What's up with this team?

[Zlatan]

I'd say relegation may be a blessing, a chance to get rid of the lot and start again with a bunch of nobodies willing to put in a shift.

We said that when we were relegated from the Championship and look where we are now.

 

[BladeFisher]

4th in a very weak league last year, we should've been mounting another automatic promotion challenge. The form after December was awful (you could argue that coincided with the Miller injury & having Blackman sold). He was one of my preferred Managers in recent history, but better managers (Johnson, Rosler, McDermott) performed better with less resource.

It wasn't that bad! He lost 4 games. What was crap was the performance. The biggest bugger was between 26 February and when he went after the Crawley game (8 games we only scored 4 goals - 2 in one match) His record over this crap spell was P8 W2 D4 L2 F4 A7 Pts10.

Now of course had we not sold Blackman, Miller hadn't got injured or Murphy injured/loss of form we might have gone up. You could argue short of resigning in disgust at the Blackman sale the rest was hardly his fault.

 

[Kentblade]

We are shit because we have sacked a decent manager in Wilson and didn't bother to think of the consequences. There are 101 other reasons but that is my current bugbear.

It is easy to be wise with hindsight but I think the sacking of Wilson by McCabe at that time of the season was probably the worst footballing decision ,McCabe has ever made.The season before we were " a jail sentence" away from promotion and the following season while the football was not attractive we conceded few goals with a clear 4-4-2 and had a good away record.Confidence not so good at home but look where McCabes decision has got us.I will not dwell on Weir, it has all been said but I just hope that Clough gets the board support to move most of the present squad out and start again as if not the lower division beckons.In all my 68 years of being a Blade, while we have had some poor teams I cannot ever recall a team so lacking in belief, passion or pride in putting on a Blades shirt.
UTB

 

[sheffielder]

It wasn't that bad! He lost 4 games. What was crap was the performance. The biggest bugger was between 26 February and when he went after the Crawley game (8 games we only scored 4 goals - 2 in one match) His record over this crap spell was P8 W2 D4 L2 F4 A7 Pts10.

Now of course had we not sold Blackman, Miller hadn't got injured or Murphy injured/loss of form we might have gone up. You could argue short of resigning in disgust at the Blackman sale the rest was hardly his fault.

I don't believe that the team under Wilson would have finished in the play offs. The dressing room was more split than it was now and we had big time charlies fucking it up. Wilson's biggest mistake was allowing big time charlies to join the club. They were not what was needed

 

[puppet]

I don't believe that the team under Wilson would have finished in the play offs. The dressing room was more split than it was now and we had big time charlies fucking it up. Wilson's biggest mistake was allowing big time charlies to join the club. They were not what was needed

So who in your opinion did Wilson sign as big time Charlies??? Because Doyle and Collins came in before him. They also performed very well the previous season and mustve been doing something right for us to be 4th with 4 games to go, to say we wouldnt have made the play offs if he had stayed on as manager is ludicrous

 

[sheffielder]

So who in your opinion did Wilson sign as big time Charlies??? Because Doyle and Collins came in before him. They also performed very well the previous season and mustve been doing something right for us to be 4th with 4 games to go, to say we wouldnt have made the play offs if he had stayed on as manager is ludicrous

I think it went wrong with the signings of Robson, McMahon and Kitson (although a mccabe junior signing last year and the wheels had fallen off when he was sacked. The dressing room was even worse than it is now

 

[Darren]

I think it went wrong with the signings of Robson, McMahon and Kitson (although a mccabe junior signing last year and the wheels had fallen off when he was sacked. The dressing room was even worse than it is now

Except we were in an automatic promotion place in late Feb after beating eventual promotees Bournemouth away. All those players were part of the team that got us there; McMahon and Kitson having played for virtually the whole season.

 

[puppet]

McMahon? Don't quite see what his influence on the DR would be... Robson was an attempt to improve us in the later stage of the season, you have to try something?? Kitson, bit of a fouler but was pretty influential for me.. though as you say, wasn;t even a Wilson signing

 

[Darren]

So who in your opinion did Wilson sign as big time Charlies??? Because Doyle and Collins came in before him. They also performed very well the previous season and mustve been doing something right for us to be 4th with 4 games to go, to say we wouldnt have made the play offs if he had stayed on as manager is ludicrous

Indeed, Morgan got 5 points in the 5 games he had in charge. We got in the play offs with 75 points, Orient in 7th had 71, so 72 would have been enough.

I think it highly unlikely that Wilson would not have got the 1 point required from those 5 games.

 

[sheffielder]

Except we were in an automatic promotion place in late Feb after beating eventual promotees Bournemouth away. All those players were part of the team that got us there; McMahon and Kitson having played for virtually the whole season.

Said players were staying togther in the Copthorne all season and eventually performances tailed off.

