My take ...

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pommpey

THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
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What a fucking atrocious, appalling game. No way of sweetening the pill, we have the capability to come to Bramall Lane on a bank holiday in front of a decent crowd, with an expectation to win and stay up with the running pack and put in such a watery, negative performance that a struggling club like Reading can come and take three points off us. Compared with other defeats at the Lane where at least we could debate and reflect that maybe we were robbed or we deserved at least a point, none of those chimps in red and white deserved anything today. It was that bad. It wasn't as if we were dicked. Had we been outplayed and outperformed I could take it.

Reading - yeah okay ... they have Paul Ince and all that but they weren't Forest or Fulham or anything of the teams which could cause us problems. But that's just it, isn't it? They fucking well did cause us problems. I have no real idea what the fucking gameplan is these days. Back a couple of seasons you could see what we were all about. Marauding wingbacks and overlapping centrebacks, Norwood spraying balls wide, cleaver one twos up the flanks and someone, anyone, who could fucking cross and it was Leon or Billy (or Fleck or Duffy) who was johnny on the spot. Then that formation started to collapse, we lost key players, lost the marauding, people forgot which way was forward and oppositions just shepherded us into the kill zone out wide and the forwards were starved of opportunities. Wilder insisted on still playing that shit though because firstly the players knew nothing else and also because he himself had no fucking plan b. Slav tried to change it, the players rebelled and now we have Hecky allowing his players to go back to that shit when the components are nowhere near what they were back then.

It's the fault of certain legacy players and yes, today I am going back to Norwood but we played right into his lap today by endlessly faffing about passing the ball across the back three where he was lurking with intent as an extra centre back. I suppose now he's actually scored a fucking goal and had a few passable games he thinks it's time to revert back to type and launch daft balls across the pitch to people who can't just take it down and move forward into danger areas. Again he's pumping these passes to George and Enda who have real fucking difficulty getting them down and facing their goal. It does get taken down yeah, but it then - AGAIN - goes fucking backwards. It's almost as if all the players have been briefed that the only player allowed to make the ball go forward is actually Norwood. And when he does, there is zero-point-zero net worth in the pass, because it ends up at Norwood's feet again (or in the opposition's possession)

But let's face it - the midfield today was paltry, first division horseshit. Hourihane and Osborn were ineffective and when Hecky tweaked it in the second half and brought our saviour on it just looked like shit in a breadcake rather than batter. The midfield is the engine room of the football team. They are the creatives, the stoppers, the linkmen and the ones who dig the tunnel to goals. Our first half three today looked completely devoid of any ideas or capability to link either with themselves, or with wingbacks and front men. Their only route was backwards and Reading ran fucking riot.

Behind them we are looking shockingly poor without Basham. I cannot believe he sat the second half out today with George occupying his billet. Baldock is not a centreback. In fact recently I'm not sure what he is but a truculent, arsey, middling footballer.

And up front we look completely dead without Billy Sharp. Oliver McBurnie is not a Sheffield United player any more for me. We can't bring him into the game or play to any strengths we imagine he has and he looks like a Conference clogger. I actually texted my mate who couldn't watch the game and said 'If McBurnie scores, I will eat my pubes'. So confident was I, I actually wagered chowing down on the hair around my unmentionables against that poppo scoring. What the fuck were fans doing applauding him as he walked round the pitch having been subbed early in the second? He hasn't scored for fucking years! Injuries-sminjuries. Billy has been injured. So have other players. But they've fucking scored. His and other attempts at injecting some spark into the attack were so damned misplaced also. Is anyone THAT confident we will make the playoffs, let alone get through and win at Wembley?

