Match Thread Sheffield United v. Swansea City - Saturday 4th August 2018

[bromtom]

One word review.

Shite.

 

[WoodMillBlade]

Long hard season I’m afraid.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Duffy should be first name on team sheet

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Dear me what does Duffy need to do to get a shirt over shit like Basham and Lundstrum.
Billy dropped in preference to Mcgoldrick, Wilder can be very frustrating at times.
Duffy should be on from the start, simple

He’s got this one completely wrong.

This is as poor as I can remember against a team that hasn’t impressed me at all.

Wilder doesn’t escape criticism. Lundstram over Duffy was a poor and defensive move.

Not making changes on 45 minutes or after we scored.

Awful.

Stevens has also made a case for us signing a left back.

Basham, Lundstram, Stevens and Evans all need replacing. Duffy must be wondering who’s cereal he’s shit in. This was a cowardly selection and performance in my eyes. And Wilder takes too long to recognise and change it. Frustrated as fuck.

 

[FriethBlade]

And we thought all we needed was a centre forward!

No pace, no creativity and very vulnerable to players running at us.

 

[Gee]

Beat by a piss poor Swansea team that's missing all the better players. A better team today would have torn us a new one I'm afraid

 

[bikerblade]

When I saw the midfield 3 I was worried about creativity, was hoping I was wrong but nope - just nothing really showing from the midfield.
Thought McGoldrick played well and surprised he came off instead of Clarke - unless it's fitness issues.
We just don't seem to have any spark or pace, looked very predictable.
However first game of season, I'm sure we'll improve over the coming weeks.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Lundstram did fuck all and he managed to
mIss a sitter. Duffy should have started only looked like doing something when the changes were made but the changes came too late. How on earth can he start over Duffy. Lundstram should have been sent out on loan not Ricky Holmes IMHO

 

[Ted Maul]

Beat by a piss poor Swansea team

I would rather they had started with their relegation team. This was a team of players with points to prove Celina, McBurnie and McKay were all very good Championship performers last season and are astute acquisitions. Swansea look like they will be a bright, attack minded, footballing side. They will get found out by more clinical teams, but I can see them having a decent season.

I think we should have found replacements for Basham and Stevens. I don't understand a midfield three with no attacking pivot. We lack pace everywhere. Enough complaining for now. I know we can be better than that.

 

[JayGreen17]

So last seasons frailties still glaringly obvious to see, Still playing and not replaced the weak links in the team, Enda, Bash, lundstram, and I’m going to say it... Clarke...he did nothing in that game and he looked well off the pace. I’d even consider dropping Baldock and bringing in Freeman.

We can’t play that 3 in mid, especially at home, the first half was terrible, second half not much better, no quality in the final 3rd, we desperately missed Duffy and his composure and link up play,

On the upside I thought all the new players had a decent game.

What disappoints me the most is that I thought Wilder didn’t have favourites, that’s clearly not the case with Bash and Clarke. Based on that we’re in for a bottom half scrap.

But first game and more to come through the door I hope.

 

[hazzasufc_]

Yeah not really the smartest idea to have your most creative player off the pitch until we’re a goal down in the 86th minute is it Wilder. Gets on my fucking nerves sometimes.

 

[robbiez666]

Extremely worrying. They were 3 points for the taking and they even kept giving us the ball in dangerous positions. Pretty sure our second shot on target was almost an own goal.

Thoughts:

• We're painfully slow. Both in attack and defence. Embarrassingly slow at times
• Why the fuck our our captains both strikers?
• I'm sorry to say it, but not convinced either Sharp or Clarke can get anywhere near replicating last year's form. We need pace upfront and someone good in the air.
• Our defensive shape and play was all over the shop. Give there was only one outfield change in defence and midfield that is worrying
• There's no creativity in midfield. Our strikers had nothing to feed on. Not even scraps.
• Wingbacks would work if both wingbacks we pacy and direct. One kind of fits that bill. The other is ponderous.
• We pass the ball so slowly, often telegraphing the pass. Even when we're in space it gives the defenders a chance to get back
• When the odd chance does come our shooting and composure is poor
• We've got quite a few tall players but are poor in the air in attacking situations
• I have no idea what our plan was today. Neither, seemingly, did the players
• It's like the second half of last season, but worse as our 3 main attackers are that much older
• We need two strikers and a LWB before the end if August of we're going to be playing 'who is the least shit Sheffield team'.

