Sheffield United vs West Ham United

v.
EPL Week 9 - Sunday 22nd November 2020 - Bramall Lane​

Please keep all discussion related to the match within this thread.

Matchday Stats/Player Ratings - https://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?match-day/match/sheffield-united-vs-west-ham-united.517/

Officials:

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistant Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis
Assistant Referee: Peter Kirkup
Fourth Official: Robert Jones
Video Assistant Referee: Jonathan Moss
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Andy Halliday

Coverage:

Follow via S24SU Twitter: https://twitter.com/s24su

Live TV Coverage:

 

[bartman]

The worst manager in the PL does. Rock bottom. 1 point out of 27. It’ll continue as long as he’s selected.

It is worse than that. 1 point from the last 36

 

[Iffy Onuora's Shiny Head]

The games seem to be going 2 ways at the moment.

Phase A) we sit back and defend with 10 behind the ball, our CF on the edge of our own bow, but they still manage to fashion chances. Our attack is a long ball/clearance which we lose and then it's back to defending again.

Phase B) we actually get control of the ball, pass sideways as the opposition stops any balls going into the final 3rd, and block all the channels out wide until we pass wayward, miscontrol or on the odd occasion get a cross in that 9/10 times ends up back in their possession. Then when we lose the ball we get hammered on the counter attack.

 

[Danetheblade]

Have you got over 100 million to buy them ?

Probably not. But wilder had enough to buy one of them at least.

 

[8lade]

Didsy’s final scuff into the keepers arms just about sums up our quality in and around the opposition penalty area at the moment.

If only we had a striker with some goals in him in the squad... wait a minute what happened to that boy from Sheffield?

 

[bartman]

He overachieved massively with this group of league 1/champ misfits. That is a huge accomplishment!

I think now he is realising he has assembled a group of league1/champ misfits in the worlds best league.

Yes it was a great accomplishment to get us to the top league. It is not the fact we are losing, it is the way we are losing and is not acceptable to me. Too many fans on this forum as saying he will bring us back up next season if we go down.The priority is finishing 4th bottom.if CW cannot motivate and organise the players there is no guarantee he will do that next season. If the players arent listening to Wilder or arent happy with what he is telling them tactically we have a major problem and there is only one solution if that is the case

 

[Kenworthy’s Tash]

i think we need to rethink tactics and priorities in our play. Wilder is angreat manager but a lot of the blame lies with him. Whatever this is isn't working. Focus needs to be on keeping composure in possession and attacking intent and creating opportunities. We werent as bad today but we hoof so much and spend most the game trying to win the ball back like a pack of rabid dogs, its exhausting ans means the players are fucked by the time we get it back. We cant rely on defending really well and then stealing a goal for a 1-0 we dont have the quality.

Our recruitment of just acquiring loads of ‘decent’ players isnt good enough for this level. We needed to invest to the first 11 and players with flair who can unlock defences. Weve spent shit loads and the results are we have 1 prem league player in berge and 10 champ players who can run around but unable to compete.

if we are going down, which looks likely, i would rather we did it by trying to outscore the opposition and losing 6-3 instead of 1-0 every week. Lets hope we can learn from this and hopefully survive the drop and build some quality going forward!

Not in his mindset though is it? Unfortunately he’s already stated that he’d rather lose 1 or 2 nil and close shop rather than give it a go.
End of the line for Wilder I’m afraid otherwise we’re just accepting relegation without giving it a proper fight. Depressing at the moment.

 

[robbiez666]

People will pull up McBurnie again but look at the stats. West Ham had far more chances than us. Were the better team in and out of possession.

First half was pretty equal. We looked a lot sharper from the off and biting into challenges and pressing well. Much improved. They had the best chance but we had more good chances. They probably just shaded it but only on points.

Second half we started fairly sluggishly and never really snapped out of it. Too slow and too much over-passing. West Ham could easily have scored another. They were the more likely and to be honest I don't think they played very well.

