Pain and Sadness

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Just waiting for relegation to be officially confirmed now. I'm guessing it will be after we lose to Brighton in 3 games time. Will almost be a relief.
 

Carlton Blade said:
This is the worst season of football I remember. I know we've quantitatively had worse teams but I've been going since the late 80s and this is the worst we've been in comparison to the competition.

Kill it with fire 🔥
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This.

I have never in 30 years of watching the blades felt such despondency. Yes, there have been other factors at play that reach much further than the players and managerial staff but that doesn’t alleviate the anguish - it for me makes it worse as everything else has also been absolute shite for the past year!

I just prey that we can bring in a new management team that makes a fair assessment of the players and gets shut of the shite, keeps some of the quality and brings in a new ethos, style of play and confidence that restores the pride of everybody associated with the club.

Not asking much I know.
 
For me, the players who are a t least showing some fight and confidence are those who are newer are those rarely used. Bogle, Osborn, Ramsdale (after a poor start), Lowe (to an extent), Brewster (looks hungry but no service, inexperienced and low on confidence) and Berge, who had an eye to at least try pushing us forward in a system he was unsuited to.

The rest have given up, and either aren’t good enough (Stevens / Norwood / Fleck / McB / Sharp) or have been foot out of the door / looking to move (McB again / Lunny / Baldock maybe).

That leaves us with youth, inexperience and a few stand out performers (McG / Bogle) in a team devoid of confidence, structure or ability.

CW built this squad around his system that took a season to be exposed. Now he’s walked when the goings is tough, despite being happy to take the plaudits next season. Would he have stayed if we finished mid table? 100% yes.

He was backed and he failed, now we’re left to pick up the pieces of him spitting his dummy out.

It might sound harsh but a supporter manager stays with the team, win lose or draw, regardless of division.
 
Nine Inch Nalis said:
A little reminiscence ('oh for fucks sake' I hear you all groan) :

On the evening of our 4-2 victory against that lot up the road, I - like many - celebrated the occasion by attempting to drink myself into a coma, the only logical response to a derby victory.
This sojourn down London Road and the surrounding area eventually led us to the Copthorne, whose doors we staggered through, bleary eyed and brimming with pride. In the bar were Chris Wilder, McCabe and most of the squad, also enjoying the festivities and we chatted, embraced, laughed and sang.

In my inebriated state, I surveyed the room, like a corny cut-scene from a bad film where everything moves in slow motion and the only moment of clarity that I'd had in several hours entered my mind: The pervasive truth that this togetherness in spirit, this continued success in spite of the odds, this period of perfect unity between fans, players, management and ownership and this journey we were on, would one day end. Not because it's United and "they always let you down" but simply because nothing remains constant.
It was a sad feeling, but also an admonishment to savour and enjoy each precious moment.

As fortune would have it, the magic would continue to work the following season. "Forget the maths" implored the commentator as Jack O'Connell all but signed and sealed our promotion to the top flight. "Forget the maths" indeed, because this was beyond logic, it was something special, forged from a ragtag bunch of cheap options and free transfers led by a manager who picked us up from the shit and succeeded in spinning gold.

The following season, nobody gave us a chance of survival, but for a fourth season we said 'fuck you' to expectation and did it all again. Every man played above his supposed level and we were on the cusp of something great.
Fate however, dealt us (and the world) a massive fucking Deus ex Machina in a global pandemic, the effects of which coincided with a slide in form.
You can point to many factors in this season's horrorshow, it doesn't really matter. What we had eventually died, as it was always going to do. I'd prefer it if it didn't have to happen in such tragi-comic form but we can't account for these things, everybody gets skullfucked by reality at some point.
But look, for 5 years, "Typical United" was suspended, put on ice as we were allowed to dream of something bigger, just for a time.

Yes, there's pain and sadness, as the thread title suggests, but there's meaning in it. This forum exists because for some bizarre trait of human nature, we're drawn to a football club, this entity in which we invest, time, money, hopes, fears, passion, anger, the full gamut of emotions really.

