So, what has gone wrong?

[pommpey]

Well it looks like we have found a new manager should Wilder quit or get pushed . You know football is a simple game really the players shouldn't need telling where it is going wrong maybe we are over complicating the game for them.
Put in simple terms the loss of JOC and the loss of form/confidence in Stevens and Fleck has reduced the team's effectiveness by 50% and the players brought in over the summer are not the squad fillers who could improve but are now playing week in week out when they are not up to it. Robinson, Osborn, Ampadu, Bryan, Lowe, don't come close to how the former three started last season. Add to that we are playing a want away in midfield and Norwood who has lost a yard of pace and 2 seconds in speed of thought and you really have the perfect storm. No wonder those up front are not getting good service and are reduced to chasing the ball as the opposition pass it around them.

Mate thanks ... but Wilder and Knill are the only ones who can get us out of this godawful situation. But they have to address these problems individually and then collectively. Regain players confidence and self belief and change the broken record of our system.

pommpey

 

[metalblade]

Mate thanks ... but Wilder and Knill are the only ones who can get us out of this godawful situation. But they have to address these problems individually and then collectively. Regain players confidence and self belief and change the broken record of our system.

pommpey

Got to agree the team formation should have been changed when JOC went for the op and no replacement materialised when the transfer window closed. For me we should have gone to a back four then. 3-5-2 don't work if the wing backs are not on it we have tried 3 different players at LWB and 4 at LCB which kinda tells it's own story.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

I have long subscribed to the perceived wisdom that many of our key players (Stevens, Norwood, Fleck etc) have had a dramatic loss of form. But when you really think about it - how likely is this? I’m not so sure that a simultaneous loss of form from half a dozen well established players is plausible.

Injuries (especially JOC) - well every PL side has injuries and yes our squad depth isn’t great, but we aren’t the dog and duck, scraping together 11 players on a Sunday after a piss up the night before. We should be able to field an adequate side at worst.

No fans - yes that’s been tough, but not just for us. The likes of wolves also miss their fans but seem to do just fine. BTW saw Netto run from the half way line, into the opposition box and shoot after 4 mins in their last game. Not sure we have achieved that once this season.

New players not performing. I can’t refute this. I’ve been extremely disappointed with pretty much all of them. But maybe they don’t really know what is expected of them?

Which leads me to the key point of pommpey analysis. We do seem to have been well and truly sussed in our formation and tactics. That seems to be the main problem for us right now and possibly explains the ‘lack of form’ issue.

Time for some experimentation. Given where we are there is nothing to lose.

 

[ancientblade]

Mate thanks ... but Wilder and Knill are the only ones who can get us out of this godawful situation. But they have to address these problems individually and then collectively. Regain players confidence and self belief and change the broken record of our system.

pommpey

i cant understand why chris hasnt changed the system we dont do overlapping centre backs or wing backs high up the pitch anymore and in reality were playing 5 at the back every game i know hes probably concerned that we dont get hammered every week but think most blades fans would sooner see us at least have a go were 95% down anyway

 

[lakedistblade]

We are not creating enough chances with this system nor giving ourselves enough chance of a clean sheet. You don’t score you don’t win - crazy number of 1-0 losses. This was true since neW year last year when watching us started to become very hard. We had been tactically found out and berge in his earlier matches was not a good replacement for lundstram who had been our best player at the beginning of the season.

Injuries,Bad luck, poor finishing and dwindling confidence to reduce the form of key players has been enough to tip the balance of our tactical set up into complete ineffectivness at this level. Palace are not great and we created zippo against them And were opened up too easily.

We need to be realiistic about what we have in a warnock/newcatle / Burnley way. The opportunity space that existed at the beginning of last season to play tufty ball before it was found out and our wing players lost all confidence and quality has gone. Protect ramsdale, get an effective defensive shape, do MUCH better on set pieces that is the way to get to a more respectable points total with the quality of players we have. Not great to watch but I’d rather finish on 20 points than 2 and have something to build on not this spectacular car crash. And get lundstram signed.

 

[gordoncharles]

1. Shearer’s repeated assessment that the way for us to score more goals is to bang more crosses in is far too simplistic . That approach can work when you’ve got the likes of himself and Chris Sutton waiting for them , but when it’s any combination of Brewster , Mousett , Burke , McGoldrick etc. it might lead to 1 in 50 - in other words a waste of time .

