Match Thread Sheffield United v. Cardiff City - 9th January 2024

[Bl4desutd]

Bit of a let down all round really.

We looked like a team who had never played together, which we hadn't. 6,000 fans looked disinterested and bloody cold. Clearly little effort to go on and win it really, the subs told the story.

A few odd things in the starting line-up. Why on earth did he start Burrows? Lad needed a rest and we have Boyes, who has League 1 experience on the bench, I get the feeling Wilder doesn't trust Boyes! The youngsters really looked their age. Some really need loans. Being chucked in isn't doing some of them any favours. I wasn't entirely sure where everyone was meant to be playing, at times! Neither were they!

Davies - 5 - Some standard saves and a rather odd bit of anger near the end.
McCallum - 5 - Tried to drive forward. Had one great cross from the byline but looked sloppy
RND - 3 - Injured again but he looks shot. His error gave the goal away and he was slow, sloppy and indecisive all evening.
Baptiste - 4 - Almost scored an own goal and again not very good for the most part. This is above his current level. Needs a loan.
Gilchrist - 5 - Shame we had to start him as another who shouldn't be playing. Did ok but not great.
Blacker - 4 - Lightweight, that much is obvious, and wrestled quite a bit. Looked lively but snatched at things. Loan needed.
Brookes - 4- One of those night for him. Had a mare first half but kept going. nothing much worked for him though.
Burrows - 6 - Shouldn't have been on the pitch really but had by far and away our best moment with a lovely shot on his wrong foot.Playing out of position though, so was always a bit of a struggle.
Marsh - 5 - Looks neat and tidy at times but his final ball was poor. Needs a good loan with regular starts.
Brewster - 6 - Looked to make things happen and had a number of shots and decent passes. Often wasteful but one of the brighter players
One - 6 - Put himself around and tried to make things happen. Good and bad but another who needs regular men's football.

Subs:

Robinson - 5 - Largely ineffective

All in all a waste of everyone's time.

Just got back from the match and read your thread on here….,.I’m pretty sure you watched a completely different game to me

 

[robbiez666]

One is a difficult one. At times he was ignored by team mates. And when he did get the ball he wasn't consistent. He gets into a bit of a panic in the box as players look to close him down. Going on loan is probably the best for him.

I think One actually shows more awareness of the forward role than both Jebbo and Osula, but as you say he panics a bit, makes wrong decisions and his final ball isn't good enough. This can be taught though.

 

[Younger Dryas Blade]

Brewster is a fox in the box type player who needs crosses to run onto … we don’t play this way.

Brewster is the most expensive disaster in our club's entire history.
Anyone that can even hint at a defence for this guy is deluded.

 

[robbiez666]

Just got back from the match and read your thread on here….,.I’m pretty sure you watched a completely different game to me

I wish I had watched a different game tbh!

 

[blade too long]

The passing was woeful throughout.luckily Cardiff were just as poor. As soon as you saw the team sheet it read like a suicide note..
Priority is getting players fit to win league points we know . But that's no excuse to misplace 4 and 5 yard balls which we were lucky not to concede more from. This cup team choices thing now is bleeding the life out of the competition. Not just United but among a lot of teams

 

[McDonagh Blade]

Even got a reserve stadium announcer today

Nick is doing a decent job of it

 

[MTBlade]

Davies made 2 great saves, 1 in each half.We could have been a goal down in the first few minutes if it wasn't for him. Took a couple of crosses as well.
Not his fault we lost.

I may have come across wrong.

Yes, i thought he may have been out of position for the goal, but by no means am i blaming him for the loss.

I think i mentioned RND had a mare for the goal and if he hadnt have had the mare, Davies isnt requured.

There were a good few outfield players who i thought could have done better (being polite), through the game.

One of the main things that stood out for me, was how poor our passing was for what looked like simple easy passes.

 

[ReeceofBDTBL]

Why take Gilchrist off in 89th minute? I can’t understand that. I can’t ever remember any of Wilders substitutions changing a game?