Anyway:

Foderingham 5/10: Had some shots at him. Not much to save. Mebbe he could have done better with their winner. Who fucking cares?
Baldock 4/10: Usual overly-aggressive shithousery and was left wanting too many times. Maybe his love affair with SUFC is at the bendy-lob-on-stage now
Uremovic 4/10: Underperformed and laid their goal on with a telegraphed pass. Not sure what the fuck Hecky was doing him replacing him with Baldock
Egan 5/10: Barely that. Now looking more like he is on his beam ends with being at BDTBL and the constant shitness. Strange how our goal came from Norwood feeding him in from the middle of the park.
Davies 3/10: Really substandard and not as good as C3PO. Imagine saying that back in October? Missed yet another free header on the six yard line.
Stevens 5/10: Pretty anonymous really. And still shite at crossing
Norwood 4/10: Back to Hollywood. Fuck me this bloke can't cross at all and on minute one, the ball ends up in the BLUT. Shit passing too.
Hourihane 3.10: One word - underwhelming. And he wants an extension of his loan or a permanent transfer next season folks. Anyone who says it should happen shouts at traffic and lives in a skip
Osborn 4.5/10: Dismal. Simply 'running about' doesn't win football games.
MGW 4/10: Piss poor today. Greedy and clumsy.
McBurnie 2/10: Really, really dreadful. In May, he should be allowed to go and find himself again at Matlock Town or summat.

Berge 4/10: Another one who can gladly leave for me. Thinks he has more time on the ball than he actually does. Putting in one decent performance in five matches doesn't make you a Lane hero
Jebbison 2/10: We were all eager to have him back but we were wrong. He's still raw and not at Championship level. Today he was shite with pumpgas croutons
Ndaiye 3/10: Can't think he did anything but kick the ball in the net to give us fleeting hope this shower of bellends gave a fuck. A minute later we knew the truth.

HJ&SM: Hang your heads in shame, chaps. Your staring lineup was set up to fuck up and your team didn't deserve to win. You'd best fucking sort this out, get Basham back in and get this team refocussed otherwise the resurgence of hope you brought with be just a piss in the bath.

Crowd - them 'is there a fire drill'? I think we deserved that.

pommpey
 

What a fucking atrocious, appalling game. No way of sweetening the pill, we have the capability to come to Bramall Lane on a bank holiday in front of a decent crowd, with an expectation to win and stay up with the running pack and put in such a watery, negative performance that a struggling club like Reading can come and take three points off us. Compared with other defeats at the Lane where at least we could debate and reflect that maybe we were robbed or we deserved at least a point, none of those chimps in red and white deserved anything today. It was that bad. It wasn't as if we were dicked. Had we been outplayed and outperformed I could take it.

Reading - yeah okay ... they have Paul Ince and all that but they weren't Forest or Fulham or anything of the teams which could cause us problems. But that's just it, isn't it? They fucking well did cause us problems. I have no real idea what the fucking gameplan is these days. Back a couple of seasons you could see what we were all about. Marauding wingbacks, Norwood spraying balls wide, cleaver one twos up the flanks and someone, anyone, who could fucking cross and it was Leon or Billy (or Fleck or Duffy) who was johnny on the spot. Then that formation started to collapse, we lost key players, lost the marauding, people forgot which way was forward and oppositions just shepherded us into the kill zone out wide and the forwards were starved of opportunities. Wilder insisted on still playing that shit though because firstly the players knew nothing else and also because he himself had no fucking plan b. Slav tried to change it, the players rebelled and now we have Hecky allowing his players to go back to that shit when the components are nowhere near what they were back then.

It's the fault of certain legacy players and yes, today I am going back to Norwood but we played right into his lap today by endlessly faffing about passing the ball across the back three where he was lurking with intent as an extra centre back. I suppose now he's actually scored a fucking goal and had a few passable games he thinks it's time to revert back to type and launch daft balls across the pitch to people who can't just take it down and move forward into danger areas. Again he's pumping these passes to George and Enda who have real fucking difficulty getting them down and facing their goal. It does get taken down yeah, but it then - AGAIN - goes fucking backwards. It's almost as if all the players have been briefed that the only player allowed to make the ball go forward is actually Norwood. And when he does, there is zero-point-zero net worth in the pass, because it ends up at Norwood's feet again (or in the opposition's possession)

But let's face it - the midfield today was paltry, first division horseshit. Hourihane and Osborn were ineffective and when Hecky tweaked it in the second half and brought our saviour on it just looked like shit in a breadcake rather than batter. The midfield is the engine room of the football team. They are the creatives, the stoppers, the linkmen and the ones who dig the tunnel to goals. Our first half three today looked completely devoid of any ideas or capability to link either with themselves, or with wingbacks and front men. Their only route was backwards and Reading ran fucking riot.

