My take ...

[pommpey]

You know what I'm gonna say. Probably not fucking worth saying it, is it?

The line up looked dodgy from the start with no apparent replacement for the abject Robinson and Norwood and Hourihane left to anchor the midfield and Stevens back. I certainly didn't expect us to be so well formed and attack minded to audaciously go one up with Bogle's well placed, drilled drive. Nor even Brewster to show a clean set of heels to their centre back and draw the pen and the red (what happened to the double jeopardy rule, I ask?) But anyway, Billy rams it home and we are two up against ten men, set up for the rest of a first half with a pretty fragile 5-3-1.

It's not as though however you don't expect PNE to try to come at us in the second 45, is it? I mean, what are we? Sheffield United? But they did and from the outset we are rebutting their advances. Generally though our team looks robust but fuck me don't we miss some sitters? Brewster was the main culprit of course. What the fuck does a £23m striker have to fucking do? Klopp must have watched that game (if he did) and thought 'thank fuck those dumb cunts signed him'. Well, we didn't sign him did we? The bloke who did must be ringing Klopp and saying 'thank fuck Sheffield United are lumbered with him, eh?' He didn't have that bad a game overall ... but he is a forward. And he has TWO FUCKING GOALS to his name, in dozens of outings, most of which he hasn't done ninety. Elsewhere, we subbed players (including Brewster) and totally lose the bubble, allowing North End to creep past our slumbering defence and bag a first goal, then with added confidence, go on and take two vital points off us.

I don't want us to go up, fellow Bladesman. In fact, I don't want us anywhere near the playoffs this season because firstly I can't deal with this shower of bellends giving us another playoff heartbreak and secondly, based on the Derby surrender and tonight's capitulation, the team doesn't deserve it. We have reset ourselves fully tonight to somewhere Clough-era, where a decent result or a run of two wins and a draw seems like a cup final. And this is with over one hundred million of finance sunk into players who are clearly done with our club. As long as we aren't relegated I will be happy, but best the fucking scalpel comes out in the summer and we shift some of these suitcases off and out and start the rebuild.

Foderingham 4/10: One decent save but not quick witted enough to cut out low crosses and stupidly complacent when being pressed by opposition strikers
Stevens 3.5/10: Okay, he was more active tonight but his passing at times was fucking shocking. Not even going near his defending. I'm not sure he did any.
Robinson 5.5/10: A better game for old threepio, but that's no high bar. He's another one for whom a heart attack happens every time he touches the ball
Egan 5/10: Not an edifying, groundbreaking outing. I am not sure this bloke is even half the player we went up to the Prem with
Basham 7/10: Pushed forward into space and showed some commendable vision to try at least to create attacking options. From the RCB position. How bad does that sound?
Bogle 6/10: Gave a lot but showed again his vulnerability at times. Another significant goal which reinforces my claim that he stands alone as a Wilder signing worth his money
Hourihane 4/10: At times somewhat better and involved but at other horrifically wasteful and out of position. That fucking free kick. That's all I have to say before I ruddy-well swear
Norwood 5/10: A marginally better game for him, save the wasteful passing, being caught in possession and fucking pointing
Ndaiye 6.5/10: Our best threat and most creating player, if he does run out of options quickly and run into brick walls. No idea why he was subbed
Brewster 5/10: I thought he had a pretty decent game. Made some good runs and a decent curled cross. But he can't hit a fucking cow's arse with a giant banjo.
Sharp 4.5/10: Ran his socks off to chase lost causes and shit balls into his feet with his back to goal and being close-marked in the box. Good penalty.

McGoldrick 2/10: Looks like he's given up. Robbed for their second which is unforgivable
RND 4/10: Not much to go on him but the cross for the second came from his fucking area
Berge 1/10: I have no words

Heckingbotham 2/10: Your team failed to beat ten men whilst two nil up at half time. Let that fucker sink in and think about all those noisy, faithful fans making their way across the M62 and Snake Pass tonight astounded your players couldn't stick to the basics, manage the game and come away with three points. Piss fucking poor.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

You know what I'm gonna say. Probably not fucking worth saying it, is it?

