Today

[Putney Blade]

Just back. From the optimism of last week, today underlined the reality of how poor Utd are offensively. Think we had 1 attempt on target during 90 mins, Collins' header and goal, we only managed 2 corners. Brentford dominated throughout and apart from a short spell after when we scored, it was one way traffic. Could have been lot worse had it not been for Long and some poor finishing by Brentford. Apart from Brandy, got nothing going forward, and when he is not on song, like today, difficult to see how things will and can improve on last season. Today underlined that it will be a long, long season.

UTB

 

[Guesty]

I haven't seen today's game, but it seems to me we've made changes in the team to make us more attacking which are costing us at the back without providing the necessary improvement going forward. On top of that, I always felt we needed another striker and now we're probably going to need another attacking midfielder too! Happy days.

 

[wardonia_blade]

I always look for the positives:

In the games against NC and Brentford we have 2 more points this season than last, and a better goal difference of 1.

We only need to improve this by around 12 more points (with 44 games in which to do it) and we are home and dry.

The Blades are going up, blades are going up.

Well.......I tried.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Just back. From the optimism of last week, today underlined the reality of how poor Utd are offensively. Think we had 1 attempt on target during 90 mins, Collins' header and goal, we only managed 2 corners. Brentford dominated throughout and apart from a short spell after when we scored, it was one way traffic. Could have been lot worse had it not been for Long and some poor finishing by Brentford. Apart from Brandy, got nothing going forward, and when he is not on song, like today, difficult to see how things will and can improve on last season. Today underlined that it will be a long, long season.

Agree to an extent. Brentford were the best team I saw last season, and are much as they were - possibly better than last year - so that has to be taken into account.

That said, we had a real lesson today. They were quicker on the ball for the majority of the game, and worked hard to ensure we had no time on the ball. The first half was uncomfortable to watch. Donaldson & Logan slipped through our left-hand side at will, Forshaw (who I thought was excellent) ran the midfield. We barely got hold of the ball, and when we did caused them little problems - with the exception of Brandy, who looked lively. We were closed down quickly to the extent that on one embarrassing occasion we passed into trouble at the back after a goal kick. I was sat 5 rows or so behind Weir today - he didn't seem worried about that incident, and I can understand why. It's a new philosophy, and we'll inevitably get the occasional slip-up at the back while we get to grips with it.

Other than the brief spell before and after our goal though, we just weren't good enough.

Long 8/10 - no chance on the first goal, nor on the second, but he'll be disappointed with the killer third as he parried a fairly standard shot into Grigg. Really superb save on the penalty, and a number of other saves kept the scoreline lower.

Westlake 2/10 - woeful. I can stomach his defensive frailties if he does the business in the final third of the pitch, but he was poor everywhere today. He's also the worst at trying to get away with a foul - some players get away with it, but his discretions are always quite blatant. Lucky not to have been given a second yellow with the last kick of the game, but the ref blew full time instead.

Williams 3/10 - not quite as attrocious as Westlake, but throughout was a clear weak link that was repeatedly exploited.

Maguire 7.5/10 - assuming that I'm right and the penalty was very harsh, I thought he was our best outfielder today. Generally quite solid, and his quick thinking on the free kick led to the corner for our goal.

Collins 7/10 - generally solid too, lovely header on the goal.

Doyle 5.5/10 - really didn't get to grips with the game in my opinion. Some wretched passing that often meant players had to do two touches rather than one, let Forshaw boss the game.

McGinn 5/10 - decent delivery for the goal after an initially poor effort. Was badly at fault for the 2nd when he tried shielding the ball for a goal kick from George Saville, who was able to nick the ball off him and set up Grigg. Was otherwise not really in the game.

Coady 5/10 - invisible in the first half. Improved in the second, and got more on the ball, but is quite clearly unsuited to the role McDonald plays.

Murphy 5/10 - poor. Looked lost out there at times, ran down blind alleys

Brandy 6/10 - decent first half, where his trickery was our one outlet. Badly faded in the game second half.

Taylor 4/10 - really poor. The service in fairness was not always good, but when the opportunity arose for him to do something invariably he failed. Had a good chance in the first half when in space to have a shot and skied it high and wide. On today's evidence, he isn't good enough in a lone striker role.

