That Was the Week that Was

[Fulwood Blade]

For the ones that remember, it was a satire program hosted by David Frost



but there was no satire with our past week, but it was certainly a weird set of games.

I saw us lose to Derby in a game that we could have had won by half time, but ultimately lost after Derby stepped it up 2nd half and won it with a late goal. It still was certainly a game we shouldn't have lost and for me it's just a lack of quality up top against the better teams in the division which are always going to be close games. It was a difficult game for our front pairing - Derby had decent defenders who nullified most our forwards could muster.

Stoke was a game we again should have won, but surrendered a one goal lead which we all know is never enough in how we play the game. To be fair to Stoke they pushed us back in the last 15 minutes, which is a habit we got into 2nd half of last season. In the ideal world, a player like Woodburn should be able to come on and scare a team like Stokes defenders to death but it just hasn't worked out for him. Now, Brooks would have done that but that avenue closed as soon as he changed agents in the summer - so what do we do? Should Woodburn go back and we try to bring in someone else? Not convinced the big clubs would let us have one now.

Then on to Wigan - a game we won well (in the end), but they were very dangerous pushing forward and I reckon we were a touch fortunate when we scored first. On another day we could have lost that game, but we do have a new found gritty determination these days. It has to be said though that we missed Duffy, but conversely, the two balls from Norwood for the 3rd and 4th goals were just outstanding - what a player this lad is, but those sort of passes aren't always going to come off and lead directly to goals.

For me, we need a centre forward - this past week has shown that as good a goal scorer Billy is, we can't always rely on his fox in the box ability. He needs help and as much as Leon tries, the question is - can he get enough goals? McGoldricks slightly deeper roll is a joy to watch, but he's never been a prolific goal scorer. If our finances are limited, and to be fair to the joint owners the JTW could be a massive gamble, but we have to find a player like Mitrovic that can hopefully be the final piece in the jigsaw, as he seemed to be to Fulham last season.

We are on the cusp, but where is our Mitrovic? Our team has the ability to step away from the other teams around us - but we can't keep having weeks like this - Bristol City before, Derby County and Stoke City have shown this.

UTB

 

[Grecian2000]

We only really dominated Wigan for a 15/20 minute spell in the second half. When we did, we scored twice.
The other games we dominated for long periods but couldn't turn that dominance into goals.
It makes a huge difference.

 

[ForgeBlade]

We are so, so close. The "where is our Mitrovic?" question...we've got our Mitrovic. His name is William Louis Sharp, and he is currently on track to score 30 goals or thereabouts this season.

Now, I don't think he will get that many (20 is more than achievable though) so the question for me is more "where is our Sessegnon?" Where is the OTHER player, who is going to support the main man, create chances but score just as many. Our midfield, on their day, are absolute fucking dynamite at this level, and I wouldn't swap any of the "big 4" of Norwood, Fleck, Coutts and Duffy for anyone else in this league. As you said, we need a second consistent goalscorer. They are VERY expensive, and without investing in January the pessimist in me fears that we will fade in the 2nd half of the season as we did last year, if our rivals at the top are spalshing out £10m+ on strikers in the window.

I honestly think that just one more real quality consistent goalscorer will transform us into not only promotion contenders, but title contenders. Billy can't do it single-handedly, and a top-dawer strike partner for him could well see us achieve something amazing this season.

Here's hoping we can find the right man.

 

[raul]

Quality thread fellow Blades.

I think too we are pretty close, but think we need to wait until Xmas this year before getting swept up with it all. Also, this year I don't see a team/teams who are a step above and we are competing with other "pretty close" sides.

I also see the Wigan result in a bit of a different light- great to win and only put a 20 minute stint on gas mark 9 in. If we can do this more often the worry about burning out our squad diminishes somewhat, which brings us to....

JTW. I think we'll learn from the mistakes of last year - everyone who came in has now left?- and we don't need to go down the filler route anyway. If the Brooks money is untouched, or if the owners knock their heads together, then I can see us going for that Mitrovic type signing. If not, I think I'd rather go with what we've got and not muddy the water with players who don't add anything.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

At least if we are near the top come the JTW then players should be keen to join us and we can do deals that promise increased transfer fees and wages should we go up.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Quality thread fellow Blades.

I think too we are pretty close, but think we need to wait until Xmas this year before getting swept up with it all. Also, this year I don't see a team/teams who are a step above and we are competing with other "pretty close" sides.

I also see the Wigan result in a bit of a different light- great to win and only put a 20 minute stint on gas mark 9 in. If we can do this more often the worry about burning out our squad diminishes somewhat, which brings us to....

JTW. I think we'll learn from the mistakes of last year - everyone who came in has now left?- and we don't need to go down the filler route anyway. If the Brooks money is untouched, or if the owners knock their heads together, then I can see us going for that Mitrovic type signing. If not, I think I'd rather go with what we've got and not muddy the water with players who don't add anything.

That's a nicely considered post raul. Nothing to argue with there, and I hope other posters read and reflect. We're in a good place, a few reinforcements would be nice, or even a couple of 'no argument' quality players, one at least being an attacking player.