Tippy tappy fannying about in the final 3rd.

[Large Mendonca]

Think Clarke got the nod as he 'knows' what was expected of him, he would know exactly what his role was in terms of defending corners and free kicks

It's a decent point you have made - maybe if we had been two up then Madine would have got on, instead of Stearman.

 

[CrabbyPattie]

To be fair to QPR they defended really well and limited us, they stopped O’Connell overlapping really well the defensive CM just moved across....the disadvantage for them was this tactic freed up Norwood more.

Their tactic was clear, soak up pressure, frustrate the crowd and if we can nick one then great.

I wouldn’t be frustrated by our lack of chances yesterday, not many teams will break them down at all.

Wigan & Blackburn tried that tactic, both ended up with heavy defeats. Our lack of vision is what separates us from smashing teams, I can’t remember how many times Billy made a sublime run in between the central defenders and Didsy did the same between the right back and central defender. When attacking down the right in particular the simple ball straight through the gap would set up a goal scoring opportunity. Instead we hold up play take the extra touch and play out wide to come back in again.

 

[Ginger Gnome]

It’s a fallacy that the optimum moment to cross is at the first opportunity.

It's also a fallacy that the optimum moment to cross is never the first opportunity.

I'm not sure why people treat the getting the ball in the box thing as if one way or the other is an absolute answer, it's about balance and mixing it up a bit to avoid being predictable. We have players who can pass in neat tiny triangles with brilliant movement, and can often find the perfect moment to slip in a pass that leads to a shot at goal, but there are times when that doesn't really get anywhere, with the opposition just happy for the time to get everyone back their own box and just let us aimlessly knock it about around the edges with no killer pass.

The games where we've struggled to break teams down have often become a little predictable and easy for the opposition who just know we're going to try to pass them to death and never try an early ball. In the second half of last season when JOC stopped going forward as much, part of the reason why Stevens was so poor was that he always did the exact same thing, either wait for JOC to overlap, or pass it inside to Fleck of Duffy. With the overlap gone, he just played simple predictable passes inside. This season when Stevens has been very good, he still looks for the overlap, he still looks for Fleck and Duffy, but he also looks for other options, including whipping it in early himself, or using the other players as a dummy to put in a ball later.

Sometimes we are guilty of slowing play down too much that it does become fannying about, but always lumping it in at the first opportunity isn't the answer, it's about finding the right ball and if that happens to be the first ball, then that's fine.

 

[essexblade73]

It's also a fallacy that the optimum moment to cross is never the first opportunity.

I'm not sure why people treat the getting the ball in the box thing as if one way or the other is an absolute answer, it's about balance and mixing it up a bit to avoid being predictable. We have players who can pass in neat tiny triangles with brilliant movement, and can often find the perfect moment to slip in a pass that leads to a shot at goal, but there are times when that doesn't really get anywhere, with the opposition just happy for the time to get everyone back their own box and just let us aimlessly knock it about around the edges with no killer pass.

The games where we've struggled to break teams down have often become a little predictable and easy for the opposition who just know we're going to try to pass them to death and never try an early ball. In the second half of last season when JOC stopped going forward as much, part of the reason why Stevens was so poor was that he always did the exact same thing, either wait for JOC to overlap, or pass it inside to Fleck of Duffy. With the overlap gone, he just played simple predictable passes inside. This season when Stevens has been very good, he still looks for the overlap, he still looks for Fleck and Duffy, but he also looks for other options, including whipping it in early himself, or using the other players as a dummy to put in a ball later.

Sometimes we are guilty of slowing play down too much that it does become fannying about, but always lumping it in at the first opportunity isn't the answer, it's about finding the right ball and if that happens to be the first ball, then that's fine.

Agree, and how and when a player chooses to cross is down to his own game intelligence and decision making abilities.

 

[Jon Bon II]

4 passes but lovely goal

From 54 mins 55 secs

Great days those, despite what some pompous, fantasists on here would have you believe...

 

[sheffielder]

I love the tip tap fannying about. There were about 10 of us out last night at a party and we all agreed that these are the best times we can remember. all in our 40's.

We have also proved in the last few weeks we can change it up, but we also have players coming into some big career changing form like Stevens for example.

Yes I would like an early cross now and again and think that we could get more midfielders in the box (Fleck and Duffy) at times but this team is constantly evolving and improving. Let evolution take it's natural course.

 

[Pinchy]

It's also a fallacy that the optimum moment to cross is never the first opportunity.

I'm not sure why people treat the getting the ball in the box thing as if one way or the other is an absolute answer, it's about balance and mixing it up a bit to avoid being predictable. We have players who can pass in neat tiny triangles with brilliant movement, and can often find the perfect moment to slip in a pass that leads to a shot at goal, but there are times when that doesn't really get anywhere, with the opposition just happy for the time to get everyone back their own box and just let us aimlessly knock it about around the edges with no killer pass.

The games where we've struggled to break teams down have often become a little predictable and easy for the opposition who just know we're going to try to pass them to death and never try an early ball. In the second half of last season when JOC stopped going forward as much, part of the reason why Stevens was so poor was that he always did the exact same thing, either wait for JOC to overlap, or pass it inside to Fleck of Duffy. With the overlap gone, he just played simple predictable passes inside. This season when Stevens has been very good, he still looks for the overlap, he still looks for Fleck and Duffy, but he also looks for other options, including whipping it in early himself, or using the other players as a dummy to put in a ball later.

