AlienWoodward is right in saying that we were unlucky. To hit the woodwork three times is unlucky and they could conceivably have been three goals. If they'd gone in and we'd won 3-1, we'd not be having all the doom and gloom on here today, we'd be saying 'Job well done' ...
HOWEVER
Only one of the three times we hit the woodwork was a clear goalscoring chance, i.e. Ward. Out of the three times we hit the woodwork, that was the poorest effort as Ward should have buried it and it looked to me as if he mis-hit it against the post. The other two were good efforts that could have produced something if they'd been an inch or two lower. Hitting the woodwork three times is unlucky but it doesn't excuse the performance.
Coventry's keeper - my word, I wish we'd signed him when I first noticed him in the P/O Semi against Leeds a few years back - was solid and dependable and that was all he needed to be as United never troubled him. He caught everything, distributed well and you can tell that the Coventry defence are assured with him behind them. We never created a clear chance other than Wards - and it's debatable if we actually created that - and that is the most worrying sign for me. Boothroyd did what he always does at t'Lane - good keeper, big strikers, organised, solid, get a goal and shut shop - and as usual, he walked away with the points.
It's not Speed's fault. He is a rookie manager who wants to play the game a certain way with a squad of players that cannot play that way. If he carries on this way, we lose and he gets moaned at. If he goes back to Blackwell's way, he'll get moaned at. Rock and a hard place. I've got faith that in time Speed will be a good manager ... but have we got the time to wait?
Somebody needs to come out and stop the bullsh*t and say how it really is. It dawned on me for the first time yesterday - we're in BIG trouble here and we're certainly in a relegation scrap. We have to accept that we're not going up, we're not going to be comfortable, we've got to fight for our lives and ensure we survive. Truth goes a long way in Sheffield and these parts - I think that SUFC fans would now accept the recognition of what we are involved in. I don't like the fact we're in trouble but we are and somebody needs to admit that whether it is Speed, Morgan, McCabe whoever ...
Yesterday, I struggled for a good word to say about any of them. Simonsen still hasn't made a big save this season and is starting to look shaky - I think it's time to give Wright a chance. Nosworthy scares me to death and the wages he will be on this season is staggering in comparison to how poor he is. Bartley was my joint man of the match yesterday - and he was only mediocre. Morgan has lost a stride, a step and if it wasn't for the comedy acts around him, it'd be more noticeable how poor he is at the moment. Taylor was better than normal for me yesterday and still got subbed which says it all. Britton was my other join-MOTM and again was mediocre at best. Ertl - what is the point of this guy? He can't pass, he can't tackle, he can't win an header - we're carrying him. Quinn - jeez, don't get me started. NGE for League 1. Ward - has bottled it, he daren't run no more! How many times second half was he one on one with the left back and ran at him and then crossed from deep? Here's an idea, Wardy - you're faster than him, get round the back of him and cross from the byline. Yeates is the only player who looks like creating anything for us but he had an off-day where nothing worked yesterday. Cresswell - I don't understand why he doesn't get the stick that Ched gets. He's on good money and he is as slow as a carthorse. My old Nan could out-run him. He never wins an header, he's offside too often and he commits stupid fouls. Oh, and he can't score for toffee at the moment.
SUBS
Lowton - has got to start next time. Youthful exuberance meant he was the best player second half. The fans will forgive a kid a mistake or two as well.
Reid - touch of class when he came on but the SUFC players need to wake up to him. He played a great curling ball through the left channel yesterday late on that went out for a goal kick. Ched and Cressy stood and watched it ... if they'd made any kind of run into that channel, they'd have got it.
Evans - get in the frigging box man! You won't score goals 25 yards out. Play your part in the build-up and then bust a gut to get in the box! Give yourself a chance because you bloody well need to!
Wholesale changes needed for next Saturday AND a week of playing with Reid in training might help too. I'd like to see 442 but I doubt we will so here is the 451, sorry, 433 we should play:
Wright
Lowton -- Bartley -- Morgan -- Jordan (if fit)
Montgomery -- Britton
Ward -- Reid -- Yeates
Bogdanovich
Yes, Montgomery. At least he'd win us the ball back and if Britton and/or Reid can take it off him before he loses it, that's got to be better than Ertl or Quinn's efforts! If not Monty, Put Lowton in the centre and Calve in at right back.
Roll on the return - hopefully - of Willo and Hendo and some January signings!
UTB!
