West Brom 4 United 0 - report

[Deadbat]

The Blades’ miserable start back in the Championship continued as they went down at fellow relegated side West Brom at the Hawthorns. The Baggies and Fulham have started life well scoring freely and both seem well adjusted at their lower level but United seem a long way from being competitive at the upper echelons of this league.



After subpar performances against Birmingham and Swansea, United went to one of the fancied sides and with the current confusion over formation, tactics and selection for the Blades, it was always going to be a tough ask to get anything from this game against a Baggies side that have adapted much better to a new manager and his approach. In the end the home side destroyed the hapless Blades with new manager Jokanovic looking bewildered at what was happening in front of him as United were torn apart from a confident home side. United’s losing mentality continued



The news pre game was that Aaron Ramsdale was finally close to sealing his move away from Bramall Lane to Arsenal and Michael Verrips got his first league start. United went back to the tried and trusted front pairing of McGoldrick and Sharp. On the surface the line up seemed to resemble the 3-5-2 of the recent history with Osborn and Baldock wing backs and Fleck, Berge and Norwood in midfield but as the game started it seemed to be a 4-4-2 with Robinson left side of midfield and then 3 in the middle with Fleck maybe the one to be nearest the right side. New signing Ben Davies had to be content with a place on the bench as Jack Robinson started again.



The home side began with an unchanged side with former Blade Callum Robinson, already on two goals for the season up front alongside Karlan Grant and Grady Diangana with former Barnsley stand out Mowatt anchoring the midfield.



The game started with West Brom immediately putting the Blades under pressure as we conceded a throw in instantly when surely the plan would be to limit such opportunities? The throw came in and the ball was in the back of the United net inside a minute. However, Callum Robinson was offside as he finished after Matt Clarke won the initial header. West Brom harried United early and Norwood was outmuscled leading to a further spell of pressure.



Jack Robinson failed to spot the danger and the dangerous Furlong came onto the ball and whipped over a cross but no one could react at all. West Brom then won an early corner but Egan cleared.



The Blades had not got into the game at all although Sharp won a free kick to get us finally into their half. Baldock then conceded another unnecessary throw that came in but it bounced over everyone before McGoldrick dithered on the ball and Verrips was able to do well to come out and smother.



On 15 minutes Robinson had the ball in the net for West Brom again after Bartley outjumped Egan but it seemed it was disallowed for an innocuous foul on the United man rather than offside which it actually was.



United could not get up the pitch at all and even though they had a lot of the ball West Brom were pressing and meaning the Blades could only kick the ball up the field aimlessly and Sharp/McGoldrick were feeding off scraps.



They did have a chance when Sharp was fed by McGoldrick but the striker could not get his shot away and O’Shea made the block.



Norwood and Berge were then both outmuscled too easily but Verrips was quick out once again. The keeper was dealing with through balls better than high balls where he was rather stuck on his line.



On 25 minutes the long throw that had caused problems saw the opening goal. Jokanovic had complained that the throws had been taken from the wrong place and this one again was probably much further forward but United still have to defend them. This one was met by JACK ROBINSON (OG) but he inexplicably headed it towards his own goal and Verrips was beaten on his near post despite getting a hand to it. Another incredibly sloppy goal to concede but the aerial threat had already seen two goals disallowed and sadly had been coming.



United had a chance to level straight away as Sharp played in McGoldrick but the striker with only Johnstone to beat somehow could not even hit the target and curled his effort a few yards wide of the post. The striker beat the ground in frustration and moments later this boiled over again as he was booked for putting his finger in Furlong’s face after a challenge by the touchline.



The next period saw a scrappy spell with little happening but West Brom continued to look more threatening with their direct approach continuing to cause issues. United got drawn into this type of game and started to go long which was easy for the West Brom centre backs. The home side then won a series of corners but Bartley’s header wide was the closest they got.



United did have a half chance to get a shot over but McGoldrick could not get a shot away and then Berge finally got on the ball after an anonymous first half. A late corner came to nothing and the half time whistle came and West Brom deservedly led for showing far more attacking intent.



The second half saw United concede a corner instantly as Robinson somehow headed behind and United were instantly under pressure from a set play. The corner came over and Verrips attempt to punch the ball saw it spin into the air and go nowhere. He tried to gather at the second attempt but he ended up juggling the ball and unable to gather. It dropped and O’SHEA bundled it home. It was dreadful goalkeeping and such a soft goal to concede. Both goals had been totally avoidable.



A few minutes later and United were torn apart in open play this time. Egan lost the ball initially and then Berge and Norwood wafted at balls and lost out and the ball was played through with MOWATT running down the middle of a defence that had gone completely missing. He slipped it through Verrips and into the net and it was 3-0 and if not already, game over.



The Baggies had another chance from a throw but it was scrambled clear before Egan cut out a ball soon after. West Brom looked like scoring every time they attacked and United were all over the place. They had barely mounted an attack or got in the West Brom half in the opening 15 minutes of the 2nd half.



McBurnie and Burke came on for Sharp and McGoldrick but the fourth goal was not long coming and it was more shambolic defending and particular goalkeeping from the hapless Verrips. He came amongst bodies for a header but failed to get his arms up and Bartley beat him to it and the ball fell to ROBINSON (CALLUM) inevitably got his goal tapping in for his third of the season.



It was embarrassing for United. 4-0 down with half an hour left. Burke did go on a run but drew laughs from the West Brom crowd as he ran it out of play – something both sets of fans have probably seen him do time after time.



McBurnie then got a cross over but a defender blocked Burke off but at the other end a lovely cross from Townsend saw Furlong somehow scoop over from close range. It was a sitter and should have been five. Freeman came on for the totally ineffective Berge who trudged off having barely touched the ball. West Brom came again and a shot went wide after another break. The home side were toying with the Blades who had a rare effort when McBurnie headed it goalwards and Egan had a header saved comfortably from Johnstone. This moment drew sarcastic cheers from the Blades fans.



This was returned from the West Brom fans who cheered Verrips finally catching a ball soon after. He then did push a ball away from a throw but again looked less than convincing and Sky commentators’ assertion that him and United’s defence were a ‘nervous wreck’ was sadly bang on the money.



Furlong then nearly scored after United’s side were cut through again before a rare set play at the other end saw McBurnie head over. Right at the death Ajayi somehow poked wide with the goal at his mercy as another set play caused havoc again. The referee played four minutes stoppage time but in reality, he could have blown his whistle on 47 minutes as the game was effectively ended at this point. United are still without a win and a goal and it was a chastening night for the team and the club. West Brom in contrast have adapted superbly to a new manager who has them doing all the things that he would want for them to be successful.

 

[Deadbat]

United – Absolutely abysmal. Team selection, shape, formation and approach was horrible. The team looked unmotivated and totally clueless. So, I am afraid Jokanovic has to take some blame even if it is early days but I also think we are starting to realise that these players/bulk of this side are done – a busted flush. A good portion are showing no sign of improving. They have been largely like this for 18 months and I see no sign of any change. None. They are getting worse. We all hung our hat on the lower level seeing players doing better but the reality is they look exactly the same. I do agree we have no plan and no idea of the formation or how to play but even when we had the Wilder 3-5-2 plan last year that did not work? I do believe we have no clear idea yet of how he wants to play and sadly do not think he does but I simply thing these players regardless of that are not good enough. I said all summer we needed big wholesale changes and I stand by that. Tonight, was a real rude awakening. We realised that if we do not get us act together and fast this season will see us nearer the bottom than the top – people may see it is only 3 games but we have barely even had a shot and the way we are playing is dull and totally lifeless with no goal threat or spark at all.



Pre match all the talk was over Ramsdale going and even though it seemed inevitable it cannot have been ideal preparation for the squad. I was not surprised we seemed to go back to a formation of before for familiarity but I also was a bit shocked that with West Brom’s high line and the risks they take we had no pace. Yes, I know Burke is useless and Brewster has been miles off what we need but felt one or both actually may have started and thought Sharp and McGoldrick even though wily performers do not have the mobility and speed to cause them issues when we would have been defending you felt more than attacking? I felt the side was small and slow and sadly I was proved right. I actually think McBurnie (for set plays) and Brewster should have started up front to give us some kind of outlet. We ended up defending from the off and whilst we had a fair bit of the ball it was all in our half and them pressing us.



We nearly conceded on 30 secs when we concede a throw in – one thing we were not meant to do and survived this more by luck than judgement. They had another disallowed and felt they were bullying us all over the field. The keeper did not know whether to come or go and the midfield were getting muscled off it. We had a lot of the ball but they were happy with that as they pressed and forced us to go long and the big centre backs won the ball against McGoldrick and Sharp. I felt a goal would come but we do not help ourselves when we head one in our own net from another player that is simply not good enough.



