My take ...

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People talk of the transfer window in January like it will be paved with good signings and slav will get his men.

Few problems with that

We don't have a pot to piss in
No one in their right minds will buy any of our players off us
When have we ever prepared and had a good transfer window in last 3 years

I think we will get relegated.
You keep saying this for years!
 
I'd still choose Hourihane before Norwood. This was like his first game of the season he played full 90mins and I would had tried something new for Norwood+Fleck way before. I'm not saying that we are good on midfield with our current players only, but I have my doubts about january. Would I change Hourihane to another loanee? Maybe yeah, but only by the scrumbs we have been able to see.
 
Never looked like winning, even in the last twenty when Coventry effectively opened the front and back door. What is it with this set of players? Looks like Slav had given in to their pressure to go back to 5-3-2 after the last series of disasters yet it didn't matter much did it? All we did was 'not lose', and even then, you felt that end result was coming at some time. Coventry changed their dominant line up to snatch the win (because that's what teams do at Bramall Lane, isn't it?) and yeah, it gave us some impetus but the chances to capitalise on that were just squandered, weren't they? It was a pitiful performance against a seemingly resurgent side who really did have some weaknesses any decent team would have opened up.

The back three looked slightly better with Egan in a comfortable position again but even then he looked exposed and weak when chased down. The wingbacks were decidedly sub par but the midfield was the crowning turd in the water closet. We didn't seem to know where the goal was until Didsy appeared ... only for him to piss away two of the best chances we had. I hope he hasn't gone back to his 'first season in the Prem' shitness.

Across the park now though, to me it looks like one of those electronic devices that when you drop them, they reset to a former version of the software and all the work done since is mysteriously wiped. Sheff United are playing pre-Wilder shitbox football now ... possibly early Clough levels of dismal output where a draw against Rochdale away is deemed a result. Credit to some of their players for turning it on today but really, we should be winning games like this. How many time have we said that though this season?

First half a was a dismal, disorganised mess, second half marginally better but waiting until past seventy minutes to have one shot on target and eighty for our first corner is something the clappers need to thumb down into their pipes and set light to.

Last thing ... where the flying fuck is Sander Berge please? 'After the international break' has happened. Also, what is happening with Jack O'Connell, please? Also, is anyone doing anything about that yawning, useless twat stealing cash out of the club who used to play up front for us in a few half-games? The day Mousset completes a game which has a kick off and final whistle is the day all fans should clap the idle bastard off. Why was he not on the bench today? Or is that a silly question?

Foderingham 7/10: Thought he had a decent game, much more assured than Olsen and got down well for their efforts of which there were some testing stops, the Godden one at the near post being one
Bogle 5/10: At times looking capable, but at other times in a losing tussle with their left winger
Basham 7.5/10: Man of the Match by a long stretch. Composed on the ball, unpanicked and visionary with regard the opposition, where they are, what they are doing and what their intent is. And again, ten metres of space ahead of him ... and he is carrying the ball into it. Best player in the squad at the moment and he's cracking on and been at the club eight years now. Sez it all.
Egan 6/10: Better game from him and more happier in a back three but as soon as Robins brought Godden on I though it was for one reason only and that was to run past Egan. Fortunately this didn't happen, but it was likely.
Davies 3/10: Really poor. Wasted balls, shit-stoppingly bad on the ball and so fucking slow it's unbelievable. Klopp must be loving it we are playing his so much because you know we will sign him.
Stevens 3.5/10: A usual faltering, exhausted outing for Enda. He is so vulnerable now.
MGW 5/10: At times this kid seems like the only player in red and white, and that is a good thing and a bad thing. In honestly, he's not as good as he thinks he is which is why he needs to stop the showboating, bitching at other players and trying to take the fucking world on and just pass and move. We've seen he can score and how capable he is, but his single mindedness at times is wasteful and naïve.
Hourihane 2/10: Basically a hole in the pitch. I am sure he used to be a bit of a star player at other clubs ... why does he have the capability to make a one trick showpony like Norwood look so good?
Fleck 3/10: Another unremarkable, one dimensional display of desperation, dispossession and dismal footballing
Ndaiye 4/10: Not a great game - first half - for him. I don't really think he's a striker, is he?
Sharp 4/10: PAY ATTENTION! This mark is because he achieved nothing, despite running his shirt wringing wet. With crossing and feeding like he gets, it is not surprising. Sharp feeds of half chances and opportunism. If you aren't a percentage side, and have cocks like Hourihane sending free kicks into Moore's hands, Sharp aint gonna get fuck all.

McGoldrick 4/10: The side looked a good side better and more composed when he came on and we looked a better prospect, but fucking hell ... putting two chances into the kop is just unforgivable. Loses two whole points, one for each chance
Osborn N/A: A few touches but not much to mark him by

Reading away next with Brizzle City soon after, two sides in our neighbourhood. G'waaan, say it. We should be beating sides like these ...