Hopes will be built again, and surely they'll be dashed again. But we have this, our club, and all that it entails. I'd do it all again, and we will do it all again. It only dies with us, to be carried on and forged anew.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

UTFB ⚔
Click to expand...
That's a great post NIN!
 
I was holding out with a slim glimmer of hope that we might turn in a performance built on the back of the 2nd half at Chelsea but it was a poor We look like dog waiting to be put down sadly , a combination of of a team rock bottom in confidence, no self belief and leaderless , when I look at where we were 12 months ago playing with style & swagger to where we are now the the difference is staggering . Unfortunately the team spirit that was built up over the previous 4 years is shot to pieces & the confidence in this team is now non existent & we are just going through a slow painful death . As for next season we are going to need a considerable turnaround in personnel to rebuild a team challenging to get back up , I see us more of the likes of a Stoke or Huddersfield or god forbid a Sunderland as opposed to Watford or Norwich in terms of where we’ll be at .
If as I expect the board will cash in on some of their assets of Egan ,Berge etc. then even more so , the next managerial appointment will say everything about which direction the club is gonna go .
It’s gonna have to be rip out the roots and start again to be able to rebuild I’m afraid , the sooner the better for me now as we need to move & quickly from the CW reign or this will continue,

UTB ⚔️
 
An incredible post Nin and also a vivid insight into how it felt to be a Blade during our best ever period of success in my era.

Also an affirmation that I will not and cannot singularly blame Wilder for the end of something that he created.

Many are slating him for 'walking' and ' not being a Blade' etc yet we still only have one person's version of events. Ok mistakes were made but we're all human beings and we don't know what happens behind the scenes.

A lot of people are seeming to accept PA as the voice of honesty and reason and the one willing to do anything for the club and the manager yet wasn't he the one who cleverly outmanoeuvred one of the wealthiest and most successful businessmen to gain control of a PL football club?

In time more facts will surface and we may get a more balanced view.
 
ekke287 said:
For me, the players who are a t least showing some fight and confidence are those who are newer are those rarely used. Bogle, Osborn, Ramsdale (after a poor start), Lowe (to an extent), Brewster (looks hungry but no service, inexperienced and low on confidence) and Berge, who had an eye to at least try pushing us forward in a system he was unsuited to.

The rest have given up, and either aren’t good enough (Stevens / Norwood / Fleck / McB / Sharp) or have been foot out of the door / looking to move (McB again / Lunny / Baldock maybe).

That leaves us with youth, inexperience and a few stand out performers (McG / Bogle) in a team devoid of confidence, structure or ability.

CW built this squad around his system that took a season to be exposed. Now he’s walked when the goings is tough, despite being happy to take the plaudits next season. Would he have stayed if we finished mid table? 100% yes.

He was backed and he failed, now we’re left to pick up the pieces of him spitting his dummy out.

It might sound harsh but a supporter manager stays with the team, win lose or draw, regardless of division.
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couldnt agree more been so dissapointed with chris this season after 4 fantastic years from not keeping lundstram frozen out saying the system works when we had lost 22 games and bailing out with a nice pay off when the going got tough ive always been a big big supporter of chris but hes gone down in my estimation after this debacle of a season utb fto
 
Nine Inch Nalis said:
A little reminiscence ('oh for fucks sake' I hear you all groan) :

On the evening of our 4-2 victory against that lot up the road, I - like many - celebrated the occasion by attempting to drink myself into a coma, the only logical response to a derby victory.
This sojourn down London Road and the surrounding area eventually led us to the Copthorne, whose doors we staggered through, bleary eyed and brimming with pride. In the bar were Chris Wilder, McCabe and most of the squad, also enjoying the festivities and we chatted, embraced, laughed and sang.

