- Staff
- #1
So, we're around 1/5 into the season now, what have you made of it so far? Here's what I've thought...
The first game of the season brought one of the so called minnows of the division to Bramall Lane, with Colchester United. It was an awkward game throughout, with it proving hard for us to break them down until £4m James Beattie got off the mark for United with a brilliant header to put us 1-0 up, this it what I was expecting to be the case alot this season, we're going to get another now and win easy. As we know this wasn't the case as Colchester quickly equalised due to a severe lack in concentration, which is something we've seen too many times this season.
We then recorded 2 victories from our next 2 home matches in the league against 2 of the biggest sides in the division, teams who were expecting to be up there with us at the end of the season fighting for promotion. West Brom were the first up, a 5.15 kick off on SKY, we needed a good win to show everyone what we can do. I thought we did that game, and won 1-0 with yet another James Beattie goal at Bramall Lane, and what was a more comfortable win than it looked. Wolves were next to visit Bramall Lane, and took an undeserved lead due to another lack of concentration at the back, before we came back to win convincingly by 3 goals to 1, goal hero James Beattie chipping in once again with 2 goals and an assist.
Of course, whilst we started this well at home, away was a very different story. Collecting just 1 point from 4 away games inbetween the above mentioned home games. A poor 1-0 defeat at Watford wasn't really that bad was it? A poor performance against a very good side and only losing by the odd goal was a sign of how good we could be on our day? However, a much worse performance at another minnow in Scunthorpe United was not appreciated well, a shocking first 70 minutes saw us 2-0 down, and it should have been 3, is this the same side we saw come down last year? However all was saved, or so we thought, when Danny Webber came off the bench and grabbed 2 goals in 10 minutes, making it 2-2. Geary was then sent off, along with a Scunthorpe player in the last minute, but Scunthorpe took advantage of our missing man and won the game 3-2. An embarassing defeat for a side recently relegated from the Premiership.
Since then it hasn't got any better, either. A lucky 2-2 draw with Blackpool away from home, after looking so comfortable at 1-0 in the first half, a silly free kick was conceded, gifting Blackpool a goal and giving them momentum going in at half time. They came out and it was like they were the side that had spent millions in the summer, not us. They battered us for the entire second half, and got what they deserved with 4 minutes left giving them a 2-1 lead, and another lesser team were taking 3 points from arguably the biggest club in the division. But all was saved when James Beattie took a 30 yard effort, hoping for a bit of fortune, which we got when Paul Rachubka gifted us a goal, and a point away from home.
4 days later we went to Palace, we are surely going to pick up our first 3 away points in the league in 2007, against a side so low on confidence, and a manager on the brink of the sack aren't we? No. A poor first half ended 0-0, create some bloody chances was the general thoughts of Blades at half time at that game. We came out in the second half like we meant business, causing them trouble from the off and getting a somewhat lucky deflection to put us 1-0 up. We then for some reason take the foot off the gas, and all of a sudden find ourselves 2-1 down. What are we playing at? Then once again James Beattie pops up, our saviour again making it 2-2 and we're on the way to another point away from home. But once again our defensive frailties show, conceding a penalty in the last minute, meaning another 3-2 defeat in injury time.
The moans and groans about Robson were getting louder, idiotic shouts of we want Warnock back, ringing around our fans. We're not that desperate, surely? Just an early season mis-hap. 2 home games coming up, 6 points out of them and we're ok, it will all be forgotten.
Unfortunately, this isn't how it works. 1 point out of 2 home games against mediocre sides isn't really what we come to expect. A poor performance against a Southampton side who hadn't won away all season meant a 2-1 defeat. No fight in the second half from our players, we never looked like getting back in the game, this isn't what we expect of Sheffield United Football Club.
It was a better performance against Cardiff at home, but yet again our defence let us down, meaning we were 3-1 down and looking at yet another defeat. However all was not lost, a cracking goal from Chris Armstrong got us back in the game, and in the 92nd minute Chris Morgan popped up to amend his errors earlier by grabbing a late, late equaliser. But is a 3-3 draw at home to Cardiff good enough for a team supposedly challenging for promotion?
Next up, and the last game played was Bristol City away from home. In the week we fought back from 3-1 down to get a draw, whilst they were trounced at our local rivals Barnsley 3-0. We're on TV again, and our record on TV has been good over the last few years, this like 3 other games were meant to be, is the turning point of our season, we go there and win, and the promotion push will begin. However, once again we are let down. An abysmal performance, lacking in pride and passion, means we succumb to a 2-0 defeat, which in all fairness should have been more.
All in all, this is shaping to be an awful season, and are we looking at another relegation battle? Or will it all be ok, and we make the playoffs? Is Robson the right man, or do we need someone else to take us forward?
I'm not confident at all at the moment, and I am honestly worried about ending up like Forest, Leeds and Wednesday. I hope this is not the case, but if it's not going to be the case, we need this sorting out, and very quickly.
