United 0 Wednesday 0 - report

[oldblade]

We beat them at Carrow Road on April 3rd 1976. Guthrie, Stainrod and Currie all scored.
A bad signing, a very promising youngster, and a brilliant Currie who couldn't wait to move to Leeds for the money.

We got relegated that season as well! Perhaps we better not beat them.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Bladey Bill would have got a six for that performance.

Funny you should say that, I was thinking to myself before reading the ratings that if Sharp had put in that performance Deadbat would have given him a 4/10 – pretty sure that was the Bristol City rating. He might be a harsh scorer, but he’s consistent.

 

[wadblade]

Watched it on TV and I agree about Leon last night, I thought he was positionaly poor though out the night. Particularly when they were down to 10 men and Leon came to the centre circle to collect the ball, why? We needed him in their penalty area. On TV you can see Dons surprise when he was subbed

I think Leon has been below par for the last few games and I think CW does have this failing with forwards, it was the same when Billy was having a poor time everyone could see it but it took CW three games to make a change

Next match team selection will be interesting

Keep the faith

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

We last won at Norwich in September 2002.

Norwich 2-3 Blades

Michael Brown scored in the first minute and then we had Iffy Onoura sent off.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

We got relegated that season as well! Perhaps we better not beat them.

A aah. Correct. The win.. as did the wins at Newcastle and Leeds.. came after relegation was confirmed.

 

[South Bucks]

Good report as usual but the key difference last night and recently is when we get the ball and go forward we fanny about slowly into non dangerous areas, whereas swinesday and most other teams I see on champs and premier league highlights don't do this cos they know it doesn't work.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Agree with every word in the report and the ratings.

Build up too slow. Rely too much on Duffy who is a marked man. Clarke looked lethargic in the pre-match warm up even, not his best night at all but the man must be tiring after all the shifts he's put in these past 2 months.

Agree Wallace should have been sent off, probably twice over. Rhodes may be beyond hope looking at his performance. Young keeper looked good.

Left wing back is still a problem even after the new signings, are we about to change formations? I think we've signed a couple of box-to-box central midfielders so maybe so. Pray for the day when we attack the centres of defences from central midfield. Holmes can be a revelation for us and Evans can take corners. We've signed some height as well and are becoming a big team, surely we can score more than 1 goal per 60 corners which is our record these past two seasons. Most of all we have to shoot at goal from outside the penalty area, if we do then defenders have to close us down more closely and commit to block the shot, thereby providing the chance to dummy the shot and go past them. At present they just have to get their bodies between the ball and the goal and we wander off sideways.

The squad now looks bloated particularly with midfielders. Keeping that spirit and unity amid this spell of 7 or 8 points in 10 games and bedding in so many new players can go either way. Some favourite players will now be on the sidelines and Wilder has to manage it through. Of course he'll do just that and we will have one hell of a squad for next season. This season might just be that bit too early for us. On the other hand we could kick on if all goes to plan. Fascinating.

Good times ahead come what may but yesterday was a huge disappointment and a very poor performance considering the opposition who were so relieved they celebrated as though they had just beaten one of the Top 6 Prem teams.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

I thought the ref was weak last night.

Fell for every trick in the book from the pig players - especially that little shit Wallace who slowed the game down at every opportunity and then made a disgraceful challenge on Fleck.

The standard of refereeing this season has been appalling from the games I've watched.

UTB - FTO

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I thought the ref was weak last night.

Fell for every trick in the book from the pig players - especially that little shit Wallace who slowed the game down at every opportunity and then made a disgraceful challenge on Fleck.

The standard of refereeing this season has been appalling from the games I've watched.

UTB - FTO

Same ref who sent Fleck off let Wallace get away with that foul on Fleck. Useless cunt.

 

[oldblade]

A aah. Correct. The win.. as did the wins at Newcastle and Leeds.. came after relegation was confirmed.

The win against Leeds was a high(ish) moment in a dreadful season. I think they expected to give us a bit of a hiding. They certainly didn't expect us to beat them.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

We now have a tricky game at Norwich; I can never remember us winning there? We always seem to lose – did we beat them 3-2 with a Brown and Tonge inspired win in early 2000’s?

