Must only be me then ....

[Ollessendro]

....... (and PeterNdlovu081 ) ....…… that left the stadium feeling absolutely crap. I did not leave ‘immensely proud’, but was shell shocked. I did not sing and chant and be merry, cos I was in a daze. I felt just as shit as all the other times I had left Wembley, knowing that we had fooked in up agein.

I tried to reason with myself and say ‘we did well go get this far’, but being so close and blowing our chance just tipped me over. More to it, our school boy defending made me furious. All this bollocks about Premiership class is just that …. we just defended terribly. A few United fans tried to cheer me up by saying ‘at least we gave it a go’. Fuck that, we conceded 5 bastard goals. We took the lead in a semi final and then gave it away in a sloppy fashion. It was oh so easy for Hull.

In all the papers I read about Steve Bruce’s game changing substitution. Ner mind that, clear the fooking ball. Fryatt should have never had the chance. Soft defending at a corner. We had ample chance to clear and should have dealt with it before the substitute put it in. Huddlestone (someone we knew was a danger man) was then allowed to waltz through our defence unopposed. He could have stopped for tea and biscuits, our defence was so pedestrian. Doyle not tracking his man and Collins put in a powder puff challenge.

I dared to dream when we went in at half time 2-1 up. Still, I knew the first 10-15 mins of the 2nd half would be key. Keep it tight and Hull would start to get nervous. Instead we gave away a soft goal after 4 minutes. Then we neshed it again for the 3rd, which was comical defending.

All of their goals were poor defending. The first Coady lost his man and Sagbo was left unopposed. Harry should not have lost his man and Brayford should be been covering regardless. Harry and Brayford were at fault for the 4th as well. Maguire stupidly tried to player their fella offside (he was not) and did not track the run. Brayford had left Quinn get goal side of him and he was unmarked when the cross came in.

I was also cursing the footballing gods. We did not help ourself with shoddy defending, but Hull scored with every bleeding attack. Some might say they were clinical, but it's not very often that a team scores every time they have an effort. Hull Kingston Rovers did (..... pisspot Humberside, rugby town).

I realise that many Sheffielders have this ‘it’ll be reit’ attitude and lots of Blades just accept mediocrity, but I don’t like losing. I left that shithole feeling gutted. It’s bad enough that we had to play at that plastic, soulless shithole in the middle of nowhere and I was not happy just ‘because we showed up’. The game was there for the taking and once again SUFC let us down.

 

[Darren]

I'm with you part of the way. Had we been losing from early on and played crap, it would have been easier to take that when we were winning at half time and thinking "maybe, just maybe..."

However, I think you are overlooking the vital fact that Hull's players were simply much better than ours - obviously given that they are PL players and ours are third division players. They are faster, stronger and think more quickly. That's what we saw in the second half

Hull's defending was hardly brilliant either. On the second their right back put in a powder puff challenge on Murphy and no-one tracked Scougall; on the third no-one reacted to Flynn's header and Murphy was allowed to sweep in. And they were up against 3rd division players, not PL players like our defenders.

So there were defensive errors on both sides (there were eight goals after all). The PL defenders made fewer errors. That was the difference.

 

[Rollerball]

Christ on a bike olle, I'm sure you could find fault in a 5-0 win at the bernabau.
Yes we lost from a strong position but Ffs man they had two players out worth £13 million, a bench with over £20 million worth of talent wtf do you want from a 3rd tier team?
Yes second half started with sleepy defending and tbh I agree 3 goals that were badly defended but firstly we, a 3rd tier team got there when 88 other league teams alone didn't and we didn't get there playing non league teams all at home we did it the hard way including beating the team that knocked Wendy out, that alone was worth a small celebration.
The guardian said "hull left as winners, sheffield united left as heroes" yet you a self proclaimed blade see no positives from this, you really should be ashamed olle.
Around 32,999 blades thought the team did us proud, 1 fan has nothing good to say, even though we all know this is far from a finished team.
Your entitled to your opinion olle but I wouldn't expect too many likes on your post.
I for one am proud to be a blade for the first time in many years.
UTB

