That team tonight

[Maurice Maurice]

Not just tonight but let's break that starting eleven down.

 Grbic. Too early to form an opinion. Looked nervous early on after he signed, looks shell shocked now and who can blame him. Comes into the Premier League and has to play behind the worst defence to ever play at this level. Would Wes be better? He wouldn't be worse.
 Bogle. One of the worst right backs we've ever had. He's slow, he can't read the game, he's soft and he doesn't try to tackle. Runs up and down on occasion but offers nothing. A liability.
Anel. thought he'd make the transition but hasn't, look at Premier League centre halves, they're big and they use that bulk. Anel's like a skinny kid getting bullied by the fast lads. So slow of mind and foot, I thought he'd be one for the future, probably wrong after this season.
Robbo. Very limited player, gives 100%, likes a tackle but strangely enough, not a leader. He sulks (see the Souza incident), doesn't get the players around him at it and looks a bit of a one man wrecking ball.
Trusty. Oh dear, I really wanted to like him. Thought he'd be decent after reading the Brum fans reviews but he's been abysmal. Centre half he's not smart or big enough, left back he's a disaster. I think we bought a lemon here.
McAtee. Not ours, plays for himself when he's in the mood and not what we need when we're struggling.
Norwood. He's done.
Souza. Sorry this doesn't fit the narrative but this lad's been the only bright spot. He cares, he tries and is one of the few with the right attitude. Looks a bit raw but single handedly trying to carry that midfield he doesn't stand a chance.
Davies. A poor Everton let him go for a reason, he's not Premier League standard. He'll run about a but without really doing much. Can't tackle, can't do much really.
Hamer. Think we were all happy to see this lad sign......he's been atrocious. Has bundles of skill but does fuck all. Runs as slow as me, doesn't show for the ball and disappears.
McBurnie. Constantly injured, coming back from an injury, carrying an injury, about to get injured again. Likes a feight but even he's got fuck all to feight about any more.

Bottom line with that lot, compared to limited teams we've had before is attitude. No real leaders in that team, no fight, no heart and losing by 5 or 6 goals doesn't hurt them enough. Wilder said in his interview that 'there's some fragile players in that dressing room' well boo fucking hoo. Winners don't get fragile, they get motivated and they don't hide, this lot hides. Winners use adversity to get stronger, this lot get weaker and on and on it goes.

This season has been a shambles, we don't have many games left and I dread to think what'll happen with this fucking mob of losers. I'd hope one or two have an ounce of pride but I don't think they do. Wouldn't be surprised to see an 8 or 9 nowt before the season's over, how bad's that?

 

[SouthStandGBlock]

Almost 100% agree with you, other than to say that Davies hasn't had a run in the team yet, so hard to be so damning.

Comments on Bogle are spot on. He's woeful and he's not progressing.

 

[HD8 Blades]

Spot on. It’s the lack of fight that’s killing me. The lack of ability I can accept

 

[CarlMcBlade]

There’s gotta be something else going on here. How can eleven able bodied professional athletes, who train every day contrive to be so fucking hopeless week after week. Devoid of all confidence or anything vaguely resembling a system or a coherent plan, we are an absolute joke of a team and sadly this proud club is going to be tarnished by this for many years to come. Never in all my 50 years going to the lane have I been so ashamed to be a Blade. If I’m feeling like this, how can we ever possibly attract a new, younger breed of fans to a club, that is now world famous for being totally shit…

 

[Jan Age]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

 

[AnstonBlade1]

Spot on. It’s the lack of fight that’s killing me. The lack of ability I can accept

Literally nothing there is there,

 

[AnstonBlade1]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

Agree 100% Slav was trying to change it but wasn’t allowed to bring the players in to do so, instead we have to go back to the same shit

 

[ATL Recs]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

Excellent 100% this

 

[RecordBreakers]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

100% spot on

 

[TommoM]

Spot on. It’s the lack of fight that’s killing me. The lack of ability I can accept

This is what I’ve been saying all season, what united teams lack in quality they always make up in fight and effort. It’s non existent this season and shows there no leadership in the squad

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Is this all a bad joke…and we (blades) don’t really get it?

