Slow starters

[mattbianco1]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

Yesterday reminded me a bit of the Swansea game from our promotion season. Despite going ahead we were really really disappointing, looked woeful in midfield, Clarke & McGoldrick looked poor up front, the defence looked disorganised. Some similar reactions midgame too:

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

Match thread for all your discussion regarding the opening fixture of the 2018/2019 season. Referee appointment: JEREMY SIMPSON Assistants: Shaun Hudson and Nick Hopton Fourth Official: Andrew Madley

www.s24su.com

 

[BettingBlade]

Yesterday reminded me a bit of the Swansea game from our promotion season. Despite going ahead were really really disappointing, looked woeful in midfield, Clarke & McGoldrick looked poor up front, the defence looked disorganised. Some similar reactions midgame too:

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

Match thread for all your discussion regarding the opening fixture of the 2018/2019 season. Referee appointment: JEREMY SIMPSON Assistants: Shaun Hudson and Nick Hopton Fourth Official: Andrew Madley

www.s24su.com

There’s been a couple of early season games under CW that were so similar to last night.

The Middlesbrough 3-0. Disastrous opening 20 mins before the game settled down and we started to play and actually looked semi-decent.

The Southend 3-0 in league 1 when we a complete mess again for the first 20-30 mins before we sorted ourselves out and began playing.

In both of those games there were glimpses of quality but there were clearly areas we were lacking.

And the most interesting and most important note to be made from the above two examples....after both games CW made a season changing transfer. Simon Moore in league one and Oli Norwood in the Championship.

Watch this space on a striker....

 

[Harry's Game]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

I would take four points from the next two games in a heartbeat.

 

[Latters]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

My statement wasn’t particularly based on facts and stats, more of a feeling I had that our performances for the first few games of a season, or even after a break, usually aren’t up to the standard of those once we’ve had chance to get going. We’re like a torquey lorry. Not great at setting off, but get us up to speed and we can take some stopping!

Hopefully Wilder gives them a bit of a kick for the start last night, makes any necessary changes and we can soon turn things around. We definitely need more creativity, flair and cutting edge up top though. Fingers crossed the new signing(s) can sort that out and we kick on.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

There’s been a couple of early season games under CW that were so similar to last night.

The Middlesbrough 3-0. Disastrous opening 20 mins before the game settled down and we started to play and actually looked semi-decent.

The Southend 3-0 in league 1 when we a complete mess again for the first 20-30 mins before we sorted ourselves out and began playing.

In both of those games there were glimpses of quality but there were clearly areas we were lacking.

And the most interesting and most important note to be made from the above two examples....after both games CW made a season changing transfer. Simon Moore in league one and Oli Norwood in the Championship.

Watch this space on a striker....

Yes now you mention it the Boro game did have a similar over-before-it-really-started feel to it. It is why I don’t tend to overreact to individual bumps along the road – it’s a familiar pattern, and I’m confident that just like similar instances where this has happened under Wilder, we will recover.

 

[SuperSonicBlade89]

Yesterday reminded me a bit of the Swansea game from our promotion season. Despite going ahead we were really really disappointing, looked woeful in midfield, Clarke & McGoldrick looked poor up front, the defence looked disorganised. Some similar reactions midgame too:

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

Match thread for all your discussion regarding the opening fixture of the 2018/2019 season. Referee appointment: JEREMY SIMPSON Assistants: Shaun Hudson and Nick Hopton Fourth Official: Andrew Madley

www.s24su.com

I remember the Swansea game. Yes we were poor then. But if I remember Swansea were poorer and that's one of those games where we really should have won or at very least draw. We seemed to have had clear chances and possession. There was a lot of head scratching from Blades fans at the end of that match too.

 

[BettingBlade]

Yes now you mention it the Boro game did have a similar over-before-it-really-started feel to it. It is why I don’t tend to overreact to individual bumps along the road – it’s a familiar pattern, and I’m confident that just like similar instances where this has happened under Wilder, we will recover.