Ps are you Brian the blade from radio sheffield?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

"Still, I knew the first 10-15 mins of the 2nd half would be key"

I'm guessing your the type of person who, had we conceded the goals in the final 15 minutes the quote would have read;

"Still, I knew the last 10-15 mins of the 2nd half would be key"

 

[SwissBlade]

I'm with you Ollie, the defending was shocking for their first four goals. I thought the duo of Collins and Harry were exposed horribly at times. I'm thinking it's Collins' final big season, despite him being the better of the two, when we needed to get some pace from him, it wasn't there. Harry was dragged out to expose Collins' pace.

I don't think, however that this would happen very often. Hull did their homework and first half they got one result, second they ripped through us.

Going in 2-1 up at halftime was fantastic, we should've come out for a third in second half but Bruce threw his big boys in to beat us Fryatt constantly looked dangerous and they were clinical.

Our mentality was get Goals. We got goals, we just conceded more as we went for it.

4-2 down with a minute to go we had a fullback drive forward and chuck it into the area. We didn't sit back after that, we went looking for an equaliser to make it 4-4

Pick the bones out of the defeat and conceding 5 goals, but I'm chuffed to bits with the 5-3 defeat. It's given us more hope than a dour 1-0 would've.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Take away the £8m duo they bought from Spurs and we win that game. Fair play to Bruce who saw he'd got it wrong and changed it to get Huddlestone on the ball more where it matters.

Olle you sound like somebody took you back in time and made you watch the Burnley or Huddersfield games at Wembley. Look at where we were in November and look at us now. Cheer up, pal!

 

[Darren]

I'm with you Ollie, the defending was shocking for their first four goals. I thought the duo of Collins and Harry were exposed horribly at times. I'm thinking it's Collins' final big season, despite him being the better of the two, when we needed to get some pace from him, it wasn't there. Harry was dragged out to expose Collins' pace.

I don't think, however that this would happen very often. Hull did their homework and first half they got one result, second they ripped through us.

Going in 2-1 up at halftime was fantastic, we should've come out for a third in second half but Bruce threw his big boys in to beat us Fryatt constantly looked dangerous and they were clinical.

Our mentality was get Goals. We got goals, we just conceded more as we went for it.

4-2 down with a minute to go we had a fullback drive forward and chuck it into the area. We didn't sit back after that, we went looking for an equaliser to make it 4-4

Pick the bones out of the defeat and conceding 5 goals, but I'm chuffed to bits with the 5-3 defeat. It's given us more hope than a dour 1-0 would've.

Strange comment. I hardly think when Murphy scores, the players are going to think "well a 3-4 defeat against a PL side is a good score, let's keep it tight and we can keep that to the end"

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Lionel Messi has single handedly destroyed some of the best teams in world football - do the fans of these teams berate the lack of tactics for not being able to subdue Messi, or allege a lack of effort? No, they simply hold their hands up because he is a great player.

Like wise, on Sunday we came up against better players, capable of higher quality and better moments. To say we dominated them for 45 minutes is testament to Clough and the players.

To highlight any short comings is an insult to what that team has achieved.

 

[Dog Blade]

I too wasn't as 'happy' as most, I'll agree with you there, and that's simply because we had a massive chance to get to the final and also to qualify for Europe. A bigger chance once we'd got to 45 mins than I ever thought we'd have. I don't think that will sink in for many of the players for a little while either, maybe even until they retire and look back on their careers. It's unlikely any of them will ever get to an FA Cup Semi again such is their 'level'. It's unlikely that in my lifetime we'll have such a good chance of reaching an FA Cup final....

...However to say The game was there for the taking and once again SUFC let us down. is harsh on those players.

We shouldn't really have been there in the first place? The players we have have punched above their weight and to do it again, after playing umpteen games more than Hull in the past month or so as well, was a step too far.