It was a better performance, especially first half, but not enough. West Ham didn't play that well and it was fairly easy for them.

I was laughing about Declan Rice being an England player earlier today but thought he was immense and easily the man of the match. Won everything. Involved in driving them forward and always in the way.

Ramsdale - 6 - Made a very smart save first half but distribution was mixed (great pass to Fleck but some wasted kicks forward). His clearance on his weaker foot led to their goal but harsh to blame him overly (he should have just knocked it to Lowe) as there was no closing down and once again fairly shoddy defending
Lowe - 5 - First half was pretty awful. Gave the ball away several times and looked poor or out of position at the back. Started second half in the same vein but pushed forward more and we actually had some kind of attacking presence down the left. Distribution needs to be better as does his crossing but looked more of a threat.
Ampadu - 5 - With Lowe, pretty shocking first half. Too easily bullied off the ball and his positioning is suspect (not surprising considering). He needs to be much stronger and must less sloppy. His passing is often too casual
Egan - 7 - Made a number of important blocks and challenges. Solid at the back and won nearly everything in the air. They went longer but he won his battles
Basham - 6- Fairly solid and got forward well a couple of times second half. Oddly for him, didn't notice him much today
Baldock - 6 - Good first half but fairly toothless during the second. They attacked more don his side second half and it was a bit too easy for them. Needs to be tighter to his man
Fleck - 6 - He tired as the game went on, which is not surprising considering he'd been out. We looked a better team with him back on the left. More balanced.
Norwood - 6 - We look a better team with him on the pitch. His distribution was good early doors but his influence waned
Berge - 6 - Put in a couple of great crosses and broke forward a couple of times. I think he needs to be more influential though. We needed more from him today.
McGoldrick - 5.5 - He links the play up well but was very wasteful today. A bit too slow and off the boil. A couple of times he had a go but poor efforts. He looks to be a half yard slower this season. Too indecisive.
McBurnie - 6.5 - Looked the most likely upfront. Should have done better with the volley as he was running through but had a great header saved. He was busy and put himself around. Provided an outlet for us. Second half, should have scored when played through but had little else to work with. Held the ball up decently and flicked the ball on. We actually put some great crosses in first half but seemed a little on his heels. Needs to gamble earlier

Robinson - 6 - Slow on the ball and was almost dispossessed but did ok.
Brewster - 6 - Put a great ball through for McBurnie but gave a way several fouls. Looks frustrated but needs to be playing further up. McBurnie was the furthest forward, which makes little sense to me.
Lunny - 6 - Did very little when he came on

Wilder - 5.5 - I think he picked the correct team and we started well but we faded. Second half we were clearly second best in every department and despite changing things round had little impact. We look short this season. It's very worrying.

 

[bromtom]

McBurnie missed a good chance, but he had 3 chances total if memory serves.

Mo Salah has had 34 shots for his 8 goals this season, McBurnie isn't as good as Mo Salah and no-one should expect him to be, so for me the issue is that we only give our strikers 3 fucking chances per 90.

That's no good unless you've got Aguero/Salah/Vardy up top.

Need to make more chances, stop pretending to want possession only to pass it to Ramsdale so he can hoof it.

Start pressing, start further up the pitch, anticipate the second balls.

Where was Fleck or Norwood today for all the balls that came out around the D? Last season they'd have been on them like flies on shit, this season they're playing pocket billiards in the centre circle.

Even if we had no injuries, playing as half arsedly as we are, we'd still be losing.

For me, we just have to go 4 at the back until the JTW.

 

[bartman]

He overachieved massively with this group of league 1/champ misfits. That is a huge accomplishment!

I think now he is realising he has assembled a group of league1/champ misfits in the worlds best league.