In my inebriated state, I surveyed the room, like a corny cut-scene from a bad film where everything moves in slow motion and the only moment of clarity that I'd had in several hours entered my mind: The pervasive truth that this togetherness in spirit, this continued success in spite of the odds, this period of perfect unity between fans, players, management and ownership and this journey we were on, would one day end. Not because it's United and "they always let you down" but simply because nothing remains constant.
It was a sad feeling, but also an admonishment to savour and enjoy each precious moment.

As fortune would have it, the magic would continue to work the following season. "Forget the maths" implored the commentator as Jack O'Connell all but signed and sealed our promotion to the top flight. "Forget the maths" indeed, because this was beyond logic, it was something special, forged from a ragtag bunch of cheap options and free transfers led by a manager who picked us up from the shit and succeeded in spinning gold.

The following season, nobody gave us a chance of survival, but for a fourth season we said 'fuck you' to expectation and did it all again. Every man played above his supposed level and we were on the cusp of something great.
Fate however, dealt us (and the world) a massive fucking Deus ex Machina in a global pandemic, the effects of which coincided with a slide in form.
You can point to many factors in this season's horrorshow, it doesn't really matter. What we had eventually died, as it was always going to do. I'd prefer it if it didn't have to happen in such tragi-comic form but we can't account for these things, everybody gets skullfucked by reality at some point.
But look, for 5 years, "Typical United" was suspended, put on ice as we were allowed to dream of something bigger, just for a time.

Yes, there's pain and sadness, as the thread title suggests, but there's meaning in it. This forum exists because for some bizarre trait of human nature, we're drawn to a football club, this entity in which we invest, time, money, hopes, fears, passion, anger, the full gamut of emotions really.

Hopes will be built again, and surely they'll be dashed again. But we have this, our club, and all that it entails. I'd do it all again, and we will do it all again. It only dies with us, to be carried on and forged anew.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

UTFB ⚔
Click to expand...
I am a Blade my dad was a lifelong Blade (despite having played for the pigs) my sons are Blades my newborn daughter will be a Blade. The family Blades chain goes back at least 100 years. This is all just a brief moment in time for an amazing club which is way bigger than all of us.
 
I don't agree that our system has been figured out

How can it be when we haven't played the same way for nearly 12 months.

It's our style of play that has changed, not the fact that it's been figured out.

If your working hard enough and playing well enough, nobody can figure out any particular style.

We were struggling before lockdown, we struggled to beat Norwich and Bournemouth, only drew with Brighton, and we were generally making hard work of everything we did.

It was forgiven and not noticed (except by the so called slashers like me) because we were doing well and couldn't be brilliant every week, but that's when the style of play started going wrong and should have been worked on to keep all the players minds on it.

We let standards slip, just a little, but enough, and when lockdown came and training at home we couldn't get it back.
It was all over, it was all over for Wilder and many of the players who just wouldn't or couldn't do what they were doing before.

What we were left with as usual is no style, creativity or individual brilliance and a team ethic and togetherness shot to bits
 
Momentum.

It works both ways.

At the moment I'm very worried about next season.

As DB says, it will be very difficult to turn around a team lacking in belief, ability and desire.

Once a squad has a losing mentality it will require major surgery.

And the transfers. Deary me.

Can we honestly say that players such as Rodwell, Morrison, and MCB have improved us from our Championship team?

Most of these players know they will likely never play above the Championship again, and will be on good wages and contracts.

It won't be easy to turn this squad around, and the next manager will likely need to spend the next season attempting to arrest the slide. Will he be given time by the fans? I'm not so sure.
 
Nine Inch Nalis said:
A little reminiscence ('oh for fucks sake' I hear you all groan) :

On the evening of our 4-2 victory against that lot up the road, I - like many - celebrated the occasion by attempting to drink myself into a coma, the only logical response to a derby victory.
This sojourn down London Road and the surrounding area eventually led us to the Copthorne, whose doors we staggered through, bleary eyed and brimming with pride. In the bar were Chris Wilder, McCabe and most of the squad, also enjoying the festivities and we chatted, embraced, laughed and sang.