Shearer, in common with most ex-pro pundits doesn't know any more about it than any random bloke in the pub.

We get plenty of crosses in despite holding back. We're currently 8th in the league for crosses. The teams with the fewest crosses are Southampton, Man City, Man Utd and Spurs and they all seem to do alright.

Last season we were 3rd for crosses behind Liverpool and (surprisingly given this season) Man City, but we were 20th out of 20 for goal attempts. That last stat should have been a warning about the future.

Crossing for crossing's sake is futile.

 

[blades14]

Good analysis. The players seem to mark the space whilst defending and not man marking which makes it easy to penetrate our 8 man defence. Also whilst we defend, our front 2 seem to do all the pressing instead of pressing as a team. Theres always one CB who is not doing anything an occupying space which is useless and that man would be more effective upfield either in a 4 man mid or a 3man attack with 3 midfielder behind

 

[CentralQuay]

Entirely different scenarios .

They went into freefall after abandoning their approach from positions of relative success . We are already in freefall and have been for over 20 games by blindly sticking with the system which seen us break innumerable records for the worst start to the season at any level in the entire history of the game of football .

Which is exactly what i'm pointing out.
This club has had 'relative success' under Wilder, 2 promotions changing the club from one drifting away in League 1 to a side playing in the top flight.

Getting rid of Wilder, especially when there's no evidence that there's even anyone at the club making any decisions from a footballing background, is a recipe for disaster.


Relegation, after two almost back to back promotions, isn't really a shock.
Especially when you contribute factors such as the lack of financial support.

 

[Nagima]

We have had relative success with the system employed. But the history of the game will show you that novel formations and tactics work but only for a limited time as other teams gradually figure out how to counteract it. This coupled with the JOC injury and just even a 5% drop off in performance across the team is enough to have this team of championship players struggling like they are. We didn't win by much last season and we are not losing by much this season in general. What is really showing up this season is the lack of mobility and quality in our midfield. Berge for all his talent is very one sided and not mobile enough to carry the game to the opposition. The rebuild to come up again should contain a different type of player.

 

[Chilttheblade]

I think is very simple why we are where we are. It's been proven that in the long term the most successful teams are those with the highest wages. Those wages are paid to best players. So the teams with the best players will be most successful.
On occasions the rule don't apply and teams like United are more successful then they have a right to be.
As United pay the lowest wages by a long way, they have by definition the worst players by a long way.
Tactics, manager, crowd etc is just noise

 

[cahill]

Your derogatory, funny and oh so sadly accurate descriptive of our marmite number 9 tells its own story.

His absence from the side can not continue long enough for me.

UTB

McBoozy has been very disappointing

 

[cahill]

When I read threads like this it just shows me how little I know about football. Either that or I'm just not interested enough.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Which is exactly what i'm pointing out.
This club has had 'relative success' under Wilder, 2 promotions changing the club from one drifting away in League 1 to a side playing in the top flight.

Getting rid of Wilder, especially when there's no evidence that there's even anyone at the club making any decisions from a footballing background, is a recipe for disaster.


Relegation, after two almost back to back promotions, isn't really a shock.
Especially when you contribute factors such as the lack of financial support.

Firstly , can I point out that neither in my post which you quote nor in any other have I ever suggested that we should get rid of Wilder .

Secondly ,

Which is exactly what i'm pointing out.
This club has had 'relative success' under Wilder, 2 promotions changing the club from one drifting away in League 1 to a side playing in the top flight.

Getting rid of Wilder, especially when there's no evidence that there's even anyone at the club making any decisions from a footballing background, is a recipe for disaster.


Relegation, after two almost back to back promotions, isn't really a shock.
Especially when you contribute factors such as the lack of financial support.

It is not ‘exactly what you were pointing out’ by any stretch of the imagination .

The relative success under Wilder which you quote is now history , albeit recent history . Our present situation is one of abject failure , unprecedented in the entire history of the game and that most certainly was not the case with either Swansea or Stoke when they changed their approach .

 

[CentralQuay]

Firstly , can I point out that neither in my post which you quote nor in any other have I ever suggested that we should get rid of Wilder .

