The psychology of the situation cannot be underestimated.

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

What they need is to get 10-20 fans with positive attitudes a covid test and get them down to Bramall Lane and the players have some small 1-2-1 time with some fans to discuss their feelings and let them know we are 100% blade behind them to try and give them a boost and to remind them behind every camera there are 000's of Blades fans sat at home willing the team on. Or even get them upto the training ground outside and let them watch a training session and have a good old chinwag afterwards.

Just makes me thing some kind of Zoom video wall needs to be installed at the Lane.
This is a great idea 👍🏻👍🏻
 

I agree but I think the Hull game was under different circumstances. I think most clubs' supporters would've done the same anyway. You're at Wembley in an FA Cup Semi Final and even though the score has become 5-3 of course you're going to applaud you're L1 team that has given it everything against a PL team on such an occasion.

On a separate note we're now in the PL while Hull are down in L1, funny how football turns around isn't it!
I don't think for a second that most clubs' supporters would have done the same thing. This wasn't clapping them off at the end of the game after putting up a sterling resistance, this was applauding the team immediately after they'd just conceded a goal and effectively blown the chance of a cup final appearance. I've never seen anything like it.
 
What they need is to get 10-20 fans with positive attitudes a covid test and get them down to Bramall Lane and the players have some small 1-2-1 time with some fans to discuss their feelings and let them know we are 100% blade behind them to try and give them a boost and to remind them behind every camera there are 000's of Blades fans sat at home willing the team on. Or even get them upto the training ground outside and let them watch a training session and have a good old chinwag afterwards.

Just makes me thing some kind of Zoom video wall needs to be installed at the Lane.
I presume you don't mean the 'fans' who say "McShitty you waste of money" or "Fuck off Lundwank you wage thief".
Or "Oi, Wilder, lose against West Sham and you can sling yer hook".
 
And the lack of 30k fans as backup for any blips in confidence.
When the players dug deep and gave every thing they'd got, the roaring fans gave them the lift to dig that 10% deeper. That was probably the biggest difference between winning/drawing and losing. The success then brought confidence and took us to heights we reached before the first lockdown last season.

Both the players and the management team really need positivity from where ever it may be available to help them out of the energy sapping rut they're in. Without the face to face communication with the fans, they can only turn to social media. Don't underestimate the impact forums such as ours can have... both negatively and positively.

COME ON THE BLADES !!!!
 
Bilić, who I don't like, went on record before the Spurs game and said you have to treat every game like a cup final. This is how we used to play. Chris would never be drawn about how well we're doing and just said we're taking one game at a time. We need to start doing this again.
 
Agreed.

Unfortunately because last season went so well, for many the expectations for this season have rocketed.

Confidence is fragile and we really need a result soon so that we have something positive to build on.

I'm still optimistic that we will be ok.

Really? Surely most fans expect relegation at this moment. Anything more is a huge bonus
 
What they need is to get 10-20 fans with positive attitudes a covid test and get them down to Bramall Lane and the players have some small 1-2-1 time w
The way this season is going we'll mix up the attitude and covid test results and end up with a load of arseholes destroying the confidence of our players whilst at the same time ruling them all out for 2 weeks with Covid...
 
Before I start, I should clarify that I don't think the performances have been good enough, that the signings haven't started to improve the side as yet, and the tactics have been below par. We have spent significantly in our own relative terms, but I also think the rest of the division has strengthened considerably.

I'm not about to make excuses, but to try and understand the psychology of the situation and the impact it is beginning to have. I'm interested in the idea that you "don't become a bad side overnight".

Wolves - I expected nothing, and we looked outclassed. We were poor.
Villa, the loss of Egan was significant and yet still, we were solid.
Leeds, we had a patched up side, after the loss of Egan and O'Connell. Not hard to see why we underperformed, but the loss of a Derby is a blow.
Add those together, and we're off to a disappointing start.

Then, the loss of key players needs to be factored in - O'Connell, Fleck and Mousset. We don't have the depth of quality that most of the division have, we need to all to be fit, and all to be at it. We cannot accommodate the loss of our best players as easily as the rest. A patched up side loses form, an out of form side loses confidence. No excuses again, just reality.

Then, we play Liverpool, City and Chelsea on the bounce. The top 3 elect, IMO. We realistically expect nothing from those three games, they're some of the best sides in the world. Let's not forget, by the way, we were 'at it' at points against Liverpool and solid, but not creative against City. It isn't all bad. But the lack of points, on top of the already disappointing start, and the unfortunate luck and the anxiety and lack of confidence begins to build. When much of above, has been out of our control.