I honestly can't see where our next win ... or goal is coming from. The further we get into this season, the more the need to torch the club to the ground and build up from the wreckage. These players ... bar a selected few ... simply are not good enough even for this fucking division.

pommpey
Thank God for someone saying it how it is instead of making up excuses.
 
Thank God for someone saying it how it is instead of making up excuses.

And you'll get that from most of us on here IOW.

Taking somentime to sink in with others, though.

pommpey
 
I kinda sat through the first half wondering if the players were bothered.
The last twenty mins they seemed up for it but then Robins changed his team and allowed us to compete more in midfield.

may be wrong but I’m sure Slave wants a midfield general and a winger on the left.

That is the thing, our midfield is totally shot. MGW is a breath of fresh air and can create openings but we really need someone in the mould of your Roy Keanes to be able to control the game.

Fleck and Norwood should move on and then slav can maybe get a4-3-1-2 going.
 
MGW 5/10: At times this kid seems like the only player in red and white, and that is a good thing and a bad thing. In honestly, he's not as good as he thinks he is which is why he needs to stop the showboating, bitching at other players and trying to take the fucking world on and just pass and move. We've seen he can score and how capable he is, but his single min

Couldn't have said it better myself.

He needs to learn when to do the showboating. He currently does this 8/10 times. He needs to flip this ratio on its head and showboat 2/10
 
I kinda sat through the first half wondering if the players were bothered.
The last twenty mins they seemed up for it but then Robins changed his team and allowed us to compete more in midfield.

may be wrong but I’m sure Slave wants a midfield general and a winger on the left.

That is the thing, our midfield is totally shot. MGW is a breath of fresh air and can create openings but we really need someone in the mould of your Roy Keanes to be able to control the game.

Fleck and Norwood should move on and then slav can maybe get a4-3-1-2 going.
Spot on with that analysis. We have no legs, leadership or drive from Norwood Fleck or Hourihane in the engine room. Our midfield options are very poor which is our biggest problem. After that some other players are just going through the motions. Its not a great league but we are well off the pace.
 
On the evidence of what happened yesterday,can see a few more Blackburn type beatings in the pipeline,there's no signs that we are going to buck our ideas up on or off the pitch,we were there for the taking for 75pc of the game, keep that going and better opponents will fill their boots in that time.
 
The January window is an opportunity but to do what exactly 2 wingers and a holding midfielder suggests what exactly, carry on with 3 at the back the new H-M allowing Bash and Davis to push forward?

And who are the wingers putting crosses into the box for ? Mousse who can't last 90 minutes, McB when he comes on to replace Mousse, or the rampaging, forward thinking runners from midfield, pretty sure neither Fleck or Hourihan actually set foot in Coventry's area yesterday except for a corner
 

Fair assessment, Pompey yet again. For me, Stevens shouldnt be playing for us again. Absolute definition of past it.
 
Pretty crucial, and humiliating relegation though, huh?

I mean, compared to the last PL drop, it wasn't exactly 'last day v Wigan' was it?

pommpey
Doesnt mean we are going down this season!

Since 1976, I see us as a top 10 team in the 2nd tier.
 
Pretty crucial, and humiliating relegation though, huh?

I mean, compared to the last PL drop, it wasn't exactly 'last day v Wigan' was it?

pommpey
Easy to say with hindsight, but looking back the loss at home to Wolves, was the blueprint for the rest of the season, not one player seemed surprised Wolves had scored, accepted losing with no sign of getting upset or fighting back, just turned up went through the motions, and didn't seem bothered or involved in any way that could turn things around
 
I've seen some minging Blades teams in the second tier over the decades,players who had difficulty controlling the ball,let alone a game,headless chickens unable or unwilling to do the basics of the game.Usually relegation follows like night follows day,this lot have the same look,sleepwalking into the abyss.The rot has already set in here,and I don't see anybody at the club who are going to change that,the JTW is now something that everybody is hanging their hat on,but based on recent transfer windows and recruitment,I reckon that is not going to work out as many are hoping/praying.
 
Doesnt mean we are going down this season!

Since 1976, I see us as a top 10 team in the 2nd tier.

Save for the time spent in Div Three and Four in the late seventies, early eighties and the slide from PL since 2008 into Div One, of course.

Not quite been a constant top end of the second tier outfit, have we?

pommpey
 
Thanks, accurate again although you could probably copy and paste for the next one as we all know it will be same old same old, except with Norwood back.
I cant see us getting players in January, MGW will go back and best we can do is recall some of our loans to try and kick some of the chaff out.

"not good enough for this team" doesnt come into it, anybody would be better than some of these players. Could do with a couple of the kids being promoted in January.