Secondly ,


It is not ‘exactly what you were pointing out’ by any stretch of the imagination .

The relative success under Wilder which you quote is now history , albeit recent history . Our present situation is one of abject failure , unprecedented in the entire history of the game and that most certainly was not the case with either Swansea or Stoke when they changed their approach .

They both went down.
Finishing with 2 points in 20th, or 40 points in 20th, still has the same result.

Stoke were knackered financially, by wasting so much on expensive flops like Shaqiri and Bojan.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

They both went down.
Finishing with 2 points in 20th, or 40 points in 20th, still has the same result.

Stoke were knackered financially, by wasting so much on expensive flops like Shaqiri and Bojan.

Nice try on the points issue and as for expensive flops , mmmmm ..........

 

[CentralQuay]

Nice try on the points issue and as for expensive flops , mmmmm ..........

I'm not sure of the point you're making.
Relegation is relegation, there is no such thing as a 'better' relegation than any other.

Finishing 18th, 19th or 20th, the damage is still the same.

 

[1066blade]

I'm not sure of the point you're making.
Relegation is relegation, there is no such thing as a 'better' relegation than any other.

Finishing 18th, 19th or 20th, the damage is still the same.

Can't agree with that. If, like Watford ( and to a certain degree Bournemouth) went down with a great deal of misfortune on the last day of the season. It can be argued that the players self belief and confidence intact, a quick rebound is possibly on the cards ( check out current Champ top 5) Compare this to our shit show of possibly not even getting to double points. Ergo a shell shocked confidence ridden ruck of players who can't even remember a win, let alone a winning run. Its happened to several teams over the last decade, you know the names.

 

[CentralQuay]

Can't agree with that. If, like Watford ( and to a certain degree Bournemouth) went down with a great deal of misfortune on the last day of the season. It can be argued that the players self belief and confidence intact, a quick rebound is possibly on the cards ( check out current Champ top 5) Compare this to our shit show of possibly not even getting to double points. Ergo a shell shocked confidence ridden ruck of players who can't even remember a win, let alone a winning run. Its happened to several teams over the last decade, you know the names.

For every club you've named, you can name a dozen which sacked a manager which brought success over multiple seasons, and haven't been close to a return to the PL since.

Look at the state Wolves were in after getting rid of Mick Mccarthy, they were only saved by a takeover a few years back.
Sunderland, Wigan, Charlton, Portsmouth, Hull.....Even Blackpool, who were doing great under Holloway, and completely collapsed as a club after he left.


There isn't the infrastructure at this club to be a PL one.

 

[SilkyBlade]

Let's have a look at what we've done, what we do and what we do wrong now. I've taken the time to draw some diagrams - they aren't 'official' or anything to do with the club, simply a 'My take ... ' supplementary, based on my observations. To that end, if you disagree, fine. But if you respond like a cunt, be prepared to be treat like a cunt. This subject is about Sheffield United and their failings this season, not me or my moniker at the end of each post.

Firstly, the expected, idealised Wilder line up. It's been like this for four or five seasons now, just swapping out player for player as transfers have allowed. It has to be said that if Wilder could still play and rely on the Div One winning side with some additions like JOC, he'd probably play it next match. No one transferred in since we have come up to the PL has effectively concreted their name into key positions in his 5-3-2.

View attachment 102033

So with a 'preferred' 5-3-2, 2020-21 (with JOC injured for the rest of the season but with Berge) it looks a little like this, when facing a Leicester/Everton type 3-4-3. This is making assumptions that Norwood and Fleck are playing okay and Stevens is in his preferred role of LWB, and Didsy and McPub up front.

Our idealised attacking formation and strategy is to overload the flanks and exploit numerical advantage, confusing defences and committing teams into areas of unfamiliarity. In short, making your game unpredictable and exploiting space (which my erstwhile, venerable footballing coach told me was two essential elements of successful football. If you go by first principles, he is bang on the fucking nose with both.