So he could have spent the 100 + million better. Totally agree

 

[SUFCinks]

Not in his mindset though is it? Unfortunately he’s already stated that he’d rather lose 1 or 2 nil and close shop rather than give it a go.
End of the line for Wilder I’m afraid otherwise we’re just accepting relegation without giving it a proper fight. Depressing at the moment.

I think if hes unable to adapt and change a clearly ineffective system then questions need to be asked about him. If we want to retain our PL status then we need to change tactics or change manager unfortunately.

 

[Lawrence]

We wouldn’t score if we started 4 strikers who can score

Who’s your best 4 strikers? I don’t see one! Sharp must be pulling his hair out thinking he can’t get a game in that forward line! He should have been on instead of Brewster, when he came on I grudgingly commented he won’t touch the ball 3 times? Sharpe would have at least given 100% pride!

 

[Bladesman98]

Who’s your best 4 strikers? I don’t see one! Sharp must be pulling his hair out thinking he can’t get a game in that forward line! He should have been on instead of Brewster, when he came on I grudgingly commented he won’t touch the ball 3 times? Sharpe would have at least given 100% pride!

I was just saying even if you had 4 on the pitch they’d struggle.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

If only we had a striker with some goals in him in the squad... wait a minute what happened to that boy from Sheffield?

Sadly, Billy isn’t the answer either. We could have Piggy Vardy playing up front but without quality service even he wouldn’t score.

 

[Lawrence]

I was just saying even if you had 4 on the pitch they’d struggle.

Yes agreeing with you

 

[bromtom]

Wilder needs to get back to the pragmatism that birthed overlapping centrebacks.

It's clear we're donk defensively for whatever reason, accept it and come up with something to help our strikers.

 

[gordoncharles]

I've never, ever criticised a player for not being good enough. Those that aren't can't help that, they're not picking themselves for the team, and all you can ask is that they do the best they can under their own limitations - and allowing for fluctuations in form as well.

The problem is that shot of confidence this side doesn't look like winning, and worse it regularly now can't do the basics like defend a cross, let alone pass crisply in the final third and create overloads

West Han's goal summed up the second half. Needless back pass hoofed out aimlessly by the keeper to the opposite side where both our forwards were. What either of them were supposed to do with that I cannot say. Nevertheless there was no danger.

Except during the second half the midfield was like the Russian Steppes or the Prairies of Nebraska, I've never seen so much unoccupied open space.

As a result West Ham just ran straight through to the edge of our box where a striker had an unimpeded shot from 18 yards.

It wasn't the only time either and to be honest the scoreline flatters us if anything.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

100% right. I was screaming at the TV when he stopped - their move had broken down and we had a chance to break. But he has no pace whatsoever, and no drive either.

Anyone who think Berge is in the side to make driving runs from deep in our own half should think again. He sits a bit deeper, breaks play up tries at least to keep possession and find another Blades shirt. We don’t actually have a driving midfielder as the only real one we had last season , Lundstram, doesn’t give a shit anymore and the space our wingbacks had last year to produce crosses into the box has been cut off.

 

[Dave9777]

Mcburnie - just awful. clumsy, awkward, needs replacing. A good finisher off duty with page 3 models but never on the pitch.

Fleck - pathetic, didn’t even move on the build up to their goal, no pressure applied whatsoever standing like a leprechaun real doll.

Lowe - waste of space, does he even look when crossing the ball? Needs to go to spec-savers ASAP or even better disappear completely.

Apart from that we didn’t play badly, better players in just those 3 positions & would’ve been a completely different result.

 

[SouthStandGBlock]

Very disappointing.

We are fighting statistics now, and with 1 point after 1/4 of the season gone, it looks bleak.

Today was always going to be scrappy, but today told me all I needed about McBurnie. He isn't good enough. He's a thinner Peter Withe.

Lowe looks lost. Ampadu is all over the place, Baldock is out of form, and I'm not convinced about Ramsdale.

