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Bad night. Our team selections look patched up, loads of players seem to be carrying knocks, some can't start, others have to go off all the time. The ones that do remain have to switch positions a lot.

Our schedule will ease up a little bit now and we can only hope that it will help us.
 
I am just hoping that other teams are peaking a couple of weeks too early!
 
I'm not in anyway trying to defend that tripe tonight but we've been patchy all season and we were never likely to go ten games to the end of the season unbeaten.

It's what they do in the play-offs that will define the season now. I just hope Clough knows what his best team is if all are fit and he's not going to p1ss about tinkering when the play-offs begin.
 
My bigger concern is that Preston don't make automatic promotion, finish 3rd and we finish 6th.

They bullied us all over the pitch in the Cup game replay and know exactly how to beat us.

I wouldn't fancy MKD at Wembley but reckon we could beat them over 2 legs. Hopefully we could see off Swindon but Chesterfield - nightmare!

Football is a funny old game and anything can happen but I'm not sure any Blade on here would seriously view us as anything other than the outsiders in the Play-Offs. On praise and Grumble a Chesterfield fan said their manager was "infectious" and that spoke volumes. At the end of the day the 4 managers will determine what belief they can instill in their players.
 
Woodwardfan said:
My bigger concern is that Preston don't make automatic promotion, finish 3rd and we finish 6th.

They bullied us all over the pitch in the Cup game replay and know exactly how to beat us.

I wouldn't fancy MKD at Wembley but reckon we could beat them over 2 legs. Hopefully we could see off Swindon but Chesterfield - nightmare!

Football is a funny old game and anything can happen but I'm not sure any Blade on here would seriously view us as anything other than the outsiders in the Play-Offs. On praise and Grumble a Chesterfield fan said their manager was "infectious" and that spoke volumes. At the end of the day the 4 managers will determine what belief they can instill in their players.
Click to expand...

After getting over and calming down from the drive back fromYeovil , to put some positives ( none from last nights game ) , we are sitting pretty comfortable in the play offs . I think i would have taken this at the beginning of the season , although automatic was a priority and bookies are not usually wrong .


Last nights game cannot be viewed as a one off , because we have had too many . However , lets get the cards on the table and this mess sorted before the play offs . The season starts after the Chesterfield game , and once you are in the play offs , league form goes out of the window .

I would agree that with a number of performances , Clough is not doing is kudus any good , but we are still in the mix , and at the moment that is what we have to build on , and what counts.

Other results looked great last night with goals flying in , but let us concentrate on support , with Clough on the team , and no doubt the board on Clough.

The misgivings of the side have been there all season , and you cannot make a silk purse out of a pigs ear , so we just get on with it . The biggest annoyance is with a bloody good leader and CB , we would be pissing this league , but round pegs in square holes just does not work or wash.

UTB
 
It all comes down to whether we do the playoffs in one of our purple patches that have taken up around 30% of the season in which we look like we can beat anyone or whether we do them in the same manner as the other 70% percent... The team of blind, disabled school children that just got beaten comfortably by league two Yeovil.
 
bladesmanluke said:
It all comes down to whether we do the playoffs in one of our purple patches that have taken up around 30% of the season in which we look like we can beat anyone or whether we do them in the same manner as the other 70% percent... The team of blind, disabled school children that just got beaten comfortably by league two Yeovil.
Click to expand...


In truth our "purple patches" under Clough have been mostly in the Cup against higher status teams. In those games we have full licence to get 10 men behind the ball and nick a result. When you do that it can often work if the opposition have an off-day or are lacking confidence in attack; Lady Luck often swings towards the negative side as the pressure builds on the better side.. The opposition in the league do it to us week in week out.

That's what we'll do in the Play-Offs and it just might work. Trouble is that is no way to build a football club.
 
Agree with that Woodward - assuming we make it, just maybe the style and quality of football we know this team is capable of with a Knock Out mentality, will come to the fore when it matters.