The line up looked dodgy from the start with no apparent replacement for the abject Robinson and Norwood and Hourihane left to anchor the midfield and Stevens back. I certainly didn't expect us to be so well formed and attack minded to audaciously go one up with Bogle's well placed, drilled drive. Nor even Brewster to show a clean set of heels to their centre back and draw the pen and the red (what happened to the double jeopardy rule, I ask?) But anyway, Billy rams it home and we are two up against ten men, set up for the rest of a first half with a pretty fragile 5-3-1.

It's not as though however you don't expect PNE to try to come at us in the second 45, is it? I mean, what are we? Sheffield United? But they did and from the outset we are rebutting their advances. Generally though our team looks robust but fuck me don't we miss some sitters? Brewster was the main culprit of course. What the fuck does a £23m striker have to fucking do? Klopp must have watched that game (if he did) and thought 'thank fuck those dumb cunts signed him'. Well, we didn't sign him did we? The bloke who did must be ringing Klopp and saying 'thank fuck Sheffield United are lumbered with him, eh?' He didn't have that bad a game overall ... but he is a forward. And he has TWO FUCKING GOALS to his name, in dozens of outings, most of which he hasn't done ninety. Elsewhere, we subbed players (including Brewster) and totally lose the bubble, allowing North End to creep past our slumbering defence and bag a first goal, then with added confidence, go on and take two vital points off us.

I don't want us to go up, fellow Bladesman. In fact, I don't want us anywhere near the playoffs this season because firstly I can't deal with this shower of bellends giving us another playoff heartbreak and secondly, based on the Derby surrender and tonight's capitulation, the team doesn't deserve it. We have reset ourselves fully tonight to somewhere Clough-era, where a decent result or a run of two wins and a draw seems like a cup final. And this is with over one hundred million of finance sunk into players who are clearly done with our club. As long as we aren't relegated I will be happy, but best the fucking scalpel comes out in the summer and we shift some of these suitcases off and out and start the rebuild.

Foderingham 4/10: One decent save but not quick witted enough to cut out low crosses and stupidly complacent when being pressed by opposition strikers
Stevens 3.5/10: Okay, he was more active tonight but his passing at times was fucking shocking. Not even going near his defending. I'm not sure he did any.
Robinson 5.5/10: A better game for old threepio, but that's no high bar. He's another one for whom a heart attack happens every time he touches the ball
Egan 5/10: Not an edifying, groundbreaking outing. I am not sure this bloke is even half the player we went up to the Prem with
Basham 7/10: Pushed forward into space and showed some commendable vision to try at least to create attacking options. From the RCB position. How bad does that sound?
Bogle 6/10: Gave a lot but showed again his vulnerability at times. Another significant goal which reinforces my claim that he stands alone as a Wilder signing worth his money
Hourihane 4/10: At times somewhat better and involved but at other horrifically wasteful and out of position. That fucking free kick. That's all I have to say before I ruddy-well swear
Norwood 5/10: A marginally better game for him, save the wasteful passing, being caught in possession and fucking pointing
Ndaiye 6.5/10: Our best threat and most creating player, if he does run out of options quickly and run into brick walls. No idea why he was subbed
Brewster 5/10: I thought he had a pretty decent game. Made some good runs and a decent curled cross. But he can't hit a fucking cow's arse with a giant banjo.
Sharp 4.5/10: Ran his socks off to chase lost causes and shit balls into his feet with his back to goal and being close-marked in the box. Good penalty.

McGoldrick 2/10: Looks like he's given up. Robbed for their second which is unforgivable
RND 4/10: Not much to go on him but the cross for the second came from his fucking area
Berge 1/10: I have no words

Heckingbotham 2/10: Your team failed to beat ten men whilst two nil up at half time. Let that fucker sink in and think about all those noisy, faithful fans making their way across the M62 and Snake Pass tonight astounded your players couldn't stick to the basics, manage the game and come away with three points. Piss fucking poor.

pommpey

Second

pommpey

 

[Ecco1889]

Last

 

[shrubbery]

Can’t disagree with a word really apart from the marks are all a bit high.