 

[bromtom]

Stevens was terrible and I think is just terrible. Lundstram was terrible too, but has shown glimpses of being decent but it's too big a risk to be playing people who "may be decent" when you're trying to have a go at going up.

Seems we set up defensively but forgot that we had to actually defend.

Same shit at the back as last season, Blackman makes a great save but the defenders have already switched off assuming it's gone in and the opposition score the rebound. Same again with Henderson, who made some great saves only to be let down by our defence.

Bash is good for getting it forward with a driving run when we're stuck passing it about in the centre circle but has little end product and his defending is serviceable only, not our worst player today though.

Cannot work out why we didn't change it sooner. It was painfully obvious what we needed, we needed composure in midfield and someone that can pass forwards.

McGoldrick was decent up front but him and Clarke to aim at means we're prone to hoof, Leon shouldn't have started today, Billy or Woodburn in behind.

No-one makes runs in midfield. Passing a yard or two in front and then sideways constantly. When forward runs are made they're not seen. McG, Woodburn and Bill all made runs in behind and were ignored.

I'm not panicking but that was one of the most boring performances I've seen under Wilder. Need to do much, much better against Boro.

 

[robbiez666]

It's also worth pointing out that the Swansea team:

Had a left back who has come back from the World Cup and had no pre-season
An academy left back at right back
A centre half who hasn't trained after going off injured in their last pre-season game
A centre half who is about to leave
A midfielder who their fans hate as much as Hammond
3 midfielders/attackers who have only just signed

They've also lost all their pre-season games.

The kid who scored the winner with his first ever touch in league football.

This was not a Premier League squad coming down. This is a team in transition who don't know each other.

 

[JackSUFC]

I think a lot of people (including me) underestimated Swansea. They looked a decent side, especially second half. Agree with a lot of what I’ve read on the forum about our performance but I definitely don’t think the meltdown is necessary.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

A meltdown isn’t necessary but there was plenty of concern.

It was a dull game till the goal – bugger all chances from both, and I thought till then 0-0 was looking inevitable.

Positives:

• Henderson was excellent, and I’m confident we have a good player there
• The move for our goal was excellent, with a good cut-back out on the left from Lundstram (a skill our wingbacks both struggle with)
• McGoldrick looks like he’ll be a useful addition

NegativeThe way we set up set the seeds for the problems going forward. All three of the midfield were poor, and chief contributors to either taking an easy pass or cheaply giving it away

• If Clarke is to stay in the team, he needs to improve. I thought Sharp did more in his stint off the bench than Clarke managed all game, which is a concern. I like both players, and it’s very clear Sharp is not guaranteed a start at the minute, and perhaps very soon with a new striker no longer will Clarke. What I would say though is that even if we bring nobody in, I’m not convinced Clarke at present should be considered undroppable, which he seemingly is. There were times last season where Clarke had a swagger about him, he was unplayable. That seems a long time ago...
• Evans has a lot of ability. We’ve seen it. We saw nothing of it yesterday. With Coutts nearing a return, he perhaps has the most to prove to keep a place in the team. Even with my biased Wales-supporting eyes, I’m not seeing it at the minute. He blew hot & cold last season, and I had hoped this season his consistency would improve.
• We have to do something different with these set-pieces. I’ve lost count of the times we pick out JOC only to see it harmlessly drift past the goal-frame – I can't even remember the last time JOC got an effort from one of these on target.
• Wingbacks. I can’t be too critical of Baldock due to the goal, but I thought outside of that they were both generally poor in possession, and poor defensively. The one instant when Baldock ballsed up an attempt to shield it out for a goal-kick to set up a dangerous opportunity was an awful error. They both need to improve.

 

[SteveBlade]

The post match reaction here is almost identical to yesterday.

I'd take 2nd again.

 

[Sam64]

The post match reaction here is almost identical to yesterday.

I'd take 2nd again.

Love how with some of them it's the exact same people aswell too lol

 

[Liaminho9]

The post match reaction here is almost identical to yesterday.