We did miss a sitter after this – McGoldrick had to score and that is a horrible miss and is bad as any of the defending we had tonight. He is a shocking finisher and that is two away games where he has missed two easy chances. He is another that may have to come out of the team. He is not doing it and had a really bad start to the season – just like everyone else really and he was the one that we could count on last year.



After this we got to half time but then from 45 mins to 60 mins it was a shambles. Shocking keeping being a feature with horrific goals to concede but we also got beat in general play with soft play leading to chance after chance. The team and players as individuals seemed to just give up. They had gone. It was embarrassing as West Brom looked like scoring every time they attacked. Freeman did ok when he came in and at least McBurnie got stuck in but the game had long gone. Indeed at 1-0 it was probably over.





I have no idea of the formation, style, tactics and who can fit whatever style/approach he wants. At the moment I just see him chucking players out there in odd positions and formations and hoping something clicks. So far it has been a mess. I am shocked he has not either gone with his formation and style he normally plays and done this for a period of games (if the players he picks cannot do it then he would gradually upgrade piece by piece) or played a variation of the formation we have done for 4-5 years. He seems to be doing neither and we have not settled on anything. If he keeps trying these odd formations/selections and players in the wrong areas/not suited for them, then we will keep losing and struggling and before we know it the current becomes hard. Yes, Fulham were struggling by November but they had better players than we had and we are not going to sign a Mitrovic type like they did. I think he probably realises he needs to gut a good portion of this starting line-up who are so bereft of confidence and form that many seem just mentally shot, at least at United. I think there was a notion that if these players were given a new formation/way of playing this season they would all do much better – there was the talk of how the strikers were not given the chances to succeed or the midfield were starved of the ball due to the shape and the defence struggled due to the lack of midfield protection etc, etc. I think us trying different things this season has indicated probably it is more than just shape/formation really.



These players are really struggling with even the basics at the moment – ball advancement, control, quick passing, dribbling, crossing, set plays and shooting. Even if we find a formation, he/we settle on, then not sure we are going to see these things suddenly improve. The same players have struggled with these basics for nigh on 18 months now. I am not sure that the formation and tactics (granted no idea what we are doing or what we are meant to be doing in this regard!) would overcome these things. We need fresh bodies and pace/athleticism – a spark. If they cannot get out of the slumber for a new manager to start a new season, then will they ever? As I say I am sure a lot still feel sure it is all about the formation and approach but my concern is (as he is doing) we could try different things and I am still not sure it would overcome the shortcomings in individual play/decisions.



For me I want to see basics in terms of fight, winning headers, tackles, making driving runs and showing some responsibility. Even some of the more established players like Baldock, Basham and Egan are slowly deteriorating week by week. I feel quite sad for them. A lot will be made of the McGoldrick and Sharp combo and maybe we should just play McBurnie and Brewster now but people also forget those two have also been useless for a year – at least Sharp and McGoldrick have scored a few goals! The issues are more than just who is thrown up front though as he rotated loads and we barely have any chances (granted McGoldrick has to score the ones he has had). The midfield is putrid. It is soft as s**t. Weak as p*ss. Throw out whatever cliches. I am sick of them. I loved Fleck and Norwood but they are done for me at SUFC. That may seem a bold statement and sure they will stay around this season but I cannot see a future short or medium term where these are regulars and we are successful. Both are unfit and physically weak and games pass them by. They do not stop opponents and offer nothing the other way. Norwood did put a few tackles in and try and get on the ball a bit but still offered next to nothing. Fleck was abysmal. He may as well not have played and the 2 games he has started he has been non-existent. He seems to have completely gone. I do wonder what has happened to him? A player that was one of our best players in the first season back now barely looks a starter for a struggling Championship side. So sad to see his demise but not sure he will ever get back to what he was. As for Berge, I keep hearing he is a juggernaut, a rolls Royce and I was slammed for criticising him last season. I am still waiting for one consistent full game. I did not even know he was playing for most of tonight. I would move him on personally. I think if we get anywhere near our money back, I would just take it. Those saying he is worth 30 million plus I think are deluded. He does about one good thing a game? He has the heart of a pea and barely affects games. I was livid with his lack of effort tonight but he seems to get an easy ride as he is a nice lad. He will be on big money and I expect some bloody pride.



Overall, tonight it was a total joke. The players individually and collectively were awful. They looked spineless and showed no fight. Ability wise they could not move it forward and no one took any responsibility. We could not defend at all but barely attacked. Other than a bit of a cameo from Freeman, the rest were awful. I actually think it was on par with that Leicester 5-0 last year as at least they were a good side. West Brom were not even that good and beat us so easily. I was embarrassed watching us tonight and rightly the pundits hammered us. Keith Andrews summed it up when he said he worries we go from here?



We need players and fast. Think he has realised this squad is a long way from the talented creative players he had at Fulham and Watford that had pace and technicians amongst it. We have a side that is lacking confidence and belief and cannot play at the speed with and without the ball his sides normally play. I do worry that we need to rip half the side apart to get close to what he wants and will take a fair bit of changes and money to do it. The midfield needs a total overhaul and I said that last season and nothing has changed. We need to try and establish what we are doing at the back (4 or 5) For the 8 strikers he talks about how many suit the way he has played before? Only maybe Burke and he is useless anyway! The others including big money buys Brewster and McBurnie and old timers McGoldrick and Sharp do not seem to suit his styles (from before) at all. He played with a focal point in Mitrovic and Deeney and then had runners and trickery alongside. We don’t have these types of strikers.



The Viera signing/non signing is unfortunate but not sur ethe club can be blamed really. Maybe it was something they did not know about. I would say that a lot of time has elapsed due his quarantine and maybe we could have done the medical over there but then do the medical staff have too self-isolate? Hard one but seems we have waited for 2 weeks and now we are back to square one, no matter how unfortunate that is. Hope we have a plan B and plan C. However, we need more than one player that is clear!



The concern with the current recruitment is that he does not seem to be the main person identifying the targets – maybe it was like that under Wilder but I am not sure he would have managed like that even if his mate Mitchell was recommending, you would think Wilder would want the final say. Maybe Slav does but I am concerned that even with the Davies signing (makes sense due to his strengths and position) that it was clearly someone that had been earmarked before and he has gone along with it? I am also concerned that whilst we need to explore the loan market that most of the signings are down this route which is ultimately short term and we would be in the same position needing to replace ageing players at the end of the season.



It is not the start we hoped for but I am not surprised. I felt that by waiting to get a new manager in (yes maybe right to wait for the best available man which I believe he was) he would evaluate the squad but I think many of us knew that the likes of Norwood, Fleck, Stevens might be done and that our best two players of last season Basham and McGoldrick may not suit a new way of playing. I felt we needed 5 or 6 starters out and 5 or 6 in. I got told that we needed to do it gradually and that this was too much but I stand by this assertion. We were losing every bloody week last year and never scored. Many fans just assumed as it was the lower level, we would be fine and would score and do things to teams we had not been able to at the Premier League as teams were worse. I was concerned that the losing rot and these players mentality of how they played was deeply set in and pointing to a narrow 1-0 win over an awful Bristol City side (that played half a first team) was not enough evidence for me that this team would probably struggle more than some thought. I still thought we had enough for the top 6 and predicted as much but I think it will take time and we will have to make this overhaul. If Ramsdale and Berge go then you look at the side and think who are you confident of being a starter in a promotion side – you go past Egan, Baldock/Bogle and then you are struggling. I hope we can bring in 3 or 4 in the next 2 weeks and a similar number in January to slowly change the side. We should have the funds and have a manager proven at this level but it may take time. Sadly, many fans will not like this and if we are mid table or even lower up to Xmas – then for some it will be too much to bear. I admit I thought we would have started better and felt he would have just said this is how I play and allowed players to adapt and it worries me that he has changed it so much so soon and game to game. That indicates to me that he realises the players are probably not up to how he would want to play as he is trying to just cobble something together that works. So far, we are miles off and he surely knows that. It may get worse before it gets better and as I say I would not be shocked if we are in the bottom 8 or 9 for most of the early months until he brings players in and finds a style/formation that begins to see up get up the field and score goals.

