That tackle by Bash

[bakeblade]

Watching behind the Blades at Fulham video, Bash goes on one of his runs and loses possession on the edge of their area. He then sprints back and makes a fantastic tackle on their no 7. Absolutely brilliant and sums up his incredible workrate and desire, definitely worth watching again (at 7 mins)

 

[Ridgeway Blade]

How or why Slav left him out of the side I don't know. His enthusiasm and team ethic would have put others to shame. Surely he could have fitted in somewhere.

 

[Drunk blade]

By far our best player in the first year in the premier league, a true blades legend

 

[Fulwood Blade]

There are many that have seen Bash play pretty average in a 4, whether that's centre back or in midfield - it's partly the reason he took a lot of stick when he first came to the club. Bash like many others of the L1 team simply fitted into a 3412 or 352 formation as though it was invented for them.

When Slav played a 4, Egan wasn't going to be displaced and most managers in Pro football don't play a right footer on the left.

He is just one of those players that fits into a 3.

It's similar in a way to watching Freeman (of old) and Bogle at wingback - it entirely suits how they play but both are pretty poor at defending especially in a 4.

Horses for courses really and if Bash was any good playing centre back or centre mid in a 4, then he wouldn't be with us.

He'll always be a legend at the Lane for me - lets just be thankful we've gone back to a 3 at the back scenario.

UTB

edit: as for the tackle - the Fulham lad pushed it too far - Bash who for me reads the game extremely well knew the tackle was on straight away and executed it to perfection.

 

[Stevo]

Watching behind the Blades at Fulham video, Bash goes on one of his runs and loses possession on the edge of their area. He then sprints back and makes a fantastic tackle on their no 7. Absolutely brilliant and sums up his incredible workrate and desire, definitely worth watching again (at 7 mins)

He will be the hardest player to replace when he retires, one of my all time favourite blades

 

[R&WStripedBlood]

Bashambauer exemplifies everything we want in a Blades shirt. I’m really happy that he looks as though he’s enjoying playing again, like the rest of the team after a miserable few months under Slav. Can anyone remember seeing a smile on the pitch under Slav?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Bashambauer exemplifies everything we want in a Blades shirt. I’m really happy that he looks as though he’s enjoying playing again, like the rest of the team after a miserable few months under Slav. Can anyone remember seeing a smile on the pitch under Slav?

The opposition players smiled plenty…

 

[pommpey]

My favourite player over the past few years.

I remember seeing him in a pre-season friendly when we signed him and he looked dreadful, but then he just gained this mercurial confidence and fearlessness. As I have said before, aside from a few rare errors, he is Mr Consistent, Mr Always Does The Right Thing and is difficult to dispossess, always has enough time to make the pass and is a safe pair of feet out there. He also knows how to defend and attack from defence.

He first came to my attention properly when I was at this match at BDTBL:



playing RM in a 3-4-3. Pops up at the back stick for his goal and the deftness of touch to get past his man is sublime to set Billy up for his volley. Difficult to imagine they are both still part of our setup in the up-down seasons of Wilder and afterwards and the shit players we had back then.

pommpey

 

[Gavlar]

Thinnest pro footballer out there!
In all seriousness though. He is always the go to example for my son. Look at Chris bash am I say. No way the best footballer in our team but his attitude and work rate is fantastic so he over achieves. Imagine other players with more talent who have wasted their talent like ravel Morrison having bashams attitude.

 

[Demon Blade]

View attachment VID-20211223-WA0002.mp4

 

[Billyblade]

I was very very pleased when we signed him.
I'm very very pleased he's still here

 

[Davalon]

Bash is my favourite current player and I'm the proud owner of a few items of Shoreham St Magnifique Bashambauer gear.

However, the self appointed experts told us from the summer that Bash wasn't good enough to play in a four at the back and was also in need of replacing shortly in a 3/5.

Still our fittest and most reliable player and a genuine Blades legend in my book.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Serigio Bashquets

 

[metalblade]

When Bash eventually hangs up his boots he will have a Bob Booker kind of status down at the lane, I can't think of anyone who dislikes him as a player.
Madness that Slav wouldn't play him.

 

[Champagneblade]

There are many that have seen Bash play
When Slav played a 4, Egan wasn't going to be displaced and most managers in Pro football don't play a right footer on the left.

I think in an ideal world you would be correct but I can't think of many pairings where we've genuinely had a proper mix.