 

[The Steel Roses]

Agree with every word apart from the excuses for Billy’s limited technical ability.
On the upside I bet this forum is a million times more interesting than say,,, Man City’s, what do they have to debate!!!!

 

[originaltrueblade]

You know what I'm gonna say. Probably not fucking worth saying it, is it?

The line up looked dodgy from the start with no apparent replacement for the abject Robinson and Norwood and Hourihane left to anchor the midfield and Stevens back. I certainly didn't expect us to be so well formed and attack minded to audaciously go one up with Bogle's well placed, drilled drive. Nor even Brewster to show a clean set of heels to their centre back and draw the pen and the red (what happened to the double jeopardy rule, I ask?) But anyway, Billy rams it home and we are two up against ten men, set up for the rest of a first half with a pretty fragile 5-3-1.

It's not as though however you don't expect PNE to try to come at us in the second 45, is it? I mean, what are we? Sheffield United? But they did and from the outset we are rebutting their advances. Generally though our team looks robust but fuck me don't we miss some sitters? Brewster was the main culprit of course. What the fuck does a £23m striker have to fucking do? Klopp must have watched that game (if he did) and thought 'thank fuck those dumb cunts signed him'. Well, we didn't sign him did we? The bloke who did must be ringing Klopp and saying 'thank fuck Sheffield United are lumbered with him, eh?' He didn't have that bad a game overall ... but he is a forward. And he has TWO FUCKING GOALS to his name, in dozens of outings, most of which he hasn't done ninety. Elsewhere, we subbed players (including Brewster) and totally lose the bubble, allowing North End to creep past our slumbering defence and bag a first goal, then with added confidence, go on and take two vital points off us.

I don't want us to go up, fellow Bladesman. In fact, I don't want us anywhere near the playoffs this season because firstly I can't deal with this shower of bellends giving us another playoff heartbreak and secondly, based on the Derby surrender and tonight's capitulation, the team doesn't deserve it. We have reset ourselves fully tonight to somewhere Clough-era, where a decent result or a run of two wins and a draw seems like a cup final. And this is with over one hundred million of finance sunk into players who are clearly done with our club. As long as we aren't relegated I will be happy, but best the fucking scalpel comes out in the summer and we shift some of these suitcases off and out and start the rebuild.

Foderingham 4/10: One decent save but not quick witted enough to cut out low crosses and stupidly complacent when being pressed by opposition strikers
Stevens 3.5/10: Okay, he was more active tonight but his passing at times was fucking shocking. Not even going near his defending. I'm not sure he did any.
Robinson 5.5/10: A better game for old threepio, but that's no high bar. He's another one for whom a heart attack happens every time he touches the ball
Egan 5/10: Not an edifying, groundbreaking outing. I am not sure this bloke is even half the player we went up to the Prem with
Basham 7/10: Pushed forward into space and showed some commendable vision to try at least to create attacking options. From the RCB position. How bad does that sound?
Bogle 6/10: Gave a lot but showed again his vulnerability at times. Another significant goal which reinforces my claim that he stands alone as a Wilder signing worth his money
Hourihane 4/10: At times somewhat better and involved but at other horrifically wasteful and out of position. That fucking free kick. That's all I have to say before I ruddy-well swear
Norwood 5/10: A marginally better game for him, save the wasteful passing, being caught in possession and fucking pointing
Ndaiye 6.5/10: Our best threat and most creating player, if he does run out of options quickly and run into brick walls. No idea why he was subbed
Brewster 5/10: I thought he had a pretty decent game. Made some good runs and a decent curled cross. But he can't hit a fucking cow's arse with a giant banjo.
Sharp 4.5/10: Ran his socks off to chase lost causes and shit balls into his feet with his back to goal and being close-marked in the box. Good penalty.