 

[Deadbat]

Ratings:

Verrips 1/10 – He gets 1 for coming out for one through ball. The rest of his night he was an absolute mess. Nervous, no command of his box and could not even do the basics well. It was like playing with no goalkeeper. Everything they put on goal went in and his mistakes cost us 2 goals (not great on the other 2 really and both these were savable). His attempts to deal with the long throws/corners were hard to watch. He seemed to not be able to use his hands very well – a problem if you are a keeper. He did not seem to have the right technique going at things with open palms for punches. He could not even get off the ground and seemed weak for a big bloke too. He was directly at fault for the 2nd and 4th and may as well have thrown them in as he put 2 on a plate for them. A nightmare debut and up there with Lee Baxter. Looks miles off the standard required at this level and would not be surprised if he does not play for United again after that – as harsh as that sounds. We are being linked with Olssen but if he does not come in then Foderingham will now start the next game but not sure he is much better? Lots said we would not miss Ramsdale that much as goalies are ten a penny but tonight, we saw what problems we may have.

Baldock 3.5/10 – Another who seems to be getting sucked down to the level of others really. He did not get forward at all but is playing as a regular right back. He kept plugging away but lots of balls came in from his side and he does not get close to his man at all. He seems to have lost all his confidence and at the moment you look at someone like Furlong for them and he is ten times the player he is which is sad as Baldock 2 years ago looked a solid Premier League player.

Osborn 3.5/10 – Whilst he did not do much really and often the ball came away from him felt he did put some effort in and at least ran around a bit. He did get stuck in but clearly, he is another that is too small/weak and lacking in quality to make any difference. Also, he is not a left winger but tonight not sure where he was playing really?

Robinson 2/10 – A player that is not good enough. He looks so soft for a fairly big bloke and gets muscled off things easily. Never gets there first and makes mistakes every game. Headed it into his own net for no reason whatsoever – he has done nonsensical things like this before. They won everything really that came into the box and although he made the odd interception you felt worried whenever they put it into his area. A player that is League 1-2 standard and another baffling Wilder addition that is miles off what we need regardless of formations.

Basham 3.5/10 – Struggled again and not sure he can play in a two as his strengths are getting forward and driving us on. Not sure he has ever been a brilliant defender – he has been solid but he also does daft things (even when we played well). Tonight, West Brom completely bullied us and felt by the end he was making mistakes as much as the rest.

Egan 3.5/10 – He is one that Jokanovic clearly likes judging from his pre game comments but even he is struggling. Not sure he suits a 2 at all and means if we do not have any dominant players alongside him it will be a struggle. I feel teams like Birmingham and West Brom have seen that outside of him (and not sure he is that dominant) that we have no aerial strength. I thought he did not win much really tonight and whilst everyone (me included) will throw Verrips under the bus – not sure our experienced players helped him much either.

Norwood 3/10 – He was one of the three who did not hide (as much) but he was rubbish again. He did make a few passes and win a few tackles but also lost a lot of loose balls and challenges and not sure helped get us up the field and went backwards more than forwards. By the end the midfield was completely non-existent. Sadly, I think they are all done really but whether he sees this I am not sure. Even tactical tweaks does not get these lads to actually be able to tackle, run, dribble, shoot, assist or score. Not sure what any of them do anymore?

Berge 1/10 – For all the hype he gets, good players get games by the scruff of the neck. He gives the impression to me he does not want to be here in how he plays. He barely gets his shirt dirty and the game passes him by. When a player tackles him, he seems aghast that someone can be physical against him. We need to move him on and get some players that can affect games. He may have some talent and do one great run every now and again but we are already carrying a lot of players / we cannot carry another and if we can move him on, we need to do that for me. Sadly, teams will be watching his lack of heart and application and backing off somewhat.

Fleck 1/10 – Sad to see. He looks finished to me. Hard to say that when he should be in his peak but he is woefully unfit, does not get on the ball and seems disinterested. The energetic, lively and tenacious midfielder has gone. I think he needs a fresh start and the club do too. We have had 18 months of this same midfield (with Lundstram as the other) and we have been overrun and outfought and outplayed by teams in the Prem and now in the Champ. We need new blood and they need to go somewhere else. I hate saying it but have been pinning my hopes on a resurgence but with a new so called tough manager coming in and they cannot get out of the slump, then not sure they ever will here again?

McGoldrick 2/10 – A striker who cannot finish. I love the guy (like Fleck, Bash, Norwood and others) but he looks another that seems to not quite fit at the moment in whatever we are trying to do. His game is based on getting on the ball but he cannot get on it at the moment and when he has chances, he is wretched. Still think he can offer something but we may need to go away from him for a while and try McBurnie and Brewster for a spell of games (we have paid that money – we may as well give them a run now).

Sharp 2.5/10 – Another one who sadly looks a long way from what we need as great as he has been for us. He gets little service and did make one good assist tonight but mostly not in the game and battling off scraps. Not sure that is all his fault really but he did have one chance and it got stuck under his feet. Never going to get much off big defenders though. Wins an odd free kick but mostly not a threat as he lacks pace and physicality and we do not get the ball in the box.


Subs –

Burke 1/10 – Ran one out of play. Again. Useless and both sets of fans laughing at him. Will surely just drift down the leagues soon. He is nowhere near good enough for the Championship.

McBurnie 3/10 – Committed some silly fouls but did get stuck in and won a few headers – one that led to a chance for Egan and one over. I am not sure he is the answer but deserves a run just as the rest are so bad!

Freeman 6/10 – Given him a mark even for limited time as at least he got on the ball and looked interested. Few ok runs and tried to get on the half turn/


Jokanovic 1/10 – Harsh mark considering he has been left this shower of shite and cannot help having to pick Verrips really. However, he has not motivated them at all, has them in no clear shape/formation and has no idea of his first eleven at all? He has had a bit of a disastrous start with the shocking prep/preseason disruption, lack of incoming player and now losing a key man. Throw in 3 awful results and performances and us being in the bottom 3 and he will be already feeling the pressure (not job losing pressure) Harsh for Glen Murray to call him uninspiring and drab I think it was but his post match interviews make little sense (yes, I know the language is not his first language). Has a hell of a lot of work to do. Looked almost shocked by it all. Clearly been successful where he has been before but he had a lot of work to do and Saturday already is a big game for him. Another poor performance and result and as much as it clearly is not his mess, there will be fans already asking questions of him. That is sadly how it works as fans do not have any patience. I just want to see some kind of plan and regardless of the criticism of the players that I have served up above, they still should be doing a bit better than this and other manages clearly have got relegated sides playing decent already. Were those teams that much better than us last season? Maybe they were?


West Brom – It is odd that everyone says it will take Jokanovic time and he will have to implement his own style and ways when West Brom/Fulham/Bournemouth all have had new managers playing different ways and have started well? The evidence is Jokanovic’s teams always start slowly but it is not as if the other sides backed by the books have not had similar transition. West Brom have lost their best player too but still seem to have hit the ground running. Ismael’s pressing and hard running style with direct football worked really well at Barnsley and with a big, physical side here you would be surprised if he does not have them around the top as is the evidence so far. They probably lack out and out goal scorers although Grant and Robinson will get 15+ each you would think but have enough experience, quality and depth to be too strong for most at this level. If they went up, they’d struggle again without investment of course but as with Norwich, the money you accrue is worth the boing boing they may invariably do, like they have done in previous decades. The concern is we have a season of transition that it may be, that we then become a Stoke, Swansea or gulp worse such as Wigan/Portsmouth/Charlton etc.

Tonight they did the ugly long ball/direct stuff and recycled the ball and put us under pressure but the intensity was good all night. I heard many say how ugly they were to watch and agree the set plays and throws are basic but they did some other decent things that won’t be talked about. They could have scored several other goals from open play. Overall though I am not sure they are this fantastic side some of there fans are making out. We made them look a lot better than they are. First half they led but were not fantastic. They kind of had a spell for 15 minutes and that was enough.

Opponent Man of the Match – Take your pick. The lad Furlong got it and was really good but it was more a team performance really and they just did the basics – tackling, pressing and putting the ball in good areas.

Opponent Weak link – Noone. They had better players in every position who fought harder and did the basics better.

Referee/Officials – Matthew Donohue. New ref who has never officiated a game involving us before. I thought he was fine – they were more physical but non were fouls and every set play/throw that came in never saw a foul really. We just got outmuscled all game. One booking – McGoldrick and that was soft but he did kind of raise his finger/hand in reacting to something of nothing. Easy game to ref with our set of weaklings.

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

Can someone pass this onto the players and coaching staff because this is how most of us saw the game and the future of the team. Not to demean the players but to show what their actions, or lack of, mean to the fans that pay their hard earned money to watch the lack of effort. Yes, that cliche. Fans pay the wages one. FFS. I have a feeling the players are gonna be hard on themselves and do a lot of soul searching. Oh maybe, I hope they will.