Yes correct we beat them 3-2 in the 02/03 season, it was the Saturday after daylight robbery at the sty, we'd lost 0-2 but on chances created and missed we should have totally battered 'um. 3-0 up at Norwich the week after and they score 2 late goals. Remember as a a very young kid that we beat Norwich at Carrow Road 3-1 late on in the season we got relegated 1975-76, Stainrod might have scored. Also, recall the first game of 91/92 season when we drew 2-2 again conceding two late goals (at least one of them was scored by John Fleck's uncle David), we should have been well out of sight by then, first 80 mins we were well on top, 5 up wouldn't have been unflattering.

 

[WigglyBlade]

Don’t agree with the Lundstrum and Duffy scores at all. I thought Lundstrum played pretty well and was one of the few players carrying the ball forward in the last 10 mins. He just frustrates me occasionally when he plays the easy sideways ball instead of being more positive. I do think Leonard will take his place in the coming weeks but dropping him for last nights performance would be very harsh for me.

Duffy on the other hand looked off the pace to me and had a very rare off game. I do think they’d highlighted him as the danger man though and man marked him all match.

My scores would be:

Lundstrum: 6.5/10
Duffy: 5/10

 

[LoughboroBlade]

We last won at Norwich in September 2002.

Norwich 2-3 Blades

Michael Brown scored in the first minute and then we had Iffy Onoura sent off.

That’s right – Onuora was given a straight red for violent conduct (first time in his career) but it was rescinded days later. This enabled him to play at home to Rotherham in the next league game where he got his season-ending injury. Quite the week for Iffy that was.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Yes correct we beat them 3-2 in the 02/03 season, it was the Saturday after daylight robbery at the sty, we'd lost 0-2 but on chances created and missed we should have totally battered 'um. 3-0 up at Norwich the week after and they score 2 late goals. Remember as a a very young kid that we beat Norwich at Carrow Road 3-1 late on in the season we got relegated 1975-76, Stainrod might have scored. Also, recall the first game of 91/92 season when we drew 2-2 again conceding two late goals (at least one of them was scored by John Fleck's uncle David), we should have been well out of sight by then, first 80 mins we were well on top, 5 up wouldn't have been unflattering.

Robert Fleck.
Yeah Stainrod, Guthrie and Currie in 1976.

 

[Weasel]

Don’t agree with the Lundstrum and Duffy scores at all. I thought Lundstrum played pretty well and was one of the few players carrying the ball forward in the last 10 mins. He just frustrates me occasionally when he plays the easy sideways ball instead of being more positive. I do think Leonard will take his place in the coming weeks but dropping him for last nights performance would be very harsh for me.

Duffy on the other hand looked off the pace to me and had a very rare off game. I do think they’d highlighted him as the danger man though and man marked him all match.

My scores would be:

Lundstrum: 6.5/10
Duffy: 5/10

Whilst theres undoubtedly potential in Lundstram hes currently suffering from being too much like a Ray Wilkins type I.e. he likes the safe sideways ball too much.

There's a reason why he has had the highest pass completion for a middie in the championship - cos he likes to keep possession (no bad thing) and play the simple ball. He does need to mix it up though and be more prepared to drive forward with the ball and try to play forward incisive balls to the front lads in the box. If he gives the ball away trying to play a forward in then so what, no harm done and he's not gonna get it right all the time but at least try to be positive. Maybe it' a nerves thing and he doesn't want to be seen to be giving the ball away and making mistakes. It's frustrating as I think he's got the makings a of very decent midfielder in there.

'Sugar Ray' Leonard in for the next match and maybe also 'Sherlock' (Holmes) too. Mix it up and bring is some more creativity again.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Whilst theres undoubtedly potential in Lundstram hes currently suffering from being too much like a Ray Wilkins type I.e. he likes the safe sideways ball too much.

There's a reason why he has had the highest pass completion for a middie in the championship - cos he likes to keep possession (no bad thing) and play the simple ball. He does need to mix it up though and be more prepared to drive forward with the ball and try to play forward incisive balls to the front lads in the box. If he gives the ball away trying to play a forward in then so what, no harm done and he's not gonna get it right all the time but at least try to be positive. Maybe it' a nerves thing and he doesn't want to be seen to be giving the ball away and making mistakes. It's frustrating as I think he's got the makings a of very decent midfielder in there.

