from the shopkeeper) signed all three - perhaps he wasn't that bad after all?

Who wants to bite on that one?

UTB

I maintain that Clough's downfall was too many gambles. A reckless number, maybe. But the guy had some rotten luck.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I maintain that Clough's downfall was too many gambles. A reckless number, maybe. But the guy had some rotten luck.

I had a number of issues with Clough - the main one was that he wanted a smallish squad with experience - we got the opposite - just loads of players with a turgid 460 451 lets win 1 nil style. I maintain he would have bored us out of the division in the Atkins year had he stayed on - but it would have bored us to tears.

Much happier going through the Adkins year to end up with what we have now.

Coughs not bad - proved that by taking Burton up and keeping them there (that some on here now keep quite about). Think he will keep them up this year too, but eventually he will gamble once too often with Burton in the future.

UTB

 

[Pinchy]

Certainly helped when he decided to show it.

That would be once he was fully fit after recovery from his long-standing injury? That's why it took Leon so long to "show it" as well.

 

[Pinchy]

I'm writing on a fans' forum, just as you are. My profession isn't relevant. Coutts had a pretty good relationship with Nigel Clough before Adkins, and he wasn't half the player then as he was last season. Now, he's undroppable. The amount of times I saw people ghost past him as he gave up meant I wouldn't have shed any tears if he left at any point prior to last season.

Just as they did the so-called destroyer and Bladey legend Montgomery who, unlike Couttsy, had no other utility?

Not keen on football, Danny?

 

[stringer]

Just as they did the so-called destroyer and Bladey legend Montgomery who, unlike Couttsy, had no other utility?

Not keen on football, Danny?

Cricket is the game.

 

[LJBlade]

Not only that, it was followed up by an emphatic 'most certainly' before the immediate retreat.

Blades fans, eh?

Which retreat was that? Coutts was 'most certainly' the worst of the 3, therefore he's the most improved.

 

[Pinchy]

Which retreat was that? Coutts was 'most certainly' the worst of the 3, therefore he's the most improved.

The retreat from "terrible" which you told me he "most certainly" was, then quickly performed a volte-face in a subsequent reply.

Coutts is a high quality player, who was labouring under a significant and prolonged injury for much of his early career with us. He is now what he was always going to be. The most vital link in our team. The one that keeps possession and starts all our best moves. He's a proper footballer and an absolute pleasure to watch.

I've seen many terrible United players, some of them Bladey favourites because they Runaround a lot, despite having little or no talent. I know what they look like. I know how they 'play'. Paul Coutts is not one of them.

 

[Pinchy]

Cricket is the game.

Good idea. The cerebral game.