 

[Dkc]

Mentioned in the shoutbox that we were daft to let Moore go if we were planning on selling Ramsdale. At least you know where you are with Moore. The ball ended up in the back of the net six times last night, and the keeper was at fault for 3 or 4 of these. Can't see Verrips starting again.

2.5 a bit harsh on Sharp who never gave up and played a lovely ball to put Didsy in. I suppose it could have been different if we'd equalised, but it was clear for anyone to see that WBA were faster and physically stronger.

I still think we have a few decent players who could still do well this season. But agree we need 4 or 5 in at least, plus a keeper.

As for Slav, if his team talks are similar to his media interviews I'd be a little concerned. Early days yet of course. But our fans can be very demanding and won't accept many more performances like last night.

Good report as always DB

 

[Chilttheblade]

Deadbat don't kid yourself we have money to fix the team. They will have lost money last year and this year's revenue will be half last years. I'm pretty sure the costs will not have halved so losses will be grime.
The Prince is not that rich so the only way will be to sell. The problem is apart from Robinson there are no saleable assets. (Thank Southgate for the call up or even he would not be worth as much)
We are so in the shit its frightening.

 

[S64 Blade]

Went down to the game last night after work. Hit the absolute shit show that is the M5 at around half 6, after a great run down to that point. Took us an almost a hour and half to travel the 2/3 miles down the M5 to get parked. Missed the first 5/10 minutes and things only got worse with probably one of the least interested performances I’ve ever seen from a United team.

The lack of any real evident plan, enthusiasm, pace, strength or ability is frightening. I think the real turning point was McGoldrick’s unbelievable miss, just after they’d scored the first. We then again gave another cheap goal away. Sadly the second half started even worse and we regressed further, being second to absolutely every ball. I must admit just after the 4th went in, we decided to go home.

There’s a huge amount of work needs to be done. 10 players should/could easily go. A proper rebuild is needed and I hope we allow Slav the time, but more importantly the tools, to do it.

 

[Webding]

 

[Longtimesupporter]

Deadbat deserves a medal for this effort after such a game.

 

[Ceasefire]

Ratings:

Verrips 1/10 – He gets 1 for coming out for one through ball. The rest of his night he was an absolute mess. Nervous, no command of his box and could not even do the basics well. It was like playing with no goalkeeper. Everything they put on goal went in and his mistakes cost us 2 goals (not great on the other 2 really and both these were savable). His attempts to deal with the long throws/corners were hard to watch. He seemed to not be able to use his hands very well – a problem if you are a keeper. He did not seem to have the right technique going at things with open palms for punches. He could not even get off the ground and seemed weak for a big bloke too. He was directly at fault for the 2nd and 4th and may as well have thrown them in as he put 2 on a plate for them. A nightmare debut and up there with Lee Baxter. Looks miles off the standard required at this level and would not be surprised if he does not play for United again after that – as harsh as that sounds. We are being linked with Olssen but if he does not come in then Foderingham will now start the next game but not sure he is much better? Lots said we would not miss Ramsdale that much as goalies are ten a penny but tonight, we saw what problems we may have.

Baldock 3.5/10 – Another who seems to be getting sucked down to the level of others really. He did not get forward at all but is playing as a regular right back. He kept plugging away but lots of balls came in from his side and he does not get close to his man at all. He seems to have lost all his confidence and at the moment you look at someone like Furlong for them and he is ten times the player he is which is sad as Baldock 2 years ago looked a solid Premier League player.

Osborn 3.5/10 – Whilst he did not do much really and often the ball came away from him felt he did put some effort in and at least ran around a bit. He did get stuck in but clearly, he is another that is too small/weak and lacking in quality to make any difference. Also, he is not a left winger but tonight not sure where he was playing really?

Robinson 2/10 – A player that is not good enough. He looks so soft for a fairly big bloke and gets muscled off things easily. Never gets there first and makes mistakes every game. Headed it into his own net for no reason whatsoever – he has done nonsensical things like this before. They won everything really that came into the box and although he made the odd interception you felt worried whenever they put it into his area. A player that is League 1-2 standard and another baffling Wilder addition that is miles off what we need regardless of formations.

Basham 3.5/10 – Struggled again and not sure he can play in a two as his strengths are getting forward and driving us on. Not sure he has ever been a brilliant defender – he has been solid but he also does daft things (even when we played well). Tonight, West Brom completely bullied us and felt by the end he was making mistakes as much as the rest.

Egan 3.5/10 – He is one that Jokanovic clearly likes judging from his pre game comments but even he is struggling. Not sure he suits a 2 at all and means if we do not have any dominant players alongside him it will be a struggle. I feel teams like Birmingham and West Brom have seen that outside of him (and not sure he is that dominant) that we have no aerial strength. I thought he did not win much really tonight and whilst everyone (me included) will throw Verrips under the bus – not sure our experienced players helped him much either.

Norwood 3/10 – He was one of the three who did not hide (as much) but he was rubbish again. He did make a few passes and win a few tackles but also lost a lot of loose balls and challenges and not sure helped get us up the field and went backwards more than forwards. By the end the midfield was completely non-existent. Sadly, I think they are all done really but whether he sees this I am not sure. Even tactical tweaks does not get these lads to actually be able to tackle, run, dribble, shoot, assist or score. Not sure what any of them do anymore?

Berge 1/10 – For all the hype he gets, good players get games by the scruff of the neck. He gives the impression to me he does not want to be here in how he plays. He barely gets his shirt dirty and the game passes him by. When a player tackles him, he seems aghast that someone can be physical against him. We need to move him on and get some players that can affect games. He may have some talent and do one great run every now and again but we are already carrying a lot of players / we cannot carry another and if we can move him on, we need to do that for me. Sadly, teams will be watching his lack of heart and application and backing off somewhat.

Fleck 1/10 – Sad to see. He looks finished to me. Hard to say that when he should be in his peak but he is woefully unfit, does not get on the ball and seems disinterested. The energetic, lively and tenacious midfielder has gone. I think he needs a fresh start and the club do too. We have had 18 months of this same midfield (with Lundstram as the other) and we have been overrun and outfought and outplayed by teams in the Prem and now in the Champ. We need new blood and they need to go somewhere else. I hate saying it but have been pinning my hopes on a resurgence but with a new so called tough manager coming in and they cannot get out of the slump, then not sure they ever will here again?

McGoldrick 2/10 – A striker who cannot finish. I love the guy (like Fleck, Bash, Norwood and others) but he looks another that seems to not quite fit at the moment in whatever we are trying to do. His game is based on getting on the ball but he cannot get on it at the moment and when he has chances, he is wretched. Still think he can offer something but we may need to go away from him for a while and try McBurnie and Brewster for a spell of games (we have paid that money – we may as well give them a run now).

Sharp 2.5/10 – Another one who sadly looks a long way from what we need as great as he has been for us. He gets little service and did make one good assist tonight but mostly not in the game and battling off scraps. Not sure that is all his fault really but he did have one chance and it got stuck under his feet. Never going to get much off big defenders though. Wins an odd free kick but mostly not a threat as he lacks pace and physicality and we do not get the ball in the box.


Subs –

Burke 1/10 – Ran one out of play. Again. Useless and both sets of fans laughing at him. Will surely just drift down the leagues soon. He is nowhere near good enough for the Championship.

McBurnie 3/10 – Committed some silly fouls but did get stuck in and won a few headers – one that led to a chance for Egan and one over. I am not sure he is the answer but deserves a run just as the rest are so bad!

Freeman 6/10 – Given him a mark even for limited time as at least he got on the ball and looked interested. Few ok runs and tried to get on the half turn/


Jokanovic 1/10 – Harsh mark considering he has been left this shower of shite and cannot help having to pick Verrips really. However, he has not motivated them at all, has them in no clear shape/formation and has no idea of his first eleven at all? He has had a bit of a disastrous start with the shocking prep/preseason disruption, lack of incoming player and now losing a key man. Throw in 3 awful results and performances and us being in the bottom 3 and he will be already feeling the pressure (not job losing pressure) Harsh for Glen Murray to call him uninspiring and drab I think it was but his post match interviews make little sense (yes, I know the language is not his first language). Has a hell of a lot of work to do. Looked almost shocked by it all. Clearly been successful where he has been before but he had a lot of work to do and Saturday already is a big game for him. Another poor performance and result and as much as it clearly is not his mess, there will be fans already asking questions of him. That is sadly how it works as fans do not have any patience. I just want to see some kind of plan and regardless of the criticism of the players that I have served up above, they still should be doing a bit better than this and other manages clearly have got relegated sides playing decent already. Were those teams that much better than us last season? Maybe they were?