McGoldrick 2/10: Looks like he's given up. Robbed for their second which is unforgivable
RND 4/10: Not much to go on him but the cross for the second came from his fucking area
Berge 1/10: I have no words

Heckingbotham 2/10: Your team failed to beat ten men whilst two nil up at half time. Let that fucker sink in and think about all those noisy, faithful fans making their way across the M62 and Snake Pass tonight astounded your players couldn't stick to the basics, manage the game and come away with three points. Piss fucking poor.

pommpey

You have to be kidding 5.5 for Robbo more like 0.5 I have no finger nails left because of this guy and that was the first half

 

[Chilttheblade]

Please don’t bring Clough into this, those cup runs are still the best memories I have from this club in recent years ,untainted by negative humdrum league performances.

 

[highgreeninjapan]

First Preston goal a fair few players at fault. Both Egan and Basham race our to close down the Preston player (was it Ched?) who flicks it over for Johnson. Made the middle absolutely wide open. Bogle is busy marking absolutely no one at the sideline, and by the time he’s stopped ball watching, Johnson has already cut it back. Hourihane was possibly slow to react, but in his defense, he probably wasn’t expecting both Egan and Basham to vacate the middle.

The second goal, where do you start? McGoldrick lost it in midfield. Hourihane and Berge are on the wrong side and slow to react. Both Bogle and RND are wildly too high. We’ve allowed the cross to come in too easily, and Bash and Bogle have failed to get in front of the scorer.

Really weak, soft, slow, and unintelligent play all round.

 

[Bayingblade]

Two nil up at half time against ten men. Absolutely made for Berge to come on and show us what he's made of, strutting around in midfield, controlling the game with space and time, creating space and chances for those ahead of him. Hell, we may even get 5. £24Million of "one of Europe's best young midfielders" showing the rest of the Championship what they're missing...........

Then I woke up! What a fucking shitshow we've become.

 

[sheffieldwhite]

I thought you were quality in the first half and fully deserved to be 2-0 up. Completely dominated us off the ball and were crisp in your passing, was only a matter of time before the goals. In the second half it looked like you took your foot off the gas but still created a couple of opportunities to kill the game.

The game changed when Ched came on - he was exceptional and the key to us sustaining some attacking moves late on in the game. He has been outstanding for us since signing.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

In the first half we had 8 chances on goal of which 6 were on target and we scored twice, albeit one was a penalty.

In the second half we had 10 chances and only 1 was on target. We played against 10 men and gave their goalkeeper nothing to worry about. It's embarrassing and just not good enough and this has been our story for too long. We just don't have any quality in the team to put away chances except MGW, who is injured and may not return even when he's fit.

We can't trouble keepers enough. We can't do the basics in defence. We're hopeless. I'm almost ready to pray for relegation just to get rid of these woeful, gutless, useless players.

 

[blade too long]

The substitution of Brewste r cost us 2 points.
Yes he missed 2 gilt edge chances but overall his running and movement had pinned down Preston up to the 70th minute. No sooner was he off than we nodded off and let in the simplest of goals and Preston found the gumption to fight back . Coming forward unabated as our forward thrust had spluttered to a crawl as our pace had deserted us .

On the positive side we've lost 1 in 6 and somehow moved to 11th still with 2 games in hand so not in too bad a place.

Change is still essential and it's under way with Olsen gone . Berge waiting for a taxi to newcastle and 2 fresh faces already close to joining us

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

 

[Tezza1889]

We have a few players ducking tackles, it's almost as if there's an offer or two on the table and they don't want to get injured..

At this point they can all fuck off.

Good riddance you embarrassing cunts..

 

[Keen Blade]

In the first half we had 8 chances on goal of which 6 were on target and we scored twice, albeit one was a penalty.

In the second half we had 10 chances and only 1 was on target. We played against 10 men and gave their goalkeeper nothing to worry about. It's embarrassing and just not good enough and this has been our story for too long. We just don't have any quality in the team to put away chances except MGW, who is injured and may not return even when he's fit.

We can't trouble keepers enough. We can't do the basics in defence. We're hopeless. I'm almost ready to pray for relegation just to get rid of these woeful, gutless, useless players.