Be happy for what you got in the run up, and on the day too. We are a third division football club that is in the middle of a rebuild. Grab a bit of realism.

We did a lot more than just show up.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Slapstick defending from both sides really, but that's what you get sometimes when both teams are going all out for the win.


I've had plenty of people phone me up and tell me that was the best semi final they'd seen for years.

 

[Guesty]

If they were 'there for the taking' they wouldn't have scored fucking five would they?

No amount of 'bottle' was going to make Doyle, Scougall and Coady be able to handle Livermore and Huddlestone and turn it on'.

Feeling let down after being only the eighth third tier side to get this far, nevermind taking the lead twice, get a fucking grip.

 

[Darren]

I too wasn't as 'happy' as most, I'll agree with you there, and that's simply because we had a massive chance to get to the final and also to qualify for Europe. A bigger chance once we'd got to 45 mins than I ever thought we'd have. I don't think that will sink in for many of the players for a little while either, maybe even until they retire and look back on their careers. It's unlikely any of them will ever get to an FA Cup Semi again such is their 'level'. It's unlikely that in my lifetime we'll have such a good chance of reaching an FA Cup final....

...However to say The game was there for the taking and once again SUFC let us down. is harsh on those players.

We shouldn't really have been there in the first place? The players we have have punched above their weight and to do it again, after playing umpteen games more than Hull in the past month or so as well, was a step too far.

Be happy for what you got in the run up, and on the day too. We are a third division football club that is in the middle of a rebuild. Grab a bit of realism.

We did a lot more than just show up.

Indeed, we all knew that if Hull played to their full potentil we would lose. They didn't in the first half, but did in the second. So we lost.

 

[boo radley]

Olle, sorry but this from a bloke who wanted us to get thrashed by the pigs to get Blackwell out.
We are where we are. Don't make out you are the only one in pain. YOU'RE NOT. We played in the greatest game yet seen at Wembley,The National Stadium (your plastic shithole). We were louder and prouder than any set of fans ever in the new place and after being so pathetically appalling as a set of fans against Huddersfield and possibly Burnley. We know we will be back there. After Huddersfield no one wanted to go back.After this time everyone will (apart from you) because we won't give up. JPT final next year? if we got there I would predict 40k plus if they let us have them.

 

[Guesty]

All this stuff about the fans being 'pathetic' against Huddersfield is well of the mark in my opinion, it was approaching 40C in the Sun, and I was in the Sun until deep into Extra Time. Singing and chanting for 90 minutes was out of the question.

 

[Selly]

Going in 2-1 up at halftime was fantastic, we should've come out for a third in second half but Bruce threw his big boys in to beat us Fryatt constantly looked dangerous and they were clinical.

I don`t know about anyone else, but I'd take Fryatt on loan next season like a shot...

 

[SwissBlade]

Strange comment. I hardly think when Murphy scores, the players are going to think "well a 3-4 defeat against a PL side is a good score, let's keep it tight and we can keep that to the end"

Exactly. That's the point. When we were 4-2 down we were still only concerned with getting a goal back, then obviously once we got that one back we went again. We didn't go to wembley in our usual fashion.

5-3 was a result of attacking and trying to be positive

 

[itsinyerblood]

Quote of the season - ".....and once again SUFC let us down"

That should be emblazoned prominently as a reminder that sometimes there are a few of us who fail to grasp the realities of where we currently are. That's a fact, and the fact that we did so well in the first half shouldn't disguise that there's a chasm in quality between a Premiership team and a Division 1 team. Over 90 minutes we couldn't sustain that level of effort, so Hull's greater experience and nous took over and ran us ragged. I can understand disappointment, but to make such a comment given where we are, and how far we've turned this season around, is churlish and disrespectful to the efforts of Clough and his players.

We've learnt a few lessons from Sunday's game, that will bode well for next season as Clough looks to improve this squad.