Upfront we look toothless, but who do you replace? Billy is a 34 year old 6 yard box finisher who always gives 100% but looks limited in the PL. Moose is injured and lazy. Burke has never scored a PL goal. Brewster has never scored a PL goal. McBurnie couldn't finish his dinner.

Bottom line is that with the exception of Billy, these are all Wilders signings.

We are missing JOC and we are missing the fans enormously. We have a Championship team driven on by 30,000 fans every week. We've lost that, and lost our mojo with it.

On a brighter note I thought Egan and Fleck were good today.

Wilders signings have been poor since getting in the PL. He's bought Championship players for premier league prices.

CW needs to have a long hard look at the formation, and try to change it so we can get to January without being adrift, and try to address the JOC issue then.id bring Jags back in the interim.

I still wouldn't sack Wilder though. If we do get relegated (and after today that looks increasing likely), we have a great Championship squad, and we can look to get back up again with CW at the helm.

I'm afraid to say CW has made loads of mistakes in the summer, but after getting us here, he deserves the chance to put them right.

 

[Iron blade]

That performance was horrific once again. Down with a whimper im afraid. The team is devoid of confidence, ability and effort and I can't see that changing anytime soon. Berge and Brewster the only slight positives. They'll both be off in the summer

Might be January !

 

[HeySethUTB]

What type of player is going to come to a side at the bottom of the prem In January?

 

[Kenworthy’s Tash]

What type of player is going to come to a side at the bottom of the prem In January?

Need the right manager in place first to spend that money. Wilder's signings have been atrocious

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Opinion on the game,we were very ordinary in our play,except for one stand out moment,and that was Brewsters pass to McBurnie and his shot hitting the bar.

Most annoying passage of play,Berge being set free on the right and instead of going forward elects to stop and turnaround and then loses the ball,that eventually ends up at Grimsdale's feet and his hoof out drops into the path of WH player who starts the attack that ends up with Haller scoring.

 

[8lade]

Sadly, Billy isn’t the answer either. We could have Piggy Vardy playing up front but without quality service even he wouldn’t score.

You and many others say that but the lad puts chances away, it doesn't matter if he doesn't do anything else (but he always does) we need to start getting the ball in the net.

 

[8lade]

I can only conclude that one of the posters on here is Wilder and I have upset him asking for Sharp to be on the pitch, well he's sure teaching me a lesson.

 

[robbiez666]

 

[Rufus Smalls]

You and many others say that but the lad puts chances away, it doesn't matter if he doesn't do anything else (but he always does) we need to start getting the ball in the net.

I don’t disagree that Billy is an option but we just don’t create good chances that other teams do. The only one today was the one Ollie smashed against the bar that Billy might have tucked away. Other than that he would be frustrated at the lack of service. Put Billy in a side such as Leeds who play with a lot more tempo than we do and he would probably score as many as Bamford has.

 

[YorkBlade]

Had agreed to go on a WHUFC fan youtube channel before the season started, that was unpleasant. The most difficult post match review I've ever had to do, perhaps said some things I'll regret. You can make your own mind up if I was fair.

 

[robbiez666]

The stats stuff is annoying, but otherwise better.

 

[sheff_blade90]

on paper theres not much to be upset about. because on the face of it played well, we created some great chances & lost to cracking shot that in build up ricocheted off basham & fell perfectly to their main striker

but again i feel like a broken record over the last 5 months since lockdown we are own worst enemy. we mustve dropped 15 maybe 20pts at least from own wastefulness in the last 5 months just this season you look at Leeds Villa Fulham & west ham. if wilder goes next Saturday. which if he didnt would be borrowed time. it wont be his fault. it'll be the strikers fault. who last 4-5 months couldn't hit barn door with a banjo from a yd out. some of sitters we've missed are criminal. i dont want to single him out, as well as mcburnie played for the team today. you cant miss the chances he did today, because in a game we desperately need points. & bad fortune. last thing we need is for our strikers to be missing 1 on 1 sitters