Match Thread Unofficial Match Thread - Blackburn Rovers v. Sheffield United - 6th November 2021

BLA -

In 46 minutes vs

SUFC -

 

[originaltrueblade]

Basham played full game.

I know he did but with a third of the season gone he’s played just a handful and it was only injury that led to his inclusion

 

[originaltrueblade]

Fleck playing and Basham on the bench makes no sense

I know he did play today but with a third of the season gone he’s played just a handful and it was only injury that led to his inclusion

 

[Bell4]

We are paying for cans being kicked down the road for years, failure to address weaknesses in the squad, and shocking recruitment.

JOC never replaced, loanee this season so still not replaced.

Fleck hasn't been in form for over a year, how many players have been his competition? Osborn, Freeman now, but more before.

Norwood, we got Berge but he's a sicknote now unfortunately, Geudioura is ancient and has just had surgery so he's out, and we don't seem to trust out Under 23s (how can they be any worse than Norwood and Fleck have been of late)

Billy and Didzy, we've tried to replace them and failed - expensively.

Egan looks half the player he was last time he was in the Championship.

Replaced Henderson with Ramsdale, who didn't hit the ground running and we sold him once he'd hit his stride, Olsen thinks he's better than us, and he probably is tbf at the moment - but it's not a good look for him when he's shipping goals, even if it's because he's not arsed.

Stevens is pretty much done, RND groomed as his replacement for about 3 seasons and isn't up to much either.

We need to sell players this January and buy some new ones, and bring in some of the youth team that aren't tainted by the shit we've served up for the last 18 months.

At least Brewster got his goal finally. Maybe Liverpool will activate the £40m buyback now haha

Good post

 

[originaltrueblade]

Basham played full game.

I know he did play today but with a third of the season gone he’s played just a handful and it was only injury that led to his inclusion

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Fleck playing and Basham on the bench makes no sense

Perhaps if Bash HAD been on the bench we wouldn’t have shipped 3

 

[Chilttheblade]

Not luck at all.

He introduced a revolutionary tactic that was perfect for the players at hand.

More importantly he instilled confidence and got every player to play to the best of their ability.

Very skillfully done.

So what happened then? If he was so skillfull why did it all go over a cliff?
He was just lucky could not replicate what he did.

 

[ChezVegasBlade]

Dreadful team need most need shipping out asap

 

[jt64]

That was embarrassingly bad. Only Basham can come away with any credit and I'll give Brewster a pass for the goal, maybe MGW as well, the rest were varying levels of shit

 

[Jinxy1966]

A common theme for me so far is the weakness in our tackling. Have we won any 50/50 this season ?? Our challenges when trying to dispossess opponents are also dire. Either lose the attempted tackle or commit a foul. It’s like most of them have hinges instead of ankle joints that allows their feet to bend back out of the way without imparting any pressure on the fucking ball.
Also, have we ever had a combined midfield unit that gets dispossessed so easily or gives the ball away so unnecessarily ??

 

[Headshrinker]

So what happened then? If he was so skillfull why did it all go over a cliff?
He was just lucky could not replicate what he did.

A lot of things started to go wrong. A break in play due to Corono and the resulting matches with no supporters. Lost momentum and urgency because of it. Injuries. Continued to play well but got key decisions and results against. Finally heads started to drop and it spiraled downwards.

 

[coolasanidiot]

Extremely disheartening match. You'd have to say not one of our players deserved a 5/10. You can't win a match when no one performs above totally bad.

We have chances but never look like putting anything away, the desire and hunger to win the ball seems lacking.

When a team lets us have the ball we do knock it about nicely, but press us, attack us and boy oh boy do this team look decidedly average. Very weak team.

 

[Montymagic]

A lot of things started to go wrong. A break in play due to Corono and the resulting matches with no supporters. Lost momentum and urgency because of it. Injuries. Continued to play well but got key decisions and results against. Finally heads started to drop and it spiraled downwards.