 

[CarlMcBlade]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

Yes, yes and thrice yes. I think the Slav appointment happened two seasons too early. What he was trying to achieve in the rough and tumble setting of the Championship would have probably been a bit more relevant in a Premier league setting…Unfortunately we’ll never know.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Souza. Sorry this doesn't fit the narrative but this lad's been the only bright spot. He cares, he tries and is one of the few with the right attitude. Looks a bit raw but single handedly trying to carry that midfield he doesn't stand a chance.

the only bright spot set the standard for last night with some utterly abysmal defending for the first, and then turned around and started pointing at others.

 

[XADE]

Hamer reminds me of when you see celebrity charity games, like Boris Johnson just barrelling at proper pro players. He's unbelievably slow, and when he gets there he's too immobile to change direction.

 

[Brian Deane]

Players downed tools along time ago. Owner doesn't give a shit anymore so why should the players ?

Makes you wonder what has actually been said or gone off behind the scenes ?

 

[Revolution]

Hamer reminds me of when you see celebrity charity games, like Boris Johnson just barrelling at proper pro players. He's unbelievably slow, and when he gets there he's too immobile to change direction.

Hamer's interview on the club pod a few weeks ago was quite telling. No, the PL wasn't a big adjustment. Yes, he thinks he's done well.

He seemed to have no interest in improving.

 

[Champagneblade]

Not just tonight but let's break that starting eleven down.

 Grbic. Too early to form an opinion. Looked nervous early on after he signed, looks shell shocked now and who can blame him. Comes into the Premier League and has to play behind the worst defence to ever play at this level. Would Wes be better? He wouldn't be worse.
 Bogle. One of the worst right backs we've ever had. He's slow, he can't read the game, he's soft and he doesn't try to tackle. Runs up and down on occasion but offers nothing. A liability.
Anel. thought he'd make the transition but hasn't, look at Premier League centre halves, they're big and they use that bulk. Anel's like a skinny kid getting bullied by the fast lads. So slow of mind and foot, I thought he'd be one for the future, probably wrong after this season.
Robbo. Very limited player, gives 100%, likes a tackle but strangely enough, not a leader. He sulks (see the Souza incident), doesn't get the players around him at it and looks a bit of a one man wrecking ball.
Trusty. Oh dear, I really wanted to like him. Thought he'd be decent after reading the Brum fans reviews but he's been abysmal. Centre half he's not smart or big enough, left back he's a disaster. I think we bought a lemon here.
McAtee. Not ours, plays for himself when he's in the mood and not what we need when we're struggling.
Norwood. He's done.
Souza. Sorry this doesn't fit the narrative but this lad's been the only bright spot. He cares, he tries and is one of the few with the right attitude. Looks a bit raw but single handedly trying to carry that midfield he doesn't stand a chance.
Davies. A poor Everton let him go for a reason, he's not Premier League standard. He'll run about a but without really doing much. Can't tackle, can't do much really.
Hamer. Think we were all happy to see this lad sign......he's been atrocious. Has bundles of skill but does fuck all. Runs as slow as me, doesn't show for the ball and disappears.
McBurnie. Constantly injured, coming back from an injury, carrying an injury, about to get injured again. Likes a feight but even he's got fuck all to feight about any more.

Bottom line with that lot, compared to limited teams we've had before is attitude. No real leaders in that team, no fight, no heart and losing by 5 or 6 goals doesn't hurt them enough. Wilder said in his interview that 'there's some fragile players in that dressing room' well boo fucking hoo. Winners don't get fragile, they get motivated and they don't hide, this lot hides. Winners use adversity to get stronger, this lot get weaker and on and on it goes.

This season has been a shambles, we don't have many games left and I dread to think what'll happen with this fucking mob of losers. I'd hope one or two have an ounce of pride but I don't think they do. Wouldn't be surprised to see an 8 or 9 nowt before the season's over, how bad's that?

Hard to believe (it really isn’t!) how much poorer that team is to the one that went up.

I almost wish we had said we have no money but we’ll keep what we have and if we need to sell in January, we’ll get what we can. Add Doyle, loan McAtee, keep Ndiaye and Berge.