In my inebriated state, I surveyed the room, like a corny cut-scene from a bad film where everything moves in slow motion and the only moment of clarity that I'd had in several hours entered my mind: The pervasive truth that this togetherness in spirit, this continued success in spite of the odds, this period of perfect unity between fans, players, management and ownership and this journey we were on, would one day end. Not because it's United and "they always let you down" but simply because nothing remains constant.
It was a sad feeling, but also an admonishment to savour and enjoy each precious moment.

As fortune would have it, the magic would continue to work the following season. "Forget the maths" implored the commentator as Jack O'Connell all but signed and sealed our promotion to the top flight. "Forget the maths" indeed, because this was beyond logic, it was something special, forged from a ragtag bunch of cheap options and free transfers led by a manager who picked us up from the shit and succeeded in spinning gold.

The following season, nobody gave us a chance of survival, but for a fourth season we said 'fuck you' to expectation and did it all again. Every man played above his supposed level and we were on the cusp of something great.
Fate however, dealt us (and the world) a massive fucking Deus ex Machina in a global pandemic, the effects of which coincided with a slide in form.
You can point to many factors in this season's horrorshow, it doesn't really matter. What we had eventually died, as it was always going to do. I'd prefer it if it didn't have to happen in such tragi-comic form but we can't account for these things, everybody gets skullfucked by reality at some point.
But look, for 5 years, "Typical United" was suspended, put on ice as we were allowed to dream of something bigger, just for a time.

Yes, there's pain and sadness, as the thread title suggests, but there's meaning in it. This forum exists because for some bizarre trait of human nature, we're drawn to a football club, this entity in which we invest, time, money, hopes, fears, passion, anger, the full gamut of emotions really.

Hopes will be built again, and surely they'll be dashed again. But we have this, our club, and all that it entails. I'd do it all again, and we will do it all again. It only dies with us, to be carried on and forged anew.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

UTFB ⚔
Click to expand...
Nailed it.
That’s exactly why I am so pessimistic about this next phase. That wasn’t something achieved due to a finely tuned plan.
It was a lightening strike.
A bolt from the (not fucking saying that).
It became a diamond, fashioned from base materials.
It worked perfectly and resonated completely with a fan base that had been starved of any level of success for six long years (FA Cup runs are fun but they are not successful in terms of profession) and finally been completely distanced from the club and the players. The Adkins era was a new low (felt worse than going down to 4th div).
The real success, since 2016, was totally down to the CWAK duo. Nothing about the board or the charirmen. Wilder generated the funds from selling our brightest prospects at the time and bought in players to do a job.
We had our club back.
We had a ride that was unsurpassed.
It was inevitable that it would end but the circumstance surrounding the end is the really tough part.
To my mind, though, it was a confluence of many positive elements that was down to the vision, energy, insight and unique skill set of one man. History will show this to be a high point.
I have no confidence that this board will make a decision that will come close to what we have had over the last 4.5 years.
They have no plan. No long term vision. No commitment to build and improve the infrastructure. They just expect a bloke to come in and work their magic. That’s the plan. Pray for another miracle.
 
Nine Inch Nalis said:
A little reminiscence ('oh for fucks sake' I hear you all groan) :

On the evening of our 4-2 victory against that lot up the road, I - like many - celebrated the occasion by attempting to drink myself into a coma, the only logical response to a derby victory.
This sojourn down London Road and the surrounding area eventually led us to the Copthorne, whose doors we staggered through, bleary eyed and brimming with pride. In the bar were Chris Wilder, McCabe and most of the squad, also enjoying the festivities and we chatted, embraced, laughed and sang.

