The morning after the night before

[grafikhaus]

Morning, fellow Blades! How do we feel today?

So our season is over (and believe me, it is over), so what does next season hold? Let's face it, without a major cash injection (unlikely) we would have completely struggled in the Championship. (Ditto Wendy).

All bets for the immediate future are off, post Ched. Once in a generation you may get a player who can, single-handedly, put you one foot in the promotion camp and it's just our luck that it's been snatched from us. So why are some people thinking that DW can galvanise us next season? Portsmouth will be a force, so only one place will be up for grabs.

Unfortunately, I can see us mid-table by Xmas, and the managerial roundabout will kick in again. Personally, I'd get rid of DW now. This isn't a post-match rant, just something that has become obvious with or without Ched. Some of his comments lately ('preparing for the play-offs for months', us kicking off after Wendy last week not fair on them etc.) were unbelievable. His use of the loan system poor. His forward planning for losing Ched (Hoskins? Don't make me laugh) non-existent.

Fair play to Wendy, they took what seemed at the time an incredible gamble by booting Smegson out, but it has paid off. Now is the time to act (all right, after the second leg with Stevenage) and plan for next season. Lee Clarke or Billy Davies, anyone?

 

[oaklandrdblade]

I'm surprised you think Portsmouth will be a force, given that they are desperately trying to get rid of any player who can command a fee or gets paid more than a fiver a week. They are also likely to lose their manager, with the rumour he is going to be at WBA.

 

[judge]

Portsmouth will be a force ???? They won't even be in existence

 

[Russ]

We have at least two games left. And we are only playing the mighty Stevenage...

I actually am looking forward to the play offs, even if some of you aren't. If we do well in the first leg, fortress Bramall Lane in the 2nd should help us get through.

 

[Tearstain]

And here they come crawling out of the woodwork.

What next another car park demo?

Tearstain

 

[God]

Morning, fellow Blades! How do we feel today?

So our season is over (and believe me, it is over), so what does next season hold? Let's face it, without a major cash injection (unlikely) we would have completely struggled in the Championship. (Ditto Wendy).

All bets for the immediate future are off, post Ched. Once in a generation you may get a player who can, single-handedly, put you one foot in the promotion camp and it's just our luck that it's been snatched from us. So why are some people thinking that DW can galvanise us next season? Portsmouth will be a force, so only one place will be up for grabs.

Unfortunately, I can see us mid-table by Xmas, and the managerial roundabout will kick in again. Personally, I'd get rid of DW now. This isn't a post-match rant, just something that has become obvious with or without Ched. Some of his comments lately ('preparing for the play-offs for months', us kicking off after Wendy last week not fair on them etc.) were unbelievable. His use of the loan system poor. His forward planning for losing Ched (Hoskins? Don't make me laugh) non-existent.

Fair play to Wendy, they took what seemed at the time an incredible gamble by booting Smegson out, but it has paid off. Now is the time to act (all right, after the second leg with Stevenage) and plan for next season. Lee Clarke or Billy Davies, anyone?

Lee Clarke or Billy Davies ??? you're having a laugh. They're that good that clubs are queing up to have em as managers eh. Still DW for me, best footy we've seen for donkeys years. OK he's maybe dropped a few, selection and signing wise, but even Fergie does that!,

 

[grafikhaus]

And here they come crawling out of the woodwork.

What next another car park demo?

Tearstain

Yes, 8 posts and they certainly do! I can assure you I've been going long before you (first match 1962) and will probably be going long after you.

My post was meant as a well-considered point as to where we go from here. If you think it's 'crawling out of the woodwork', I pity you.

 

[Conroy]

Morning, fellow Blades! How do we feel today?

So our season is over (and believe me, it is over), so what does next season hold? Let's face it, without a major cash injection (unlikely) we would have completely struggled in the Championship. (Ditto Wendy).

All bets for the immediate future are off, post Ched. Once in a generation you may get a player who can, single-handedly, put you one foot in the promotion camp and it's just our luck that it's been snatched from us. So why are some people thinking that DW can galvanise us next season? Portsmouth will be a force, so only one place will be up for grabs.

Unfortunately, I can see us mid-table by Xmas, and the managerial roundabout will kick in again. Personally, I'd get rid of DW now. This isn't a post-match rant, just something that has become obvious with or without Ched. Some of his comments lately ('preparing for the play-offs for months', us kicking off after Wendy last week not fair on them etc.) were unbelievable. His use of the loan system poor. His forward planning for losing Ched (Hoskins? Don't make me laugh) non-existent.

