United 2 Coventry 1 - report

[sitwell]

Because a player gets criticised doesn't make him a scapegoat. I have never 'scapegoated' anyone just voiced my opinion that I don't rate some players ,(never Doyle or Flynn) ,surely that is the point of a forum ?
Its only my opinion but I don't think Hill ,Long ,Baxter or MacFadzean of the present first team squad are good enough to progress Sheff Utd. I will openly admit to and hope to be proved wrong.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Because a player gets criticised doesn't make him a scapegoat. I have never 'scapegoated' anyone just voiced my opinion that I don't rate some players ,(never Doyle or Flynn) ,surely that is the point of a forum ?
Its only my opinion but I don't think Hill ,Long ,Baxter or MacFadzean of the present first team squad are good enough to progress Sheff Utd. I will openly admit to and hope to be proved wrong.

I agree with your weak links although Baxter has consistently done what his manager required but with strikers coming in next season the role he's played might not be needed next year.

Best thing is Nigel will be making the decisions.

 

[Silent Blade]

The best thing about these reports is unlike The Sheffield Star they aren't sugar coated in any way. It's proper journalism really.

I agree with that. Thanks Deadbat!

 

[diplomat]

STILL thinks we should have kept him! No lie.

Has he still got a Betamax?

 

[JohnDenver]

I wonder what Baxter's average rating has been from Deadbat this season. He always seems to get about 5/10. To say he is rated as one of our better players, this seems to contradict that.

If anyone could be bothered, they could do a Deadbat score calibration exercise, comparing his player scores over the season to the forum's Player Ratings pages.

It would either show Deadbat's prejudices, or perhaps that everyone else shares them….

 

[Houso]

I will openly admit to and hope to be proved wrong.

And therein lies the rub. So many people this season (me included) have written off various players such as Murphy, Flynn, Doyle, Collins, Maguire, Baxter, Cuvelier, Brandy, Coady and Howard.

Many of them have already done enough to show we were wrong. Others have yet been given the chance to prove otherwise.

Won't stop people wanting players bombed out of the door at the first opportunity though. Different systems, different managers and different surroundings can do amazing things for players.

 

[Deadbat]

If anyone could be bothered, they could do a Deadbat score calibration exercise, comparing his player scores over the season to the forum's Player Ratings pages.

It would either show Deadbat's prejudices, or perhaps that everyone else shares them….

Trouble is I only went to say 7 or 8 away games so would not be a real reflection.

If anyone wants to do averages they can do; I am too busy....writing these end of season reviews!

 

[sitwell]

And therein lies the rub. So many people this season (me included) have written off various players such as Murphy, Flynn, Doyle, Collins, Maguire, Baxter, Cuvelier, Brandy, Coady and Howard.

Many of them have already done enough to show we were wrong. Others have yet been given the chance to prove otherwise.

Won't stop people wanting players bombed out of the door at the first opportunity though. Different systems, different managers and different surroundings can do amazing things for players.

To be fair on me ,its not first opportunity ,Ive not rated Hill good enough since Walsall away 2 seasons ago ,Long since Crewe at home 2 seasons ago ,Baxter since Octoberish and MacFadzean ever.
I will hold my hands up though and say I was wrong about Murphy ,King and Westlake though.

 

[Pinchy]

If anyone could be bothered, they could do a Deadbat score calibration exercise, comparing his player scores over the season to the forum's Player Ratings pages.

It would either show Deadbat's prejudices, or perhaps that everyone else shares them….

Or we could simply offer our own views and not ascribe any special status to Deadbat because he writes (sometimes inaccurate) reports?

 

[Trigger Blade]

I thought Clough singled that moment out for criticism in his post-match interview with Radio Sheffield when the interviewer said Kennedy had had a good game.

There seem to be a few vultures on here beginning to circle on Baxter. Which is surprising given how he's been an important part of both the excellent run in the league and the cup run.

I don't want to come over all Pinchy, but Nigel's view of Kennedy on Tuesday coincided with mine He did some good things but got caught out a couple of times with naive challenges when he missed the ball and left us exposed at the back. I didn't see Baxter's rant after Kennedy's run, but it is a bit rich coming from Baxter, he gives the ball away more than most.

As for Baxter himself, I find him really frustrating, he's clearly talented (he scored 15 for Oldham last season), so I feel he's capable of much more than he's given us so far. He's definitely lazy in a Glyn Hodges kind of way. Like sitters, not scapegoating, but he has to work harder or move on.

 

[Deadbat]

Or we could simply offer our own views and not ascribe any special status to Deadbat because he writes (sometimes inaccurate) reports?

Thanks for the feedback Pinchy. Who gives me special status?! I'd like to thank them personally

I have said before and continue to say; my reports are my thoughts and are intended to cause debate/opinion. They wont always be accurate. I don't sit on the fence and actually do write opinions which of course I expect to be contested. By giving opinions I know I am open to criticism.

Don't think John Denver is suggesting my ratings are to be taken as read and if anything wanted to know if my average marks reflects others opinions. Not sure what is wrong with that?

It is like with your posts/opinions. Many have different opinions of you. Many have the same opinion.

 

[JohnDenver]

Don't think John Denver is suggesting my ratings are to be taken as read and if anything wanted to know if my average marks reflects others opinions.

Yup. The accusation that you undervalue Flynn and Doyle might be reflected in the numbers, or it might not. It's nerdy but interesting to see.

If anyone checked my player ratings they'd see McMahon marked well below the average. Which of course proves that I'm always right.

 

[grafikhaus]

A bit belated (computer problems) but, as ever a good report db.

A couple of problems I can see - we usually let it drift in the first half and come out a different team in the second. If Coventry had gone 2-0 up, I can't see where United would have hauled it back as Coventry would have 'parked the bus'.

Also, the Coventry forward pair - Wilson & Delfouenso - attacked with both pace and instinct. United's attacks are too laboured, too much 'thinking time' and almost as if they're afraid of making mistakes. The first time they attacked in a purely 'heads down and let's see where it goes'-style was for Flynn's goal.