View attachment 102037

I've got Stevens in his advanced role here (thought it could be JOC or Robinson) supported by Fleck and advancing players for outside the box. Teams used to find this quick bomb up the wing so difficult to deal with, especially as there were loads of passing options and permutations, including hitting either McPub on the near stick, Didsy for second ball or an advancing Baldock on the far stick. Defending teams needed to be either well disciplined to not ball watch or simply prevent our players giving the ball carrier options to pass and move. This was 'either wing' so up this near side Baldock, Basham and Lundstram/Berge would be just as active and dynamic and we scored many goals and chances from these moves. Hardly nothing came from the centre of the park, when you think about it. It did ... think about it ... rely on the wide players getting their foot around the ball and sending in a decent cross, low and pacey, mid-height to nick off someone or seven to eight foot off the grass for someone to climb and nod in.

View attachment 102038

This season, it's different. Teams now deploy a far better understanding of our threat and move four players across the pitch to hem us into that affected touchline and either move the threat up or back down toward our goal, back to Ramsdale or up the other flank where we get the same treatment. From what I observe, the four 'pressers' cut off passing lanes and prevent our players advancing completely. We can't connect, we can't exploit space and our strategy becomes predictable. Because we can't advance, McPub and Didsy are pulled toward the ball to create options and overload and the threat in the box is now devoid. The ball at the feet of a striker outside the box is not a chance. Once opposing teams have us pinned into the areas shown by the dotted lines - the Dead Zone - Sheffield United are themselves dead. Once also we are there and being pressed, we lack the confidence to hang onto the ball and eventually either fuck it up into touch or lose the initiative and surrender possession. So many times we have done this this season.

View attachment 102040

So now we are reeling back. I have shown this as though we have attacked on this near flank through Baldock, Basham and Berge but for the other flank see Robinson, Stevens and Fleck. Our midfield does one thing and one thing only. It forms a three man line across the pitch. So many goals have been given away like this, including the second one on Saturday. This three man line is neither quick nor dynamic. It just 'lines up' and backpedals with space opening up to the opposing midfield. No-one goes out to challenge, tackle or move the ball carrier wide (or backwards) - or even win the fucking ball back. It's just 'full retreat', so that the advanced defenders can get behind and defend. As seen, the passing lanes are wide open (because the midfield is overwhelmed) and the initiative is firmly theirs to fuck up. Watch how Man City deal with this change over in possession and how we do it. Manchester United's third goal was almost entirely this movement. We lost it on the far flank traying to attack, ten seconds later is was under Ramsdale's body. The midfield - outnumbered and out flanked - were completely useless.

View attachment 102041

Whilst defending, we are static and don't challenge the opposition. We either have to rely on Didsy coming deep to do the spadework and either gain possession or retain possession and we simply don't move about enough or anticipate better to cut out passing lanes and opportunities. Although Basham put in what some consider a crap header for the Everton goal (DCL was right behind hi and he was at full stretch to stop it going over him and landing at DCLs feet) we failed to jockey key players and simply make it difficult for the likes of Siggurdsson to one two and get into a scoring opportunity. Yes, Norwood. Once again I am looking at you. He was in this position for their goal. received a return pass and Norwood simply ran alongside him. He's good at that is Norwood. Very good.

Eventually our midfield plays so deep, we morph into an 8-2 system

View attachment 102044

where we are sat so retracted the midfield practically merges with the back five and the opposition midfield has free rein to pass across and back our central and final third with impunity. This becomes the 'it's only a matter of time before they score' system, because they've got so many opportunities to pass and cross (Southampton is a good example) and so much space in front of goal to one-two and be faced with Ramsdale. And, our front two might as well just fuck off for a bath. Didsy becomes our only outlet if we manage to regain possession and then only with a mighty hoof out to the flanks, and usually when we've endured this fucking nightmare for any length of time, the midfield is so shit scared to take the ball out that our back three or goalkeeper just boots it onto McPub's swede. And because he has no players round him for the second ball, it goes to their players and they are back up the pitch again and pinning us into the 8-2 around our box.

That is where I feel we are going wrong. Our play is too predictable, our midfield is weak and outnumbered and in defence we are too submissive.