In my inebriated state, I surveyed the room, like a corny cut-scene from a bad film where everything moves in slow motion and the only moment of clarity that I'd had in several hours entered my mind: The pervasive truth that this togetherness in spirit, this continued success in spite of the odds, this period of perfect unity between fans, players, management and ownership and this journey we were on, would one day end. Not because it's United and "they always let you down" but simply because nothing remains constant.
It was a sad feeling, but also an admonishment to savour and enjoy each precious moment.

As fortune would have it, the magic would continue to work the following season. "Forget the maths" implored the commentator as Jack O'Connell all but signed and sealed our promotion to the top flight. "Forget the maths" indeed, because this was beyond logic, it was something special, forged from a ragtag bunch of cheap options and free transfers led by a manager who picked us up from the shit and succeeded in spinning gold.

The following season, nobody gave us a chance of survival, but for a fourth season we said 'fuck you' to expectation and did it all again. Every man played above his supposed level and we were on the cusp of something great.
Fate however, dealt us (and the world) a massive fucking Deus ex Machina in a global pandemic, the effects of which coincided with a slide in form.
You can point to many factors in this season's horrorshow, it doesn't really matter. What we had eventually died, as it was always going to do. I'd prefer it if it didn't have to happen in such tragi-comic form but we can't account for these things, everybody gets skullfucked by reality at some point.
But look, for 5 years, "Typical United" was suspended, put on ice as we were allowed to dream of something bigger, just for a time.

Yes, there's pain and sadness, as the thread title suggests, but there's meaning in it. This forum exists because for some bizarre trait of human nature, we're drawn to a football club, this entity in which we invest, time, money, hopes, fears, passion, anger, the full gamut of emotions really.

Hopes will be built again, and surely they'll be dashed again. But we have this, our club, and all that it entails. I'd do it all again, and we will do it all again. It only dies with us, to be carried on and forged anew.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

UTFB ⚔
Click to expand...
Beautiful. Me neither. Sheffield United are the greatest club in the world.
 
John Street West Terrace said:
I was holding out with a slim glimmer of hope that we might turn in a performance built on the back of the 2nd half at Chelsea but it was a poor We look like dog waiting to be put down sadly , a combination of of a team rock bottom in confidence, no self belief and leaderless , when I look at where we were 12 months ago playing with style & swagger to where we are now the the difference is staggering . Unfortunately the team spirit that was built up over the previous 4 years is shot to pieces & the confidence in this team is now non existent & we are just going through a slow painful death . As for next season we are going to need a considerable turnaround in personnel to rebuild a team challenging to get back up , I see us more of the likes of a Stoke or Huddersfield or god forbid a Sunderland as opposed to Watford or Norwich in terms of where we’ll be at .
If as I expect the board will cash in on some of their assets of Egan ,Berge etc. then even more so , the next managerial appointment will say everything about which direction the club is gonna go .
It’s gonna have to be rip out the roots and start again to be able to rebuild I’m afraid , the sooner the better for me now as we need to move & quickly from the CW reign or this will continue,

UTB ⚔️
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Yea the CW era is over we need a rebuild starting with the midfield sooner than later
 
Deadbat said:
Yet I keep seeing projected line ups with 8 or 9 of this side in it for next season. Most are just assuming these players suddenly start playing well when the trajectory is so far downwards.

The squad needs a clear out of a dozen players going out and similiar number coming in. At the moment its full of a losing culture and its been over a year of abject showings from at least half a dozen heroes of yesteryear. Stevens, Norwood, Fleck, Lundstram, McBurnie, Mousset are all players that probably need moving on...add in Moore, Foderingham, Jags, Rodwell, Robinson, Burke as players just not good enough for different reasons and you could justify that dozen outgoing. I know half of them prob will remain due to the contracts they are on but I would not want any of the above as starters for next season (maybe Fleck if he can get fit and bothered again).