'Sugar Ray' Leonard in for the next match and maybe also 'Sherlock' (Holmes) too. Mix it up and bring is some more creativity again.

Lunstram has a reputation for his expertise with long, raking passes. He played them when he first arrived but has not played them so much recently. He is now playing like Coutts who had a similar pass 'success' rate and was lauded for it. Is he under orders or is he sick of our crowd moaning when a long ball goes wrong?

Strong player, very responsible covering for marauding centre backs. Young lad who will get better and better. Plenty of 'upside' over the next 3 years or so and he has leadership qualities and could well be a future captain.

 

[metalblade]

I can"t disagree with any of that report the game after all the bhild up became a huge non event which suited the pigs. Never have i seen a rather dull 0-0 be celebrated so much by a set of away fans which in itself is a complement to a team who they were pfedicti g to ztruggle in La Liga.

 

[Deadbat]

Bladey Bill would have got a six for that performance.

He wouldn't. See some of the recent marks I have given 'Bill'

 

[grafikhaus]

Think we won 1-0 at Norwich circa April 1994, the season we got relegated from the Prem (first time).

Nathan Blake - forgot that one?

Remember a 4-2 defeat, another bad one when Carver was manager was it and then lost 1-2 when Warnock gave Worthington the rods at the end when he refused to shake his hand! Also the cup defeat which was a really good performance when Deane and Agana scored in 1988.

Full history between the teams.

Looking forward to the memries of Norwich thread; the 1989 FA Cup tie, the sacking of Porterfield...

Wait no more! A brief update (Memries of Norwich Pt. 2) coming tomorrow.

We last won at Norwich in September 2002.

Norwich 2-3 Blades

Michael Brown scored in the first minute and then we had Iffy Onoura sent off.

 

[Silent Blade]

Think we won 1-0 at Norwich circa April 1994, the season we got relegated from the Prem (first time).

The last time we won at Carrow Road before that was in April 1976. We won 3-1 (Guthrie, Stainrod, Currie). Our third win of the season. Relegation was confirmed in the previous week's 5-0 defeat at Spurs. Kenworthy's debut, Stainrod's 2nd game and Goulding's last League match. We won 4, drew 1 and lost 1 in our last 6 League games of that season

 

[tincan]

Id swap the ratings of mistake ridden Stearman with Lundstrums play switching. Overall defence is the weak point - needs prioritising. Player ratings of less then 7 and not beating a 10 man side are not a promotion team. Wilder has to up his game.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Reflecting on the Clarke performance @ Deadbat, I'm developing a theory that he is not that effective against mass defences and that he needs a bit of space beyond the back line and in and around the penalty area. It's really hard for any striker to flourish in a congested penalty area and in my mind's eye I see Clarke very much on the move scoring goals not in crowded situations.

I haven't time to study all his goals but he is not that 'big lump' who towers above groups of defenders and he is not that effective at knocking in sharp half chances ( not like Sharp in fact!). Hanson has departed and we don't have anybody for Plan 'C' let's call it. I reckon Plan B ought to be sharp passes to feet, one-twos through the centre of the opposition defence with plenty of players around picking up second balls which would inevitably bounce of the forest of legs. IMO players best suited for playing those balls are Fleck, Duffy, Coutts ( if only he would) Reed and Carruthers!!!! Ho hum, I pray that Leonard and Evans have that in their locker. Holmes certainly has.

Sharp can receive those passes, less so Clarke and Donaldson. Not sure about Lavery, I hope Wilson can. Funnily enough Cole at Fleetwood looks to have that in his locker.

Parked buses and set pieces are challenges for our coaching staff. Sort them out and who knows what can happen this season.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Looking at the highlights I think Moore's knock helped us with that Reach effort.

For a while I've suggested that keepers take up position too far forward for long shots. The number you see dipping into the top of the net ( or even half way up the goal!) over the outstretched fingers of a keeper too far off his line.

Reach's shot had the dip. It wasn't too far away from Moore but his injury kept him close to his goal-line thank goodness. If fit he might well have positioned himself on the six yard line.