Does this chime with anyone? Anyone agree, or see anything different? Anyone have any ideas how to change this? What would you do?

pommpey

Excellent post....a few observations for what it’s worth:
1. LHS contributed 17 goals (nearly half) last season. No overloads on LHS this season due to poor recruitment not replacing/deputising JOC so only attacking outlet is RHS. Easier to defend.
2. Just watching all goals from last season it is so evident how the early cross from both flanks created the lion share of goals prior to the defensive line being properly set. This has completely stopped this season. Baldock so often in good space turns back why? When ball eventually arrives in box is so laboured and easy to defend. A real lack of courage on ball from all players.
3. The stark contrast to this/last season is the movement both on/off the ball. Last season effectively had continual ‘rolling triangles’ down both flanks with player taking ball on the move and moving forward as soon as passed creating effective overload. This season player static when receiving and passing. I guess this is a symptom of being torn a new one every time opposition counters due to immobility of our midfield and lack of trust between players...Stevens 100% has no trust in Robinson! We are apparently running more than last season but clearly not running smarter.
4. Set pieces. I know confidence is low and truth be told these weren’t great last season but one area of the game you can control is the set piece. Considering how many corners we have it is remarkable simply within the law of averages that we never score from them. What are CWAK doing on training ground?
5. Finally the system. The 3-5-2 system has limitations and totally agree CWAK need to do a better job in coaching multi-systems but if executed perfectly (pretty much last season) 3-5-2 is a fantastic system because whether defenders drawn out wide as you explain or not space is created either for the cross or in the box either behind or in front of defensive line. Ie you have 2 attacking lanes from each flank 4 in total. It really is not easy to set a defensive trap if executed well. Again looking at last seasons goals (according to XG we should have scored many more) the strikers were positioned very close to one another in box causing chaos. Not this season couldn’t be further apart. So I really like the 3-5-2 but we don’t have right players to play it effectively at present due to dire recruitment and no properly coached/drilled alternative. One man doesn’t make a team but wow JOC’s loss has been devastating as the confidence he breathes into the side both defensively and offensively is incalculable. We’d still be in a fight but certainly not the shambles we find ourselves in at present.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Can't agree with that. If, like Watford ( and to a certain degree Bournemouth) went down with a great deal of misfortune on the last day of the season. It can be argued that the players self belief and confidence intact, a quick rebound is possibly on the cards ( check out current Champ top 5) Compare this to our shit show of possibly not even getting to double points. Ergo a shell shocked confidence ridden ruck of players who can't even remember a win, let alone a winning run. Its happened to several teams over the last decade, you know the names.

Exactly so , but don’t be surprised that his response once again changes the terms of reference of the discussion which I promoted . This was never about getting rid of Chris Wilder , but rather a hope that he could see beyond a system which has demonstrably been a catastrophic failure this season and develop others which at least give us a chance of winning a game of football .

I’m done on this now .

 

[MalvernBlade]

Having a clear structure and identity is important for success, that's why i'm very reluctant to accept the voices of others who want to completely disregard Wilder's 352/532.

Swansea, under multiple managers, had an identity and way of playing, when they went away from it, they went from a stable PL club, to relegation.
Stoke, went from a side which focused heavily on organisation, when they drifted away from it and began signing more flair players, like Bojan/Shaqiri, they went from a stable PL club, to relegation.


You get rid of Wilder, the structure he has put in place at the club, and I fear freefall. A return to the state of affairs and disorganisation that led to the club being in League 1 for 6 of the last 9 seasons.

Along with at least one new manager a season trying to change the squad 2/3 players at a time resulting in a mishmash of players no one else wants

 

[djbaldken]

Have to agree with most of Pommpey s post.
Last season we also had a very settled line of defence. It rarely changed. They all knew their jobs and did them well. Hence lots of clean sheets. We have now lost half of it. JOC out for the season and Hendo back at his parent club. Ramsdale is not a bad keeper but he s not as good as Hendo. Couple this with Not finding an adequate replacement for JOC makes it so much harder for them not to be an effective defence.
Add to the mix our once hard working tenacious midfield is now nowhere near as effective. Fleck is half the player he was last season. He seems to have lost his mojo. Norwood,ffs, where's he gone? ,no vision, can't find a man can't tackle without fouling, he s a liability. And Lundsrum wants away. No wonder our wing backs are struggling to find form when the three inside them are failing.
And when we do get into the final third,far too much fannying about instead of getting an early ball in.
How do we solve all this................I 've no idea. Let's hope Chris Wilder and Alan Knil do.