Don’t remember much about Seriki coming on against the pigs then? Or Tom Davies against Sunderland?

 

[More Bladier than thou]

Unpopular opinion- iam glad we lost. We dont have a deep/fit enough squad to do cup games aswell. Lets take the rest and days off and go full tilt at the league now.

 

[jono_t2000]

I think One actually shows more awareness of the forward role than both Jebbo and Osula, but as you say he panics a bit, makes wrong decisions and his final ball isn't good enough. This can be taught though.

Onè started off decent but then took a knock and seemed to be half a yard off the pace with closing down their keeper/defenders and timing of his runs from there on.

 

[McDonagh Blade]

Quite shite that was.....Wilder gives us another Barnet performance.

But balls to it ..who cares.

Quite clearly Wilder expected much better from certain players if you watched him on the touchline, he couldn't believe what Andre did with the corner routine which nearly led to them breaking away and going 2 nil up.

 

[robbiez666]

Onè started off decent but then took a knock and seemed to be half a yard off the pace with closing down their keeper/defenders and timing of his runs from there on.

I was surprised we didn't take him off and put Brewster up front.it seemed a strange risk, considering, then so was letting RND stay on for a few minutes

 

[McDonagh Blade]

Why take Gilchrist off in 89th minute? I can’t understand that. I can’t ever remember any of Wilders substitutions changing a game?

I think just to blood what Wilder hopes Will be a good future player in Sam Colechin

 

[Nagima]

I think One actually shows more awareness of the forward role than both Jebbo and Osula, but as you say he panics a bit, makes wrong decisions and his final ball isn't good enough. This can be taught though.

The potential is there, He is more imposing physically than Osula and Jebbison. The development side may be hindered in the 4231 formation with the type of players we play in the 3. They look to go wide, go for a dribble or just slow it all down. Service to the CF is limited. That big blond guy in the 10 role for Cardiff was deceptively effective. He put through some great balls to players. One needs games and a more direct service.

 

[toledo]

I think you’re right, our game plan doesn’t include getting the ball forward to a traditional or even unorthodox CF so we effectively are playing with 10 men….

 

[Melbourne Blade]

Wilder got a bit angry/ defensive at one stage in the post match. I really couldn't give af we're out. Focus on the league. Kudos to anyone who went tho, I watched most of game and was awful.

 

[Keen Blade]

Half time, Welsh bird on bbc keeps calling us Sheffield (4 times) and Cardiff, Cardiff City… two long time former blades and captains beside her in Page and Jags and neither bothered to correct her that were Sheffield United

 

[jt64]

Why take Gilchrist off in 89th minute? I can’t understand that. I can’t ever remember any of Wilders substitutions changing a game?

I don't hate giving one of the kids a brief run out just for the experience

Weird game. Cardiff probably should have been three up at half time. I've watched worse games, hard to say how bad we were as I really don't know Cardiff or just how weakened they were in comparison to us. Still, concentrate on the league now

 

[Keen Blade]

We need to get rid of the obsession with inverted wingers and play Brooks and Brewster down their natural sides of the field.

Music to my ears.

Been saying it for ages.

Brooks is a good lad but his R foot isn't , so there is no point putting him on RW.
And then to make Brewster , who isn't even a winger , play on the LW is a farce.

I wish inverted wingers in hell.
CWs obsession with them is partly why our attacks are dysfunctional.

If you want to play them , they have to have a usable weaker foot or the defenders know exactly what they're going to do every time and can easily nullify them.

Doak , Watson , Johnston frighten the life out of defences coz they're fast an unpredictable.

The way we play our wingers JRS & Brooks (& Hamer) produces very little and we don't even swap them around during games just to give the opposition something to worry about.

Why we bother playing a trad CF like Moore when we don't get any crosses in is beyond me.

Rant over.

 

[Champagneblade]

Awful angles, watch it back pal.
Undoubtedly RND was dreadful, but a keeper is supposed to still make it as difficult as possible. Davies pretty much gave him half the net to roll it into.