 

[bartman]

The dressing room was more split than it was now and we had big time charlies fucking it up.

Go on then,how do you know it was split then and how do you know it is now. My daughter knows one of the squad well and she tells a different story

 

[sheffielder]

Go on then,how do you know it was split then and how do you know it is now. My daughter knows one of the squad well and she tells a different story

Not going to get into a pissing competition with you, however your daughter knowing squad members does not equal where I get mine from.

 

[bartman]

Not going to get into a pissing competition with you, however your daughter knowing squad members does not equal where I get mine from.

Funny that,i didn't think you could get closer than someone in the first team squad. If you start spouting rumour,as least have the balls to name your source. You are claiming dressing rooms splits yet don't back it up especially when someone challenges you about it. It is not a pissing competition,it is trying to find out who is talking bollocks competition. You seem to want us to take your word as 'gospel'.

You might also want to check with your 'source' whether McMahon stayed in the Copthorne 'all season' .Kitson certainly was thou

 

[sheffielder]

Funny that,i didn't think you could get closer than someone in the first team squad. If you start spouting rumour,as least have the balls to name your source. You are claiming dressing rooms splits yet don't back it up especially when someone challenges you about it. It is not a pissing competition,it is trying to find out who is talking bollocks competition. You seem to want us to take your word as 'gospel'.

You might also want to check with your 'source' whether McMahon stayed in the Copthorne 'all season' .Kitson certainly was thou

so you fucking source is a player your daughter knows? go on, which one?

 

[bartman]

Your response says it all. You've started a 'dressing room is split' rumour and I've asked you to check your McMahon in the Copthorne story. I have asked you to say on what basis you know this as I have been told something different and you go all defensive.You won't name your source (1st team player?manager?coach,mate down the pub?) fair enough but then want me to tell you who my daughter knows? Yeah right.

Your comment was 'the dressing room was even worse than it is now'. Care to tell us all how bad it was and what the problems are now seeing as you have this inside knowledge?

 

[sheffielder]

Your response says it all. You've started a 'dressing room is split' rumour and I've asked you to check your McMahon in the Copthorne story. I have asked you to say on what basis you know this as I have been told something different and you go all defensive.You won't name your source (1st team player?manager?coach,mate down the pub?) fair enough but then want me to tell you who my daughter knows? Yeah right.

Your comment was 'the dressing room was even worse than it is now'. Care to tell us all how bad it was and what the problems are now seeing as you have this inside knowledge?

My sources in general is a former board member (2nd hand through a golf partner) and a current member of the coaching staff and that are first hand quotes I receive. That being said I can't tell you how bad it has been since Clough took over and whether the split between the established and new players still exists.

McMahon stayed at the Copthorne many many times after games on a Saturday but I didn't think I was answering to that

Now, can you tell me if your disliking of Long and Maguire is professional or down to what your daughter knows? I am intrigued that you're one of the first to dive in on him and even blamed him him for one of the Colchester goals last week.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

The board say it would cost £20m. That it would be a disaster.

Folk said that relegation to this league could be a blessing in disguise. It's still very well disguised three years on...

Why would it cost £20m? Our tv money is presumably not much anyway. Our gate receipts may drop, but probably not by anymore than a million or two. Can't see why our sponsorship income would be much different. The reduction in wage bill should easily cover any money the club loses elsewhere.

Besides, i did say it wouldn't be a blessing, if you don't just edit out the bit that makes it look like i said it would be....

 

[sheffielder]

Why would it cost £20m? Our tv money is presumably not much anyway. Our gate receipts may drop, but probably not by anymore than a million or two. Can't see why our sponsorship income would be much different. The reduction in wage bill should easily cover any money the club loses elsewhere.

Besides, i did say it wouldn't be a blessing, if you don't just edit out the bit that makes it look like i said it would be....

It's probably 20m the prince was going to put in knowing our luck

 

[bartman]

Now, can you tell me if your disliking of Long and Maguire is professional or down to what your daughter knows? I am intrigued that you're one of the first to dive in on him and even blamed him him for one of the Colchester goals last week.

I received a text from someone at Colchester last week who thought Long could have stopped the shot. I said it was a text in shoutbox so I was reporting what the text said. Watching it,yes i thought he was slow and should have used his feet better but it wasn't as bad as my mate made out, He certainly wasn't to blame for either Shrewsbury goals but he is shakey on crosses and coming off his line. A sign of how poor the centre halfs have been ?

Is Long good enough for this level yet? In my opinion he isn't . I think Howard was the better keeper at the beginning of last season before his injury and I think now might be the time to let him have a few games(or bring another keeper in) and take Long out of the firing line. Long's lack of bravery cost us the first goal yesterday(as well as Maguire's pass) and his positioning and lack of awareness cost us the second.He is still young but we may need experience in the position as we are in a relegation scrap.