Coupled with players that were fading, coupled with piss poor recruitment and stubbornness and willing to change.

 

[232 Bramall Lane]

Fortunately with Hull, Barnsley and Derby in this league that can’t happen but even at this early stage it’s looking remote now for the playoffs.

Our defence is too fragile so we need to play really well in order to gain any points.

Don't bet on it.
We've been here before.

 

[bakeblade]

What subs would you have made? Not trying to catch you out, just genuinely interested. There are a lot of these types of comments on here where the poster never says what they would have done differently, or how that would have guaranteed a more positive outcome

I think my main problem is we seem to finish up with a formation all over the place.
Today his subs made a bit of sense, but usually they are baffling

 

[Chilttheblade]

A lot of things started to go wrong. A break in play due to Corono and the resulting matches with no supporters. Lost momentum and urgency because of it. Injuries. Continued to play well but got key decisions and results against. Finally heads started to drop and it spiraled downwards.

Rubbish
It was the same for everyone
Wilder was just lucky,the stars aligned and he made his fortune
Good luck to him ,but don’t kid yourself

 

[originaltrueblade]

I know he did play today but with a third of the season gone he’s played just a handful and it was only injury that led to his inclusion

 

[Danetheblade]

If I was the prince i’d get apologising and begging on the phone to wilder

What for? "Sorry you wanted to leave three times, sorry we gave you the most money any United manager has ever had and you pissed it up the wall, sorry you left out the back door"

 

[originaltrueblade]

Perhaps if Bash HAD been on the bench we wouldn’t have shipped 3

Perhaps if he was on the bench we could have shopped more than 3

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Unlikely - only happened once all season

Perhaps if he was on the bench we could have shopped more than 3

unlikely - only happened once all season & that was with Bash n’all
Today could have easily been more.

 

[MK4BLADE]

Equal first half but we were a mess in the second. Really quick start but they gradually clawed their way back into the game and unlucky to go in level. Terrible defensive and midfield display. Not much movement up top. They were decent, defended well and have some tricky attacking players but we stood off them and let them play. No fight and slow closing down.

Olsen - 4 - Pushed their 3rd straight back to their attacker and came and missed in the first half. Should have maybe done better with their second as well. It was all too easy to go round him.
Stevens 2 - Woeful. So slow to move the ball on but not helped by the number of hospital balls from Egan. Didn't get forward first half and a bit better in the second.
Egan - 2 - Terrible. All over the shop at times with huge holes in the defence. Got turned way too easily and poor on the second, both in terms of positioning and speed of thought. Lucky to not give a penalty away first half
Basham - 2 - Made a couple of important interceptions but bambi on ice at times. Got completely turned and lucky to escape. Got turned way too easily for the first and this happened over and over again. Ball watching at times as well.
Bogle - 2 - Got taken off before he got sent off or before he tripped himself up again and injured himself. Gives his man far too much room and allows opposition players to turn. Looks livelier going forward but no end product.
Fleck - 1 - Lucky to get 1 to be honest. Purely for that ball to Mousset. The most abject display of midfield football I've ever seen. There was a point when their player literally ran all the way round him to the by-line and he just stopped. Probably thinking about a Tenants Super. Turned into trouble time and time again, so fucking slow and kept giving the ball away.
Norwood - 2 - Scrapes a two. Defensively diabolical. no protection whatsoever. Just doesn't tackle or get close to opponents. Lots of loose balls going forward and poor set pieces.
Osborn - 2 - Not even that much energy today. Kept going in his favour and kept trying to put balls in but there next to know quality there. Also defensively weak and sloppy
Gibbs-White - 3 - Nothing first half from him. Kept going and almost created something second half but defensively terrible as well. Gave the ball away for their third and kept doing it. You can see why he doesn't get a game for Wolves.
Brewster - 1 - Great finish, one point. Everything else was TERRIBLE. He at least tried to track back but he seems to be constantly somewhere random on the pitch. Hardly ever available when we have the ball. Stood offside thinking of FIFA or daydreaming about marbles.
Sharp - 6 - Assisted on the first and almost did it again. I thought he faded but he was the one player on the pitch showing determination and a willingness to get stuck in