The psychology and the confidence isn't the only reason, but it is an important one. Then you see it starting to manifest itself in Wilder blaming external issues (e.g. missing his first choice targets) and a change of attitude, i.e. saying we can't go toe to toe with the best sides. We realistically know that, we knew it last season too and none of us would expect us to do that for a full 90. But the attitude then was one of being willing to have a go. The difference is, we wouldn't have said that last season, it's now being said and repeated this season, and that will affect mindset. We can't take all the fault for our position, as much has been out of our control - but equally we can't get sucked into feeling all 'woe is us' and 'poor little old Sheffield United'.

The hunger needs to return, being 'at it' and using the underdog mantra in a plucky rather than defeatist manner.

UTB 🔴⚪⚔️
Psychology probably the root of the problem. Football/Soccer, a simple game, keep it simple as has been done for the last four years.
Any how isn't there supposed to be sport psychologists at the Lane, waste of time.
 
Look at those chances created last night, Souness on Sky was right - they were players working for one another and for the manager...

A team out of form and low on confidence finally starts creating chances. Out of form, they fail to take those chances, but it's a step in the right direction.

Watch those chances back, they get gobbled up by a fit and firing Moose, they are what Brewster fed off last season, they are what we said he'd been missing compared to how Swansea played last season. We've been low on confidence, threatened little for the past few weeks, so Christ, we're expected to be rusty when the chances do come. Within them, there are some unbelievable misses - Baldock, Mousset? That was something extra special, sorcery or the dark arts as to how we didn't score. Bleedin' hell.

But the mentality is different - that's a side looking to create, creating time and again, starting to believe again that they aren't there merely to try and defend each week.

It will come. Just look at Wilder in the post match interview. That's a different manager, taking a tiny step back in the right direction, after some down and frustrated interviews in recent weeks. He can see that it's a different performance, that it's a side creating (despite being poor). That's the interview of a manager who can see his lads playing for him, and that's a buoyed Wilder rather than a racked off Wilder.

UTB 🔴⚪⚔️
 
There’s no pressure now. We’re gone, may as well go out and have a laugh. Play with some freedom.
 
Look at those chances created last night, Souness on Sky was right - they were players working for one another and for the manager...

A team out of form and low on confidence finally starts creating chances. Out of form, they fail to take those chances, but it's a step in the right direction.

Watch those chances back, they get gobbled up by a fit and firing Moose, they are what Brewster fed off last season, they are what we said he'd been missing compared to how Swansea played last season. We've been low on confidence, threatened little for the past few weeks, so Christ, we're expected to be rusty when the chances do come. Within them, there are some unbelievable misses - Baldock, Mousset? That was something extra special, sorcery or the dark arts as to how we didn't score. Bleedin' hell.

But the mentality is different - that's a side looking to create, creating time and again, starting to believe again that they aren't there merely to try and defend each week.

It will come. Just look at Wilder in the post match interview. That's a different manager, taking a tiny step back in the right direction, after some down and frustrated interviews in recent weeks. He can see that it's a different performance, that it's a side creating (despite being poor). That's the interview of a manager who can see his lads playing for him, and that's a buoyed Wilder rather than a racked off Wilder.

UTB 🔴⚪⚔️
This is the best post I have read throughout all the recent games. We'll thought out and very accurate.
 
For me the noticeable change was when Wilder spoke in his interview very specifically about just needing to finish above three other teams.
I’m sure before the season started the goals he was setting the players would have been very different. Aim for Europe? Improve on last season? Finish top half?
Then we get off to such a poor start in the first half a dozen games that those goals go out of the window, seem suddenly unobtainable. That has a huge psychological impact. If stage 1 is characterised by hope and optimism, stage 2 is frustration and demotivation. Like when you set out to beat your high score on a video game and make a shit start, so you just hit restart or exit or whatever.
But last night there were signs in the performance and in Wilder’s interview that the players are making their peace with the situation. Those pre-season goals and expectations may have sailed, but there are signs that the inevitable period of adjustment to that failure is also coming to an end, with club and players ready to embrace stage 3...fighting for a new goal: survival at any cost.
I’m hopeful this might be a turning point, if we can just grind a win in the next game or two.
Seems most fans are still stuck in stage 2 (but then we don’t have the benefit of working with psychologists every day, which I’m guessing the players do...)
 