Behind them we are looking shockingly poor without Basham. I cannot believe he sat the second half out today with George occupying his billet. Baldock is not a centreback. In fact recently I'm not sure what he is but a truculent, arsey, middling footballer.

And up front we look completely dead without Billy Sharp. Oliver McBurnie is not a Sheffield United player any more for me. We can't bring him into the game or play to any strengths we imagine he has and he looks like a Conference clogger. I actually texted my mate who couldn't watch the game and said 'If McBurnie scores, I will eat my pubes'. So confident was I, I actually wagered chowing down on the hair around my unmentionables against that poppo scoring. What the fuck were fans doing applauding him as he walked round the pitch having been subbed early in the second? He hasn't scored for fucking years! Injuries-sminjuries. Billy has been injured. So have other players. But they've fucking scored. His and other attempts at injecting some spark into the attack were so damned misplaced also. Is anyone THAT confident we will make the playoffs, let alone get through and win at Wembley?

Anyway:

Foderingham 5/10: Had some shots at him. Not much to save. Mebbe he could have done better with their winner. Who fucking cares?
Baldock 4/10: Usual overly-aggressive shithousery and was left wanting too many times. Maybe his love affair with SUFC is at the bendy-lob-on-stage now
Uremovic 4/10: Underperformed and laid their goal on with a telegraphed pass. Not sure what the fuck Hecky was doing him replacing him with Baldock
Egan 5/10: Barely that. Now looking more like he is on his beam ends with being at BDTBL and the constant shitness. Strange how our goal came from Norwood feeding him in from the middle of the park.
Davies 3/10: Really substandard and not as good as C3PO. Imagine saying that back in October? Missed yet another free header on the six yard line.
Stevens 5/10: Pretty anonymous really. And still shite at crossing
Norwood 4/10: Back to Hollywood. Fuck me this bloke can't cross at all and on minute one, the ball ends up in the BLUT. Shit passing too.
Hourihane 3.10: One word - underwhelming. And he wants an extension of his loan or a permanent transfer next season folks. Anyone who says it should happen shouts at traffic and lives in a skip
Osborn 4.5/10: Dismal. Simply 'running about' doesn't win football games.
MGW 4/10: Piss poor today. Greedy and clumsy.
McBurnie 2/10: Really, really dreadful. In May, he should be allowed to go and find himself again at Matlock Town or summat.

Berge 4/10: Another one who can gladly leave for me. Thinks he has more time on the ball than he actually does. Putting in one decent performance in five matches doesn't make you a Lane hero
Jebbison 2/10: We were all eager to have him back but we were wrong. He's still raw and not at Championship level. Today he was shite with pumpgas croutons
Ndaiye 3/10: Can't think he did anything but kick the ball in the net to give us fleeting hope this shower of bellends gave a fuck. A minute later we knew the truth.

HJ&SM: Hang your heads in shame, chaps. Your staring lineup was set up to fuck up and your team didn't deserve to win. You'd best fucking sort this out, get Basham back in and get this team refocussed otherwise the resurgence of hope you brought with be just a piss in the bath.

Crowd - them 'is there a fire drill'? I think we deserved that.

pommpey
Sixth

pommpey
 
What a fucking atrocious, appalling game. No way of sweetening the pill, we have the capability to come to Bramall Lane on a bank holiday in front of a decent crowd, with an expectation to win and stay up with the running pack and put in such a watery, negative performance that a struggling club like Reading can come and take three points off us. Compared with other defeats at the Lane where at least we could debate and reflect that maybe we were robbed or we deserved at least a point, none of those chimps in red and white deserved anything today. It was that bad. It wasn't as if we were dicked. Had we been outplayed and outperformed I could take it.