Subs

Porter & McFadzean - were minor improvements on the people they replaced, Porter at least gave the centre-halfs some work to do.

All in all, a really disappointing performance. We badly missed McDonald in my view, and need to recruit more before the window shuts.

 

[pommpey]

Great to see another non-attacker grab a goal for us, if only to underline how piss we are at getting the ball in the net.

Oh, and that utterly useless life-support-machine-for-a-vagina who did the match updates on GSS. Did you get banged and ditched by some northern git back in your youth, or what? Four updates, barely a mention for Sheffield United (however bad they were playing) and (one suspects) a gash assessment of Saville's sending off.

1/10, missus. Kitchen. Ironing. Washing. Go.

pommpey

 

[Deadbat]

The worry for me is I cannot see one player in our squad who will score more than 6-7 goals for the whole season. ues

Porter has proven he is a poor finisher and Taylor has been at a number of clubs and only really done it for one season in the Scottish lower leagues.

Your comments on Murphy worry me too. Many keep saying he has not been able to show his best or is played in the wrong position but I am concerned that he is not improving as he is simply not good enough.

If United want to be in the top half they will need to sign some proper strikers and fast regardless of what happens with McDonald.

 

[Gavlar]

Just back. From the optimism of last week, today underlined the reality of how poor Utd are offensively. Think we had 1 attempt on target during 90 mins, Collins' header and goal, we only managed 2 corners. Brentford dominated throughout and apart from a short spell after when we scored, it was one way traffic. Could have been lot worse had it not been for Long and some poor finishing by Brentford. Apart from Brandy, got nothing going forward, and when he is not on song, like today, difficult to see how things will and can improve on last season. Today underlined that it will be a long, long season.

UTB

goals goals goals, that's what we need of course. badly need another striker and now a replacement for kmac, but also we've let in 6 goals in 3 games already, where has our tight defence gone? my early season optimism is starting to fade too!

 

[LoughboroBlade]

goals goals goals, that's what we need of course. badly need another striker and now a replacement for kmac, but also we've let in 6 goals in 3 games already, where has our tight defence gone? my early season optimism is starting to fade too!

Our tight defence is automatically less tight than last year with Westlake & Williams in. We have real problems in these positions - they are really important to the way we play going forward, which is why the current two have got the nod. Hill & McMahon simply aren't as comfortable on the ball or as quick to be able to go forward. If this is the style we're set on we really need to sell all 4 and get two players that are better than Westlake & Williams defensively but of comparable ability going forward. There are surely players of this type in our league or the one below.

 

[pommpey]

The worry for me is I cannot see one player in our squad who will score more than 6-7 goals for the whole season. ues

Porter has proven he is a poor finisher and Taylor has been at a number of clubs and only really done it for one season in the Scottish lower leagues.

Your comments on Murphy worry me too. Many keep saying he has not been able to show his best or is played in the wrong position but I am concerned that he is not improving as he is simply not good enough.

If United want to be in the top half they will need to sign some proper strikers and fast regardless of what happens with McDonald.

I think Murphy - much like Porter and Flynn - epitomise the shitness we have had to endure in the side for too long. For me, apart from the Robson trapdoor opening ever wider, the start of the recent cancer was Creswell's own goal vs Oldham at home. We just have never seemed to recover, both in confidence, ability, footballing prowess and will-to-win. And it lives in the DNA of these players unfortunately. Think about it - we had that shitness in Montgomery ... he was effectively transfer listed without being transfer listed for fucking years ... no-one came knocking. Shitness in people like Bogdanovich, who at least moseyed on to other clubs and scored a few and hey ... look at one of the most inconsistent bits of shitness we had playing up front for too long ... Henderson ... a man if he wasn't getting himself sent off, was letting the ball ricochet off his melon or falling over a-la Kitson (shit) or being injured forever. Hang on - he scored today, didn't he? In the division above us ... against former PL opposition ...

What is it about the red and white stripes?

pommpey

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Three games into the season and we haven't had a striker score a goal yet. What was it that fucked us up the last two seasons again?