And as Swiss says, last night's results don't matter when it comes to it - except just maybe it will serve to elevate the competition in the team's psyche to a higer status and thus kick us on - or have I just got up this morning in a mood way too positive for my own good?
 
Millwall DLWLW
Peterborough WLDDW
Huddersfield Town LLLWDW
Yeovil Town WWLWL
Rotherham United DLWDW

Last 5 Play Off winners weren't exactly smashing teams daft in the last 5 games of the regular season. Form going into the playoffs is bollocks, it's how your team is set up and fired up for those 2 or 3 games.
 



Worksop_Blade said:
Millwall DLWLW
Peterborough WLDDW
Huddersfield Town LLLWDW
Yeovil Town WWLWL
Rotherham United DLWDW

Last 5 Play Off winners weren't exactly smashing teams daft in the last 5 games of the regular season. Form going into the playoffs is bollocks, it's how your team is set up and fired up for those 2 or 3 games.
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Agree, at no time did I see Wolves or Burnley as a threat.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Agree, at no time did I see Wolves or Burnley as a threat.
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You didn't see Burnley as a threat after they'd beaten us and shown they knew exactly how to deal with us 2 weeks before the end of the season?

The thing that still annoys me about that is that Blackwell learnt nothing from that game, and made it easy for them.
 
Revolution said:
You didn't see Burnley as a threat after they'd beaten us and shown they knew exactly how to deal with us 2 weeks before the end of the season?

The thing that still annoys me about that is that Blackwell learnt nothing from that game, and made it easy for them.
Click to expand...

Us not turning up was and always seems to be the problem.

When Brown stepped up to take the penalty against Wolves I really thought it was going to be 3-2 to us.

Our best performance was against palace, Hopkins goal was a pearler that you couldn't blame on us not performing.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Us not turning up was and always seems to be the problem.

When Brown stepped up to take the penalty against Wolves I really thought it was going to be 3-2 to us.

Our best performance was against palace, Hopkins goal was a pearler that you couldn't blame on us not performing.
Click to expand...

We were 3-0 down when Brown missed, but I know what you mean.

I cannot agree that Palace was our best performance. We didn't have a shot on target, did we? It was a non-performance.

All four games are tied for worst performance in my eyes. We arguably showed most attacking intent against Wolves. At least Murray had to make a few saves.
 
Revolution said:
We were 3-0 down when Brown missed, but I know what you mean.

I cannot agree that Palace was our best performance. We didn't have a shot on target, did we? It was a non-performance.

All four games are tied for worst performance in my eyes. We arguably showed most attacking intent against Wolves. At least Murray had to make a few saves.
Click to expand...

All four were crap performances by us but the Palace game had me thinking that we were going to get extra time out of it and I was pleased we hadn't conceded.
Also as it was the first one it wasn't as disappointing as the subsequent ones, each loss seems worst than those that went before.
 
Looking at all the goals scored last night, I'd be hoping we hadn't used up the goal scoring we might need in the play-offs if I was supporting them.
 
Woodwardfan said:
In truth our "purple patches" under Clough have been mostly in the Cup against higher status teams. In those games we have full licence to get 10 men behind the ball and nick a result. When you do that it can often work if the opposition have an off-day or are lacking confidence in attack; Lady Luck often swings towards the negative side as the pressure builds on the better side.. The opposition in the league do it to us week in week out.

That's what we'll do in the Play-Offs and it just might work. Trouble is that is no way to build a football club.
Click to expand...
I agree. Honestly think it's 50/50 whether we go up or not no matter how bad we play in the rest of the league games.
 
Hate to say it, but should we lose to Bradford on Saturday and Rochdale win, they'll be five points behind us with a game in hand. Imagine the pressure on us at Orient knowing that we could potentially be looking at dropping out of the Play Off places if we lose that game.

Avoiding a loss to Bradford is essential, and a win is needed to settle our nerves. A draw for us v Bradford combined with a Rochdale win would maintain a clear 3 point gap (if they win their game in hand at home Orient on Tuesday). However, should that happen, they would have a better goal difference.