Sometimes we are guilty of slowing play down too much that it does become fannying about, but always lumping it in at the first opportunity isn't the answer, it's about finding the right ball and if that happens to be the first ball, then that's fine.

I don’t think I’ve ever disagreed with that. All I’ve said is the cross needs to be at the right time and really you have to be out there to properly assess that.

I’ve seen no suggestions from anyone, you included, that it’s never right to knock it in first time. I’ve seen plenty suggest that it’s always right to do so. It ain’t. Tufty and Alan think that’s noise and nonsense.

We’ve scored plenty lately from so-called early crosses that weren’t. One of which won us three points yesterday and was described as ‘patient’ on EFL Quest. Fleck - Didzy against Blackburn was also a culmination of an intelligent build-up

I’m afraid some of our granite-skulls don’t do patience. I’ve seen and heard them. I’m afraid some idiots don’t appreciate the best football they have ever seen from a United team.

 

[Dalelane01]

 

[The Fox]

It didn’t. That’s precisely the point. Neither did Fleck’s cross against Blackburn. It’s a fallacy that the optimum moment to cross is at the first opportunity. You have to be out there and see the angles and the situation ahead of you to make the assessment. If it where as simple as gerritinearly why not do it every time. Why not launch it from the half-way line?

Only in S2 would Football of the standard we are lucky enough to be watching be described as ‘fancying about’. Second in the league, playing our best football in decades and people are ‘frustrated’? No wonder I despair...

That's my point , I'm not in a position to argue of the technical merits or effectiveness overall , it's just a bit frustrating too .

 

[Valleyblade]

Have to come down with pinchy on this one knowsnowt.

There's far too much "shoot" and "gerritin" where I sit, on the kop, usually, but same on John st. And probably the South stand.

Fucking idiots.

 

[Hamburg Blade]

2nd in the league in our 2nd season back in the Championship - when a lot of people would have been simply happy to avoid relegation in our first - playing sublime football, led by a manager that everyone likes and supports, and people are getting frustrated? Should some people be wondering whether they have an inbuilt aversion to enjoying football?

 

[knowsnowt]

Have to come down with pinchy on this one knowsnowt.

There's far too much "shoot" and "gerritin" where I sit, on the kop, usually, but same on John st. And probably the South stand.

Fucking idiots.

Lol. Give me.football over hoof any day but that doesnt take away the fact there has been justification for an earlier cross at times. We've all witnessed it.

 

[BLADE OF GRASS]

Mr wilder must be stupid too

 

[BushBlade]

2nd in the league in our 2nd season back in the Championship - when a lot of people would have been simply happy to avoid relegation in our first - playing sublime football, led by a manager that everyone likes and supports, and people are getting frustrated? Should some people be wondering whether they have an inbuilt aversion to enjoying football?

A lot of supporters aren’t football snobs. They just want to be entertained. They want to see crunching tackles, big lads competing for headers, shots on goal, tricky wingers beating their man and crossing the ball from the bye line to the big centre forward, effort, commitment and goals. And a bit of bloodshed.

That’s not just us, it’s supporters all over the country. I listen to a lot of radio, I hear Chelsea fans saying Sarri-ball is boring, I heard Man U fans go on about Mourinho.

Right now, I don’t care how we play if it gets us up and, on a good day, we’re fantastic to watch but sometimes, yeah, we’re a bit boring (and that’s always been the case; whatever Sky might tell you, sometimes games can be a bit dull).

 

[Hamburg Blade]

A lot of supporters aren’t football snobs. They just want to be entertained. They want to see crunching tackles, big lads competing for headers, shots on goal, tricky wingers beating their man and crossing the ball from the bye line to the big centre forward, effort, commitment and goals. And a bit of bloodshed.

That’s not just us, it’s supporters all over the country. I listen to a lot of radio, I hear Chelsea fans saying Sarri-ball is boring, I heard Man U fans go on about Mourinho.

Right now, I don’t care how we play if it gets us up and, on a good day, we’re fantastic to watch but sometimes, yeah, we’re a bit boring (and that’s always been the case; whatever Sky might tell you, sometimes games can be a bit dull).

It's my view that most football is boring. I always take the bait when someone comes out with "cricket is so boring", but football can also be very dull. Some people seem to be able to sit through PL match after PL match (Sky seem to think so, anyway), but unless the game features Sheffield United I get bored very quickly.

 

[Dnblade]

I enjoy how we play,it's the best Football since the 70's for me,but agree sometimes the ball can go in earlier at times,although only if there's something on...The goal v QPR was brilliantly worked and we didn't just lump it in at the first opportunity,but what a delivery by Norwood...It looked like we were trying to work the opportunity for Norwood to put crosses in from the right,as he'd had 2 or 3 crosses from around that area before we scored...great goal...wtf was Enda doing in an inside right position by the way...QPR couldn't deal with it.

 

[South Bucks]

Rarely works against half decent teams, again and again

 

[Guesty]

Rarely works against half decent teams, again and again

It wasn't the lack of chances that killed us today. It was failing to take them.

Sharp in particular was poor. He missed a sitter, was constantly on his heels, not his toes and seemed to spend most of the game offside