I genuinely feel sorry for David Weir having walked into this shit hole.

This club is a joke.

 

[davidpinder]

i made a point a few weeks ago we buy Brandy and they buy Grigg today showed you that a striker who scores goals is what we needed, although i like Brandy no point having supply with no finisher and i think we already had supply.

 

[Kenilworth]

Couldn't disagree with any of those assessments.
We didn't compete and created fuck all
Powder puff up front and once Brandy (who is good) is blocked out there is absolutely nothing else.
I have no confidence we will add any quality to the squad when KMac pisses off so we will not even trouble the play offs IMO.
Wolves, Posh and Bees to contend the autos.

Beer was nice in the Magpie & Crown, though.
Small mercies.

 

[Kenilworth]

i made a point a few weeks ago we buy Brandy and they buy Grigg today showed you that a striker who scores goals is what we needed, although i like Brandy no point having supply with no finisher and i think we already had supply.

We never had a supply.
We created fuck all last season and we look to be the same this.
That's the problem. Long made 4-5 good saves and saved a pen. Their keeper had nothing to do except mince about his area and look camp as fuck. He plucked a couple of dolleys out of the air. We didn't get a cross in once.
It's just as shit as last season

 

[davidpinder]

We never had a supply.
We created fuck all last season and we look to be the same this.
That's the problem. Long made 4-5 good saves and saved a pen. Their keeper had nothing to do except mince about his area and look camp as fuck. He plucked a couple of dolleys out of the air. We didn't get a cross in once.
It's just as shit as last season

Am not sure Ken i think K mac and Murphy could supply a good striker, Plus a striker who created him own like a certain player we had not to long back.

 

[mattbianco1]

How many times has Harry Maguire given a penalty away. Genuine question. Does anybody know?

 

[Kenilworth]

Murphy is way too weak. He cannot beat a man and gets pushed off the ball too easily.
KMac may not be fit to lick the end of TC's bootlaces but he was the best we had.
We are anonymous, inept, impotent and boring.
I don't see anything apart from Brandy and he cannot do it all on his own
There will be many more teams that we will dominate possession against but we have no bite and we will end up getting beaten.
I don't see the leaders, the fighters, the desire. I just see a few players that are happy to cruise as long as they play in a pretty style.
Look at the likes of Walsall - lost loads of players, decent players but still seem to be able to overcome it. There's a sickness at the Blades where it seems half decent players turn crap and mediocre players look shit.
They just fanny about acting the part and it won't be good enough

 

[davidpinder]

There will be many more teams that we will dominate possession against but we have no bite and we will end up getting beaten.

Like next Saturday against a team who has won 2 out of 2.

 

[JohnDenver]

I suspect we'll be a good home side this year and poor away.

Weir has changed the emphasis - which is welcome - but I can't see us keeping the ball well enough away from home to succeed there yet. Especially so without KMac. It'll take time and a real commitment to develop a squad rather than sell it.

No quick fixes with McCabe in town.

 

[Gavlar]

Our tight defence is automatically less tight than last year with Westlake & Williams in. We have real problems in these positions - they are really important to the way we play going forward, which is why the current two have got the nod. Hill & McMahon simply aren't as comfortable on the ball or as quick to be able to go forward. If this is the style we're set on we really need to sell all 4 and get two players that are better than Westlake & Williams defensively but of comparable ability going forward. There are surely players of this type in our league or the one below.

yeh I wondered that, i'm amazed Williams is in the team, Westlake seems the only option since McMahon is injured.
much to ponder for Weir.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Murphy is way too weak. He cannot beat a man and gets pushed off the ball too easily.
KMac may not be fit to lick the end of TC's bootlaces but he was the best we had.
We are anonymous, inept, impotent and boring.
I don't see anything apart from Brandy and he cannot do it all on his own
There will be many more teams that we will dominate possession against but we have no bite and we will end up getting beaten.
I don't see the leaders, the fighters, the desire. I just see a few players that are happy to cruise as long as they play in a pretty style.
Look at the likes of Walsall - lost loads of players, decent players but still seem to be able to overcome it. There's a sickness at the Blades where it seems half decent players turn crap and mediocre players look shit.
They just fanny about acting the part and it won't be good enough

Bang on there Kenilworth.