Do we get to reduce their wages again if we go down to L1 ?
That'd be great , we might even get some of the fuckers to fuck off.
I really don't think I can go again for a while ... I need a break , my ST seat can stay empty until the players can match my desire for success.
Currently they are taking the piss , and I'm not standing for it - they can have my money , but if they don't respect my support by showing some desire , I'm not showing up for them either.
Let's see what the summer brings - maybe we'll get bought by a rich dude.

 

[highgreeninjapan]

Personally, I don’t see the players ducking tackles or not putting effort in. Sadly, it’s simply that many of the players that we have loved in the past just aren’t as consistently good as they were. It’s not a shoes-off, in the car park, banners, booing, non-attending scenario for me. Just one of quiet sad acceptance.

 

[Blade.com]

Don’t think you need to worry about getting your suit out for the Wembley play off final .
Think you’ve been pretty lenient with your report, I know teams get pegged back from 2 goals up , but against 10 men and a squad that’s just spent 2 seasons in the Premier league we should have done a lot better on the game management side. The thing is , if they had been another 5 minutes we would have lost 3-2.

 

[pommpey]

Personally, I don’t see the players ducking tackles or not putting effort in. Sadly, it’s simply that many of the players that we have loved in the past just aren’t as consistently good as they were. It’s not a shoes-off, in the car park, banners, booing, non-attending scenario for me. Just one of quiet sad acceptance.

I don't actually think they were that good anyway. With the evidence shown this season, it looks like the first season in the PL and possibly our last season in the Championship were high spots based on opposition shitness rather than a cohesive footballing strategy. A lot of this team starting last night were the ones revered back then and have played more or less constantly in red and white since then. Sharp, McGoldrick, Norwood, Stevens, Basham, Egan which is almost 50% of the team and still lurking in the U Bend are a whole load others, augmented by what is effectively footballing nobodies, also-rans and not-good-enoughs. There aren't many you'd imagine being in the squad come the day we jettison finally Wilder's daft acquisitions, pension off the oldies and create a football starting eleven people would actually fear. Preston didn't fear us last night when they went a man down. They just knew we'd give up the advantage they'd gifted us.

Anyone who dreams this Sheffield United will be anywhere near good enough to grace the top flight again without clearing the lot out and stating again needs their bumps felt. And it's strange how silent the claps are coming from certain happy factions of our supporters. Y'know, the 'you know nowt, you don't go to Bramall Lane' idiots. What say you now?

pommpey

 

[blade too long]

Do we get to reduce their wages again if we go down to L1 ?
That'd be great , we might even get some of the fuckers to fuck off.dlo
I really don't think I can go again for a while ...

Aw come on. Going Down?

That's a ridiculous statement
We've lost 1 in the last 6 .mostly all away from home

We have 2 home games in hand over most which if won could put us 5th


I d put our relegation chances at 1000 to one

 

[Revolution]

Aw come on. Going Down?

That's a ridiculous statement
We've lost 1 in the last 6 .mostly all away from home

We have 2 home games in hand over most which if won could put us 5th


I d put our relegation chances at 1000 to one

We aren't going down this year.

We will be in relegation trouble next year unless certain players and the board buck their ideas up.

 

[Guesty]

Aw come on. Going Down?

That's a ridiculous statement
We've lost 1 in the last 6 .mostly all away from home

We have 2 home games in hand over most which if won could put us 5th


I d put our relegation chances at 1000 to one

We won't go down this season but there's a strong possibility we will next. We won't have Gibbs-White, we'll probably sell a few others and we know we won't be spending big on replacements.

 

[lakedistblade]

Hecky another leader not taking responsibility. Our tactics, which he should have dictated, were very poor last 20 min. Still bombing forward and losing possession, Robinson in particular. His good run of games after the Slav reset earthquake has deflected attention from a club / team in slow burning crisis, bit like when stoke got relegated. Atmosphere could get very toxic until we can reshuffle the squad. All bitterly disappointing after the positivity of the all vanquishing underdogs era.

 

[Bladesince59]

2 for Hecky is fucking generous.