 

[Russ]

Have to agree with most of Pommpey s post.
Last season we also had a very settled line of defence. It rarely changed. They all knew their jobs and did them well. Hence lots of clean sheets. We have now lost half of it. JOC out for the season and Hendo back at his parent club. Ramsdale is not a bad keeper but he s not as good as Hendo. Couple this with Not finding an adequate replacement for JOC makes it so much harder for them not to be an effective defence.
Add to the mix our once hard working tenacious midfield is now nowhere near as effective. Fleck is half the player he was last season. He seems to have lost his mojo. Norwood,ffs, where's he gone? ,no vision, can't find a man can't tackle without fouling, he s a liability. And Lundsrum wants away. No wonder our wing backs are struggling to find form when the three inside them are failing.
And when we do get into the final third,far too much fannying about instead of getting an early ball in.
How do we solve all this................I 've no idea. Let's hope Chris Wilder and Alan Knil do.

Maybe stuff the midfield and go direct with a 4-2-4 ala D Bassett.

 

[Delboyscap]

Excellent post....a few observations for what it’s worth:
1. LHS contributed 17 goals (nearly half) last season. No overloads on LHS this season due to poor recruitment not replacing/deputising JOC so only attacking outlet is RHS. Easier to defend.
2. Just watching all goals from last season it is so evident how the early cross from both flanks created the lion share of goals prior to the defensive line being properly set. This has completely stopped this season. Baldock so often in good space turns back why? When ball eventually arrives in box is so laboured and easy to defend. A real lack of courage on ball from all players.
3. The stark contrast to this/last season is the movement both on/off the ball. Last season effectively had continual ‘rolling triangles’ down both flanks with player taking ball on the move and moving forward as soon as passed creating effective overload. This season player static when receiving and passing. I guess this is a symptom of being torn a new one every time opposition counters due to immobility of our midfield and lack of trust between players...Stevens 100% has no trust in Robinson! We are apparently running more than last season but clearly not running smarter.
4. Set pieces. I know confidence is low and truth be told these weren’t great last season but one area of the game you can control is the set piece. Considering how many corners we have it is remarkable simply within the law of averages that we never score from them. What are CWAK doing on training ground?
5. Finally the system. The 3-5-2 system has limitations and totally agree CWAK need to do a better job in coaching multi-systems but if executed perfectly (pretty much last season) 3-5-2 is a fantastic system because whether defenders drawn out wide as you explain or not space is created either for the cross or in the box either behind or in front of defensive line. Ie you have 2 attacking lanes from each flank 4 in total. It really is not easy to set a defensive trap if executed well. Again looking at last seasons goals (according to XG we should have scored many more) the strikers were positioned very close to one another in box causing chaos. Not this season couldn’t be further apart. So I really like the 3-5-2 but we don’t have right players to play it effectively at present due to dire recruitment and no properly coached/drilled alternative. One man doesn’t make a team but wow JOC’s loss has been devastating as the confidence he breathes into the side both defensively and offensively is incalculable. We’d still be in a fight but certainly not the shambles we find ourselves in at present.

This analysis is pretty much what the consensus on this board have said on numerous threads, but interesting nonetheless. It breaks down the importance of JOC and also the lack of goals even prior to JOC's injury but which given the importance of JOC was masking to some degree.

I would add another addition to the list that has not been covered too much I don't think.

6. Cultural shift. I feel there has been a cultural shift within the squad over the last 12 months or so; whether that is a change brought about by disharmony in the dressing room, lack of belief in CWAK or the system, loss of confidence, loss of fans, or simply a failure to integrate new players in to the squad or failure to change the culture, something feels off. Previous success was all built upon the culture of inclusion, fighting against the odds, will to win, hunger, determination, passion for the club and shirt, and belief in each other and the whole. Someone mentioned Sean Dyche in the thread and he has spoken at length about the importance of the culture and everyone adhering to the principles, and it also helps new players to integrate knowing what is expected of them. As much as love Wilder, I also have to be honest and wonder how much any cultural shift has been brought about by him (perhaps unwittingly). I mentioned on another thread (as many others have also) that you do have to wonder how much impact Wilder's own change over the last 12 months has affected the squad both in confidence, but also expectations. When Wilder was 'going toe to toe' with rivals there was an energy and attitude that said 'we belong', and with that came demands of the players where no excuses are allowed. The new Wilder is giving far too many 'outs' for the players and allowing them to stroll through games in second gear I feel. Again Wilder may have a point in that the wage structure is limiting the possibilities, but his attitude you have to say is compounding all the real obstacles. Just a thought....