I think we’ve all probably underestimated how difficult that was for an opening game too. Wolves will absolutely be pushing top 6 this season.

Unlike other managers, Wilder has never not put something right where we need improvement. After all the managers we’ve seen persist with the same strategies and ideas even though they aren’t working, I’m surprised people don’t have more trust in the gaffer, Alan Knill and the rest of the coaching staff.

 

[8lade]

I agree we are always slow to get going but I don't understand it (and clearly neither does our management). I'm going to take a wild guess and say it has to be something to do with the system and getting the players functioning quickly under real opposition but how would you counter that?

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

The last time we lost the first match of the season we finished 2nd.

The time before that we finished 1st.

 

[Rochdaleblade]

We never do well after an international break

 

[Ecco1889]

Yesterday reminded me a bit of the Swansea game from our promotion season. Despite going ahead we were really really disappointing, looked woeful in midfield, Clarke & McGoldrick looked poor up front, the defence looked disorganised. Some similar reactions midgame too:

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

Match thread for all your discussion regarding the opening fixture of the 2018/2019 season. Referee appointment: JEREMY SIMPSON Assistants: Shaun Hudson and Nick Hopton Fourth Official: Andrew Madley

www.s24su.com

8 players yesterday featured in that match

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

My worry is our starting team hasn’t been strengthened at all this pre-season. Ramsdale replacing Henderson isn’t the same quality, albeit I think he’ll turn out to be a good signing.
Most other premiership teams have strengthened, some more than others. We’re continuously persisting to get the maximum out of good to average championship player.

We really need to spend money on quality now as you can’t stop investing in this league. None of our new signings other than the keeper could get in the 11 yesterday yet it’s our best window?

 

[BettingBlade]

My worry is our starting team hasn’t been strengthened at all this pre-season. Ramsdale replacing Henderson isn’t the same quality, albeit I think he’ll turn out to be a good signing.
Most other premiership teams have strengthened, some more than others. We’re continuously persisting to get the maximum out of good to average championship player.

We really need to spend money on quality now as you can’t stop investing in this league. None of our new signings other than the keeper could get in the 11 yesterday yet it’s our best window?

The problem is, buying a player that will improve our starting 11 will cost a lot of money at this level. Take Sander Berge as a prime example.

Our issue is that we are still building a Premier League squad as well as trying to build a quality starting 11. It’s difficult to do both at the same time. I’d say the squad as a whole is much stronger than last season, but we are still lacking in terms of ready made quality or players that can single handedly change a game but they don’t come cheap.

The Prince has already said that the plan was to survive and consolidate for the first few seasons. I honestly think we may be in this situation for another couple of seasons if we stay up, but as long as we do we’ll continue to improve and we’ll be much stronger for it.

I’ve got a feeling that CW likes to get squad players in early doors and then we see the quality players come in at the end or in January. I refer to Berge again for this and Norwood in the Championship season.

It’s not the first time we’ve started a season off with a defeat/defeats and then Wilder has been out and got a player to improve the first 11 before the end of the window.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

The problem is, buying a player that will improve our starting 11 will cost a lot of money at this level. Take Sander Berge as a prime example.

Our issue is that we are still building a Premier League squad as well as trying to build a quality starting 11. It’s difficult to do both at the same time. I’d say the squad as a whole is much stronger than last season, but we are still lacking in terms of ready made quality or players that can single handedly change a game but they don’t come cheap.

The Prince has already said that the plan was to survive and consolidate for the first few seasons. I honestly think we may be in this situation for another couple of seasons if we stay up, but as long as we do we’ll continue to improve and we’ll be much stronger for it.

I’ve got a feeling that CW likes to get squad players in early doors and then we see the quality players come in at the end or in January. I refer to Berge again for this and Norwood in the Championship season.