West Brom – It is odd that everyone says it will take Jokanovic time and he will have to implement his own style and ways when West Brom/Fulham/Bournemouth all have had new managers playing different ways and have started well? The evidence is Jokanovic’s teams always start slowly but it is not as if the other sides backed by the books have not had similar transition. West Brom have lost their best player too but still seem to have hit the ground running. Ismael’s pressing and hard running style with direct football worked really well at Barnsley and with a big, physical side here you would be surprised if he does not have them around the top as is the evidence so far. They probably lack out and out goal scorers although Grant and Robinson will get 15+ each you would think but have enough experience, quality and depth to be too strong for most at this level. If they went up, they’d struggle again without investment of course but as with Norwich, the money you accrue is worth the boing boing they may invariably do, like they have done in previous decades. The concern is we have a season of transition that it may be, that we then become a Stoke, Swansea or gulp worse such as Wigan/Portsmouth/Charlton etc.

Tonight they did the ugly long ball/direct stuff and recycled the ball and put us under pressure but the intensity was good all night. I heard many say how ugly they were to watch and agree the set plays and throws are basic but they did some other decent things that won’t be talked about. They could have scored several other goals from open play. Overall though I am not sure they are this fantastic side some of there fans are making out. We made them look a lot better than they are. First half they led but were not fantastic. They kind of had a spell for 15 minutes and that was enough.

Opponent Man of the Match – Take your pick. The lad Furlong got it and was really good but it was more a team performance really and they just did the basics – tackling, pressing and putting the ball in good areas.

Opponent Weak link – Noone. They had better players in every position who fought harder and did the basics better.

Referee/Officials – Matthew Donohue. New ref who has never officiated a game involving us before. I thought he was fine – they were more physical but non were fouls and every set play/throw that came in never saw a foul really. We just got outmuscled all game. One booking – McGoldrick and that was soft but he did kind of raise his finger/hand in reacting to something of nothing. Easy game to ref with our set of weaklings.

This is brilliant Deadbat - thanks for your time and effort in producing this masterclass of writing. I really look forward to it.
As a blade of nearly 50 years I couldn’t get to sleep last night, running over this complete capitulation in my mind many times over - I was hurting and ashamed over this inept and spineless performance.
We are such a small, weak and unathletic team who were totally bullied last night.
You should copy and print this marvellous report and personally address it to the playing management of the club, it’s a shame the players can’t put the effort and passion that you show in your blogs on the pitch.

 

[Harry's Game]

I am not calling for this or wanting it .. but would anyone be surprised if Slav resigned in the next week or so?

he is a rich man with a good reputation.. he doesn’t need this car crash on his record.

 

[Bladesince59]

Ratings:

Verrips 1/10 – He gets 1 for coming out for one through ball. The rest of his night he was an absolute mess. Nervous, no command of his box and could not even do the basics well. It was like playing with no goalkeeper. Everything they put on goal went in and his mistakes cost us 2 goals (not great on the other 2 really and both these were savable). His attempts to deal with the long throws/corners were hard to watch. He seemed to not be able to use his hands very well – a problem if you are a keeper. He did not seem to have the right technique going at things with open palms for punches. He could not even get off the ground and seemed weak for a big bloke too. He was directly at fault for the 2nd and 4th and may as well have thrown them in as he put 2 on a plate for them. A nightmare debut and up there with Lee Baxter. Looks miles off the standard required at this level and would not be surprised if he does not play for United again after that – as harsh as that sounds. We are being linked with Olssen but if he does not come in then Foderingham will now start the next game but not sure he is much better? Lots said we would not miss Ramsdale that much as goalies are ten a penny but tonight, we saw what problems we may have.

Baldock 3.5/10 – Another who seems to be getting sucked down to the level of others really. He did not get forward at all but is playing as a regular right back. He kept plugging away but lots of balls came in from his side and he does not get close to his man at all. He seems to have lost all his confidence and at the moment you look at someone like Furlong for them and he is ten times the player he is which is sad as Baldock 2 years ago looked a solid Premier League player.

Osborn 3.5/10 – Whilst he did not do much really and often the ball came away from him felt he did put some effort in and at least ran around a bit. He did get stuck in but clearly, he is another that is too small/weak and lacking in quality to make any difference. Also, he is not a left winger but tonight not sure where he was playing really?

Robinson 2/10 – A player that is not good enough. He looks so soft for a fairly big bloke and gets muscled off things easily. Never gets there first and makes mistakes every game. Headed it into his own net for no reason whatsoever – he has done nonsensical things like this before. They won everything really that came into the box and although he made the odd interception you felt worried whenever they put it into his area. A player that is League 1-2 standard and another baffling Wilder addition that is miles off what we need regardless of formations.

Basham 3.5/10 – Struggled again and not sure he can play in a two as his strengths are getting forward and driving us on. Not sure he has ever been a brilliant defender – he has been solid but he also does daft things (even when we played well). Tonight, West Brom completely bullied us and felt by the end he was making mistakes as much as the rest.

Egan 3.5/10 – He is one that Jokanovic clearly likes judging from his pre game comments but even he is struggling. Not sure he suits a 2 at all and means if we do not have any dominant players alongside him it will be a struggle. I feel teams like Birmingham and West Brom have seen that outside of him (and not sure he is that dominant) that we have no aerial strength. I thought he did not win much really tonight and whilst everyone (me included) will throw Verrips under the bus – not sure our experienced players helped him much either.

Norwood 3/10 – He was one of the three who did not hide (as much) but he was rubbish again. He did make a few passes and win a few tackles but also lost a lot of loose balls and challenges and not sure helped get us up the field and went backwards more than forwards. By the end the midfield was completely non-existent. Sadly, I think they are all done really but whether he sees this I am not sure. Even tactical tweaks does not get these lads to actually be able to tackle, run, dribble, shoot, assist or score. Not sure what any of them do anymore?

Berge 1/10 – For all the hype he gets, good players get games by the scruff of the neck. He gives the impression to me he does not want to be here in how he plays. He barely gets his shirt dirty and the game passes him by. When a player tackles him, he seems aghast that someone can be physical against him. We need to move him on and get some players that can affect games. He may have some talent and do one great run every now and again but we are already carrying a lot of players / we cannot carry another and if we can move him on, we need to do that for me. Sadly, teams will be watching his lack of heart and application and backing off somewhat.

Fleck 1/10 – Sad to see. He looks finished to me. Hard to say that when he should be in his peak but he is woefully unfit, does not get on the ball and seems disinterested. The energetic, lively and tenacious midfielder has gone. I think he needs a fresh start and the club do too. We have had 18 months of this same midfield (with Lundstram as the other) and we have been overrun and outfought and outplayed by teams in the Prem and now in the Champ. We need new blood and they need to go somewhere else. I hate saying it but have been pinning my hopes on a resurgence but with a new so called tough manager coming in and they cannot get out of the slump, then not sure they ever will here again?

McGoldrick 2/10 – A striker who cannot finish. I love the guy (like Fleck, Bash, Norwood and others) but he looks another that seems to not quite fit at the moment in whatever we are trying to do. His game is based on getting on the ball but he cannot get on it at the moment and when he has chances, he is wretched. Still think he can offer something but we may need to go away from him for a while and try McBurnie and Brewster for a spell of games (we have paid that money – we may as well give them a run now).

Sharp 2.5/10 – Another one who sadly looks a long way from what we need as great as he has been for us. He gets little service and did make one good assist tonight but mostly not in the game and battling off scraps. Not sure that is all his fault really but he did have one chance and it got stuck under his feet. Never going to get much off big defenders though. Wins an odd free kick but mostly not a threat as he lacks pace and physicality and we do not get the ball in the box.


Subs –

Burke 1/10 – Ran one out of play. Again. Useless and both sets of fans laughing at him. Will surely just drift down the leagues soon. He is nowhere near good enough for the Championship.

McBurnie 3/10 – Committed some silly fouls but did get stuck in and won a few headers – one that led to a chance for Egan and one over. I am not sure he is the answer but deserves a run just as the rest are so bad!