Fair play to Wendy, they took what seemed at the time an incredible gamble by booting Smegson out, but it has paid off. Now is the time to act (all right, after the second leg with Stevenage) and plan for next season. Lee Clarke or Billy Davies, anyone?

What? Serious?

Wendy have dropped around 4 points since Jones took over, an immense run by any standards. Danny Wilson has led the Blades to one of the biggest points totals in god knows how long playing football people actually enjoy watching and under normal circumstances would have seen us champions or comfortable 2nd.

But no, let's fork out another 500k in compensation (est) and get another unproven manager in eh?

On Friday the play offs start where we actually do still have a chance of getting promoted. Save this conversation until they're finished would you?

UTB

 

[grafikhaus]

Still DW for me, best footy we've seen for donkeys years.

Can't disagree with that (not that it would be difficult!) but where has it got us? DW got lucky with having Ched, but now we see there's no Plan B.

Smegson (and Chris Powell) saw what's needed to get out of this pub league - teams made up predominantly of athletes, not footballers. Sure, we play it nicely from left to right and back again, but what other teams call 'altering the point of attack' is nullified by us being utterly ponderous in the build up, and usually a lack of being able to play the killer ball.

Stevenage's manager says of the first leg 'The game will be quick, it'll be energetic, it'll be physical, it'll be up and at 'em and I'll have the guys on raw meat and razor blades all week and they'll be ready.'

Still confident?

 

[Highbury_Blade]

B.

Sure, we play it nicely from left to right and back again, but what other teams call 'altering the point of attack' is nullified by us being utterly ponderous in the build up, and usually a lack of being able to play the killer ball.

If that were remotely true then how are we (by some margin) the top scorers in the league?

The reason we're not in second is the defence, not the attack.

 

[grafikhaus]

If that were remotely true then how are we (by some margin) the top scorers in the league?

The answer to that is so obvious as to not needing saying.

The reason we're not in second is the defence, not the attack.

True, but largely down to no Plan B. We've never tried to replace Morgs and, who brought the lamentable Hills/Williams in? and, after around 50 games in his first season, Harry is on his knees.

Still, could be worse. Imagine if Wendy had been losing/drawing yesterday at 90 minutes, and we're winning at Exeter. What could possibly go wrong...?

 

[sitwell]

Wilson has galvanised us this season ,which is far from over ,we have a massive points total ,amazing amount of goals ,played great football and had the most enjoyable season in over a decade. Why do you bum Portsmouth when they have done the opposite ? Why seek out every negative you possibly can ? I really struggle to understand some Blades.

 

[God]

Can't disagree with that (not that it would be difficult!) but where has it got us? DW got lucky with having Ched, but now we see there's no Plan B.

Smegson (and Chris Powell) saw what's needed to get out of this pub league - teams made up predominantly of athletes, not footballers. Sure, we play it nicely from left to right and back again, but what other teams call 'altering the point of attack' is nullified by us being utterly ponderous in the build up, and usually a lack of being able to play the killer ball.

Stevenage's manager says of the first leg 'The game will be quick, it'll be energetic, it'll be physical, it'll be up and at 'em and I'll have the guys on raw meat and razor blades all week and they'll be ready.'

Still confident?

I wouldn't say DW "got lucky" with Ched by any stretch of the imagination. I'd actually say that it was DW that got the best out of him where other managers had failed miserably (see Cheds interview with knowing he's getting dragged off after an hour). I think if we went down the "Athlete" route ( I like to call it the rugby player or thug route) we'd be getting crowds of 12'000 and be playing hoofball. Raw meat and razor Blades? bring it on! not cacking your pants over a bit of sabre rattling are you?

 

[God]

True, but largely down to no Plan B. We've never tried to replace Morgs and, who brought the lamentable Hills/Williams in? and, after around 50 games in his first season, Harry is on his knees.

Still, could be worse. Imagine if Wendy had been losing/drawing yesterday at 90 minutes, and we're winning at Exeter. What could possibly go wrong...?

Not tried to replace Morgan? with WHO exactly? has Collins not been good enough?? very close to player of season for me. Harry on his knees? What are you suggesting, rotating centre backs? He's 18 ffs he's more than capable of playing 60 plus games. IF Wendy ???? it didnt hppen so what was the point in posting that? if this if that.

 

[bladesfan]

Basically it just boils down to we are just a one man band to points from nine, as the star is absent and the defence giving away more goals than Santa Xmas presents.

 

[grafikhaus]

Raw meat and razor Blades? bring it on! not cacking your pants over a bit of sabre rattling are you?

Not at all, but it would be nice to hear similar stuff from DW instead of the self-defeatism he's specialised in lately.

