Woodwardfan
Woodwardfan
- Banned
- #1
Took the opportunity to watch the "other lot" last night and it was a very entertaining game and a typical local derby. Both teams were "at it" from the start as you would expect and the effort levels and pace of the game was exhausting to watch, credit to both teams - or is it?
There were two gifted goals in a crazy 5 minute spell just after half time but other than that neither keeper had saves to make until the 94th minute when Rotherham at last found the target. I'm not saying there was no good forward play by some energetic attacking players for Wednesday but it was all 100 m.p.h with little control or composure and chances were rushed at.
That leads me to my point. As I watched the game I was thinking how different the pace of the game was compared with games we see in League 1 where our opposition does not take us on toe to toe, rather they sit back to defend for their lives and hope to snatch any morsel going on the break.
There has been a lot of quality debate on here since the Fleetwood game and there is an appreciation of the need for control and patience, much more appreciation than we see and hear amongst the crowd at home games in fact. However, watching your players "at it" from the off is exciting and far more gratifying - Barnsley away last season was one of those games and another local derby.
I don't think we can play like that week in week out but there are two areas where I think the team should strive to improve and up the tempo for big spells in the first half:- 1. pressing the opposition 2. movement by forward players for the ball and quicker delivery.
The games at Bramall Lane meander on for far too long. By all means once the game is won see it out, however there is a need to step up the tempo, not helter-skelter for 90 minutes but way more intensity than there has been. The two teams last night kept up the pace for 94 minutes but play like that every week and there would be burn out. I'm not advocating that, maybe half way house towards that would be plenty.
Is our manager seeking more intensity or is he looking for steady, methodical, controlled first half caution, dare I say Clough-esque? Watching him on the touchline last Tuesday he was not at all happy. So is it the players? Is it a lack of confidence? Possession is king but slow possession achieves little unless it bursts into life in the final third.
The players may be inhibited by the home crowd and stay in their shell. The crowd round me are looking to shout "forward" "forward" "forward" at every opportunity, it's their new sport and they are full of it. Perhaps they should shout "Faster" and "Move for it" because that's what's needed more. Shouting "Forward" is too simplistic and has no credibility to be honest. Maybe any of that type of shouting is entirely counter-productive, maybe it's not, it's going to happen.
When we have seen United teams gain promotion in the past there has been that wonderful spectacle when going to games - every player "at it", knowing his role and his colleagues' roles, optimism and the sheer enjoyment of achieving something as a team. It only applies to three promoted teams each year and some of those scratch their way up. We are nowhere near the level yet but maybe not too far away. Once it starts rolling it snowballs.
Wendy fans were singing their manager's name last night. As someone on Shoutbox said last night, when did our fans last do that? Let's hope we are doing so by the New Year.
There were two gifted goals in a crazy 5 minute spell just after half time but other than that neither keeper had saves to make until the 94th minute when Rotherham at last found the target. I'm not saying there was no good forward play by some energetic attacking players for Wednesday but it was all 100 m.p.h with little control or composure and chances were rushed at.
That leads me to my point. As I watched the game I was thinking how different the pace of the game was compared with games we see in League 1 where our opposition does not take us on toe to toe, rather they sit back to defend for their lives and hope to snatch any morsel going on the break.
There has been a lot of quality debate on here since the Fleetwood game and there is an appreciation of the need for control and patience, much more appreciation than we see and hear amongst the crowd at home games in fact. However, watching your players "at it" from the off is exciting and far more gratifying - Barnsley away last season was one of those games and another local derby.
I don't think we can play like that week in week out but there are two areas where I think the team should strive to improve and up the tempo for big spells in the first half:- 1. pressing the opposition 2. movement by forward players for the ball and quicker delivery.
The games at Bramall Lane meander on for far too long. By all means once the game is won see it out, however there is a need to step up the tempo, not helter-skelter for 90 minutes but way more intensity than there has been. The two teams last night kept up the pace for 94 minutes but play like that every week and there would be burn out. I'm not advocating that, maybe half way house towards that would be plenty.
Is our manager seeking more intensity or is he looking for steady, methodical, controlled first half caution, dare I say Clough-esque? Watching him on the touchline last Tuesday he was not at all happy. So is it the players? Is it a lack of confidence? Possession is king but slow possession achieves little unless it bursts into life in the final third.
The players may be inhibited by the home crowd and stay in their shell. The crowd round me are looking to shout "forward" "forward" "forward" at every opportunity, it's their new sport and they are full of it. Perhaps they should shout "Faster" and "Move for it" because that's what's needed more. Shouting "Forward" is too simplistic and has no credibility to be honest. Maybe any of that type of shouting is entirely counter-productive, maybe it's not, it's going to happen.
When we have seen United teams gain promotion in the past there has been that wonderful spectacle when going to games - every player "at it", knowing his role and his colleagues' roles, optimism and the sheer enjoyment of achieving something as a team. It only applies to three promoted teams each year and some of those scratch their way up. We are nowhere near the level yet but maybe not too far away. Once it starts rolling it snowballs.
Wendy fans were singing their manager's name last night. As someone on Shoutbox said last night, when did our fans last do that? Let's hope we are doing so by the New Year.
