No Progress

[pommpey]

They are dickheads because we are a team that has almost qualified for the play offs and barring a miracle will be competing in the end of the season lottery yet they are calling for the managers head - now is the time to get behind both the team and the manager - we have possibly six more games to define our season and realise promotion yet the Dickheads are calling to sack the manager !

It's the same old, 'look at the shiny coin' shit, isn't it? Have you been following the run of recent results, Fiery? Let me recap:

07 Feb 15 Gillingham 2 - 0 Sheffield United. A woeful capitulation against a side we really should have beaten
21 Feb 15 Sheffield United 2 - 2 Coventry City. Two points needlessly dropped at home against a struggling side
28 Feb 15 Crawley Town 1 -1 Sheffield United. Poor game with the team in disarray and zero penetration against a very poor side
03 Mar 15 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Peterborough. Needless home loss, explanations of which don't square with what the output of Peterborough United have
07 Mar 15 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Fleetwood Town. Second unexplainable defect in four days at home against a side still nipping themseleves at how shit Sheffield United were in front of their own fans
14 Mar 15 Scunthorpe United 1 - 1 Sheffield United. Another two points dropped. Scunthorpe United's bonus
17 Mar 15 Walsall 1 - 1 Sheffield United. Possibly the only justifiable draw in the previous few weeks
28 Mar 15 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Crewe Alexandra. Another woeful giveaway at Bramall Lane against a poor side
11 Apr 15 Oldham Athletic 2 - 2 Sheffield United. Good fightback, but in light of two really avoidable goals
15 Apr 15 Yeovil 1 - 0 Sheffield United. Make your own comments on this one

Now aside from deserved wins against Bristol City, Colchester and Scunthorpe and not so convincing wins against Doncaster and Port Vale show me your working out that makes me confident that with us being bummed by supposed lesser clubs, we will make any capital on the playoff spot we currently occupy. Let me add a multiplier on that by the fact that historically we have NEVER capitalised on the playoff knockout competition. We have also just been beaten by the league's already relegated club, whilst in that playoff spot. How many times during those games mentioned above have the fans turned up and 'got behind the team and the manager? What difference did it make? And you are calling people 'dickheads'?

pommpey

 

[Fiery Blade]

Not been to BDTBL for a while Pommpey Usually like a morgue till we score - generally outshouted by the opposition fans and boos when things the players try don't work out !
Yes, I think there are issues with some players but not as many as with the 'fans' !

 

[Fiery Blade]

Why don't I quote any of your posts from 2 years ago laying into Danny Wilson for the slightest thing then? Or is it alright to slag everything off to do with the Club when you want to?

Perhaps I am a bit older and wiser and despite his perceived shortcomings I would much rather Nigel Clough be in charge than Danny Wilson !
I just feel that at this juncture we all need to be behind the team, the management and the club - the time for recriminations would be if they fail to gain promotion not as we enter the play offs - and yes we will qualify for the play offs !

 

[pommpey]

Not been to BDTBL for a while Pommpey Usually like a morgue till we score - generally outshouted by the opposition fans and boos when things the players try don't work out !
Yes, I think there are issues with some players but not as many as with the 'fans' !

Do you not think they have a right to criticise?

It's the same old argument on here. Just think of the times you have come away from a match and we have lost, but we have lost because despite a battling performance we were beaten by a better team. Spurs at home in the cup for example. I don't think there were many boos at that game. Had Reed's shot been six inches lower maybe things would have been different.

But square that with those games above. Do you expect our fans to be all ebullient and enthusiastic when we get beaten at home by fucking Fleetwood? Do the players expect a standing ovation?

pommpey

 

[Grecian2000]

Yes, I think there are issues with some players but not as many as with the 'fans' !

and in one sentence you undermine any decent points you might have put across.

Complete and utter toss. The players and management will win or lose promotion. The fans (or "so called fans" or 'fans' if you prefer) will watch on and not have a fucking shred of difference to the outcome (as fucking always).

I think the OFAC party are now pissing me off more than UKIP.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Do you not think they have a right to criticise?

It's the same old argument on here. Just think of the times you have come away from a match and we have lost, but we have lost because despite a battling performance we were beaten by a better team. Spurs at home in the cup for example. I don't think there were many boos at that game. Had Reed's shot been six inches lower maybe things would have been different.