 

[Booker4]

Can I just mention that Burnley spent 98 million this season and are in the same points. Now that is a reason to be dispondent. We are crap, but only by PL standards. Which is crap when you're in the premier but back in the champ, I keep saying this, it's a very different animal. We've got some very good championship players who excelled there before like Trusty and Hamer. We've also got Brooks, Osula, Arblaster, Curtis etc all coming through.

When we got relegated under Hecky before Ndiaye came through but none thought everything will be ok, we've got Ndiaye. Arblaster and Brooks will be quality next season and maybe Peck will be playing a lot, who knows. Some on here need to realise the difference between the leagues is literally like the difference between GCSEs and a taking a PHD, not GCSEs and A level! The PL is set up as the most expensive league in the world.

 

[SouthportBlade]

Of course there’s a lack of fight.

A number don’t want to be here next season.
A large number won’t be here next season.

Ahmedhodzic will force a move, maybe Souza or Hamer as well
Archer will return to Villa
Mcatee will return to City
Most of those out of contract will be released

This leaves about 10 players who will likely be wearing red and white next year.

Why bust a gut to fight an unwinnable fight, maybe get injured in the process?

Imagine you worked in an office where redundancy was on the horizon and you knew workforce was getting cut by 50% and if you were ‘lucky’ enough to stay you’d get 50% wage reduction. You wouldn’t give a fuck.

This season is simply the chickens coming home to roost after a few years of dodgy financial footings an owner who wants out and complete lack of foresight and planning.

Season is done and has been for months.

For those we want to keep, give a deadline on signing. Those that don’t sign drop to reserves.

Fuck it, send Mcatee back, send Archer back.

Play only players who want to or will be here next term. We’ve concede 1 million goals in the last month, literally cannot get any worse.

 

[Revolution]

Can I just mention that Burnley spent 98 million this season and are in the same points. Now that is a reason to be dispondent. We are crap, but only by PL standards. Which is crap when you're in the premier but back in the champ, I keep saying this, it's a very different animal. We've got some very good championship players who excelled there before like Trusty and Hamer. We've also got Brooks, Osula, Arblaster, Curtis etc all coming through.

When we got relegated under Hecky before Ndiaye came through but none thought everything will be ok, we've got Ndiaye. Arblaster and Brooks will be quality next season and maybe Peck will be playing a lot, who knows. Some on here need to realise the difference between the leagues is literally like the difference between GCSEs and a taking a PHD, not GCSEs and A level! The PL is set up as the most expensive league in the world.

Are you actually watching the shit we are serving up?

 

[Vikkster]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

This

 

[CornwallBlade]

i don’t think we’ve moved on with the rest of the top flight teams and are now something of a football dinosaur.

We have the appearance of a Prem Team but scratch the surface and we are anything but.

An F2 car looks similar to an F1 car but put it in a race with some and you will soon see it’s not.

We have nothing to show that directly impacts what we see on the pitch for spending 3/5 seasons on the prem.

And it’s caught up with us in the most shocking way.

There has been no recruitment plan to keep the rosta fresh and able to compete.

The fitness team have got to be unfit for purpose.

The specialist tacticians are obviously not getting it right. Just look at our shape without the ball … it’s woeful. Defending … non existent… Attack disjointed and one dimensional.

Managerial team not up to the job … cheap option.

I will get some pelters for this but out of all the managers … Slav … yes Slav was trying to bring the club in line with what is now the required standard at the top level … he was bringing top level specialist coaches to his team… he was trying to change the system we are now so weeded to and he was trying to recruit different styles of players.

I don’t think it’s any surprise that the prince severely clamped down when he sacked Slav. I think either Slav told him or he realised just how far off we were and just how much it would cost just to give us a chance to compete and he thought “balls to that”

Once again we take the instant gratification easy option over long term success and we miss the boat putting us way way way behind in the long term.

Excellent summary

 

[Geordie Blade]

The worst thing is that, despite their very limited ability, they still manage form a team that is less than the sum of its parts.

 

[Guesty]

the only bright spot set the standard for last night with some utterly abysmal defending for the first, and then turned around and started pointing at others.