If O'connor, Egan and Berge depart then you are looking at maybe only 3 or 4 definite starters (Ramsdale, Bash, Bogle or Baldock, McGoldrick) for next season. Not sure they can/will have such a big turn over of players but the evidence is that in the next 12 months it should happen

Concern is our best 2 outfield players are 33-34 and are out of contract in a year too (Bash and Didzy)
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If you turn over too many players it leads, usually to trouble. Replace gradually is the wise approach.
 
It's always been like climbing a cliff face for us, we get so far up and then we slip back down again,, the trick this time is going to be never to fall back to where we started again
For our club it's the only way forward, they must never be willing to settle for top half Championship again, they have in the past and we've been dropping further and further back over the seasons,
The aim now has to be to become a Premiership club again and eventually be strong enough not only to stay there but to keep on improving ..... 👍
 

Lane Ender said:
Yea the CW era is over we need a rebuild starting with the midfield sooner than later
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Agree 100% .. no creativity in there at all , no one who can carry the ball or beat a man to make space , you can have Ronaldo playing up top for us at the moment and he’d draw blanks with the service
 
Build that poor midfield get the back line back in free of injuries with a few additions we will be fine next season.
The Championship is far behind the players of the PL with speed of thought and of quickness of feet.
These same players will not be up against the class of players that they faced this season.
 
Toronto Blade said:
Build that poor midfield get the back line back in free of injuries with a few additions we will be fine next season.
The Championship is far behind the players of the PL with speed of thought and of quickness of feet.
These same players will not be up against the class of players that they faced this season.
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Sorry that midfield are past their sell by date got to go.
Fresh legs work a few young uns in with a full pre season
 
SwissBlade said:
I’ve steered away from the forum post match, restricted my Twitter feed, but I saw a post earlier on Twitter, were witnessing the death of this (wilder) side.

I watched most of the game today, missed the first 20 mins intentionally as I just knew we’d concede. We did.

I’m not going to dig out individual players. We know which players haven’t performed all season, we know which players had awful starts to the season, we know most of the side are no longer performing to any of the levels we’ve just come to expect since the Wilder era began.

The performance today was one of the worst I’ve seen and whilst some are going to do good things next season, it’s just a pointless (literally) end to the season which we all want to see end

I don’t know whether we will have crowds back for that first Championship game next season and we don’t know the line up.

The side has lost its spirit completely, it’s died a slow and painful death this season in empty stadia and grounds. We haven’t given Wilder, Knill, the staff and players any thanks for 9th place amazing season.

The longer term members of the team will be hurting, McG looked broken today, the soul has gone.

Now we have to address the management replacement, whoever it is, the focus needs to be put onto the new start.

I don’t care if we’re never in the Premier League again. This is probably where fans and the prince will be at odds. He wants to give the facade that we’re a premier league side. That’s fine.

I want us to play with spirit, soul, passion and pride. I don’t want to see another performance like that.
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Agree mostly. Don't think it was the worst performance this season though.
 
The Bear said:
If you turn over too many players it leads, usually to trouble. Replace gradually is the wise approach.
Click to expand...

We are bottom. Losing every week and the players don't look bothered at all. There is no team spirit, leadership, organisation or plan. I'd like to see us then when we are really in trouble!

Too many are just thinking it will all click into place next season as we are at a lower level. Past experiences of both relegated Blades teams and other PL relegated sides that have gone down so meekly should tell us unless we make big changes this side/club is only going one way. Trajectory and momentum the other way is equally hard to turn around.

Too much is made of one game against a Bristol City side in horrible form and missing a dozen first teamers. People assume as we were ok in this we will be like this every week. If we play as we are now with so little hunger, application and ability then we will be bottom half next season regardless in the drop off in opposition.

People keep telling ne won't. These players will start playing well again! What they are basing it on I do not know. It is over a year since most of these players put 2 good games together.

Love to think all these players will come back in 10 weeks (that is all it is so not exactly a huge break) after the season finishes and suddenly be full of confidence, form, fitness, pace, power etc. The reality is a number have shot their bolt now and are 30+. They are going to further decline not get better again.