But square that with those games above. Do you expect our fans to be all ebullient and enthusiastic when we get beaten at home by fucking Fleetwood? Do the players expect a standing ovation?

pommpey

Don't have any issues with most of the above Pommpey but the fans could be 'ebullient and enthusiastic' as you put it during the game and then rightly vent there anger if the players don't respond - it just seems to me that the players are frightened to try anything because of the anticipated negative crowd reaction !

 

[secretchief]

I think a better comparison is with Wilson's second season where we finished 5th and got 75 points.

Clough is on track with guiding us to the same position with the same amount of points using twice the personnel and with more money to spend by an order of magnitude (even conservatively, since Wilson had to sell Blackman). The football is the same non-penetrative turgid dross, the amount of appalling humiliations is roughly the same, and the amount of genuinely convincing wins is as small.

On an objective level, Wilson was sacked while outperforming Clough by some distance.

 

[Revolution]

I think a better comparison is with Wilson's second season where we finished 5th and got 75 points.

Clough is on track with guiding us to the same position with the same amount of points using twice the personnel and with more money to spend by an order of magnitude (even conservatively, since Wilson had to sell Blackman). The football is the same non-penetrative turgid dross, the amount of appalling humiliations is roughly the same, and the amount of genuinely convincing wins is as small.

On an objective level, Wilson was sacked while outperforming Clough by some distance.

We are backing into the playoffs, like we did that year, and in 1998.

And like those two seasons, we ain't going to reach the final (unless we buck our ideas up).

 

[Silent Blade]

Not been to BDTBL for a while Pommpey Usually like a morgue till we score - generally outshouted by the opposition fans and boos when things the players try don't work out !
Yes, I think there are issues with some players but not as many as with the 'fans' !

Been talking to my workmate who is a Chesterfield fan this morning. I asked him if there are a lot of Chesterfield fans who always slag players off at matches. He said "not many". I told him that we have loads especially in home games. He seemed to be more confident about Chesterfield's chances if the play us in the play off final. The reason for this is not because of how we play and he knows we have the better players in our squad

 

[raul]

Our Fans Are Cunts.

Won't we be alright now the pitches are drier?

 

[Grecian2000]

Been talking to my workmate who is a Chesterfield fan this morning. I asked him if there are a lot of Chesterfield fans who always slag players off at matches. He said "not many". I told him that we have loads especially in home games. He seemed to be more confident about Chesterfield's chances if the play us in the play off final. The reason for this is not because of how we play and he knows we have the better players in our squad

Come on Silent, thought you were better than that.

So Chezzie are confident of beating us despite us having better players but because their fans are more "positive"?
This sounds like a tailor made job for the BBC then!
Or it could just be nonsense of course.

If we'd won 6-0 last night and seen them lose at the worst team in the league (by a good margin) I'd be bloody confident too. If I'd seen their defense was made up of GK, RB who's really a winger, CB who's really a RB, CB who prefers to be a midfielder, LB who's really a RB, then I'd be putting my house on the outcome.
I really can't be arsed with the debate anymore so I'll say this for the last time and fuck off.

THE FANS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM! Thanks for listening!

 

[Silent Blade]

I really can't be arsed with the debate anymore so I'll say this for the last time and fuck off.

THE FANS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM! Thanks for listening!

Sigh!

 

[raul]

Come on Silent, thought you were better than that.

So Chezzie are confident of beating us despite us having better players but because their fans are more "positive"?
This sounds like a tailor made job for the BBC then!
Or it could just be nonsense of course.

If we'd won 6-0 last night and seen them lose at the worst team in the league (by a good margin) I'd be bloody confident too. If I'd seen their defense was made up of GK, RB who's really a winger, CB who's really a RB, CB who prefers to be a midfielder, LB who's really a RB, then I'd be putting my house on the outcome.
I really can't be arsed with the debate anymore so I'll say this for the last time and fuck off.

THE FANS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM! Thanks for listening!

Good. And take your facts with you.

 

[Lane Ender]

Yeah, you set of bastards! I suppose the mealy-mouthed, part-time fuckers who went to Yeovil had the temerity to slag the players off! Cunts!

Seriously, when Clough goes - and last night's results make it sooner rather than later - it will not be because the fans are 'impatient', 'slashers' or any other insult going. It's because the 'powers that be', whatever their success in other fields of endeavour, simply haven't got a clue about what constitutes a decent football manager. They will have to decide whether to trust Clough with any more transfer money and whether we can continue this 'one step forward, two steps back' business 'model'. I rather suspect they won't.