That glorious pass out of play in the lead up to their third was another cracking highlight from The Bright Spot.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Can I just mention that Burnley spent 98 million this season and are in the same points. Now that is a reason to be dispondent. We are crap, but only by PL standards. Which is crap when you're in the premier but back in the champ, I keep saying this, it's a very different animal. We've got some very good championship players who excelled there before like Trusty and Hamer. We've also got Brooks, Osula, Arblaster, Curtis etc all coming through.

When we got relegated under Hecky before Ndiaye came through but none thought everything will be ok, we've got Ndiaye. Arblaster and Brooks will be quality next season and maybe Peck will be playing a lot, who knows. Some on here need to realise the difference between the leagues is literally like the difference between GCSEs and a taking a PHD, not GCSEs and A level! The PL is set up as the most expensive league in the world.

Although points wise Burnley have similiar- thats where the similarity ends- they are miles better than us, we appear clueless, against Bournemouth for large parts Burnley looked decent albeit- toothless, but they did appear to know what they were doing- we don't in any shape or form.

Burnley will bounce we will sink.

 

[Gimli]

Can I just mention that Burnley spent 98 million this season and are in the same points. Now that is a reason to be dispondent. We are crap, but only by PL standards. Which is crap when you're in the premier but back in the champ, I keep saying this, it's a very different animal. We've got some very good championship players who excelled there before like Trusty and Hamer. We've also got Brooks, Osula, Arblaster, Curtis etc all coming through.

When we got relegated under Hecky before Ndiaye came through but none thought everything will be ok, we've got Ndiaye. Arblaster and Brooks will be quality next season and maybe Peck will be playing a lot, who knows. Some on here need to realise the difference between the leagues is literally like the difference between GCSEs and a taking a PHD, not GCSEs and A level! The PL is set up as the most expensive league in the world.

I mean there’s crap, and then there’s whatever we’re serving up this season!

 

[Bergen Blade]

The worst thing is that, despite their very limited ability, they still manage form a team that is less than the sum of its parts.

Yes, and that's been the biggest difference between us and Luton, who've at least looked competitive. They've succeeded in keeping the identity, style and momentum from their promotion. Burnley have struggled, but sort of kept their ideals and with a young team may be ready to bounce back next season.

Our promotion was largely due to the quality of Ndiaye, Berge, McAtee and Doyle, helped by a bunch of decent Championship players. 3 out of those 4 left, some others are not good enough at this level, some are too old, some have been injured. Recruitment wasn't great. So there's been no identity, no style and no momentum going into the season, and it's tough on the players and staff to somehow build that up from scratch, certainly at this level.

 

[Hamandcheese]

Regarding the lack of character and leadership, this especially makes a mockery of our decision to sign the bunch of empty foreign non entities that we did. We just disregarded character. They're all wrong, they don't fit in, and none should have been signed, including Souza, maybe especially Souza given the fee and his prominence in the team. Not for a moment has anything looked like working around him in that midfield. This aspect of recruitment was just thoughtless. Piss poor from owner, scouting team and a deferring, passive, clueless manager who just stood by, shrugged his shoulders and let it all happen. It would have been so easy to be so much more competitive. Instead we've plumped for unprecedented humiliation. Hats off to all involved

 

[Gannon's perm]

Can I just mention that Burnley spent 98 million this season and are in the same points. Now that is a reason to be dispondent. We are crap, but only by PL standards. Which is crap when you're in the premier but back in the champ, I keep saying this, it's a very different animal. We've got some very good championship players who excelled there before like Trusty and Hamer. We've also got Brooks, Osula, Arblaster, Curtis etc all coming through.

When we got relegated under Hecky before Ndiaye came through but none thought everything will be ok, we've got Ndiaye. Arblaster and Brooks will be quality next season and maybe Peck will be playing a lot, who knows. Some on here need to realise the difference between the leagues is literally like the difference between GCSEs and a taking a PHD, not GCSEs and A level! The PL is set up as the most expensive league in the world.

Burnley are shit, but they still spanked us 5 v 0. We are so much more worse than shit. 5556, in our last 4 home games. No team in all four divisions have been that shit. A GD of -50 is epic proportions of shitness.

 

[KiwiBlabe]

I am not and never will be ashamed to be a Blade!!