I'd take 2nd again.

I’m glad you’ve brought this up because i was about to do exactly the same with the Middlesbrough away loss which was the gane after this!
One player came in after those two games and it transformed our season.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

The post match reaction here is almost identical to yesterday.

I'd take 2nd again.

Top bumping

 

[finlaytheblade]

I’m glad you’ve brought this up because i was about to do exactly the same with the Middlesbrough away loss which was the gane after this!
One player came in after those two games and it transformed our season.

Was it Norwood ? Dont think he will have the same influence this season hopefully we have someone in the wings who will !! after last night it's clear we need something or someone to bring something new to the table.
As Wilder says standstill and you go backwards, its clear our weaknesses from last season are still there ,playing the same players ! Playing the same players means it will stay that way .
In CWAK we trust but even they cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.We need more quality ,a few of the players have shot there bolt in my opinion.
Trying to be constructive here ! I'm not normally a half empty glass person but I think it will be a tough season with our present 1st eleven,just hope I'm wrong.

 

[OrderOfStGeorge]

Extremely worrying. They were 3 points for the taking and they even kept giving us the ball in dangerous positions. Pretty sure our second shot on target was almost an own goal.

Thoughts:

• We're painfully slow. Both in attack and defence. Embarrassingly slow at times
• Why the fuck our our captains both strikers?
• I'm sorry to say it, but not convinced either Sharp or Clarke can get anywhere near replicating last year's form. We need pace upfront and someone good in the air.
• Our defensive shape and play was all over the shop. Give there was only one outfield change in defence and midfield that is worrying
• There's no creativity in midfield. Our strikers had nothing to feed on. Not even scraps.
• Wingbacks would work if both wingbacks we pacy and direct. One kind of fits that bill. The other is ponderous.
• We pass the ball so slowly, often telegraphing the pass. Even when we're in space it gives the defenders a chance to get back
• When the odd chance does come our shooting and composure is poor
• We've got quite a few tall players but are poor in the air in attacking situations
• I have no idea what our plan was today. Neither, seemingly, did the players
• It's like the second half of last season, but worse as our 3 main attackers are that much older
• We need two strikers and a LWB before the end if August of we're going to be playing 'who is the least shit Sheffield team'.

Jesus christ years later and that much is true.

 

[OrderOfStGeorge]

Was it Norwood ? Dont think he will have the same influence this season hopefully we have someone in the wings who will !! after last night it's clear we need something or someone to bring something new to the table.
As Wilder says standstill and you go backwards, its clear our weaknesses from last season are still there ,playing the same players ! Playing the same players means it will stay that way .
In CWAK we trust but even they cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.We need more quality ,a few of the players have shot there bolt in my opinion.
Trying to be constructive here ! I'm not normally a half empty glass person but I think it will be a tough season with our present 1st eleven,just hope I'm wrong.

Norwood came in for Evans and now Norwood needs replacing I.M.O been a passenger in our midfield for a fair while and too inconsistent.

 

[Liaminho9]

Was it Norwood ? Dont think he will have the same influence this season hopefully we have someone in the wings who will !! after last night it's clear we need something or someone to bring something new to the table.
As Wilder says standstill and you go backwards, its clear our weaknesses from last season are still there ,playing the same players ! Playing the same players means it will stay that way .
In CWAK we trust but even they cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear.We need more quality ,a few of the players have shot there bolt in my opinion.
Trying to be constructive here ! I'm not normally a half empty glass person but I think it will be a tough season with our present 1st eleven,just hope I'm wrong.

It was Norwood yes. And therein lies what i'm saying as i think you're on the same lines.
One player could make this team click and i'm still got full faith Wilder, Knill & Co will sort it out - some major overreacting on here last night IMO.

 

[S40BLADE]

Funnily enough, within this period of us playing in the championship we were playing the same shape we are now and playing boring longball football with it as well. When Duffy and Sharp were reintroduced into our actual 352 following the disaster at Boro the rest is history. We are crying out for creativity or we are going to properly suffer.

 

[Snowflake]

There’s still 3weeks of the window to go (almost 5 if you include English league players) so we need to be patient even if we struggle for a handful of games