Agree he came out as if someone had just tapped him on the shoulder and told him he should probably come out. Added absolutely nothing to the scenario at all. He’d have been better staying on his line and seeing if the lad shit himself as he’d have had to carry it furthers may as well have just put an arrow saying ‘place here’.

It always annoys me when we lose.

Yes, we made changes, but so did they. If a 23m signing or whatever we paid, like Brewster can’t see this as an opportunity to bag a few against a half and half Cardiff team then he should be hanging his head in shame. He should have been the cheat code.

As for the goal, schoolboy stuff from Norrington-Davies. At what point at any level is it a good idea to try to go round the forward when you’re the last defender? Thick as mince and a truly awful goal to gift.

On the positive we might look back and say that these last two matches are the ones that got us promoted. One, a wonderful away result while down to the bare bones, the other clearing the path of additional fixtures so we can really just focus on the league. I hope Leeds and Burnley get through!

 

[Keen Blade]

Well. Hate to say it again but there we go.
That wasn’t just a mistake it was amateur, pub level.
RND passing atrocious.
And after the goal many more started doing the same.
But for a winger Brooks rarely beats a man.
Marsh has the decision making of a junior, nowhere near but at least he hits the target which is more than can be said for some of RB’s efforts.
McC looked decent to start with but then he also loses the ball far too much.

Conclusions-
RND- done. He’s heading down the leagues
mcC- midfielder only.
Brooks- still not convinced
Marsh- needs games in men’s footy somewhere asap.
Brewster- will be getting released, no signs of him coming good still.
Baptiste- an athlete and has promise, another who needs games and experience.
One- another who needs regular footy.

So we need 4 players minimum before the end of this window as most of these aren’t ready for the first team of a team aiming for the premier league

Was always a risk renewing RND , sadly it's not been worth it.

Brooks MUST be played on the LW where he will beat defenders for fun.

Brewster can't hit a barn door and looks as fed up with us as we are with him - not even putting himself in shop window - probably done with football , will take the millions he's earned from us and do something else with the rest of his life - if we renew his contract , that's me finished with the club.

Oneh is nowhere near Championship , just not intelligent with the ball , always makes the wrong decisions , can't see colleagues in space begging for a pass to put them in on goal - needs loaning out to see if he can open his eyes when in possession.

Baptiste looks decent enough to be a second sub CB after Robbo but we desperately need to get a TOP TOP CB to replace Souttar if we want autos.
And maybe even a better first sub than Robbo.

Other youngsters not ready , nor can they be blamed.

The real concern is paying grown-up wages to Brewster & RND.

 

[Keen Blade]

If Wilder doesn’t give a shit about Cup games then pull out of the Cup beforehand. Why should fans pay hard earned money to watch turgid crap like tonight? It’s not the first time with him.

I can't believe 5k were foolish enough to attend ... the hints were all given by CW as clearly as he dared
Not only was he saving players from injury , he didn't want to win and progress , taking focus off the league

 

[Keen Blade]

I'm disappointed in some of our fans attitudes treating this cup like a non-event while bumming getting to PL so bad.

I'm disappointed in it will be 101+ years now (we were probably not going to win it this year regardless). But this match was treated as if it was some mid-season friendly and not a competitive fixture. The club really should have got the fans excited for the FA Cup this season, especially against Cardiff (the team we last beat in an FA Cup Final) but no. The FA Cup magic has gone, Football is a walking zombie.

Changes in an industry follow the money ... Shock !

 

[Keen Blade]

Bit harsh, injuries and squad depth killed us for this game. Coming so soon after the crazy Xmas and New year fixtures didn't help either.
At least it showed Marsh and possibly One need loans.

I dunno who's been cracking Oneh but he must be a slow learner.
Totally unaware of colleagues in space around him.
Literally no football brain.
Maybe the A.I. that CW was mentioning can be fitted into his noddle ?

Get out on loan lad and play every week and LISTEN to the coaches when they pick apart your performances.