 

[pommpey]

This analysis is pretty much what the consensus on this board have said on numerous threads, but interesting nonetheless. It breaks down the importance of JOC and also the lack of goals even prior to JOC's injury but which given the importance of JOC was masking to some degree.

I would add another addition to the list that has not been covered too much I don't think.

6. Cultural shift. I feel there has been a cultural shift within the squad over the last 12 months or so; whether that is a change brought about by disharmony in the dressing room, lack of belief in CWAK or the system, loss of confidence, loss of fans, or simply a failure to integrate new players in to the squad or failure to change the culture, something feels off. Previous success was all built upon the culture of inclusion, fighting against the odds, will to win, hunger, determination, passion for the club and shirt, and belief in each other and the whole. Someone mentioned Sean Dyche in the thread and he has spoken at length about the importance of the culture and everyone adhering to the principles, and it also helps new players to integrate knowing what is expected of them. As much as love Wilder, I also have to be honest and wonder how much any cultural shift has been brought about by him (perhaps unwittingly). I mentioned on another thread (as many others have also) that you do have to wonder how much impact Wilder's own change over the last 12 months has affected the squad both in confidence, but also expectations. When Wilder was 'going toe to toe' with rivals there was an energy and attitude that said 'we belong', and with that came demands of the players where no excuses are allowed. The new Wilder is giving far too many 'outs' for the players and allowing them to stroll through games in second gear I feel. Again Wilder may have a point in that the wage structure is limiting the possibilities, but his attitude you have to say is compounding all the real obstacles. Just a thought....

Good point.

Expanding that, is there a feeling now of 'we've done it - we've arrived' and a sense of entitlement not amongst us, but amongst the players, especially those brought in to supposedly upgrade our system?

Let's take Basham, who has seen the baddest of bad times in Red and White yet when the team started to build and the sunny uplands of promotion came to fruition, grew and developed with the squad. K Freeman too and also people like Duffy and Sharp really, despite some performances which weren't good, rarely left anything out there. Now look at Mousset and Berge who don't give us that atypical 'nowt's gunna beat us!' mentality we have been used to since Wilder and it's evident we do have that 'change of culture', possibly deeper than we knew or have perceived.

pommpey

 

[blade67]

Let's have a look at what we've done, what we do and what we do wrong now. I've taken the time to draw some diagrams - they aren't 'official' or anything to do with the club, simply a 'My take ... ' supplementary, based on my observations. To that end, if you disagree, fine. But if you respond like a cunt, be prepared to be treat like a cunt. This subject is about Sheffield United and their failings this season, not me or my moniker at the end of each post.

Firstly, the expected, idealised Wilder line up. It's been like this for four or five seasons now, just swapping out player for player as transfers have allowed. It has to be said that if Wilder could still play and rely on the Div One winning side with some additions like JOC, he'd probably play it next match. No one transferred in since we have come up to the PL has effectively concreted their name into key positions in his 5-3-2.

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So with a 'preferred' 5-3-2, 2020-21 (with JOC injured for the rest of the season but with Berge) it looks a little like this, when facing a Leicester/Everton type 3-4-3. This is making assumptions that Norwood and Fleck are playing okay and Stevens is in his preferred role of LWB, and Didsy and McPub up front.

Our idealised attacking formation and strategy is to overload the flanks and exploit numerical advantage, confusing defences and committing teams into areas of unfamiliarity. In short, making your game unpredictable and exploiting space (which my erstwhile, venerable footballing coach told me was two essential elements of successful football. If you go by first principles, he is bang on the fucking nose with both.