For me,Harry plays well very rarely nowadays(however Peterborough away he was outstanding and back to what he was doing the most of last season.) For the most part this season he (along with Collins) has been a liability. His lack of pace and his constant giving away of free kicks is a major concern(he isn't subtle with his shirt pulling is he?). This may be down to a lack of fitness work in pre-season(one of the reasons some of the experienced players weren't happy with Weir and they told him of their concerns). Has Weir ruined him as he wasn't like this last season? Maybe Wilson told him to stick to the basics which is why he played better.

Maguire is an OK L1 defender at the moment and may turn himself into a lower Championship defender but there is a lot of work to do. I would love to see two experienced centre halfs come in,sell Collins and let someone spend some time with Maguire to re-teach him the basics to re-launch his career with us. I'm down at Ashton Gate on Saturday and if we see the Harry in the form of this season,Emmanuel-Thomas will rip him and Collins to shreds with his pace and movement.

Apparantly Maguire is a very pleasant and mature young man off the pitch and is trying his utmost to be a role model and a success for the team. My understanding is that Long is the same.

 

[1889]

Someone said on Football Heaven that there is not a single player in Utds squad that he would be disappointed to hear had been sold. That is a very sad state of affairs but one that is very difficult to disagree with.
There is not one stand out player in the current squad and I can't really recall that ever previously being the case, trouble is that collectively they're no better.

I think a successful team needs a strong spine, which isn't Collins, Maguire, Doyle, Porter, King?

There is no competition for Collins or Maguire and we're crying out for a quick experienced centre half. Doyle needs a spell on the bench and I'd like to see McGinn become more of a regular.i think a good target man has to be our number one priority. Porter isn't good enough and the fact that people laud his performances shows how far our expectations have fallen. He runs about and wins the odd header, but has a poor touch, no pace and absolutely no physical presence. King should be ideal but sadly is a bone idle, disinterested, big headed wanker.

Not convinced by Cloughs judgement this far and his comment on Saturday that he would like to persevere with Porter and Miller up front beggars belief.

 

[sheffielder]

I received a text from someone at Colchester last week who thought Long could have stopped the shot. I said it was a text in shoutbox so I was reporting what the text said. Watching it,yes i thought he was slow and should have used his feet better but it wasn't as bad as my mate made out, He certainly wasn't to blame for either Shrewsbury goals but he is shakey on crosses and coming off his line. A sign of how poor the centre halfs have been ?

Is Long good enough for this level yet? In my opinion he isn't . I think Howard was the better keeper at the beginning of last season before his injury and I think now might be the time to let him have a few games(or bring another keeper in) and take Long out of the firing line. Long's lack of bravery cost us the first goal yesterday(as well as Maguire's pass) and his positioning and lack of awareness cost us the second.He is still young but we may need experience in the position as we are in a relegation scrap.

For me,Harry plays well very rarely nowadays(however Peterborough away he was outstanding and back to what he was doing the most of last season.) For the most part this season he (along with Collins) has been a liability. His lack of pace and his constant giving away of free kicks is a major concern(he isn't subtle with his shirt pulling is he?). This may be down to a lack of fitness work in pre-season(one of the reasons some of the experienced players weren't happy with Weir and they told him of their concerns). Has Weir ruined him as he wasn't like this last season? Maybe Wilson told him to stick to the basics which is why he played better.

Maguire is an OK L1 defender at the moment and may turn himself into a lower Championship defender but there is a lot of work to do. I would love to see two experienced centre halfs come in,sell Collins and let someone spend some time with Maguire to re-teach him the basics to re-launch his career with us. I'm down at Ashton Gate on Saturday and if we see the Harry in the form of this season,Emmanuel-Thomas will rip him and Collins to shreds with his pace and movement.

Apparantly Maguire is a very pleasant and mature young man off the pitch and is trying his utmost to be a role model and a success for the team. My understanding is that Long is the same.

I honestly see what you're saying about both, I think George will be great in a few years and if trained correctly and I think with Harry, you either go one of 2 ways. You put a pacy centre half and right back alongside him or you replace him with a pacey centre half.

I think the problems which we have seen this year are because the shape of the team is not set up correctly yet and this is making everyone look bad. Doyle looks ok as you say when there are 2 midfielders in with him and shocking when just 2. Maguire and Collins don't get much protection and the full backs wouldn't know what an overlap. I think it could take a while for the team to gain shape, but Clough needs to give up experimenting players in alien positions.

 

[JohnDenver]

Why would it cost £20m?

Besides, i did say it wouldn't be a blessing, if you don't just edit out the bit that makes it look like i said it would be....

Don't know why - just repeating what our American chum said.

&

Fair point - a poor bit of selectivity.