Subs

Mousset - 1 - Had a couple of great chances and showed absolutely no intelligence or skill. Body shape of a McDonald's worker but half the speed of thought.
Ndiaye - 2 - Got caught on the ball over and over again and everything he tried, and he did at least try, went horribly wrong
Baldock - 4 - Not on for long but far too eager to foul

Slav - 1 - We started like a house on fire but gradually got worse and worse. His subs, once again, totally destroy our shape. I feel for him having to work with these players who don't have the intelligence or quality to play the way he wants. He's also been shafted on the players we didn't bring in. It would be interesting to know if all the loans are his signings because it seems a little strange if they are. Having said that, if we have no money and no intention of bringing in the players he needed then why hire him? He's not the manager for a scrap and it's increasingly looking like that's what we're going to be in for.

Blackburn - They were decent. They defended really well and looked dangerous every time they went forwards. They look to have a soft centre in midfield but fortunately for them they came up against the 4 wettest midfielders in the division. All their attacking players did well for them. They seem like a team who will have another inconsistent season and end up just outside the play-offs unless they bring some brawn in to play in the centre.

Billy missed a 1 v 1 with a tame effort and an open goal. He certainly wasnt motm im afraid (and im a billy fan)

 

[robbiez666]

Billy missed a 1 v 1 with a tame effort and an open goal. He certainly wasnt motm im afraid (and im a billy fan)

He did the right thing, for me. Took it down well and hit it early. It was a good save. Would have been some finish to do something more fancy with it.

I thought he was the only player on that pitch who showed determination and skill. Set up our goal. Almost created another. I remember him tackling back to concede a corner and then heading that corner clear. He wasn't brilliant but unlike everyone else he wasn't poor.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Equal first half but we were a mess in the second. Really quick start but they gradually clawed their way back into the game and unlucky to go in level. Terrible defensive and midfield display. Not much movement up top. They were decent, defended well and have some tricky attacking players but we stood off them and let them play. No fight and slow closing down.

Olsen - 4 - Pushed their 3rd straight back to their attacker and came and missed in the first half. Should have maybe done better with their second as well. It was all too easy to go round him.
Stevens 2 - Woeful. So slow to move the ball on but not helped by the number of hospital balls from Egan. Didn't get forward first half and a bit better in the second.
Egan - 2 - Terrible. All over the shop at times with huge holes in the defence. Got turned way too easily and poor on the second, both in terms of positioning and speed of thought. Lucky to not give a penalty away first half
Basham - 2 - Made a couple of important interceptions but bambi on ice at times. Got completely turned and lucky to escape. Got turned way too easily for the first and this happened over and over again. Ball watching at times as well.
Bogle - 2 - Got taken off before he got sent off or before he tripped himself up again and injured himself. Gives his man far too much room and allows opposition players to turn. Looks livelier going forward but no end product.
Fleck - 1 - Lucky to get 1 to be honest. Purely for that ball to Mousset. The most abject display of midfield football I've ever seen. There was a point when their player literally ran all the way round him to the by-line and he just stopped. Probably thinking about a Tenants Super. Turned into trouble time and time again, so fucking slow and kept giving the ball away.
Norwood - 2 - Scrapes a two. Defensively diabolical. no protection whatsoever. Just doesn't tackle or get close to opponents. Lots of loose balls going forward and poor set pieces.
Osborn - 2 - Not even that much energy today. Kept going in his favour and kept trying to put balls in but there next to know quality there. Also defensively weak and sloppy
Gibbs-White - 3 - Nothing first half from him. Kept going and almost created something second half but defensively terrible as well. Gave the ball away for their third and kept doing it. You can see why he doesn't get a game for Wolves.
Brewster - 1 - Great finish, one point. Everything else was TERRIBLE. He at least tried to track back but he seems to be constantly somewhere random on the pitch. Hardly ever available when we have the ball. Stood offside thinking of FIFA or daydreaming about marbles.
Sharp - 6 - Assisted on the first and almost did it again. I thought he faded but he was the one player on the pitch showing determination and a willingness to get stuck in