I am all in favour of an overall of 10-12 out and similiar in. Hard to execute when we do not have a manager mind.
 
Deadbat said:
We are bottom. Losing every week and the players don't look bothered at all. There is no team spirit, leadership, organisation or plan. I'd like to see us then when we are really in trouble!

Too many are just thinking it will all click into place next season as we are at a lower level. Past experiences of both relegated Blades teams and other PL relegated sides that have gone down so meekly should tell us unless we make big changes this side/club is only going one way. Trajectory and momentum the other way is equally hard to turn around.

Too much is made of one game against a Bristol City side in horrible form and missing a dozen first teamers. People assume as we were ok in this we will be like this every week. If we play as we are now with so little hunger, application and ability then we will be bottom half next season regardless in the drop off in opposition.

People keep telling ne won't. These players will start playing well again! What they are basing it on I do not know. It is over a year since most of these players put 2 good games together.

Love to think all these players will come back in 10 weeks (that is all it is so not exactly a huge break) after the season finishes and suddenly be full of confidence, form, fitness, pace, power etc. The reality is a number have shot their bolt now and are 30+. They are going to further decline not get better again.

I am all in favour of an overall of 10-12 out and similiar in. Hard to execute when we do not have a manager mind.
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Dont shoot the messanger!! History shows that if you turn over the whole squad further trouble will follow.

It doesnt take a genius to work out that our problem is scoring goals. Therefore I suggest focussing on that (midfield/forwards/style & system of getting the ball into the penalty area) before changing 12 players. :rolleyes:
 
shrubbery said:
This.

I have never in 30 years of watching the blades felt such despondency. Yes, there have been other factors at play that reach much further than the players and managerial staff but that doesn’t alleviate the anguish - it for me makes it worse as everything else has also been absolute shite for the past year!

I just prey that we can bring in a new management team that makes a fair assessment of the players and gets shut of the shite, keeps some of the quality and brings in a new ethos, style of play and confidence that restores the pride of everybody associated with the club.

Not asking much I know.
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We’ve been dreadful all season and a good bit of the end of last season. Wilder was great, getting us success against the odds. But when the odds got greater, it didn’t happen.
 
The Bear said:
Dont shoot the messanger!! History shows that if you turn over the whole squad further trouble will follow.

It doesnt take a genius to work out that our problem is scoring goals. Therefore I suggest focussing on that (midfield/forwards/style & system of getting the ball into the penalty area) before changing 12 players. :rolleyes:
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Just the midfield no energy no creativity
 
west_yorks_blade said:
A few weeks on now from wilders shock departure and I’m still reeling.

In over 40 years of watching the blades in person and certainly every single time they are on the box, yesterday for the first time, I didn’t.

And It’s not because we are shit and shot and keep on losing, it really isn’t. What ever precipitated wilders departure, what ever the rights and wrongs of it and I don’t think we’ll ever really know, I feel like the guts have been ripped from the club and crucially its connection to supporters like me.

At the moment, just as the players don’t seem to be arsed, frankly neither am I. We’ve had many ups and downs over the years, but I have never felt so poleaxed by events as I do right now.

I almost can’t believe that I had no interest in that bunch of players, with that management team and that owner, play the dirties. Unthinkable but real. Not sure where this is going, but just wanted to pile in to the general feeling of despondency ☹️
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I think that is one of the reasons why I think we need to move a number on. So loved and so highly thought of so many. If we come back to grounds and we and they struggle it will be a horrible way to see the likes of Norwood, Stevens and even Fleck etc be hounded out (they would - seen it before). I'd rather we just say you have been amazing and part of such a journey but we need to move on now. Finding someone to take them is going to the issue as still will be on decent Champ wages even if they drop with relegation.

