We're getting there.........

[Blackheath Blade]

All told, that wasn't bad at all today. Both Scunthorpe and bison head have seemed to have got the better of us in recent seasons so it was especially pleasing to put one over on them today.
When Miller scored, I jokingly said to my mate that we could now sit back on the lead for 85 minutes and invite them on to us as we normally seem to do. Although it wasn't that nerve shredding, we created some lovely chances which werent put away and gradually, Scunny came back into the game and were unfortunate not to be level at half -time.
Second half was much improved, Kitson's peach of a header seemed to knock the shit out of Scunny and they never really threatened after that. The build up to the penalty was pure magic and showed to me how confident our boys must be feeling when they can pull tricks off like they did.
Obviously, the bad points were the injury to Miller and the sickening crack that was heard round the stadium when Collins fractured his cheekbone. Hopefully, we wont be without them for too long.
Just short of twenty two thousand inside The Lane on a foul day weatherwise, nevertheless, a lot of happy Blades tonight, just hope we can keep this going.

 

[Sheff de party]

agree with that m8, particuarly the Collins comment. i heard it from the kop and he was in the other half when he did it.

 

[Northyorksblade]

It was the sight of his strangely mis-shaped face that sickened me

 

[super_pig]

anyone got footage of the build up to the pen?? i was looking forward to seeing it on the football league show and it wasn't on! mind you if claridge was on they wouldn't have shown it anyway i suppose

 

[Ollessendro]

I think that we are almost there too. I think that our first team is definately good enough for a top 2 finish and probably enough to win the league. The questionarks are around are squad. We can cope with an injury at the back, as we have cover and Hill is key for his versatility. Similarly Porter (even Cressy) could come in for Kitson and (though inferior) do a job. Cofie (or one of the others mentioned) could fill in for Miller also. I think short terms we would be covered with these positions. The porblems is if we lose a key player in midfield. Losing Flynn or Blackman would really unbalance the side and decrease creativity massively. It xould mean playing a duff (McAllister), a defender (Williams) or someone who Wilson does not rate or think is ready (young lads and development players). The biggest worry is losing K Mac. He is the key cog in the centre of the park and it is plainly obvious we are nowhere near as good without him. We lose confidence, change our style of play and just look lost without him.

My opinion is that if we have a bit of luck we will go on to win the league (or at least get automatic). By luck I mean with fitness. Keeping K Mac, Blackman and Flynn fit is essentially. Even better if we can get replacement options. You could maybe also throw Maguire, Miller and Kitson into that too. Keep all those fit and we'll keep chugging away and stay where we are.

Based on what I have put above, the wise option would be to try and find decent central midfield cover and also someone who can play on the wing. I think if we could fill those 2 positions (big IF's with the transfer 'embargo') then we would have the best squad (not just the best first team) in the division. Wilson should be saying to McCabe 'I've got this team top, but to guarantee us to stay there (and therefore increase revenue by 3 or 4 mill next year, I need 2 players .......'

 

[bartman]

The trouble is,my gut feeling is that Maguire will be sold in January to raise funds to ensure we get the players we need to go up. Hopefully Collins' injury means this might not happen but i think selling Harry for a decent price would mean we could get the 3-4 players in that we need.

If no one is sold,will DW be able to bring anyone in during the JTW ?

I hope I am wrong

 

[Revolution]

The trouble is,my gut feeling is that Maguire will be sold in January to raise funds to ensure we get the players we need to go up. Hopefully Collins' injury means this might not happen but i think selling Harry for a decent price would mean we could get the 3-4 players in that we need

I was saying earlier today that this is the only good thing to come out of the injury to poor Collins. It makes it harder to sell Maguire.

And hopefully someone will be reminding Mr McCabe how successful selling our best players has been during his stewardship.

 

[CopenhagenBlade]

I think that we are almost there too. I think that our first team is definately good enough for a top 2 finish and probably enough to win the league. The questionarks are around are squad. We can cope with an injury at the back, as we have cover and Hill is key for his versatility. Similarly Porter (even Cressy) could come in for Kitson and (though inferior) do a job. Cofie (or one of the others mentioned) could fill in for Miller also. I think short terms we would be covered with these positions. The porblems is if we lose a key player in midfield. Losing Flynn or Blackman would really unbalance the side and decrease creativity massively. It xould mean playing a duff (McAllister), a defender (Williams) or someone who Wilson does not rate or think is ready (young lads and development players). The biggest worry is losing K Mac. He is the key cog in the centre of the park and it is plainly obvious we are nowhere near as good without him. We lose confidence, change our style of play and just look lost without him.

My opinion is that if we have a bit of luck we will go on to win the league (or at least get automatic). By luck I mean with fitness. Keeping K Mac, Blackman and Flynn fit is essentially. Even better if we can get replacement options. You could maybe also throw Maguire, Miller and Kitson into that too. Keep all those fit and we'll keep chugging away and stay where we are.