Let's face it, this season has been an embarrassment. 'But we're in the play-offs!' a diminishing band will cry. Only because this division has been abysmal. Any team who has been routinely humiliated by the likes of Yeovil, Crewe, Fleetwood etc. etc. should not be in the play-offs. The excuses are fast running out. When we fail in the play-offs, what excuses will be left? The odd Cup game?

Halfway through April and not only is Clough 'not sure of his best eleven', the latest excuse is that 'he questions the players' commitment'. So, apart from pinning up the team sheet, can anybody tell me what this guy actually does for his handsome salary?

Rather than 'go over to S6', we'll turn out in numbers again on Saturday and the last game v. Chezzie. And, like recent seasons when playing Wednesday, Barnsley and Rotherham, Chesterfield fans will celebrate signs of forward progress while we face a fifth year in this division.

But then it's all the supporters fault...

Good post.

I honestly believe he does know is strongest eleven but hes rotated things with a piss poor squad and now we are on the verge of the play offs.
If he do's play his strongest side and he plays the trusted 4-5-1 we can go up through the play offs.
But if he fucks about like the last 3 games weve had it.
Play the first option Clough and do it for us

 

[YES Blade]

Been talking to my workmate who is a Chesterfield fan this morning. I asked him if there are a lot of Chesterfield fans who always slag players off at matches. He said "not many". I told him that we have loads especially in home games. He seemed to be more confident about Chesterfield's chances if the play us in the play off final. The reason for this is not because of how we play and he knows we have the better players in our squad

Of course Chesterfield fans aren't on the player's backs! When was the last time they had a chance of promotion to the 2nd tier?

If they were bottom of League Two and looking like going down to the conference, how do you think their fans would be? That would be a low point in their club's history, just as we are currently in one of our club's low points! What do you expect from our fans? Everyone to be happy as Larry and the lane rocking every match?

 

[secretchief]

No-one would praise the fans if we were doing well. Only seems to come up when the team plays shit.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

I think a better comparison is with Wilson's second season where we finished 5th and got 75 points.

Clough is on track with guiding us to the same position with the same amount of points using twice the personnel and with more money to spend by an order of magnitude (even conservatively, since Wilson had to sell Blackman). The football is the same non-penetrative turgid dross, the amount of appalling humiliations is roughly the same, and the amount of genuinely convincing wins is as small.

On an objective level, Wilson was sacked while outperforming Clough by some distance.

Coming on here talking sense? Who do you think you are?

 

[Bladesway]

Coming on here talking sense? Who do you think you are?

Yeah but Wilson was an ex pig so had to be shit

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Yeah but Wilson was an ex pig so had to be shit

So is Clough.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I'm not feeling the love guys, yes it has been disappointing to be a blades fan at times, BUT WE ARE BLADES, and we take the rough with the smooth.

Bladebri , no we don't anymore that was in the past . We have had too much rough with the smooth to last us a life time .

Times have changed and Clough and the board , better wise up after last nights results .

And i am pro Clough but this season is be all and end all for him IMO . . The building bricks seem to be more and more , made out of straw.

UTB.

 

[Bladesway]

So is Clough.

Not really though unless you want to be really, really small minded.

 

[Bladesway]

Bladebri , no we don't anymore that was in the past . We have had too much rough with the smooth to last us a life time .

Times have changed and Clough and the board , better wise up after last nights results .

And i am pro Clough but this season is be all and end all for him IMO . . The building bricks seem to be more and more , made out of straw.

UTB.

I wouldn't go this far because it's an expensive job to demolish what is being built. If the board didn't believe in Clough they should have got rid in January. Now I think unless there is an exceptional reason he will be with us until Christmas at least.

However if no one does wise up as you put it (including Clough) then I think there is a very real possibility he goes in the summer.

I have always been one for sticking by the manager (Warnock got several chances and look where we got to) but I understand that is not a widely held view. Everyone wants a pound of flesh now and doesn't want to wait any longer. In fairness to ALL our fans while I don't agree with the dummy spitting I totally understand that the patience bank emptied a while back. We have had enough strife to last most clubs a lifetime. As someone said the fans are not and never have been the problem. It's what's on the pitch that is the issue and what goes on behind that. There are in my opinion no exceptions to that.

 

[Grappler]

I wouldn't go this far because it's an expensive job to demolish what is being built. If the board didn't believe in Clough they should have got rid in January. Now I think unless there is an exceptional reason he will be with us until Christmas at least.

However if no one does wise up as you put it (including Clough) then I think there is a very real possibility he goes in the summer.