It is weird to have the team and group of players we have loved the most in many of our lifetimes and now the same group I could not care less about - as they seem to have just given up. Maybe they deserve the start to the season but if we did come up they are clearly not good enough at this level and why I would rather we build something sustainable. It seems this journey was built on one man and his decisions and getting this group playing out of it's skin. There is no long term plan and maybe that was the issue. It all just happened so quick.
 
If you'd have said to me a couple of seasons ago that I would have rather spent my time weather treating my decking, than watching us play Leeds in the PL, I'd have laughed in your face.

The decking looks decent though.
 
JJBlade said:
I don't agree that our system has been figured out

How can it be when we haven't played the same way for nearly 12 months.

It's our style of play that has changed, not the fact that it's been figured out.

If your working hard enough and playing well enough, nobody can figure out any particular style.

We were struggling before lockdown, we struggled to beat Norwich and Bournemouth, only drew with Brighton, and we were generally making hard work of everything we did.

It was forgiven and not noticed (except by the so called slashers like me) because we were doing well and couldn't be brilliant every week, but that's when the style of play started going wrong and should have been worked on to keep all the players minds on it.

We let standards slip, just a little, but enough, and when lockdown came and training at home we couldn't get it back.
It was all over, it was all over for Wilder and many of the players who just wouldn't or couldn't do what they were doing before.

What we were left with as usual is no style, creativity or individual brilliance and a team ethic and togetherness shot to bits
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Everything I have said 100% great honest on the ball post IMO
 

Nine Inch Nalis said:
A little reminiscence ('oh for fucks sake' I hear you all groan) :

On the evening of our 4-2 victory against that lot up the road, I - like many - celebrated the occasion by attempting to drink myself into a coma, the only logical response to a derby victory.
This sojourn down London Road and the surrounding area eventually led us to the Copthorne, whose doors we staggered through, bleary eyed and brimming with pride. In the bar were Chris Wilder, McCabe and most of the squad, also enjoying the festivities and we chatted, embraced, laughed and sang.

In my inebriated state, I surveyed the room, like a corny cut-scene from a bad film where everything moves in slow motion and the only moment of clarity that I'd had in several hours entered my mind: The pervasive truth that this togetherness in spirit, this continued success in spite of the odds, this period of perfect unity between fans, players, management and ownership and this journey we were on, would one day end. Not because it's United and "they always let you down" but simply because nothing remains constant.
It was a sad feeling, but also an admonishment to savour and enjoy each precious moment.

As fortune would have it, the magic would continue to work the following season. "Forget the maths" implored the commentator as Jack O'Connell all but signed and sealed our promotion to the top flight. "Forget the maths" indeed, because this was beyond logic, it was something special, forged from a ragtag bunch of cheap options and free transfers led by a manager who picked us up from the shit and succeeded in spinning gold.

The following season, nobody gave us a chance of survival, but for a fourth season we said 'fuck you' to expectation and did it all again. Every man played above his supposed level and we were on the cusp of something great.
Fate however, dealt us (and the world) a massive fucking Deus ex Machina in a global pandemic, the effects of which coincided with a slide in form.
You can point to many factors in this season's horrorshow, it doesn't really matter. What we had eventually died, as it was always going to do. I'd prefer it if it didn't have to happen in such tragi-comic form but we can't account for these things, everybody gets skullfucked by reality at some point.
But look, for 5 years, "Typical United" was suspended, put on ice as we were allowed to dream of something bigger, just for a time.

Yes, there's pain and sadness, as the thread title suggests, but there's meaning in it. This forum exists because for some bizarre trait of human nature, we're drawn to a football club, this entity in which we invest, time, money, hopes, fears, passion, anger, the full gamut of emotions really.

Hopes will be built again, and surely they'll be dashed again. But we have this, our club, and all that it entails. I'd do it all again, and we will do it all again. It only dies with us, to be carried on and forged anew.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

UTFB ⚔
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This is poetry, and exactly where we were..

Twice in A lifetime I've felt this way without a fucking trophy.. Where were going,, we don't need trophys.. lol
 
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