Freeman 6/10 – Given him a mark even for limited time as at least he got on the ball and looked interested. Few ok runs and tried to get on the half turn/


Jokanovic 1/10 – Harsh mark considering he has been left this shower of shite and cannot help having to pick Verrips really. However, he has not motivated them at all, has them in no clear shape/formation and has no idea of his first eleven at all? He has had a bit of a disastrous start with the shocking prep/preseason disruption, lack of incoming player and now losing a key man. Throw in 3 awful results and performances and us being in the bottom 3 and he will be already feeling the pressure (not job losing pressure) Harsh for Glen Murray to call him uninspiring and drab I think it was but his post match interviews make little sense (yes, I know the language is not his first language). Has a hell of a lot of work to do. Looked almost shocked by it all. Clearly been successful where he has been before but he had a lot of work to do and Saturday already is a big game for him. Another poor performance and result and as much as it clearly is not his mess, there will be fans already asking questions of him. That is sadly how it works as fans do not have any patience. I just want to see some kind of plan and regardless of the criticism of the players that I have served up above, they still should be doing a bit better than this and other manages clearly have got relegated sides playing decent already. Were those teams that much better than us last season? Maybe they were?


West Brom – It is odd that everyone says it will take Jokanovic time and he will have to implement his own style and ways when West Brom/Fulham/Bournemouth all have had new managers playing different ways and have started well? The evidence is Jokanovic’s teams always start slowly but it is not as if the other sides backed by the books have not had similar transition. West Brom have lost their best player too but still seem to have hit the ground running. Ismael’s pressing and hard running style with direct football worked really well at Barnsley and with a big, physical side here you would be surprised if he does not have them around the top as is the evidence so far. They probably lack out and out goal scorers although Grant and Robinson will get 15+ each you would think but have enough experience, quality and depth to be too strong for most at this level. If they went up, they’d struggle again without investment of course but as with Norwich, the money you accrue is worth the boing boing they may invariably do, like they have done in previous decades. The concern is we have a season of transition that it may be, that we then become a Stoke, Swansea or gulp worse such as Wigan/Portsmouth/Charlton etc.

Tonight they did the ugly long ball/direct stuff and recycled the ball and put us under pressure but the intensity was good all night. I heard many say how ugly they were to watch and agree the set plays and throws are basic but they did some other decent things that won’t be talked about. They could have scored several other goals from open play. Overall though I am not sure they are this fantastic side some of there fans are making out. We made them look a lot better than they are. First half they led but were not fantastic. They kind of had a spell for 15 minutes and that was enough.

Opponent Man of the Match – Take your pick. The lad Furlong got it and was really good but it was more a team performance really and they just did the basics – tackling, pressing and putting the ball in good areas.

Opponent Weak link – Noone. They had better players in every position who fought harder and did the basics better.

Referee/Officials – Matthew Donohue. New ref who has never officiated a game involving us before. I thought he was fine – they were more physical but non were fouls and every set play/throw that came in never saw a foul really. We just got outmuscled all game. One booking – McGoldrick and that was soft but he did kind of raise his finger/hand in reacting to something of nothing. Easy game to ref with our set of weaklings.

I think you overscored quite a few. Norwood Verrips and Robinson in particular.

 

[Stu_Blade]

For me you have to look at match stats in this one which although I am not American are genuinely interesting. 65% possession for the blades yielding 5 shots with 1 on target. West Brom had 12 on shots with 4 on target...says it all.

 

[Blade.com]

Wow. Due to circumstances I did not even know the result until 10.30pm. Could not believe it ;4-0. After reading your synopsis sounds like it should have been more.
But for me, sounds like the penny is dropping with most fans, this ageing, skilless squads number was up 2 seasons ago and I got berated for suggesting the likes of Sharp, Mcgoldrick, Basham and Norwoods , and a few others races where run. We got very lucky with our first season in the Prem, a system relatively new and players on a roll. Not enjoying the "I told you so" but this squad needed major overall that season. Looking at the line up of the squad it could almost be the one from 3 years ago with the added bonus of some very ,very poor signings. Cannot say I enjoyed your synopsis but thanks anyway. Roll on Saturday. UTB

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Its too early to be expressing concerns about Slav, but I will anyway...
and I am being Captain Hindsight here, because I thought he was a very solid appointment. I just worry whether he's motivating enough. These players look extremely low on confidence after last season.

 

[Deadbat]

Its too early to be expressing concerns about Slav, but I will anyway...
and I am being Captain Hindsight here, because I thought he was a very solid appointment. I just worry whether he's motivating enough. These players look extremely low on confidence after last season.

Glenn Murray on Sky said after his interview he felt he would not be able to motivate them and it was clearly showing. He called him dour.

Thought these were quite strong words but I do hope he comes across better and has more character in his briefings to the team.

Everyone keeps saying he won't stand any crap but what is the evidence for this based on? It is just because he looks a bit hard and is from Serbia which are kind of lazy stereotypes with no real evidence. Was he a hard man as a player? I am not sure he had such a reputation?

 

[guancheblade]

Ratings:

Verrips 1/10 – He gets 1 for coming out for one through ball. The rest of his night he was an absolute mess. Nervous, no command of his box and could not even do the basics well. It was like playing with no goalkeeper. Everything they put on goal went in and his mistakes cost us 2 goals (not great on the other 2 really and both these were savable). His attempts to deal with the long throws/corners were hard to watch. He seemed to not be able to use his hands very well – a problem if you are a keeper. He did not seem to have the right technique going at things with open palms for punches. He could not even get off the ground and seemed weak for a big bloke too. He was directly at fault for the 2nd and 4th and may as well have thrown them in as he put 2 on a plate for them. A nightmare debut and up there with Lee Baxter. Looks miles off the standard required at this level and would not be surprised if he does not play for United again after that – as harsh as that sounds. We are being linked with Olssen but if he does not come in then Foderingham will now start the next game but not sure he is much better? Lots said we would not miss Ramsdale that much as goalies are ten a penny but tonight, we saw what problems we may have.

Baldock 3.5/10 – Another who seems to be getting sucked down to the level of others really. He did not get forward at all but is playing as a regular right back. He kept plugging away but lots of balls came in from his side and he does not get close to his man at all. He seems to have lost all his confidence and at the moment you look at someone like Furlong for them and he is ten times the player he is which is sad as Baldock 2 years ago looked a solid Premier League player.

Osborn 3.5/10 – Whilst he did not do much really and often the ball came away from him felt he did put some effort in and at least ran around a bit. He did get stuck in but clearly, he is another that is too small/weak and lacking in quality to make any difference. Also, he is not a left winger but tonight not sure where he was playing really?

Robinson 2/10 – A player that is not good enough. He looks so soft for a fairly big bloke and gets muscled off things easily. Never gets there first and makes mistakes every game. Headed it into his own net for no reason whatsoever – he has done nonsensical things like this before. They won everything really that came into the box and although he made the odd interception you felt worried whenever they put it into his area. A player that is League 1-2 standard and another baffling Wilder addition that is miles off what we need regardless of formations.

Basham 3.5/10 – Struggled again and not sure he can play in a two as his strengths are getting forward and driving us on. Not sure he has ever been a brilliant defender – he has been solid but he also does daft things (even when we played well). Tonight, West Brom completely bullied us and felt by the end he was making mistakes as much as the rest.

Egan 3.5/10 – He is one that Jokanovic clearly likes judging from his pre game comments but even he is struggling. Not sure he suits a 2 at all and means if we do not have any dominant players alongside him it will be a struggle. I feel teams like Birmingham and West Brom have seen that outside of him (and not sure he is that dominant) that we have no aerial strength. I thought he did not win much really tonight and whilst everyone (me included) will throw Verrips under the bus – not sure our experienced players helped him much either.

Norwood 3/10 – He was one of the three who did not hide (as much) but he was rubbish again. He did make a few passes and win a few tackles but also lost a lot of loose balls and challenges and not sure helped get us up the field and went backwards more than forwards. By the end the midfield was completely non-existent. Sadly, I think they are all done really but whether he sees this I am not sure. Even tactical tweaks does not get these lads to actually be able to tackle, run, dribble, shoot, assist or score. Not sure what any of them do anymore?

Berge 1/10 – For all the hype he gets, good players get games by the scruff of the neck. He gives the impression to me he does not want to be here in how he plays. He barely gets his shirt dirty and the game passes him by. When a player tackles him, he seems aghast that someone can be physical against him. We need to move him on and get some players that can affect games. He may have some talent and do one great run every now and again but we are already carrying a lot of players / we cannot carry another and if we can move him on, we need to do that for me. Sadly, teams will be watching his lack of heart and application and backing off somewhat.

Fleck 1/10 – Sad to see. He looks finished to me. Hard to say that when he should be in his peak but he is woefully unfit, does not get on the ball and seems disinterested. The energetic, lively and tenacious midfielder has gone. I think he needs a fresh start and the club do too. We have had 18 months of this same midfield (with Lundstram as the other) and we have been overrun and outfought and outplayed by teams in the Prem and now in the Champ. We need new blood and they need to go somewhere else. I hate saying it but have been pinning my hopes on a resurgence but with a new so called tough manager coming in and they cannot get out of the slump, then not sure they ever will here again?