For me the noticeable change was when Wilder spoke in his interview very specifically about just needing to finish above three other teams.
I’m sure before the season started the goals he was setting the players would have been very different. Aim for Europe? Improve on last season? Finish top half?
Then we get off to such a poor start in the first half a dozen games that those goals go out of the window, seem suddenly unobtainable. That has a huge psychological impact. If stage 1 is characterised by hope and optimism, stage 2 is frustration and demotivation. Like when you set out to beat your high score on a video game and make a shit start, so you just hit restart or exit or whatever.
But last night there were signs in the performance and in Wilder’s interview that the players are making their peace with the situation. Those pre-season goals and expectations may have sailed, but there are signs that the inevitable period of adjustment to that failure is also coming to an end, with club and players ready to embrace stage 3...fighting for a new goal: survival at any cost.
I’m hopeful this might be a turning point, if we can just grind a win in the next game or two.
Seems most fans are still stuck in stage 2 (but then we don’t have the benefit of working with psychologists every day, which I’m guessing the players do...)

This, absolutely this. Really well put. The adjustment in expectations leads to a squad moving from feeling hard done to and licking it's wounds, to a squad that comes back with renewed fight. Dear god let this be the case!
 
Before I start, I should clarify that I don't think the performances have been good enough, that the signings haven't started to improve the side as yet, and the tactics have been below par. We have spent significantly in our own relative terms, but I also think the rest of the division has strengthened considerably.

I'm not about to make excuses, but to try and understand the psychology of the situation and the impact it is beginning to have. I'm interested in the idea that you "don't become a bad side overnight".

Wolves - I expected nothing, and we looked outclassed. We were poor.
Villa, the loss of Egan was significant and yet still, we were solid.
Leeds, we had a patched up side, after the loss of Egan and O'Connell. Not hard to see why we underperformed, but the loss of a Derby is a blow.
Add those together, and we're off to a disappointing start.

Then, the loss of key players needs to be factored in - O'Connell, Fleck and Mousset. We don't have the depth of quality that most of the division have, we need to all to be fit, and all to be at it. We cannot accommodate the loss of our best players as easily as the rest. A patched up side loses form, an out of form side loses confidence. No excuses again, just reality.

Then, we play Liverpool, City and Chelsea on the bounce. The top 3 elect, IMO. We realistically expect nothing from those three games, they're some of the best sides in the world. Let's not forget, by the way, we were 'at it' at points against Liverpool and solid, but not creative against City. It isn't all bad. But the lack of points, on top of the already disappointing start, and the unfortunate luck and the anxiety and lack of confidence begins to build. When much of above, has been out of our control.

The psychology and the confidence isn't the only reason, but it is an important one. Then you see it starting to manifest itself in Wilder blaming external issues (e.g. missing his first choice targets) and a change of attitude, i.e. saying we can't go toe to toe with the best sides. We realistically know that, we knew it last season too and none of us would expect us to do that for a full 90. But the attitude then was one of being willing to have a go. The difference is, we wouldn't have said that last season, it's now being said and repeated this season, and that will affect mindset. We can't take all the fault for our position, as much has been out of our control - but equally we can't get sucked into feeling all 'woe is us' and 'poor little old Sheffield United'.

The hunger needs to return, being 'at it' and using the underdog mantra in a plucky rather than defeatist manner.

UTB 🔴⚪⚔️
Been saying on here for last 5 or 6 games, momentum is a huge factor in ALL sport.
When you got positive momentum everything goes right
Inversely negative momentum takes monumental effort to alter. Just ask Jimmy White.
 

Been saying on here for last 5 or 6 games, momentum is a huge factor in ALL sport.
When you got positive momentum everything goes right
Inversely negative momentum takes monumental effort to alter. Just ask Jimmy White.

Makes it all the more surprising this run can be traced back to 10 points from Burnley, Spurs, wolves and Chelsea.

what happened after that is a mystery?
 
Makes it all the more surprising this run can be traced back to 10 points from Burnley, Spurs, wolves and Chelsea.

what happened after that is a mystery?
Nothing to play for at that point in the season as Europe was no longer a target. Probably the reason CW always bangs on about winning every game whether it's in training,, practice match etc Also it's much easier to lose positive momentum when you come up against a better side like Leicester, through complacency or having nothing to play for.
 

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

All advertisments are hidden for logged in members, why not log in/register?

Back
Top Bottom