Reading - yeah okay ... they have Paul Ince and all that but they weren't Forest or Fulham or anything of the teams which could cause us problems. But that's just it, isn't it? They fucking well did cause us problems. I have no real idea what the fucking gameplan is these days. Back a couple of seasons you could see what we were all about. Marauding wingbacks and overlapping centrebacks, Norwood spraying balls wide, cleaver one twos up the flanks and someone, anyone, who could fucking cross and it was Leon or Billy (or Fleck or Duffy) who was johnny on the spot. Then that formation started to collapse, we lost key players, lost the marauding, people forgot which way was forward and oppositions just shepherded us into the kill zone out wide and the forwards were starved of opportunities. Wilder insisted on still playing that shit though because firstly the players knew nothing else and also because he himself had no fucking plan b. Slav tried to change it, the players rebelled and now we have Hecky allowing his players to go back to that shit when the components are nowhere near what they were back then.

It's the fault of certain legacy players and yes, today I am going back to Norwood but we played right into his lap today by endlessly faffing about passing the ball across the back three where he was lurking with intent as an extra centre back. I suppose now he's actually scored a fucking goal and had a few passable games he thinks it's time to revert back to type and launch daft balls across the pitch to people who can't just take it down and move forward into danger areas. Again he's pumping these passes to George and Enda who have real fucking difficulty getting them down and facing their goal. It does get taken down yeah, but it then - AGAIN - goes fucking backwards. It's almost as if all the players have been briefed that the only player allowed to make the ball go forward is actually Norwood. And when he does, there is zero-point-zero net worth in the pass, because it ends up at Norwood's feet again (or in the opposition's possession)

But let's face it - the midfield today was paltry, first division horseshit. Hourihane and Osborn were ineffective and when Hecky tweaked it in the second half and brought our saviour on it just looked like shit in a breadcake rather than batter. The midfield is the engine room of the football team. They are the creatives, the stoppers, the linkmen and the ones who dig the tunnel to goals. Our first half three today looked completely devoid of any ideas or capability to link either with themselves, or with wingbacks and front men. Their only route was backwards and Reading ran fucking riot.

Behind them we are looking shockingly poor without Basham. I cannot believe he sat the second half out today with George occupying his billet. Baldock is not a centreback. In fact recently I'm not sure what he is but a truculent, arsey, middling footballer.

And up front we look completely dead without Billy Sharp. Oliver McBurnie is not a Sheffield United player any more for me. We can't bring him into the game or play to any strengths we imagine he has and he looks like a Conference clogger. I actually texted my mate who couldn't watch the game and said 'If McBurnie scores, I will eat my pubes'. So confident was I, I actually wagered chowing down on the hair around my unmentionables against that poppo scoring. What the fuck were fans doing applauding him as he walked round the pitch having been subbed early in the second? He hasn't scored for fucking years! Injuries-sminjuries. Billy has been injured. So have other players. But they've fucking scored. His and other attempts at injecting some spark into the attack were so damned misplaced also. Is anyone THAT confident we will make the playoffs, let alone get through and win at Wembley?

Anyway:

Foderingham 5/10: Had some shots at him. Not much to save. Mebbe he could have done better with their winner. Who fucking cares?
Baldock 4/10: Usual overly-aggressive shithousery and was left wanting too many times. Maybe his love affair with SUFC is at the bendy-lob-on-stage now
Uremovic 4/10: Underperformed and laid their goal on with a telegraphed pass. Not sure what the fuck Hecky was doing him replacing him with Baldock
Egan 5/10: Barely that. Now looking more like he is on his beam ends with being at BDTBL and the constant shitness. Strange how our goal came from Norwood feeding him in from the middle of the park.
Davies 3/10: Really substandard and not as good as C3PO. Imagine saying that back in October? Missed yet another free header on the six yard line.
Stevens 5/10: Pretty anonymous really. And still shite at crossing
Norwood 4/10: Back to Hollywood. Fuck me this bloke can't cross at all and on minute one, the ball ends up in the BLUT. Shit passing too.
Hourihane 3.10: One word - underwhelming. And he wants an extension of his loan or a permanent transfer next season folks. Anyone who says it should happen shouts at traffic and lives in a skip
Osborn 4.5/10: Dismal. Simply 'running about' doesn't win football games.
MGW 4/10: Piss poor today. Greedy and clumsy.
McBurnie 2/10: Really, really dreadful. In May, he should be allowed to go and find himself again at Matlock Town or summat.