We've looked completely lost in this league ever since the day we lost Evans. You can count the number of convincing performances since that day on one hand.

Nearly every team in the league now has pretty much sussed us out and realised we're pushovers.

 

[Kev Gee]

Murphy is way too weak. He cannot beat a man and gets pushed off the ball too easily.
KMac may not be fit to lick the end of TC's bootlaces but he was the best we had.
We are anonymous, inept, impotent and boring.
I don't see anything apart from Brandy and he cannot do it all on his own
There will be many more teams that we will dominate possession against but we have no bite and we will end up getting beaten.
I don't see the leaders, the fighters, the desire. I just see a few players that are happy to cruise as long as they play in a pretty style.
Look at the likes of Walsall - lost loads of players, decent players but still seem to be able to overcome it. There's a sickness at the Blades where it seems half decent players turn crap and mediocre players look shit.
They just fanny about acting the part and it won't be good enough

The problem is.

Were signing players from Scotland or the lower leagues. They think they've cracked it when they sign for us.

 

[Guesty]

Your comments on Murphy worry me too. Many keep saying he has not been able to show his best or is played in the wrong position but I am concerned that he is not improving as he is simply not good enough.

I've never really got what people see in Murphy. I keep hearing how he's going to be great any game now, but he's got shocking control and invariably surrenders the ball to the first decent challenge on him. He's scored I think two goals so far and hasn't exactly being laying them on a plate for anyone else either. He's barely better than Flynn, for me.

 

[cahill]

Oh my gawd are we that bad ? Div 4 next season then. Interesting times at the Lane.

 

[grafikhaus]

I would think DW is beginning to realise just what he's walked into.

I didn't go - listened on the radio (I can't fathom why RS go to the expense of sending people to United away games, they should just play a recording of any away game as it's always the same) and watched the 'highlights' on TFLS. Jesus. The way we just stop competing and allow teams to walk through us is alarming. And Maguire is becoming a liability.

One bloke rang P & G stating 'we are in for a relegation fight' and was roundly slagged by, I think, Staton. 'But they've only played two games!' With complacency like that, he'd fit in at United.

This rot set in in May 2009 at Wembley and has continued ever since. In that period, the game has totally changed. It's full of bright, ambitious teams who have got managers to match and financial backing that McCabe would not allow in. Teams such as Brighton, Watford, Forest. We're miles behind them. Even Yeovil and Bradford looked miles better than us which, of course, they are. So with every season that we drift, the rest are getting further ahead.

Thank God we didn't somehow sneak up last season. We'd be relegated by bonfire night.

 

[sheffielder]

wo wo wo wo wo cowboys! Last Friday night we were world beaters apparently. We lost badly at a rivals yesterday but give them a chance to right the wrongs of it. David Weir as of yesterday now knows the job ahead and probably why he gave the captains armband to the wrong man (probably through lack of other options). Because when the shit hits the fan for this team we fold

 

[bartman]

Agree to an extent. Brentford were the best team I saw last season, and are much as they were - possibly better than last year - so that has to be taken into account.

That said, we had a real lesson today. They were quicker on the ball for the majority of the game, and worked hard to ensure we had no time on the ball. The first half was uncomfortable to watch. Donaldson & Logan slipped through our left-hand side at will, Forshaw (who I thought was excellent) ran the midfield. We barely got hold of the ball, and when we did caused them little problems - with the exception of Brandy, who looked lively. We were closed down quickly to the extent that on one embarrassing occasion we passed into trouble at the back after a goal kick. I was sat 5 rows or so behind Weir today - he didn't seem worried about that incident, and I can understand why. It's a new philosophy, and we'll inevitably get the occasional slip-up at the back while we get to grips with it.

Other than the brief spell before and after our goal though, we just weren't good enough.

Long 8/10 - no chance on the first goal, nor on the second, but he'll be disappointed with the killer third as he parried a fairly standard shot into Grigg. Really superb save on the penalty, and a number of other saves kept the scoreline lower.