From memory and not a definite list:
Stancliffe and Smith - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Thompson - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Hill - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Morris - both right footed.
Gayle and Morris - both right footed.
Gayle and Beesley - one right, one left footed.
Page and Morgan - both right footed.
Page and Jagielka - both right footed.
Morgan and Bromby - both right footed.
Morgan and Davis - both right footed.
Morgan and Jagielka - both right footed.
Morgan and Kilgallon - one right, one left footed.
Maguire and Collins - both right footed.
Collins and Butler - both right footed.

Then came Wilder with O'Connell signing early.

So I'd tend to agree it is better but probably driven by statistics of the population; only one in ten is left handed, then it isn't possible.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I think in an ideal world you would be correct but I can't think of many pairings where we've genuinely had a proper mix.

From memory and not a definite list:
Stancliffe and Smith - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Thompson - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Hill - both right footed.
Stancliffe and Morris - both right footed.
Gayle and Morris - both right footed.
Gayle and Beesley - one right, one left footed.
Page and Morgan - both right footed.
Page and Jagielka - both right footed.
Morgan and Bromby - both right footed.
Morgan and Davis - both right footed.
Morgan and Jagielka - both right footed.
Morgan and Kilgallon - one right, one left footed.
Maguire and Collins - both right footed.
Collins and Butler - both right footed.

Then came Wilder with O'Connell signing early.

So I'd tend to agree it is better but probably driven by statistics of the population; only one in ten is left handed, then it isn't possible.

tbf - the lower the league structure the more the tend to play with what you can get. Warnock didn't seem to mind it, Geary being an obvious right footer playing on the left and Clough put Freeman on the left.

At Championship / PL level there are no so many players available, including foreign players, that putting square pegs in round holes shouldn't really be an option.

Wilder didn't like it and for me we've seen some strange team selections to create a balance with his teams.

Take Fulham where a less than favourable Robinson played to maintain a balance. Thought he was a strange one on past performances, but with Egan playing in the middle it probably made Robinson a better player that night, where he didn't put a foot wrong even if it was a bit agricultural at times. If he keeps up that type of no nonsense defending he could well keep the shirt for a bit.

UTB

 

[Balham Blade]

Of the PL CB pairings in the current top 6 only Arsenal consistently play with the right/left combination.

City: Dias and Stones (right footed) or Laporte (left)
Liverpool: van Dijk and one of Gomez, Matip or Konaté (all right footed)
Chelsea: back three, Silva, Azpilicueta & Rüdiger (all right footed)
Arsenal: White (right) & Gabriel (left)
West Ham: Diop & Dawson (both right)
Man U: two of Maguire, Varane & Lindelöf (all right footed)

 

[Lane Ender]

Watching behind the Blades at Fulham video, Bash goes on one of his runs and loses possession on the edge of their area. He then sprints back and makes a fantastic tackle on their no 7. Absolutely brilliant and sums up his incredible workrate and desire, definitely worth watching again (at 7 mins)

Wouldnt expected anything else from Bash

 

[ben1987]

Bash is a fuckin hero.

Couple of my mates spoke to him after the Northampton game and - they shook his hand and said thank you etc and the big man got all teary and told them how much it meant to him to get us back to the championship. He’s a legend.

I still think in a 4231 formation he would have been excellent in 1 of the 2 defensive midfield slots. He’s one of the fittest in the squad and would not have ever neshed a tackle or let us get over run through midfield which was happening every week with Norwood and Fleck in there. He could have mopped up and then just looked for a simple pass to one of the 4 forwards or wing backs. Wouldn’t have had to do anything fancy and would have improved us no end. Also think Ben Osborne could have done a good job there over playing left wing

 

[Champagneblade]

Of the PL CB pairings in the current top 6 only Arsenal consistently play with the right/left combination.

City: Dias and Stones (right footed) or Laporte (left)
Liverpool: van Dijk and one of Gomez, Matip or Konaté (all right footed)
Chelsea: back three, Silva, Azpilicueta & Rüdiger (all right footed)
Arsenal: White (right) & Gabriel (left)
West Ham: Diop & Dawson (both right)
Man U: two of Maguire, Varane & Lindelöf (all right footed)

Speaking of Arsenal, I'm quite surprised we didn't ever really get linked or go for Kalasinac on loan given our lack of options there last season.

Always a balance though as you say between left/right and them actually being good enough even if left footed.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

You can teach a player skills but you can't teach Heart, and Bash has it that in abundance.........