The myth of limited players

[CentralQuay]

Hendo
Ricardo, Soyoncu, Maguire, JOC, Stevens
Berge
Tielemans Bruno
Vardy Aubameyang

Manager: Wilder

That's my XI and manager of teams 3rd to 9th. Only place i'm willing to compromise is the wingbacks but a blades player has to take up one of them.

3rd-9th rather than just 3rd-7th gets less Blades players in imo.

 

[Chabuddy G]

But they wouldn't ,our defence is a unit and there are doubts about all three of them in a back.four st the top level

They literally would

There are ‘doubts’ to whom exactly? I have no doubt whatsoever JOC and Egan would make a perfectly capable back 4 with 2 good full backs

 

[Chabuddy G]

3rd-9th rather than just 3rd-7th gets less Blades players in imo.

No one cares

 

[CentralQuay]

I would argue a back 4 is more defensive than the system we play. As demonstrated by Lampard switching to 4 at the back when we were cutting Chelsea to ribbons. It’s quite simple really. I’m saying that of the teams you set, I would pick some defenders and the goalkeeper from the team with the equal best defensive record (pro-rata) and most clean sheets. Not that controversial, surely?

It isn't controversial when you word it like you do.
But you can't claim Blades system is less defensive than a back 4, the goals scored by Blades show that.

I guess the proof will be in the summer.
Will we see the big clubs sniffing around Blades like they have been around Wolves/Leicester the last few seasons?

JOC is the only one for me who will have interest from sides higher in the table.

 

[S40BLADE]

JOC is the only one for me who will have interest from sides higher in the table.

Good news for us then. The more people ignore us the better.

 

[CentralQuay]

Good news for us then. The more people ignore us the better.

Who do you think gets into the Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Leicester or Man United sides?

I think JOC could play next to Maguire at Man United, or next to Van Dijk/Laporte too......
If Chelsea played a back 5 i'd swap what they have currently for what Wilder has developed....

But what else?

 

[S40BLADE]

Who do you think gets into the Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Leicester or Man United sides?

I think JOC could play next to Maguire at Man United, or next to Van Dijk/Laporte too......
If Chelsea played a back 5 i'd swap what they have currently for what Wilder has developed....

But what else?

Didn't say they would did I. I'm just chuffed our players are maintaining a low profile.

 

[Blade1959]

Who do you think gets into the Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Leicester or Man United sides?

I think JOC could play next to Maguire at Man United, or next to Van Dijk/Laporte too......
If Chelsea played a back 5 i'd swap what they have currently for what Wilder has developed....

But what else?

Your team has kicked off

 

[Sheffsteel]

The players are being asked to perform simple tasks using a formula and structure working together as a team. Hence they perform better than they have elsewhere.

No PL clubs want our players because they’ll not look as good playing for other clubs.

 

[CentralQuay]

Your team has kicked off

I'm watching it, thanks buddy!

Quiet start.

 

[CentralQuay]

The players are being asked to perform simple tasks using a formula and structure working together as a team. Hence they perform better than they have elsewhere.

No PL clubs want our players because they’ll not look as good playing for other clubs.

I don't think it is as simple as that.
There are certainly players here that can perform at other clubs in the league.

Chelsea though, for example, are not going to sign a CB who has had one decent season in the top flight, in a 3 CB system, and think that their defence will be solved.
Too much of a risk.

 

[Davalon]

Earlier in the season Souness responded to Fleck saying we aren't as talented as other teams, by stating we shouldn't talk ourselves down because we are talented. He also said we passed the ball like Barcelona in tight areas.

 

[dingledog]

Honestly, I don’t see the Burnley comparison. Apart from money spent of course. Burnley are great, but play a completely different brand of football. We’re a less expensive Leicester if anything...

I think you have misunderstood my post. I was only comparing the media coverage of the teams, not comparing players, the ground, the city/town, playing style etc etc

 

[Sean Thornton]

They showed a touches in the penalty area stat at one point yesterday and I thought it's a much better measure of how much you are threatening the opposition.

Possession is pretty meaningless in many ways.

One factor that the pundits seem to miss about us is how well we control a ball that is nearly always hit at pace. Average players can't do that, and it must be a part of the recruitment plan of our side. Players must have a great engine and work ethic and have excellent control.

Control at pace. One of the abiding principles of the great Liverpool teams of the seventies and eighties.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Sounness is a hypocrite.and says non of our players are good enough to get in the Chelsea team . Apparently we are all energy and application. We have scored some great team goals these last few games and surely thats more than just huff and puff. He said a few months ago that he would buy a season ticket to watch us as he loves oue unique type of play and said we are great to watch.So are the 3 Chelsea had at the back yesterday better than our back 3?Is Tammy Abraham really better than Ollie Mac.Is their midfield better than ours? Some of their individual players are more gifted i agree, but to say none of our players would get in their team is a load of crap.

That wasn't the actual point he was making.

 

[TJ blade]

Not to find something to moan about, following one of the best results this club has had in living memory, but...

Do we think our boys will ever get the credit they deserve for their ability? We play at pace and I’ve noticed, every player’s first touch is usually top class.

• Basham has superb technical ability, especially given his size - reminds me of Matić a bit.
• Baldock plays at 120% the speed of most other players on the pitch and yet keeps the ball under control. His delivery has massively improved too.
• Stevens is much more skilful than given credit for outside of us, and always strikes the ball cleanly in a cross. Usually goes low too, which catches out defences often.
• Egan has perfect defensive technique, he has a great spring on a header, and excellent timing on tackles.
• JOC, has EVERYTHING. Pace, power, ability, skill. I honestly haven’t seen many better defenders this year.
• Didsy, Champions League technique and vision, no question.
• Norwood, as a clean a striker of a ball you could wish to see, in a ping and pass.

And so on. These boys are far more than workrate and desire.

Think that sums it up nicely mate
United are a great side, everyone knows their job like clockwork, we are superb in possession and rarely give the ball away. They are determined, well drilled and relentless in pursuit of the ball out of possession. But that has been the case for the last four seasons, they clearly concentrate on small sided, close possession games in training because its like second nature to every player in the squad.

The truth is, that ‘Pundits’ are just a bunch of chancers, spouting the same shit everyone else does. They have no more football nous than anyone else, who’s ever played the game. They get the job through the Old pals network, because they are ex pros and therefore have a perceived credibility. Not one single ‘expert’ said “Watch Sheffield United this season, because they have a style, a dynamism and work ethic that means they would excel in any league in the world”. Because they all regurgitate the same bollocks, whilst sat comfortably aboard the gravy train, with their corporate hospitality, expense account and freebie shoes. Even now, 35 games into a 38 game season, some still can’t conceive what has happened, that its not just a fluke and we’re not just plucky one season wonders.

But, at the end of the day, who fucking cares what they say?.............................. because we know different and soon enough, they will too