 

[SwissBlade]

I don`t know about anyone else, but I'd take Fryatt on loan next season like a shot...

Absolutely. Wasn't he the one linked with us several years back when he was at Leicester? Should've taken him then

 

[Balham]

I don`t know about anyone else, but I'd take Fryatt on loan next season like a shot...

Playing Devil's Advocate, he's out of contract in June

Ollessendro in answer to the rhetorical question; yes, it is only you. Cheer up, ye miserable two hat.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Attention Mr.Nigel Clough

Dear Mr.Clough,

I expect that this week has been a bit hectic for you and the team, but as a Blade of over fifty years, I felt that I had to contact you with one message:

Thank you for giving us our Blades back

My email of yesterday.

 

[wizadry]

Olle can see what your on about with the defending and theres was the same sometimes,but olle come on, we had a 40 pass move in that first half it was incredible ,when was the last time we could say that about a blades side

 

[Guesty]

Re Fryatt: The only way we could get him is if we were magically turned into a top half Championship team overnight. Even then he's not necessarily leaving Hull.

 

[UnitedBlade]

If they were 'there for the taking' they wouldn't have scored fucking five would they?

No amount of 'bottle' was going to make Doyle, Scougall and Coady be able to handle Livermore and Huddlestone and turn it on'.

Feeling let down after being only the eighth third tier side to get this far, nevermind taking the lead twice, get a fucking grip.

Spot on.

I would add that Aluko and Fryatt coming on only compounded what our midfield had to deal with.

I'm guessing our squad wage bill is £4.5M max now, Hull's must be around £20M.

Damn good effort of which I'm very proud but Hull played to their potential second half.

 

[Bladesman]

I took the other positive aside from our very good performance:

1. Avoiding having our backsides whipped by Arsenal in the final (Have got a bit sick of us playing Arsenal in recent years)
2. Finding out only 25,000 of us would have been able to get tickets for the final.
3. European football is very good but how many extra matches would we have to play next season had we gone through? We are trying to get out of this crap hole league without the distraction of another tournament.

The future is bright with Nigel in charge.

 

[Bladesway]

Don't make out you are the only one in pain. YOU'RE NOT.

The only one shouting LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, I'M HURTING YOU KNOW

 

[dingledog]

Of course we all wanted a victory, and of course we felt we could touch it. But at the end of the day they were too good for us over 90 mins.

I said to my brother after our second goal, Hull need half time and we don't. They could never have played so Bad in the second half. We looked like Rabbits caught in headlights and froze.

That said at start of Feb we were odds on to be relegated. What a transformation.

I was proud of my team, disappointed at the result, yes, but as has been said, Hull might be winners but our players were Heros.

Cheer up Olly, Stevenage on Friday to look forward too.

 

[Silent Blade]

Slapstick defending

Many say the 1970 Brazil team is the greatest ever team but they did have their slapstick defending moments such as this one in the final

http://youmedia.fanpage.it/video/ak/UoNWq-SwJJAmWDVS

 

[grafikhaus]

I too wasn't as 'happy' as most, I'll agree with you there, and that's simply because we had a massive chance to get to the final and also to qualify for Europe.

And, if we were due to face Arsenal in 5 weeks time, we could really get our 'Let down once again' hats on. As for Europe, it's not the prize it once was, the Europa Cup has seen to that. Ten thousand (if lucky) against some unpronouncable team from Cyprus in midweek? No thanks.

Europe - like the JPT - would have been an unnecessary distraction for next year's absolutely crucial promotion push.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Europe - like the JPT - would have been an unnecessary distraction for next year's absolutely crucial promotion push.

I would have swapped a promotion next year for the chance of getting to the Europa cup group stages, and possibly hearing the GCB reverberating around the San Siro.

I'd have loved the chance to sing "have you ever seen a pig fan in Milan" to our porcine chums.

 

[ChrisBlade]

I wanna win the JPT next year...