 

[Northyorksblade]

I'm sorry, but you are talking absolute bollocks

 

[God]

You aint going to get sabre rattling and chest beating out of DW, so dont hold your breath, he isn't that type. Not sure where you get the self defeatism from though. Sounds to me like he's just using a straight bat when he's said anything.

 

[metalblade]

I am surprised by this thread DW for me all the way, apart from a brief period with Kendall/Spackman we have not played football since the days of Sir John Harris. At least Danny is trying to change the culture of the club for the better, jeez and some want to go back to the up and at em hoofball and Warnockesque rantings, whinging at refs etc
Lets leave the sabre rattling to the pigs and hoofball merchants ............... much better to do your talking on the pitch.
I'm not saying mistakes have not been made they have, generally though we are slowly beginning to move in the right direction. Passion is a fine thing just but because Danny don't jump around swearing on the touchline it does not mean it is not there or in the team, it's all a load of bollocks anyway next season loads of players will be running down touchlines all over the country kissing a different badge for the goal celebrations.

 

[Houso]

(Hoskins? Don't make me laugh)

Who on the face of things was a very good signing...

 

[CrookesBlade]

re all this talk of a 'plan B'. If you pass the ball well to feet you don't really need a Plan B. Sometimes you may need to throw in certain players against more physical sides to hold the ball up, or put some pace on to stretch sides with through balls etc, but overall the approach should remain the same. If you need a goal with 5 to go then yes get the ball into the box quickly - thats just common sense, but at the end of the day we amassed 90 points playing passing football, 9 out 10 times this would be enough to go up. Individual errors (mainly down to the lack of a decent left back and a keeper who can't collect crosses) and a lack of cover in defence have cost us this season.

If you are managed by somebody like Warnock who varied his selections and styles of play massively based on whether you are home or away, who you are playing etc then the talk of plan a, b, c et al is relevant.

 

[Conroy]

Smegson (and Chris Powell) saw what's needed to get out of this pub league

If Smegson had been left in charge we'd have been promoted three games ago because they were turning out shite.....they just couldn't see it.

 

[super_pig]

Wilson has galvanised us this season ,which is far from over ,we have a massive points total ,amazing amount of goals ,played great football and had the most enjoyable season in over a decade. Why do you bum Portsmouth when they have done the opposite ? Why seek out every negative you possibly can ? I really struggle to understand some Blades.

the same people who were predicting mid table mediocrity are now disappointed we're in the playoffs.. stunning.
barcelona and real don't have a plan b either. they're not doing too bad

 

[yorkshirecoast]

the same people who were predicting mid table mediocrity are now disappointed we're in the playoffs.. stunning.

Don't we have the biggest wage bill in the Division? Most (all?) of our players have Championship experience. Several have Premiership experience. The play-offs was the very least we should have expected. And clearly the reason many are disappointed is that automatic promotion was in our own hands and we let it slip - despite having several opportunities to keep it in our own hands.

 

[super_pig]

it happens.. it isn't a given.. the pigs (to their credit) went on an astonishing reading esque run of something like 12 wins and one draw.. we did 1o wins two draws and a defeat.. hardly a shit team.. you just have to put up your hands and admit they put an amazing run together and we couldn't quite keep pace

 

[OllyBlade]

. His use of the loan system poor. His forward planning for losing Ched (Hoskins? Don't make me laugh) non-existent.

Yeah because it's usually a doddle replacing the best player in the division using loans... I do agree we should have got more experience in on loan, but this is ridiculous.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

We have at least two games left. And we are only playing the mighty Stevenage...

I actually am looking forward to the play offs, even if some of you aren't. If we do well in the first leg, fortress Bramall Lane in the 2nd should help us get through.

30,000 last week and we could only draw against the mighty Stevenage.

 

[LSF]

Yes, 8 posts and they certainly do! I can assure you I've been going long before you (first match 1962) and will probably be going long after you.

My post was meant as a well-considered point as to where we go from here. If you think it's 'crawling out of the woodwork', I pity you.

For a man whose first game was 1962, I find your suggestion of 'getting rid of Wilson now' quite astonishing! Surely some sort of rational thinking has developed in your senior years instead of what can only be described as kneejerk. Or have you never liked the guy because of his history?
Do you, as a bloke who has obviously some years on his back, take Wilson's comments seriously? What manager's say to the press is hardly what they think or say to the players, or do you misguidedly think that?
After last season's disasters, he's turned it round far better than I ever thought he would and some extenuating circumstances have come to piss on his and our parade, but if by some good fortune (which surely is due?) we do go up via the play offs, will you still want rid, or has your o/p come a couple of games too early?