He can't play enough games with us to give coaches a chance to improve him

 

[SWB]

The gifting opportunities has become a bit of a habit with Norrington Davis. Twice now in recent sub appearances

 

[Champagneblade]

I think Marsh would have done better if this hadn't been his first minutes since August. He was ok, one of very few who tried to get the ball under control and do something with it and he had a couple of efforts. Should have been used more, but our passing was so poor we struggled to get into the last third.

We were crying out for one of the senior lads to do something, but Brewster ditched that responsibility and passed it backwards most of the time. Everything went wrong for him the last 15 mins of the first half. It didn't help that he was up against a youngster who got injured and couldn't run.

I saw a few commenting that our line up was stronger than expected. Maybe on paper, but I saw it as an unbalanced side, where I didn't know who was going to take responsibility and pull the strings for us. Starting from the back, Gilchrist and RND have some experience, but both are mediocre on the ball, partly because both are not playing in their favoured positioned. They may be ok in a team where things are settled and working, but we needed the experienced lads to be able to put their foot on the ball and calm things down. Which is probably what captain RND tried, but it was the wrong occasion.

Burrows is a ball player and was picked out to be our playmaker in midfield. It was a big ask with so many young players and such a patched up side. Cardiff had the experienced Joe Ralls in that role and his experience showed. Brooks was probably expected to play a key role, but there are so fine margins with him being successful at the things he tries. He'll do brilliant things, but tonight was an off night for him.

Blacker improved as the game went on.

People may look at this game as proof the youngsters are not ready. I hope we keep faith in them and take more opportunities to make them ready.

We would have been better just picking the u21 team when you look at it.

All the supposed senior players are the ones who let us down; Davies, Norrington-Davies, Brewster

Faxon
Colechin Baptiste Sasnauskas Boyes
Blacker Eason
Hampson Marsh Tinsdale
One

At least they would have had some continuity. Probably didn’t want to play Curtis as he would have then played for 2 clubs already and I’d imagine we fancy loaning him again.

Eason might be injured but you get my gyst.

 

[Revolution]

We would have been better just picking the u21 team when you look at it.

All the supposed senior players are the ones who let us down; Davies, Norrington-Davies, Brewster

Faxon
Colechin Baptiste Sasnauskas Boyes
Blacker Eason
Hampson Marsh Tinsdale
One

At least they would have had some continuity. Probably didn’t want to play Curtis as he would have then played for 2 clubs already and I’d imagine we fancy loaning him again.

Eason might be injured but you get my gyst.

Curtis was cup tied.

 

[Champagneblade]

Unpopular opinion- iam glad we lost. We dont have a deep/fit enough squad to do cup games aswell. Lets take the rest and days off and go full tilt at the league now.

For once I do go along with this. I didn’t subscribe that defeats by the likes of Barnet couldn’t have been avoided. We still should have had enough depth.

But we must have been missing 9 for the last game; Seriki, Sachdev, Shackleton, Souttar, Souza, Arblaster, Campbell, JRS, Moore. So preserving those who remain fit by resting 7 meant 16 first picks out of the equation.

With a small squad to begin with, that’s just how it is.

The League is very important and it is a tight contest. Not having the cup and being able to rest even the fringe players could be the marginal gain we require to go up.

I expect both Leeds and Burnley to progress at the hands of Harrogate and Reading, so it’s an additional game and an increased chance of injury for them, which can only be good for us.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I think One actually shows more awareness of the forward role than both Jebbo and Osula, but as you say he panics a bit, makes wrong decisions and his final ball isn't good enough. This can be taught though.

He is improving with every game getting sharper! Still some way off but can see why Liverpool are monitoring him.
We had a few lads out there
today and ironically th most inexperienced one Blacker was the pick.
One or two played like they had there boots on wrong foot in other words had a mare.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Half time, Welsh bird on bbc keeps calling us Sheffield (4 times) and Cardiff, Cardiff City… two long time former blades and captains beside her in Page and Jags and neither bothered to correct her that were Sheffield United

In fairness though, you kept calling her Welsh bird!