Berge 4/10: Another one who can gladly leave for me. Thinks he has more time on the ball than he actually does. Putting in one decent performance in five matches doesn't make you a Lane hero
Jebbison 2/10: We were all eager to have him back but we were wrong. He's still raw and not at Championship level. Today he was shite with pumpgas croutons
Ndaiye 3/10: Can't think he did anything but kick the ball in the net to give us fleeting hope this shower of bellends gave a fuck. A minute later we knew the truth.

HJ&SM: Hang your heads in shame, chaps. Your staring lineup was set up to fuck up and your team didn't deserve to win. You'd best fucking sort this out, get Basham back in and get this team refocussed otherwise the resurgence of hope you brought with be just a piss in the bath.

Crowd - them 'is there a fire drill'? I think we deserved that.

pommpey
It was dire. Looked like we were playing 3 up front and no bridge to midfield at all.
 
Spot on Pommp's, I wouldn't know where to start writing a report on that performance today, it was shocking from so called "professional footballers"

We need to re-think how we play next season, having Norwood being our key midfielder - or orchestrator has to change, so many need moving on it will take years to reset this team.
Having said that, I think Heck'y knows what needs doing as did the two previous managers - it's the owner that is the problem! - that's what needs to change, sooner rather than later!
 
Great write up as per usual, Pommps. We are utterly, utterly disjointed.
We have no one up front who can win a game for us. But that’s almost irrelevant because we have no one in midfield who can create an opportunity for the strikers to score. And the midfield can’t protect the defence and the defence on their own can’t protect Wes.
It’s awful. Just awful.
 
Agree with most of that - but i dont agree with your assessment of Norwood , but that won't surprise you .

I was watching Enda and George and George in particular , when he was passed the ball from Norwood he controlled it on his left foot therefore going backwards when the ball was in front of him to control on his right and make a move , at pace , forward . The only real two chances we had in the first half was when Baldock actually pushed forward on the right foot - he then made bad decisions. The passes form Norwood were superb. Its not his fault that the two receivers , who made hay in the first season in the prem have gone backward so much (literally)

I think there are lots more players who should be singled out - he was doing what he does - the rest need to make a contribution , they haven't - he has.

Just my view
 
First game I've missed in ages so all day I've been thinking at least I will be able to read My Take.
Didn't hear any scores or snippets on the match until turned 5, boy am I the lucky one. Like to say thanks, but really wish I hadn't read My Take.
 
I was due to take my boy to BDTBL for the first time today. The long journey would have been part of the pilgrimage (he’s 21 and only recently saw the light) new shirt bought and dutifully ready but…. thank fuck, I tested positive and had to cancel.
Hecky playing McShite is Wilder and Lundstram all over again. I really don’t care how many injuries we have. Don’t pick him again….ever. I totally understand the “we have to support the lads whatever” stuff but please, there has to be a response from the paying public or the club will think it is acceptable. We have zero chance of getting promoted so what now? Please bust the budget and get Dyche in - if he will come
 
I was due to take my boy to BDTBL for the first time today. The long journey would have been part of the pilgrimage (he’s 21 and only recently saw the light) new shirt bought and dutifully ready but…. thank fuck, I tested positive and had to cancel.
Hecky playing McShite is Wilder and Lundstram all over again. I really don’t care how many injuries we have. Don’t pick him again….ever. I totally understand the “we have to support the lads whatever” stuff but please, there has to be a response from the paying public or the club will think it is acceptable. We have zero chance of getting promoted so what now? Please bust the budget and get Dyche in - if he will come
Hah!!! No please no!
 