 

[Bell4]

The substitution of Brewste r cost us 2 points.
Yes he missed 2 gilt edge chances but overall his running and movement had pinned down Preston up to the 70th minute. No sooner was he off than we nodded off and let in the simplest of goals and Preston found the gumption to fight back . Coming forward unabated as our forward thrust had spluttered to a crawl as our pace had deserted us .

On the positive side we've lost 1 in 6 and somehow moved to 11th still with 2 games in hand so not in too bad a place.

Change is still essential and it's under way with Olsen gone . Berge waiting for a taxi to newcastle and 2 fresh faces already close to joining us

Thanks for saving my day

The most optimistic post ive read

Who are the 2 fresh faces ?

 

[SirNibletsO'Korne]

Yet again, no arguments from me, but again why was Ndaiye subbed? First half was pretty decent though and I thought (like the idiot I am) that we might be on for a hatful. Yet again though, it's stupid fucking mistakes over and over and that sinking feeling as you know we're just collapsing in on ourselves again.
Until we have a clear out ( and again, who's going to want them?) we're going nowhere and the only chink of light is that we're not bad enough to go down.
I feel absolutely deflated this morning.

 

[blade too long]

We won't go down this season but there's a strong possibility we will next. We won't have Gibbs-White, we'll probably sell a few others and we know we won't be spending big on replacements.

how do you work that out

we took off webster and lost the pace that was holding Preston in their own half, Hecky won't make that mistake again
got rid of olsen Berges off to Newcastle and there's 2 coming in this week Frank Fielding and Marcus Brown

 

[Houston_Blade]

Cheers pommpey, a bit more reserved than I thought you'd be, but like you say it doesn't really need saying any more.

We are shit and half the players either aren't trying or aren't good enough.

The subs were atrocious and we made an ageing Ched Evans look like prime R9.

If we don't beat Luton on Saturday it will be toxic and unless MGW is back in the side, we won't beat them.

 

[Bookers Mullet]

how do you work that out

we took off webster and lost the pace that was holding Preston in their own half, Hecky won't make that mistake again
got rid of olsen Berges off to Newcastle and there's 2 coming in this week

Is that for real? Newcastle are bigger mugs than I thought then.

And who are the two? Unless it's neymar and kante won't make much of a difference

 

[blade too long]

Cheers pommpey, a bit more reserved than I thought you'd be, but like you say it doesn't really need saying any more.

We are shit and half the players either aren't trying or aren't good enough.

The subs were atrocious and we made an ageing Ched Evans look like prime R9.

If we don't beat Luton on Saturday it will be toxic and unless MGW is back in the side, we won't beat them.

of course we can beat them

we should have been 5 -0 up after 70 minutes , you dont even get close to that without being decent
the substitution has highlighted how slow mc goldrick and Sharp are now, hes proficient at penalties though

the pace of Webster and Ndiaye was way too much for Preston
they were that under the cosh they couldnt get near us
as soon as Webster went off we became pedestrian

we will be fine as soon as januarys moves are completed
if Hecky and McCall dont see that then we are in trouble but I think theyll twig it

 

[gordoncharles]

I don't want us to go up, fellow Bladesman. In fact, I don't want us anywhere near the playoffs this season because firstly I can't deal with this shower of bellends giving us another playoff heartbreak and secondly, based on the Derby surrender and tonight's capitulation, the team doesn't deserve it. We have reset ourselves fully tonight to somewhere Clough-era, where a decent result or a run of two wins and a draw seems like a cup final. And this is with over one hundred million of finance sunk into players who are clearly done with our club. As long as we aren't relegated I will be happy, but best the fucking scalpel comes out in the summer and we shift some of these suitcases off and out and start the rebuild.

Couldn't agree more with this, though it puts us in the strange situation of wanting wins but hoping we don't get too many.

Fortunately, there is no way this squad could deliver those in any case.

We are set for a long "transitional" phase. What that really means is stagnation. We can only hope it means the comfort of mid-table mediocrity and not something worse.

Hope of something better is now extinguished for some considerable time. We've had our little bit of fun, now we have to pay the price.