The first game of the season brought one of the so called minnows of the division to Bramall Lane, with Colchester United. It was an awkward game throughout, with it proving hard for us to break them down until £4m James Beattie got off the mark for United with a brilliant header to put us 1-0 up, this it what I was expecting to be the case alot this season, we're going to get another now and win easy. As we know this wasn't the case as Colchester quickly equalised due to a severe lack in concentration, which is something we've seen too many times this season.
We then recorded 2 victories from our next 2 home matches in the league against 2 of the biggest sides in the division, teams who were expecting to be up there with us at the end of the season fighting for promotion. West Brom were the first up, a 5.15 kick off on SKY, we needed a good win to show everyone what we can do. I thought we did that game, and won 1-0 with yet another James Beattie goal at Bramall Lane, and what was a more comfortable win than it looked. Wolves were next to visit Bramall Lane, and took an undeserved lead due to another lack of concentration at the back, before we came back to win convincingly by 3 goals to 1, goal hero James Beattie chipping in once again with 2 goals and an assist.
Of course, whilst we started this well at home, away was a very different story. Collecting just 1 point from 4 away games inbetween the above mentioned home games. A poor 1-0 defeat at Watford wasn't really that bad was it? A poor performance against a very good side and only losing by the odd goal was a sign of how good we could be on our day? However, a much worse performance at another minnow in Scunthorpe United was not appreciated well, a shocking first 70 minutes saw us 2-0 down, and it should have been 3, is this the same side we saw come down last year? However all was saved, or so we thought, when Danny Webber came off the bench and grabbed 2 goals in 10 minutes, making it 2-2. Geary was then sent off, along with a Scunthorpe player in the last minute, but Scunthorpe took advantage of our missing man and won the game 3-2. An embarassing defeat for a side recently relegated from the Premiership.
Since then it hasn't got any better, either. A lucky 2-2 draw with Blackpool away from home, after looking so comfortable at 1-0 in the first half, a silly free kick was conceded, gifting Blackpool a goal and giving them momentum going in at half time. They came out and it was like they were the side that had spent millions in the summer, not us. They battered us for the entire second half, and got what they deserved with 4 minutes left giving them a 2-1 lead, and another lesser team were taking 3 points from arguably the biggest club in the division. But all was saved when James Beattie took a 30 yard effort, hoping for a bit of fortune, which we got when Paul Rachubka gifted us a goal, and a point away from home.
4 days later we went to Palace, we are surely going to pick up our first 3 away points in the league in 2007, against a side so low on confidence, and a manager on the brink of the sack aren't we? No. A poor first half ended 0-0, create some bloody chances was the general thoughts of Blades at half time at that game. We came out in the second half like we meant business, causing them trouble from the off and getting a somewhat lucky deflection to put us 1-0 up. We then for some reason take the foot off the gas, and all of a sudden find ourselves 2-1 down. What are we playing at? Then once again James Beattie pops up, our saviour again making it 2-2 and we're on the way to another point away from home. But once again our defensive frailties show, conceding a penalty in the last minute, meaning another 3-2 defeat in injury time.
The moans and groans about Robson were getting louder, idiotic shouts of we want Warnock back, ringing around our fans. We're not that desperate, surely? Just an early season mis-hap. 2 home games coming up, 6 points out of them and we're ok, it will all be forgotten.
Unfortunately, this isn't how it works. 1 point out of 2 home games against mediocre sides isn't really what we come to expect. A poor performance against a Southampton side who hadn't won away all season meant a 2-1 defeat. No fight in the second half from our players, we never looked like getting back in the game, this isn't what we expect of Sheffield United Football Club.
It was a better performance against Cardiff at home, but yet again our defence let us down, meaning we were 3-1 down and looking at yet another defeat. However all was not lost, a cracking goal from Chris Armstrong got us back in the game, and in the 92nd minute Chris Morgan popped up to amend his errors earlier by grabbing a late, late equaliser. But is a 3-3 draw at home to Cardiff good enough for a team supposedly challenging for promotion?
Next up, and the last game played was Bristol City away from home. In the week we fought back from 3-1 down to get a draw, whilst they were trounced at our local rivals Barnsley 3-0. We're on TV again, and our record on TV has been good over the last few years, this like 3 other games were meant to be, is the turning point of our season, we go there and win, and the promotion push will begin. However, once again we are let down. An abysmal performance, lacking in pride and passion, means we succumb to a 2-0 defeat, which in all fairness should have been more.
All in all, this is shaping to be an awful season, and are we looking at another relegation battle? Or will it all be ok, and we make the playoffs? Is Robson the right man, or do we need someone else to take us forward?
I'm not confident at all at the moment, and I am honestly worried about ending up like Forest, Leeds and Wednesday. I hope this is not the case, but if it's not going to be the case, we need this sorting out, and very quickly.