McGoldrick 2/10 – A striker who cannot finish. I love the guy (like Fleck, Bash, Norwood and others) but he looks another that seems to not quite fit at the moment in whatever we are trying to do. His game is based on getting on the ball but he cannot get on it at the moment and when he has chances, he is wretched. Still think he can offer something but we may need to go away from him for a while and try McBurnie and Brewster for a spell of games (we have paid that money – we may as well give them a run now).

Sharp 2.5/10 – Another one who sadly looks a long way from what we need as great as he has been for us. He gets little service and did make one good assist tonight but mostly not in the game and battling off scraps. Not sure that is all his fault really but he did have one chance and it got stuck under his feet. Never going to get much off big defenders though. Wins an odd free kick but mostly not a threat as he lacks pace and physicality and we do not get the ball in the box.


Subs –

Burke 1/10 – Ran one out of play. Again. Useless and both sets of fans laughing at him. Will surely just drift down the leagues soon. He is nowhere near good enough for the Championship.

McBurnie 3/10 – Committed some silly fouls but did get stuck in and won a few headers – one that led to a chance for Egan and one over. I am not sure he is the answer but deserves a run just as the rest are so bad!

Freeman 6/10 – Given him a mark even for limited time as at least he got on the ball and looked interested. Few ok runs and tried to get on the half turn/


Jokanovic 1/10 – Harsh mark considering he has been left this shower of shite and cannot help having to pick Verrips really. However, he has not motivated them at all, has them in no clear shape/formation and has no idea of his first eleven at all? He has had a bit of a disastrous start with the shocking prep/preseason disruption, lack of incoming player and now losing a key man. Throw in 3 awful results and performances and us being in the bottom 3 and he will be already feeling the pressure (not job losing pressure) Harsh for Glen Murray to call him uninspiring and drab I think it was but his post match interviews make little sense (yes, I know the language is not his first language). Has a hell of a lot of work to do. Looked almost shocked by it all. Clearly been successful where he has been before but he had a lot of work to do and Saturday already is a big game for him. Another poor performance and result and as much as it clearly is not his mess, there will be fans already asking questions of him. That is sadly how it works as fans do not have any patience. I just want to see some kind of plan and regardless of the criticism of the players that I have served up above, they still should be doing a bit better than this and other manages clearly have got relegated sides playing decent already. Were those teams that much better than us last season? Maybe they were?


West Brom – It is odd that everyone says it will take Jokanovic time and he will have to implement his own style and ways when West Brom/Fulham/Bournemouth all have had new managers playing different ways and have started well? The evidence is Jokanovic’s teams always start slowly but it is not as if the other sides backed by the books have not had similar transition. West Brom have lost their best player too but still seem to have hit the ground running. Ismael’s pressing and hard running style with direct football worked really well at Barnsley and with a big, physical side here you would be surprised if he does not have them around the top as is the evidence so far. They probably lack out and out goal scorers although Grant and Robinson will get 15+ each you would think but have enough experience, quality and depth to be too strong for most at this level. If they went up, they’d struggle again without investment of course but as with Norwich, the money you accrue is worth the boing boing they may invariably do, like they have done in previous decades. The concern is we have a season of transition that it may be, that we then become a Stoke, Swansea or gulp worse such as Wigan/Portsmouth/Charlton etc.

Tonight they did the ugly long ball/direct stuff and recycled the ball and put us under pressure but the intensity was good all night. I heard many say how ugly they were to watch and agree the set plays and throws are basic but they did some other decent things that won’t be talked about. They could have scored several other goals from open play. Overall though I am not sure they are this fantastic side some of there fans are making out. We made them look a lot better than they are. First half they led but were not fantastic. They kind of had a spell for 15 minutes and that was enough.

Opponent Man of the Match – Take your pick. The lad Furlong got it and was really good but it was more a team performance really and they just did the basics – tackling, pressing and putting the ball in good areas.

Opponent Weak link – Noone. They had better players in every position who fought harder and did the basics better.

Referee/Officials – Matthew Donohue. New ref who has never officiated a game involving us before. I thought he was fine – they were more physical but non were fouls and every set play/throw that came in never saw a foul really. We just got outmuscled all game. One booking – McGoldrick and that was soft but he did kind of raise his finger/hand in reacting to something of nothing. Easy game to ref with our set of weaklings.

Not sure how Sharp gets a 2.5 when the only thing he did all game was that pass to McGoldrick. Even Verrips had more positive contributions than Sharp did all game!

And why is nobody seeing how West Brom were sending 2/3 players to clatter, not close down, clatter Berge every time he received the ball. They weren't doing that with any other player. Townsend could have seriously injured him with one late challenge that didn't even get a free kick. And despite all this he still set up 2/3/ attacks with clever balls. Again, a far bigger contribution than most so don't know why he gets the lowest mark.

 

[JoeG]

I am not calling for this or wanting it .. but would anyone be surprised if Slav resigned in the next week or so?

he is a rich man with a good reputation.. he doesn’t need this car crash on his record.

I think quitting after 3 bad games would do worse for his reputation than staying and trying to turn things around

 

[Addison]

Shades of David Weir after the Hartlepool defeat in SJ's face post match. He's inherited a group of players who are shot. They couldn't play 3-5-2 last season and they aren't capable of 4-3-3 this. We will experience more WBA anti football from others this season, we are not equipped to deal with it. Brentford learnt after 5 or 6 years of playing football on the ground you need to bring in half a dozen 6 foot 3 players to cope with the Championship. We've been short of 2 aerially dominant Centre Backs for a while now to support Egan and it doesn't look like we're getting them in.

My concerns are more off the field than on. After losing his number 1 goalkeeper hours before the match and his frustration we are not getting players through the door who does SJ have at the Club to argue his case? Bettis an administrator who is culpable in the mis management of CW's exit? Yusef the solicitor who is acting Chairman? Is he even in Sheffield?

Its great managing the Club from a distance overseas with a hybrid United World structure covering five Clubs when its going well but who is on the ground getting hold of a developing crisis because its happening at Beerschot as well as SUFC. Where is the management structure that can take swift and effective action within the Club to put matters right. This malaise has been going on for 12 months now.

What exactly is SUFC's vision this season? Is it bring in £40 million through player sales and hope we can manage with EPL loans? Is it we can't bring players in even loans until we sell? Is it lets bring in a few low level sponsors and drift along rather than seek new financial partnerships outside of United World to grow the Club?

We appoint one of the best continental managers for the Championship with a overseas back up team but you can't stop there SJ needs backing on the playing field. Its said he came with a list of players what has happened to that? Who is managing recruitment? Bettis? the Prince and Van Winckel from afar? Paul Mitchell? An unnamed third party in Jordan? How much influence does SJ have?

We've done well to get the money for Ramsdale but the delay in doing so and the poor start means it will be more difficult to convince EPL clubs they should loan us players who are likely to be involved in a relegation fight .Make no mistake after last nights no show thats where we are heading.

Adopting a non communication strategy only works in the short term when all is well and good. When the shit begins to hit the fan the dissenting voices will reach a crescendo while ever there is a silence black out. PA needs to be communicating with us the way forward now.

The Board lack a football brain. A Director of Football full time based in Sheffield is required now been saying it for months. SJ can't bring the overhaul and changes necessary without support and he looks lost in no mans land already. He's used to that structure so why not implement it.

The next 2 games are crucial. We have to start scoring. We'll get behind the team if we see heart and desire on the pitch. The players have said they've missed us they need to show that in their performances. You can argue about formations and tactics all day long but when players go missing as they did last night they have to take some of the responsibility for the car crash we all witnessed.

 

[Harry's Game]

I think quitting after 3 bad games would do worse for his reputation than staying and trying to turn things around

Not if he spun it along the lines of broken promises from the board

 

[Addison]

Glenn Murray on Sky said after his interview he felt he would not be able to motivate them and it was clearly showing. He called him dour.

Thought these were quite strong words but I do hope he comes across better and has more character in his briefings to the team.

Everyone keeps saying he won't stand any crap but what is the evidence for this based on? It is just because he looks a bit hard and is from Serbia which are kind of lazy stereotypes with no real evidence. Was he a hard man as a player? I am not sure he had such a reputation?

Chris Wilder, Alan Knill, Paul Heckingbottom, Jason Tindall couldn't motivate them last season. So its not a new phenomenon. The common denominator in all of this are the players.