Basham will be Player of the Year and he hasnt played for most of it so far.
 
I'd still choose Hourihane before Norwood. This was like his first game of the season he played full 90mins and I would had tried something new for Norwood+Fleck way before. I'm not saying that we are good on midfield with our current players only, but I have my doubts about january. Would I change Hourihane to another loanee? Maybe yeah, but only by the scrumbs we have been able to see.
No not Houriane
 
Save for the time spent in Div Three and Four in the late seventies, early eighties and the slide from PL since 2008 into Div One, of course.

Not quite been a constant top end of the second tier outfit, have we?

pommpey
Have you calculated our average league position since 1976?
 
Have you calculated our average league position since 1976?

Means fuck all. Average league position is fuck all when we had great days getting bummed by Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe at home and watching the greats of the seventies flogged to pay for the 'New Stand' and our tragic demise thereafter. Even pre Basset we were pretty dismal, and eternally struggling after he left and we went through a series of failed, fucked up management acquisitions and flogged players aplenty apropos of fuck all.

Ghost over the bad times all you want Silent. Some of us have long, clear memories. The brief period with Bassett upstairs and the even briefer one with Warnock aint anything to pin any measure of deep joy on.

pommpey
 
Agree with pretty much everything you said. Apart from your view on Mcgoldrick I'm afraid. I've lost count of the number of times he's spooned our best chances over the bar, or wide of the posts. We've left at the end of many matches commenting that 'If Mcgoldrick would have put that one away at that crucial point, the game could have been different'. And unlike most of Billy's wasted chances (although not all of them), he's not even making the keeper save any of them. Done OK sometimes for us over the years, but at his age, and with his goal record, time to say 'Thanks, but goodbye'. Not someone to rebuild around. Nor Billy either.
But agree that the rest were shite. And Foderingham only had saves to make that any League 2 goalie would be expected to save comfortably. He did at least look to move the ball out early, which is summat Luminous Gloves Olsen can't do. But he's too short. We're not back in the times of Hodgy and Springett. Need to be 6ft 4ins at least these days, or you'll get found out pretty soon. For fuck's sake we don't even need a world beater, just someone half competent (maybe like a Mark Howard type).
To all the happy clappers saying we've been 'too good to go down', well that's been said a few times during my 56 years of watching. And then we've gone down. Personally. I think we're shite, but also there are many other shite teams. May just have enough to stay up.....hopefully.
 
I've seen some minging Blades teams in the second tier over the decades,players who had difficulty controlling the ball,let alone a game,headless chickens unable or unwilling to do the basics of the game.Usually relegation follows like night follows day,this lot have the same look,sleepwalking into the abyss.The rot has already set in here,and I don't see anybody at the club who are going to change that,the JTW is now something that everybody is hanging their hat on,but based on recent transfer windows and recruitment,I reckon that is not going to work out as many are hoping/praying.
But we have it on good authority that Slav will have £10m to spend in Jan - thats 42% of what we paid for Brewster and he's our record signing and will be the next Robbie Fowler (Klopp said) .

We cant fail to put together a storming 2nd half of the season
 
Yes -we would be a top 10 Championship club
Yes we would be a top 10 Championship club. But I'd like folk's views on what has changed so much since 1976. Our history before this had mainly been mid-table 1st tier, with the occasional better season, and then a shite season to get relegated. A couple of years in Tier 2, then we'd expect to be promoted. Until 1978, we had never finished below 11th in the 2nd Tier. Looking at this, http://alltimeleaguetable.co.uk/ , we rank 18th in the all-time League positions. And this is skewed lower because of our big downturn since 1976. All the original clubs are still there that were there in 1976. And it's not as if our position has been pushed down by the likes of Barcelona, Real, Bayern, Juventus, Ajax, Benfica, Dortmund etc. joining our League is it?
So what's changed to make us so much worse since '76?
 

Yes we would be a top 10 Championship club. But I'd like folk's views on what has changed so much since 1976. Our history before this had mainly been mid-table 1st tier, with the occasional better season, and then a shite season to get relegated. A couple of years in Tier 2, then we'd expect to be promoted. Until 1978, we had never finished below 11th in the 2nd Tier. Looking at this, http://alltimeleaguetable.co.uk/ , we rank 18th in the all-time League positions. And this is skewed lower because of our big downturn since 1976. All the original clubs are still there that were there in 1976. And it's not as if our position has been pushed down by the likes of Barcelona, Real, Bayern, Juventus, Ajax, Benfica, Dortmund etc. joining our League is it?
So what's changed to make us so much worse since '76?
Great question - you should start a new thread so people will catch it

Im going to have a long think myself and respond - i have a feeling it all started when we sold your namesake and Jones - ill take it from there ......
 

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