Based on what I have put above, the wise option would be to try and find decent central midfield cover and also someone who can play on the wing. I think if we could fill those 2 positions (big IF's with the transfer 'embargo') then we would have the best squad (not just the best first team) in the division. Wilson should be saying to McCabe 'I've got this team top, but to guarantee us to stay there (and therefore increase revenue by 3 or 4 mill next year, I need 2 players .......'

Not that we should be pinning our hopes on youth but could Whitehouse be the quality back up that we need? DW spoke very highly of him at the recent AGM so maybe we don't have to go out and use money in this area. Surprised also by the lack of follow up from De Gerolomo (spelling!) after the JPT game...he could be our creative wing man if either of the current 2 get injured. Then we have Kennedy in defence, would be nice to see him on the bench now McMahon is suspended

 

[Come from away]

Not that we should be pinning our hopes on youth but could Whitehouse be the quality back up that we need? DW spoke very highly of him at the recent AGM so maybe we don't have to go out and use money in this area. Surprised also by the lack of follow up from De Gerolomo (spelling!) after the JPT game...he could be our creative wing man if either of the current 2 get injured. Then we have Kennedy in defence, would be nice to see him on the bench now McMahon is suspended

Might see of them in the cup, not before unless there is a yellow card feast.

 

[beightonblade]

The JTW will sort things out.

 

[boo radley]

The JTW will sort things out.

Are you travelling rund Europe in a dog now?

 

[blade too long]

just to add a note of caution I dont think we will achieve automatic promotion until april , so dont lets get carried away

 

[JohnDenver]

I was saying earlier today that this is the only good thing to come out of the injury to poor Collins. It makes it harder to sell Maguire.

And hopefully someone will be reminding Mr McCabe how successful selling our best players has been during his stewardship.

Selling Maguire would be utter madness. You simply couldn't guarantee replacing him to any standard, yet alone adding what we need in other areas. And in truth, we're not going to get a silly money offer for Harry.

Doing business in January is difficult enough and our record in that window is so bad it's funny. The two occasions we have invested we temporarily derailed a promotion bid and flunked a survival chance. Isn't it about time we learned a few lessons?

If we don't go up we know Maguire will be sold in summer. Surely we can wait five months?

 

[Sheff de party]

The trouble is,my gut feeling is that Maguire will be sold in January to raise funds to ensure we get the players we need to go up. Hopefully Collins' injury means this might not happen but i think selling Harry for a decent price would mean we could get the 3-4 players in that we need.

If no one is sold,will DW be able to bring anyone in during the JTW ?

I hope I am wrong

i assure you, maguire is going nowhere at his age.

iv offered this before and il offer it again. if someone wants to bet me a tenner il give you 3-1 hes with us at the start of next season.

 

[B.Lade]

anyone got footage of the build up to the pen?? i was looking forward to seeing it on the football league show and it wasn't on! mind you if claridge was on they wouldn't have shown it anyway i suppose

Try the sky sports website. Decen-ish highlights on that.

 

[mattbianco1]

anyone got footage of the build up to the pen?? i was looking forward to seeing it on the football league show and it wasn't on! mind you if claridge was on they wouldn't have shown it anyway i suppose

Flynn had a brilliant game and his persistence in that particular passage of play won us a penalty.

I'm not much of a Flynn admirer (he's meant to be a flying winger) but the more i watch him i like him. He pressures the oppo into making mistakes loads, closes down play quickly and bites at players ankles. That's probably what DW put him in the middle for other week... unfortunately he was like a rabbit between headlights in CM.

video is here: http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/262975/video

 

[beightonblade]

i assure you, maguire is going nowhere at his age.

iv offered this before and il offer it again. if someone wants to bet me a tenner il give you 3-1 hes with us at the start of next season.

OK i'll have a tenner on.

 

[Sheff de party]

OK i'll have a tenner on.

good lad BB! do u want it in euros? arent u going travelling?

 

[Northyorksblade]

The thing that now worries me, is with Miller and Collins out for a while, I can just hear the mantra 'We needed to get a striker/full back in and had no money, so with regret, Harry had to go to raise the funds'

 

[beightonblade]

good lad BB! do u want it in euros? arent u going travelling?

no if i win yer can give it to Foxy

 

[JohnDenver]

The thing that now worries me, is with Miller and Collins out for a while, I can just hear the mantra 'We needed to get a striker/full back in and had no money, so with regret, Harry had to go to raise the funds'

True enough but FFP rules mean we're unlikely to be able to make net additions to the squad. I can't imagine Harry earns so much we could use his wages to pay more than one replacement.

And if all we can do is replace Harry, there's no point whatsoever.

 

[Bergen Blade]

True enough but FFP rules mean we're unlikely to be able to make net additions to the squad. I can't imagine Harry earns so much we could use his wages to pay more than one replacement.

And if all we can do is replace Harry, there's no point whatsoever.

I hope he stays, but we should be demanding a decent fee for an England U21 international.