Overall, 'spot on' summary - Norwood decent first half..............not sure where he was playing 2nd half? Full backs were dog shit.........as per - fuck all up front unless MGW pulls a trick out & seemed subdued after he was booked!?.
WTF happened on their 2nd goal? - it looked like "Fred Carnos Circus" at the back!
 
Long time since the vibes have been so bad at the Lane. I’d give the players a pass today and look at the Management. Surely the players only play like they’ve been instructed.

Shout out for the support, 29,125 with no away support. A good omen for the future
 
That poppo comment literally made me laugh out loud! Years since I've heard that word.

I said to my lad, I felt utterly exhausted after watching that garbage today ffs.

What a missed opportunity to get a few points gap between us and 7th. placed
 
Shout out for the support, 29,125 with no away support. A good omen for the future

Please don't. This is pure Wednesdayism.

The omens for the future in every respect that matters are worse than those that used to be uttered by that fat bird with Frankie Howerd in Up Pompeii.
 
Long time since the vibes have been so bad at the Lane. I’d give the players a pass today and look at the Management. Surely the players only play like they’ve been instructed.

Shout out for the support, 29,125 with no away support. A good omen for the future
They will drop like flies - cost of living , lack of investment in the team
 
I’m normally pragmatic but for FFS that was awful ..Jesus I think the players thought walk on the pitch & walk off easy 3 points ?? By far & away the worst home performance of the season .. I can’t think of anyone on the pitch in a red & white shirt that could say I put a shift in ?? Slow , safe , tippy tappy!, sideways , backwards .. anything other than adventurous! , I’m not gonna be the one who gives the ball away shite .. been saying for last month we’ve grafted results out today it caught up with us , lost to a bang average hard working team , let’s be reyt when Ndiaye scored we’d thought we’d stole a point , then Huddersfield revisited.. we’re a an bit better thsn average In a very average league .. comparing to the sides we were challenging for promotion with 3 years ago it’s 10 steps below .. ⚔️
 
I’m normally pragmatic but for FFS that was awful ..Jesus I think the players thought walk on the pitch & walk off easy 3 points ?? By far & away the worst home performance of the season .. I can’t think of anyone on the pitch in a red & white shirt that could say I put a shift in ?? Slow , safe , tippy tappy!, sideways , backwards .. anything other than adventurous! , I’m not gonna be the one who gives the ball away shite .. been saying for last month we’ve grafted results out today it caught up with us , lost to a bang average hard working team , let’s be reyt when Ndiaye scored we’d thought we’d stole a point , then Huddersfield revisited.. we’re a an bit better thsn average In a very average league .. comparing to the sides we were challenging for promotion with 3 years ago it’s 10 steps below .. ⚔️
Boring watching us use the same tactic ad nauseum
 
Hah!!! No please no!
Why not? Gets a team playing decent football without any budget. Maintains PL status bar one relegation but bounces back. Oh, you think we’re going to get a zillionaire investor then?
 
Can you elaborate ?
Lots of passing in triangles, much of it inaccurate, moving upfield at a pace which would embarrass a sloth, complete inability to keep possession, mistiming of passes to a sub-league 2 level, and McBurnie (I'm 63, was rubbish at football as a lad, not great at coordination, but I could have done better today than he did). It was probably the worst home performance since Wilder's initial games.
I have NEVER left a game at home before the final whistle, but I did today.
Does that elaborate enough??
 

The passes form Norwood were superb. Its not his fault that the two receivers , who made hay in the first season in the prem have gone backward so much (literally)
I disagree with it not being Norwood's fault. He has these 'pings' in his locker and even though he must surely know that the 2 receivers now no longer have the skill to do anything with the beautifully pinged ball he cant stop doing it. I think it shows he cant adapt his game and is stuck playing these absolutely pointless but lovely looking balls to people who cant do anything with it, because he cant do anything else with the ball apart from pass it 5 yards to a defender behind him. He is tactically inept and I believe this is the reason he's never made the proper step up to the premiership barring a 5 month period when everything clicked and everyone in the team peaked together.
 

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