Their final two games are MK Dons at home and Barnsley away.

We can also hope that Chesterfield screw up against Oldham next weekend before they face Bristol City at home the following week. However, we still might go into that final game needing something.
 
Dkc said:
Hate to say it, but should we lose to Bradford on Saturday and Rochdale win, they'll be five points behind us with a game in hand. Imagine the pressure on us at Orient knowing that we could potentially be looking at dropping out of the Play Off places if we lose that game.

Avoiding a loss to Bradford is essential, and a win is needed to settle our nerves. A draw for us v Bradford combined with a Rochdale win would maintain a clear 3 point gap (if they win their game in hand at home Orient on Tuesday). However, should that happen, they would have a better goal difference.

Their final two games are MK Dons at home and Barnsley away.

We can also hope that Chesterfield screw up against Oldham next weekend before they face Bristol City at home the following week. However, we still might go into that final game needing something.
Click to expand...

We will go into the final game needing something - Pride and a physiological confidence boost.

UTB
 
Woodwardfan said:
In truth our "purple patches" under Clough have been mostly in the Cup against higher status teams. In those games we have full licence to get 10 men behind the ball and nick a result. When you do that it can often work if the opposition have an off-day or are lacking confidence in attack; Lady Luck often swings towards the negative side as the pressure builds on the better side.. The opposition in the league do it to us week in week out.

That's what we'll do in the Play-Offs and it just might work. Trouble is that is no way to build a football club.
Click to expand...

What, promotion is no way to build a football club?? Seems like the perfect way to build a football club to me.

If we manage to get up through the play offs I couldn't give two shits how we do it - long ball, counter attack, nice football, win both games on pens - as long as we win them I don't care, and how we win them has zero relevance when it comes to building a football club. You think Chelsea gave two shits how they won the champions league the other year?? It was a one off game and they had to win it by any means possible, doesn't mean they then base their whole ethos on that method.

And in terms of 'building a football club' then that's one of the things Clough is doing well and has done well at previous clubs. On a whole his signings have been good, he's promoted youth, spends a lot of time watching youth games, tied 6 youth players to pro deals, he's trying to instill a better style of football - granted it needs to be faster, but he'll get there. These are all hall marks of how to build a football club.
 
Borbokisfreekick said:
What, promotion is no way to build a football club?? Seems like the perfect way to build a football club to me.

If we manage to get up through the play offs I couldn't give two shits how we do it - long ball, counter attack, nice football, win both games on pens - as long as we win them I don't care, and how we win them has zero relevance when it comes to building a football club. You think Chelsea gave two shits how they won the champions league the other year?? It was a one off game and they had to win it by any means possible, doesn't mean they then base their whole ethos on that method.

And in terms of 'building a football club' then that's one of the things Clough is doing well and has done well at previous clubs. On a whole his signings have been good, he's promoted youth, spends a lot of time watching youth games, tied 6 youth players to pro deals, he's trying to instill a better style of football - granted it needs to be faster, but he'll get there. These are all hall marks of how to build a football club.
Click to expand...


If Clough had more than one Northern Premier League promotion to his name in his 17 years in management then I might make more allowance for what I have seen with my own eyes these past 17 months. Those two previous spells in management were clearly two very slow building projects and Clough seems to be one of those builders who lays about five bricks a day. His new building is still way below ground after 17 months but you see good solid foundations and I'm pleased for you. I still see a big pile of rubble.
 
Woodwardfan said:
If Clough had more than one Northern Premier League promotion to his name in his 17 years in management then I might make more allowance for what I have seen with my own eyes these past 17 months. Those two previous spells in management were clearly two very slow building projects and Clough seems to be one of those builders who lays about five bricks a day. His new building is still way below ground after 17 months but you see good solid foundations and I'm pleased for you. I still see a big pile of rubble.
Click to expand...

