Thank God for the international break!

[1973Blade]

I bet we've never welcomed an international break so much. Good to win today before the 14 day break, but 12 games since February 4th is taking its toll (how much would Arteta moan about our playing schedule?!) Hopefully Sharp will be OK for the Stoke game and the players will come back refreshed.

 

[SwissBlade]

Yeah a lot of them looked knackered today

 

[247Blade]

I bet we've never welcomed an international break so much. Good to win today before the 14 day break, but 12 games since February 4th is taking its toll (how much would Arteta moan about our playing schedule?!) Hopefully Sharp will be OK for the Stoke game and the players will come back refreshed.

I'd be saying that if we hadn't got players away in the competition

 

[SB_90]

we have never needed a international break as badly as we do now,. we been playing half a team for weeks now, playing 2nd/3rd sometimes 4th choice selections & lets like jack lester said get 5 players back in april

overall got to be happy to still be in contention by international break. if you'd said in 3 weeks ago with fixture congestion, injury crisis, Blackburn, Boro, forest & in form Barnsley. 5th, in playoffs 2pts off 3rd. we would snap your hand off

 

[Dimyan93]

Hope Berge takes it as easy in Norway's friendlies as he did today, could just see him coming back injured from pointless games.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Yeah a lot of them looked knackered today

Totally agree.

I mentioned at half-time I think our pre match tactics were to conserve energy and hopefully coast to a 0-0 at half-time.
We were so flat lacking energy in that first half, it reminded me of an end of season nothing match or a pre-season training match.

Barnsley slightly edged the 1st half but I said at half time we can surprise them 2nd half kicking against the Kop.
All we needed to do was "raise the tempo", show some effort and go for the win.

As expected we did show more energy 2nd half, it was a tough match
but as soon as we scored, the Barnsley heads dropped and it ended up being an easy win in the end.

 

[SwissBlade]

Totally agree.

I mentioned at half-time I think our pre match tactics were to conserve energy and hopefully coast to a 0-0 at half-time.
We were so flat lacking energy in that first half, it reminded me of an end of season nothing match or a pre-season training match.

Barnsley slightly edged the 1st half but I said at half time we can surprise them 2nd half kicking against the Kop.
All we needed to do was "raise the tempo", show some effort and go for the win.

As expected we did show more energy 2nd half, it was a tough match
but as soon as we scored, the Barnsley heads dropped and it ended up being an easy win in the end.

Yeah I think you’re right about first half. Lots of below par performances which looked due to fatigue… understandably

I actually thought Barnsley went for it a little more second half and it opened up, rather than us pushing the tempo. We certainly didn’t dominate them.

As you say, the goal and the second were crucial. Professional in many ways, but perhaps rode our luck

And we finally deserved to get a bit of luck and win a game we didn’t deserve to win

 

[UTB]

Most of the team out there were dead on there legs. Berge in particular look shattered . The win keeps us in contention hopefully a few back after the break we should keep in the mix, hopefully make the playoffs and get the usual outcome at Wembley.

 

[brownblade]

Most of the team out there were dead on there legs. Berge in particular look shattered . The win keeps us in contention hopefully a few back after the break we should keep in the mix, hopefully make the playoffs and get the usual outcome at Wembley.

I rescinded my like, because we're finally gonna win at Wembley......

 

[brownblade]

Anyone got definitive information about which players have to go on international duty? Can't see a thread or a tweet by club.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Anyone got definitive information about which players have to go on international duty? Can't see a thread or a tweet by club.

Sander & RND in the mens squads.

Jebbo and MGW in the younger ones.

Not sure about Egan.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

We looked very tired yesterday, couldn’t agree more that we look desperate for a break . Hopefully get some bodies back for the final run in , doesn’t sound too good about Billy though , lose him and we are fucked

 

[Luke1993]

Sander & RND in the mens squads.

Jebbo and MGW in the younger ones.

Not sure about Egan.

Egan and hourihane with Ireland

 

[Blade58]

I’m not a fan of Intl breaks

Thinking back and I could well be wrong, but when we come back after the break don’t we usually start like a bunch of farts that look like they’ve never played together before?

 

[Bartleby]

Excellent that we got over this line with a very creditable 7 points from the last 4 games despite all the injuries. We need this break. Come back firing on all cylinders, UTB!

 

[cahill]

I’m not a fan of Intl breaks

Thinking back and I could well be wrong, but when we come back after the break don’t we usually start like a bunch of farts that look like they’ve never played together before?

Yes that’s my recollection. We always seem to lose.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Yes that’s my recollection. We always seem to lose.

We've done OK with Hecki is it his 1st international break?.
Had a torrid time since we started again after the covid none sense.
The mental tiredness is the thing which has shown up in games recently.
Not able to give players a break with so many injuries( sharpest injury probably fueled by not getting a rest ).
Minnie season coming up it's in our hands with all these home games, continuation of the form in home games would see us in the play offs.
Come on blades !!!!

 

[Torrix1889]

Agree.

Sharp looked knackered after 5 minutes on Saturday, as did Berge.....the rest were struggling as well to varying degrees.

Just keep everything crossed none of them pick up a knock whilst they are away. Get them back healthy and with Baldock and Enda back on the grass things will look better. also hoping Goode's injury isn't too bad, not sure we will see Davies again with his personal issues...not heard anything about Bash but he can't be too far away either.

 

[cahill]

Agree.

Sharp looked knackered after 5 minutes on Saturday, as did Berge.....the rest were struggling as well to varying degrees.

Just keep everything crossed none of them pick up a knock whilst they are away. Get them back healthy and with Baldock and Enda back on the grass things will look better. also hoping Goode's injury isn't too bad, not sure we will see Davies again with his personal issues...not heard anything about Bash but he can't be too far away either.

Shame about Bogle, Brewster and Didzy three reyt laikers there

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Charlie Goode's ridiculous red card really came back to haunt us.

The players were knackered after that Blackburn game and we've been on the back-foot in terms of covering that side of defence ever since.
It's a shame because he'd have played every game and now he's injured and back at Brentford.

Promotion would be an absolute miracle with the injuries we've had.