Westlake 2/10 - woeful. I can stomach his defensive frailties if he does the business in the final third of the pitch, but he was poor everywhere today. He's also the worst at trying to get away with a foul - some players get away with it, but his discretions are always quite blatant. Lucky not to have been given a second yellow with the last kick of the game, but the ref blew full time instead.

Williams 3/10 - not quite as attrocious as Westlake, but throughout was a clear weak link that was repeatedly exploited.

Maguire 7.5/10 - assuming that I'm right and the penalty was very harsh, I thought he was our best outfielder today. Generally quite solid, and his quick thinking on the free kick led to the corner for our goal.

Collins 7/10 - generally solid too, lovely header on the goal.

Doyle 5.5/10 - really didn't get to grips with the game in my opinion. Some wretched passing that often meant players had to do two touches rather than one, let Forshaw boss the game.

McGinn 5/10 - decent delivery for the goal after an initially poor effort. Was badly at fault for the 2nd when he tried shielding the ball for a goal kick from George Saville, who was able to nick the ball off him and set up Grigg. Was otherwise not really in the game.

Coady 5/10 - invisible in the first half. Improved in the second, and got more on the ball, but is quite clearly unsuited to the role McDonald plays.

Murphy 5/10 - poor. Looked lost out there at times, ran down blind alleys

Brandy 6/10 - decent first half, where his trickery was our one outlet. Badly faded in the game second half.

Taylor 4/10 - really poor. The service in fairness was not always good, but when the opportunity arose for him to do something invariably he failed. Had a good chance in the first half when in space to have a shot and skied it high and wide. On today's evidence, he isn't good enough in a lone striker role.

Subs

Porter & McFadzean - were minor improvements on the people they replaced, Porter at least gave the centre-halfs some work to do.

All in all, a really disappointing performance. We badly missed McDonald in my view, and need to recruit more before the window shuts.

I don't think KMac would have made must difference as we rarely ot the ball forward in the first half( no shots at all in the first 40 minutes( and the second half we seemed to bypass central midfield.

Westlake was awful gave one of the worst full back performances I have seen and he has been at fault for a least 3 goals already this season. Williams isn't much better but at least he tries to overlap and hsi run forward did lead to the corners from one of which we scored. For me,we need defenders and Hill and McMahon need to return asap.

I was surprised DW took Murphy off because he actually ran at players in the 2nd half and tried to support Taylor who was left on his own much of the game. I thought Brandy spent too much time trying to 'win' freekicks

Agree that Long was clearly MOM even thou he appeared at fault for the 3rd.

As for the fans, Absolute fantastic backing by the majority.. Then some idiots spoilt it by chanting for the ref to send Williams off near the end . Then there was the nob head at the end of the game who waited for Williams to be within a view yards of him to shout 'I wish you would fuck off and die,Williams'. The player was visibly shocked and upset. I bet this idiot felt really proud of himself..

I am sure whilst DW sorts things out we will have more results like this but the problems at fullback and the lack of support for the one forward is very worrying.

 

[Oreyt]

Then there was the nob head at the end of the game who waited for Williams to be within a view yards of him to shout 'I wish you would fuck off and die,Williams'. The player was visibly shocked and upset. I bet this idiot felt really proud of himself..

Jeeesus. I do hope no-one attempts the "The day cost me £100 plus so im entitled to wish death on someone who didn't play very well". WTF is wrong with people?

 

[Rodley]

I'm amazed people are kicking off so much. Weir needs time to completely rebuild us ala O'Deiscoll at Donny. We must be patient.

 

[Guesty]

Rebuild with what? All he can do is drop the dismal players in the team in favour of the marginally less dismal. We have no scope to improve the squad whatsoever.

 

[super_pig]

murphy is ryan flynn wearing a different shirt so the fans don't know it is him
doyle is nick montgomery
if kmac goes then that's the end this year for us i'm afraid.. for the last two seasons he is the sole reason i've renewed my season ticket tbh.. wolves probably don't need kmac but him sitting on 'their' bench means he's not playing for us.. it's the chelsea/citeh way on a micro level
rebuild with what?? every time we find a decent player who we should hang on to we sell them.. brandy will be next in the xmas transfer window..
i'd wager we are the most patient fans in the league already mate.. we've done fuck all for nigh on 100 years