The first 2 and a half years of warnocks reign was utter dross, some crap signings, awful football. He then had a break through season in 2002-2003 due to the emergence of two youngsters in jags and tonge (who he brought through), the signing of McCall and wonder season from brown.

Two more hugely disappointing seasons followed, with some shocking performances, before he got it right in his 6th full season in charge. When warnock finally got it right he had been in management for about 25 years.

In his time with us he managed to bring through some good youngsters, see the building of the academy, double crowds and get us promoted. He also spent a fair bit of money from 2003 onwards.

This took him 6-7 years. So a fair amount of time! ...and he had numerous promotions on his cv, but it still took him over half a decade!

Clough has been here 1 and a half years, and not even had 1 full season yet.

Don't give me this crap about him only having 1 promotion in 17 years. So what, doesn't make a jot of difference. Do you want us to hire Paul sturrock, ronnie Moore, Gary megson - they've all had promotions.

Since warnock left we've gone with a manager who had a promotion and cup finals on his CV - didn't work. We went with a manager who had no promotions - didn't work. We went with a rookie manager - didn't work. We went with a 'blade' who had a promotion on his CV and he was a disaster that gave up on the club and got us relegated. We went with another manager with several promotions on his CV - he failed. We went with another rookie manager - he lasted about 10 weeks.

That's just about every scenario going, and we still haven't had a promotion since we left the premier league. And out of all the above and warnock, the only time we've had any success is when we've given a manager TIME.
 



Borbokisfreekick said:
The first 2 and a half years of warnocks reign was utter dross, some crap signings, awful football. He then had a break through season in 2002-2003 due to the emergence of two youngsters in jags and tonge (who he brought through), the signing of McCall and wonder season from brown.

Two more hugely disappointing seasons followed, with some shocking performances, before he got it right in his 6th full season in charge. When warnock finally got it right he had been in management for about 25 years.

In his time with us he managed to bring through some good youngsters, see the building of the academy, double crowds and get us promoted. He also spent a fair bit of money from 2003 onwards.

This took him 6-7 years. So a fair amount of time! ...and he had numerous promotions on his cv, but it still took him over half a decade!

Clough has been here 1 and a half years, and not even had 1 full season yet.

Don't give me this crap about him only having 1 promotion in 17 years. So what, doesn't make a jot of difference. Do you want us to hire Paul sturrock, ronnie Moore, Gary megson - they've all had promotions.

Since warnock left we've gone with a manager who had a promotion and cup finals on his CV - didn't work. We went with a manager who had no promotions - didn't work. We went with a rookie manager - didn't work. We went with a 'blade' who had a promotion on his CV and he was a disaster that gave up on the club and got us relegated. We went with another manager with several promotions on his CV - he failed. We went with another rookie manager - he lasted about 10 weeks.

That's just about every scenario going, and we still haven't had a promotion since we left the premier league. And out of all the above and warnock, the only time we've had any success is when we've given a manager TIME.
Click to expand...


I think we need a much better manager than Warnock ever was. In all his time we stuttered along and all the years in the Championship could not be regarded as an incremental building project in any shape or form.

Somehow we got promoted to the Premiership and great credit to Warnock but there lies the lesson which could be learned. In actual fact a few individuals had us punching well above our weight in the Prem but the inevitable happened. We didn't have enough class, method or strength in depth in the squad.

We are in the third tier but the same principles still apply. Go up now and we will have the same struggle to keep our head above water. Being in League 1 was an opportunity to rebuild the club but we have wasted it as yet. Southampton and Swansea did not waste their time in League 1 and did not sneak up with rag bag squads, they built their future down here.

Hey, big enough managers able to do the mammoth job needed at Bramall Lane are few and far between. United though they had captured one in Clough and gave him what I call "the keys to the castle" to attract him. A very brave and big gesture by the new owner to take the club forward. The structure is perfect for the job at hand but the great shame is we've got the wrong manager. He has that quality to engender confidence and loyalty from his employers without ever achieving anything and the leopard will have to change his spots to fulfill his brief. There are few signs as yet.
 
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