Subs

Mousset - 1 - Had a couple of great chances and showed absolutely no intelligence or skill. Body shape of a McDonald's worker but half the speed of thought.
Ndiaye - 2 - Got caught on the ball over and over again and everything he tried, and he did at least try, went horribly wrong
Baldock - 4 - Not on for long but far too eager to foul

Slav - 1 - We started like a house on fire but gradually got worse and worse. His subs, once again, totally destroy our shape. I feel for him having to work with these players who don't have the intelligence or quality to play the way he wants. He's also been shafted on the players we didn't bring in. It would be interesting to know if all the loans are his signings because it seems a little strange if they are. Having said that, if we have no money and no intention of bringing in the players he needed then why hire him? He's not the manager for a scrap and it's increasingly looking like that's what we're going to be in for.

Blackburn - They were decent. They defended really well and looked dangerous every time they went forwards. They look to have a soft centre in midfield but fortunately for them they came up against the 4 wettest midfielders in the division. All their attacking players did well for them. They seem like a team who will have another inconsistent season and end up just outside the play-offs unless they bring some brawn in to play in the centre.

Until you gave Sharp a 6 I agreed. He was poor.

Missed a sitter at 1-1 and it cost us.

 

[bertieblade]

Compare Billy’s attempt to that of Moose.
billy is the only proper striker that we have in the squad.

 

[Gaini Blade]

A key difference today I thought was how quickly Rovers turned defence into attack. Our build ups are a bit like watching chess.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Unlikely - only happened once all season

unlikely - only happened once all season & that was with Bash n’all
Today could have easily been more.

Biggest issue is that Fleck is no longer quality too slow losses ball in possession frequently lack of awareness bad tackles a poor league one player now. He turns into players without shielding the ball. All of his passes are short which results in losing possession. He was bad last season BUT this season he has been pathetic we only have ten men when he plays

 

[TJ blade]

your right hillsbro it is sad but without 21k season ticket holders and 2500 away fans each game we would be getting less than 20k watching this lot

The question we could all ask is how the fuck as the support been so good considering the shit theve served up and we still keep coming back for more, do they fuck deserve us!!

 

[Nesh Blade]

The question we could all ask is how the fuck as the support been so good considering the shit theve served up and we still keep coming back for more, do they fuck deserve us!!

Buying a ticket and turning up is hardly support if you go and boo and scream abuse at our players like an unfortunate majority did today. One of the twats around me had the cheek to shout that the atmosphere was “toxic” after he spent 10 minutes booing and shouting about how wank our players are. Thankfully he fucked off early to get back on the coach

 

[Gaini Blade]

Sometimes we make up for our great numbers with sheer lack of noise and support.

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Biggest issue is that Fleck is no longer quality too slow losses ball in possession frequently lack of awareness bad tackles a poor league one player now. He turns into players without shielding the ball. All of his passes are short which results in losing possession. He was bad last season BUT this season he has been pathetic we only have ten men when he plays

Don’t disagree re JF but to think (imply ?) that Bash is a ‘silver bullet is equally misguided
Not a binary ‘choice’ between the two - (@ present?) neither ( + many / most /?all) are performing to good enough standards - either individually or collectively

 

[originaltrueblade]

Don’t disagree re JF but to think (imply ?) that Bash is a ‘silver bullet is equally misguided
Not a binary ‘choice’ between the two - (@ present?) neither ( + many / most /?all) are performing to good enough standards - either individually or collectively

Never said Bash is a silver bullet but he’s part of the jigsaw and I’d rather have him in than out