It’s not the first time we’ve started a season off with a defeat/defeats and then Wilder has been out and got a player to improve the first 11 before the end of the window.

I have no doubt he’ll react, his championship/ league one signings were astute. However we’ve required a 30 game 15 goal a season striker for 18 months now and I still don’t think we’ve identified one, even taking Europe into consideration.

Signing ‘Ritchie’ last January was a complete waste of time, Moose has so much potential but he’s never been close to fully fit even in his Bournemouth days, Robinson didn’t cut it, In my opinion McBurnie will come good with a better strike partner.

Sharp and McGoldrick (who was quality last season) won’t be here much longer as they’re both in the declining part of their careers.

Yes bigger budgets but both Leeds and Villa have made it their priority to identify and sign quality strikers this season as they both know this makes the difference in this league.

I worry if we don’t get Brewster we have no plan B.

 

[BushBlade]

I’ve watched all the games bar West Ham and only Wolves and Everton have little to complain about. Southampton looked off it and not the side that beat us a month ago, Chelsea were fortunate against Brighton, who were mixed but not all that, I could go on but the point is the disrupted and shortened close season has messed everyone up. Hopefully we’ll sort it out. If not, there’s fuck all I can do about it.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

We do start slowly - my opinion is we don't play enough friendly games. Teams in the friendlies are swapped around to give players game time - that's fair enough, but have more games and even though we would tip off the opponents in the first few league games - the last 2 friendlies should be the managers favoured starting 11 so that the players get used to one another or it's a reintroduction from the back end of the previous season.

This season, the last two friendlies (Derby and Preston) were virtually a half reserve side. OK, so COVID-19 has fucked things up and the international week stripped us of numerous starting 11 players, it certainly didn't help us when we played Wolves. We looked not ready, rusty as some have commented, our defence looked as though they didn't know each other.

Can't really see any reason why we can't play twice as many friendlies and for the last two play them like a competitive league game.

There's a reason some say "The first league game is the last friendly" - it really doesn't have to be like that.

UTB

 

[Vikkster]

There’s been a couple of early season games under CW that were so similar to last night.

The Middlesbrough 3-0. Disastrous opening 20 mins before the game settled down and we started to play and actually looked semi-decent.

The Southend 3-0 in league 1 when we a complete mess again for the first 20-30 mins before we sorted ourselves out and began playing.

In both of those games there were glimpses of quality but there were clearly areas we were lacking.

And the most interesting and most important note to be made from the above two examples....after both games CW made a season changing transfer. Simon Moore in league one and Oli Norwood in the Championship.

Watch this space on a striker....

Like your thinking

 

[Bladesman]

Stretch and Latters mentioned something in the Brewster thread about us being slow starters to league campaigns. Looking at it, yes, maybe. It depends how far you look as a "start".

If you base it on first 3 games, here are the points tallies (under CWAK):

2016/17
1 pt

2017/18
3 pts

2018/19
3 pts

2019/20
4 pts

(Next 2 games are Villa (a) and Leeds (h)) Hopefully we can equal last seasons 4 pts at least.

But if you base it on 6 games, when you're a bit more settled...

2016/17
4 pts

2017/18
12 pts

2018/19
12 pts

2019/20
8 pts

(3 games to complete the 6 are - Arsenal (a), Fulham (h) and Liverpool (a))

Will be extremely difficult to match last seasons 8 points after 6 games looking at the fixtures. 6pts from the next two and all will be forgotten

Slow restart after lockdown as well.

Annoying as we seem to pretty much give up the best part of 12 points before we click in to gear.

 

[Ted Danson]

8 players yesterday featured in that match
View attachment 91758

9 isnt it?

 

[mattbianco1]

9 isnt it?

I guess he's not counting McBurnie as he was on the oppo

 

[Houston_Blade]

4 points from the first 3 games and I’ll be happy, if keep up win, lose, draw all season we’ll be ok.

We’ve got title challengers Leeds to come though so can probably write that one off.