I have always been one for sticking by the manager (Warnock got several chances and look where we got to) but I understand that is not a widely held view. Everyone wants a pound of flesh now and doesn't want to wait any longer. In fairness to ALL our fans while I don't agree with the dummy spitting I totally understand that the patience bank emptied a while back. We have had enough strife to last most clubs a lifetime. As someone said the fans are not and never have been the problem. It's what's on the pitch that is the issue and what goes on behind that. There are in my opinion no exceptions to that.

"...I totally understand that the patience bank emptied a while back...."

As I have said on other threads, apart from our woeful play off record, we must be the biggest club to have spent so many consecutive seasons in the third tier.

Big clubs have been down here (Wolves, Leeds, etc.,) but not for this many back-to-back seasons.

 

[Bladebri]

Bladebri , no we don't anymore that was in the past . We have had too much rough with the smooth to last us a life time .

Times have changed and Clough and the board , better wise up after last nights results .

And i am pro Clough but this season is be all and end all for him IMO . . The building bricks seem to be more and more , made out of straw.

UTB.

I take your point on board, i would love to have what we call a perfect season, but we all know its not going to happen, to many changes, players out of position, NC saying last nights match looked like a pre season game, players were mentaly and physicaly tired, doesnt look good for the players to win the playoff, but if they do then that is the smooth i am talking about, not that we should forget all the rough times because they should be rememberd as a stark reminder that we have been at best an average team.

 

[Silent Blade]

Of course Chesterfield fans aren't on the player's backs! When was the last time they had a chance of promotion to the 2nd tier?

If they were bottom of League Two and looking like going down to the conference, how do you think their fans would be? That would be a low point in their club's history, just as we are currently in one of our club's low points! What do you expect from our fans? Everyone to be happy as Larry and the lane rocking every match?

How many times you hear about managers in their pre-match talks when they play away to a big club "Not letting the home team score early in the game can get the crowd to be more impatient and they can unsettle the players by getting on their backs"? That is how nearly all League One sides did when visiting Bramall Lane

 

[YES Blade]

How many times you hear about managers in their pre-match talks when they play away to a big club "Not letting the home team score early in the game can get the crowd to be more impatient and they can unsettle the players by getting on their backs"? That is how nearly all League One sides did when visiting Bramall Lane

What has that got to do with Chesterfield fans getting on the player's backs?

That's a completely different point altogether, but seen as you raise that point, if our players aren't good enough to cope with the pressure of playing for us in front of 19k then maybe they should move on to the likes of Chesterfield on a lot less money than they are currently on now.

 

[mattbianco1]

Keep the sharps hidden... We've lost to Yeovil

 

[Silent Blade]

What has that got to do with Chesterfield fans getting on the player's backs?

That's a completely different point altogether, but seen as you raise that point, if our players aren't good enough to cope with the pressure of playing for us in front of 19k then maybe they should move on to the likes of Chesterfield on a lot less money than they are currently on now.

Quite often it is much easier for a player to shine at smaller clubs where there are less detractors. It is important for our fans to realise that the players are human and naturally they would be "lifted" by the fans support and encouragement during the play offs rather than from the booing. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS

 

[Rodley]

Quite often it is much easier for a player to shine at smaller clubs where there are less detractors. It is important for our fans to realise that the players are human and naturally they would be "lifted" by the fans support and encouragement during the play offs rather than from the booing. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS

Agree with that. I think the issue is that NW knew the crowd, knew we liked a bit of tempo and aggression. NC's defensive style doesn't play to our strengths. It's turgid! Just a bit of urgency and pressing, ubiquitous with SUFC, would give the crowd something. This doesn't need to compromise playing the ball on the deck.

But we've got to make the best of it until the end of the season. It's not going to radically improve. Managers come and go but I want this club out of L1 and this season is an opportunity to achieve this.

 

[Silent Blade]

Agree with that. I think the issue is that NW knew the crowd, knew we liked a bit of tempo and aggression. NC's defensive style doesn't play to our strengths. It's turgid! Just a bit of urgency and pressing, ubiquitous with SUFC, would give the crowd something. This doesn't need to compromise playing the ball on the deck.

But we've got to make the best of it until the end of the season. It's not going to radically improve. Managers come and go but I want this club out of L1 and this season is an opportunity to achieve this.

I hate this tinpot division too and I want us to go up this season more than ever. Just back the manager and the team fully and then say what you like after the end of the season