 

[Espania blade]

Great stuff DB if, it was an awful match to watch, I think everything that can be said has been said so i won't comment.
I do think if Slav' can live up to his reputation then we will finish in the top six, but boy do we need a clear out!!

West Brom' are just another "Warnock" style team and in the end they will get found out, even if they get promoted they won't sustain their style in the Prem' they will be back down in the first season, probably sack the manger and be left with a team of little skill, just a team of "hoofers and cloggers"
- where have i seen that before?
Don't despair, things will improve, of that i am sure - based on on "it can't get any worse"

 

[Deadbat]

Not sure how Sharp gets a 2.5 when the only thing he did all game was that pass to McGoldrick. Even Verrips had more positive contributions than Sharp did all game!

And why is nobody seeing how West Brom were sending 2/3 players to clatter, not close down, clatter Berge every time he received the ball. They weren't doing that with any other player. Townsend could have seriously injured him with one late challenge that didn't even get a free kick. And despite all this he still set up 2/3/ attacks with clever balls. Again, a far bigger contribution than most so don't know why he gets the lowest mark.

Can't recall anything Berge did positive all night. Maybe I'm on my own but judging by others opinions seems not. Totally non existent. He got clattered once. The rest of the time they bullied him off the ball by firm challenges but none were fouls. He is so weak and him looking up to the ref when players dared to challenge was pathetic.

Also in terms of contributions it is what you do without the ball too and him and Berge barely broke into a sweat all night. Norwood was rubbish but did not hide as much as those two.

The Sharp ball was the best thing any United player did all night. He won the odd free kick. He was just given high and long balls to chase. Agree he was ineffective/poor but so is every striker we have so not sure it's just down to them.

Verrips positive contributions was taking one through ball. Everything on goal went in snd he was poor in every goal and directly responsible for 2.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

We need to set a realistic target NOW - AVOID THE DROP IF POSSIBLE, but start the complete rebuilding process immediately - with the emphasis on young players with energy and pace as key components for starters. Our neighbours could have taken the drop early and not wasted the whole of last season, but they clearly are on their way back now. I'd like to think we might avoid another wasted season and get on with it now but we are already 18 months into a slow death before any signs of ressurection. Sorry - but I've seen it all before several times during my time supporting the Blades.

 

[Deadbat]

Chris Wilder, Alan Knill, Paul Heckingbottom, Jason Tindall couldn't motivate them last season. So its not a new phenomenon. The common denominator in all of this are the players.

I agree and tried to articulate that in my report.

This is more than the nabager, tactics, formation.

These players or a good bulk of them are done here as successful/effective footballers. Many do not seem to have the heart, belief or motivation to try and do better or simply can't?

We need to somehow change most of the starting eleven but with so many under contract snd only limited window time that is not going to happen.

 

[Deadbat]

Shades of David Weir after the Hartlepool defeat in SJ's face post match. He's inherited a group of players who are shot. They couldn't play 3-5-2 last season and they aren't capable of 4-3-3 this. We will experience more WBA anti football from others this season, we are not equipped to deal with it. Brentford learnt after 5 or 6 years of playing football on the ground you need to bring in half a dozen 6 foot 3 players to cope with the Championship. We've been short of 2 aerially dominant Centre Backs for a while now to support Egan and it doesn't look like we're getting them in.

My concerns are more off the field than on. After losing his number 1 goalkeeper hours before the match and his frustration we are not getting players through the door who does SJ have at the Club to argue his case? Bettis an administrator who is culpable in the mis management of CW's exit? Yusef the solicitor who is acting Chairman? Is he even in Sheffield?

Its great managing the Club from a distance overseas with a hybrid United World structure covering five Clubs when its going well but who is on the ground getting hold of a developing crisis because its happening at Beerschot as well as SUFC. Where is the management structure that can take swift and effective action within the Club to put matters right. This malaise has been going on for 12 months now.

What exactly is SUFC's vision this season? Is it bring in £40 million through player sales and hope we can manage with EPL loans? Is it we can't bring players in even loans until we sell? Is it lets bring in a few low level sponsors and drift along rather than seek new financial partnerships outside of United World to grow the Club?

We appoint one of the best continental managers for the Championship with a overseas back up team but you can't stop there SJ needs backing on the playing field. Its said he came with a list of players what has happened to that? Who is managing recruitment? Bettis? the Prince and Van Winckel from afar? Paul Mitchell? An unnamed third party in Jordan? How much influence does SJ have?

We've done well to get the money for Ramsdale but the delay in doing so and the poor start means it will be more difficult to convince EPL clubs they should loan us players who are likely to be involved in a relegation fight .Make no mistake after last nights no show thats where we are heading.

Adopting a non communication strategy only works in the short term when all is well and good. When the shit begins to hit the fan the dissenting voices will reach a crescendo while ever there is a silence black out. PA needs to be communicating with us the way forward now.

The Board lack a football brain. A Director of Football full time based in Sheffield is required now been saying it for months. SJ can't bring the overhaul and changes necessary without support and he looks lost in no mans land already. He's used to that structure so why not implement it.

The next 2 games are crucial. We have to start scoring. We'll get behind the team if we see heart and desire on the pitch. The players have said they've missed us they need to show that in their performances. You can argue about formations and tactics all day long but when players go missing as they did last night they have to take some of the responsibility for the car crash we all witnessed.

Superb post.

Sums it up.

I do worry who is running things (transfer, strategy wise)? As you have said we don't even have a chairman at the moment either. It seems we are just bumbling along. It looks all the world like we are trying to emulate Sunderland of a few years ago. They too became rudderless and kept changing managers but were stuck personnel wise on the field. I worry like them we will be saddled with expensive and ageing dross on long term contracts we cannot get rid of.

Norwood, Fleck, Stevens etc have 2 more seasons under contract. Noone will sign them.

 

[guancheblade]

Can't recall anything Berge did positive all night.

Starting to sound a lot like your anti-Ampadu bias from last season.

I get it... big expectations, flair/ball player, not the aggressive bladey blade fans prefer. I just think many fans are guilty of letting all that cloud their judgement. First half he drove from half way and won that corner, under pressure from three opposition players played an insanely difficult ball out from one flank to the other to set Baldock off, second half he somehow slipped the ball through a wall of West Brom players to set McBurnie away... yet you recall him doing anything positive all night. Blinkered.

And an affinity for tough tackling hard as nails players is why we will never be blessed with a quality squad because its not the club ethos. And its why we are left with a bunch of cloggers now cos deep down its what most fans want.

 

[Benitachel]

Thank you Deadbat for that superb description of last night’s debacle. One point I would put to you is that, as a teacher, you will know that your words are the means by which you motivate the students. Any teacher who has poor English will struggle to motivate the students. Likewise for footballers. The manager has to show passion and be articulate in getting across his ideas. I have really struggled to understand anything that SJ says. For that reason I am now sceptical about his ability to motivate our team. If he were applying for a teaching job I would tell him to go away and improve his English and then apply when he has.
I know people might say look at Bielsa at Leeds, but he shows passion and he has an interpreter he trusts to get over his points. He also clearly has a plan. I know also that SJ has succeeded at Watford and Fulham but both those squads were much better than ours is now. I really worry that this situation will result in us being in league one again next year. I really hope I am wrong. UTB.

 

[guancheblade]

Thank you Deadbat for that superb description of last night’s debacle. One point I would put to you is that, as a teacher, you will know that your words are the means by which you motivate the students. Any teacher who has poor English will struggle to motivate the students. Likewise for footballers. The manager has to show passion and be articulate in getting across his ideas. I have really struggled to understand anything that SJ says. For that reason I am now sceptical about his ability to motivate our team. If he were applying for a teaching job I would tell him to go away and improve his English and then apply when he has.
I know people might say look at Bielsa at Leeds, but he shows passion and he has an interpreter he trusts to get over his points. He also clearly has a plan. I know also that SJ has succeeded at Watford and Fulham but both those squads were much better than ours is now. I really worry that this situation will result in us being in league one again next year. I really hope I am wrong. UTB.

Maybe having a camera shoved in front of his face and having to come up with unprepared answers in a foreign language is more of an ask than him speaking freely behind closed doors and him driving the dialogue exchange.

 

[Benitachel]

That is possibly true but this man has taken a well paid job with the requirement of speaking to the media with some degree of fluency. At present he can’t do that. In fact I am not convinced that he understands the questions as he doesn’t appear to answer them. When I first learnt Spanish there were many times that I didn’t understand the Spaniards talking to me. It was much easier for me to speak to them as I had thought through what I wanted to say. So you may well have a valid point.