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I've got Stevens in his advanced role here (thought it could be JOC or Robinson) supported by Fleck and advancing players for outside the box. Teams used to find this quick bomb up the wing so difficult to deal with, especially as there were loads of passing options and permutations, including hitting either McPub on the near stick, Didsy for second ball or an advancing Baldock on the far stick. Defending teams needed to be either well disciplined to not ball watch or simply prevent our players giving the ball carrier options to pass and move. This was 'either wing' so up this near side Baldock, Basham and Lundstram/Berge would be just as active and dynamic and we scored many goals and chances from these moves. Hardly nothing came from the centre of the park, when you think about it. It did ... think about it ... rely on the wide players getting their foot around the ball and sending in a decent cross, low and pacey, mid-height to nick off someone or seven to eight foot off the grass for someone to climb and nod in.

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This season, it's different. Teams now deploy a far better understanding of our threat and move four players across the pitch to hem us into that affected touchline and either move the threat up or back down toward our goal, back to Ramsdale or up the other flank where we get the same treatment. From what I observe, the four 'pressers' cut off passing lanes and prevent our players advancing completely. We can't connect, we can't exploit space and our strategy becomes predictable. Because we can't advance, McPub and Didsy are pulled toward the ball to create options and overload and the threat in the box is now devoid. The ball at the feet of a striker outside the box is not a chance. Once opposing teams have us pinned into the areas shown by the dotted lines - the Dead Zone - Sheffield United are themselves dead. Once also we are there and being pressed, we lack the confidence to hang onto the ball and eventually either fuck it up into touch or lose the initiative and surrender possession. So many times we have done this this season.

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So now we are reeling back. I have shown this as though we have attacked on this near flank through Baldock, Basham and Berge but for the other flank see Robinson, Stevens and Fleck. Our midfield does one thing and one thing only. It forms a three man line across the pitch. So many goals have been given away like this, including the second one on Saturday. This three man line is neither quick nor dynamic. It just 'lines up' and backpedals with space opening up to the opposing midfield. No-one goes out to challenge, tackle or move the ball carrier wide (or backwards) - or even win the fucking ball back. It's just 'full retreat', so that the advanced defenders can get behind and defend. As seen, the passing lanes are wide open (because the midfield is overwhelmed) and the initiative is firmly theirs to fuck up. Watch how Man City deal with this change over in possession and how we do it. Manchester United's third goal was almost entirely this movement. We lost it on the far flank traying to attack, ten seconds later is was under Ramsdale's body. The midfield - outnumbered and out flanked - were completely useless.

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Whilst defending, we are static and don't challenge the opposition. We either have to rely on Didsy coming deep to do the spadework and either gain possession or retain possession and we simply don't move about enough or anticipate better to cut out passing lanes and opportunities. Although Basham put in what some consider a crap header for the Everton goal (DCL was right behind hi and he was at full stretch to stop it going over him and landing at DCLs feet) we failed to jockey key players and simply make it difficult for the likes of Siggurdsson to one two and get into a scoring opportunity. Yes, Norwood. Once again I am looking at you. He was in this position for their goal. received a return pass and Norwood simply ran alongside him. He's good at that is Norwood. Very good.

Eventually our midfield plays so deep, we morph into an 8-2 system

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where we are sat so retracted the midfield practically merges with the back five and the opposition midfield has free rein to pass across and back our central and final third with impunity. This becomes the 'it's only a matter of time before they score' system, because they've got so many opportunities to pass and cross (Southampton is a good example) and so much space in front of goal to one-two and be faced with Ramsdale. And, our front two might as well just fuck off for a bath. Didsy becomes our only outlet if we manage to regain possession and then only with a mighty hoof out to the flanks, and usually when we've endured this fucking nightmare for any length of time, the midfield is so shit scared to take the ball out that our back three or goalkeeper just boots it onto McPub's swede. And because he has no players round him for the second ball, it goes to their players and they are back up the pitch again and pinning us into the 8-2 around our box.

That is where I feel we are going wrong. Our play is too predictable, our midfield is weak and outnumbered and in defence we are too submissive.

Does this chime with anyone? Anyone agree, or see anything different? Anyone have any ideas how to change this? What would you do?

pommpey

A really good post. On the face of it, the logic makes sense but I'd argue that a loss of key players and a drop in form of others makes it easy for others to easily contain our system. My view during the good times was that the supposed "tactical innovation" was easy to work out but hard to stop due to our intensity. It's the lack of intensity that is really costing us IMO