Where has the season gone so far?

[s20Blade]

To me this season has just flown by so far. The first few seasons under wilder obviously felt so much better because we was underdogs but so far I feel we are just scraping through games without any big feel of accomplishment, in some sort of strange depressing way.

Anyone else?

 

[Blademan89]

Couldn't have gone any slower than last season.

 

[blade too long]

We seem to able to find more increasingly bizzare reasons why winning a game is not enjoyable
Is it because we analyse things to death on social .media, we seem to be giving lower marks to players post match, .are expectations too high...

Leeds were 2nd best v Sunderland for 75 minutes.but found a way to win and they all get 7 8 s and 9 s.we tear boro apart and dish out 5s and 6 s at best to our players

Don't get it
The clues in the name SUPPORTers

 

[Sheffsteel]

The thing I find a bit weird is that we haven’t clicked yet and I think Wilder is still experimenting trying to find his best team and formation.

However the defence did click with Souttar in it. It’s the 1st time we’ve defended corners and free kicks
And I’m not felt the slightest bit nervous because anything crosses into the box 6ft 7 Souttar would always win the header
And if he wasn’t there we had 6ft 5 Ahmedhodzic as back up to win the header….those 2 instantly had a good understanding with Cooper.

So in the early I saw us a hit like Parker’s Burnley….we didn’t need to create much because we didn’t concede
And we had quality players who could score from nothing.

The Oxford and Middlesboro games were the only time I’ve seen us look very impressive playing as a well oiled team playing open attacking football outclassing the opposition. I’m hoping those type of performances become more regular going forward.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

To me this season has just flown by so far. The first few seasons under wilder obviously felt so much better because we was underdogs but so far I feel we are just scraping through games without any big feel of accomplishment, in some sort of strange depressing way.

Anyone else?

Dunno, the assured confidence exuding through our back line, expertly marshalled by big Harry Souttar…,Seems like years ago.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

It doesn't seem two minutes since Arblaster scored at Preston.

 

[dc_blade]

Leeds were 2nd best v Sunderland for 75 minutes.but found a way to win and they all get 7 8 s and 9 s.we tear boro apart and dish out 5s and 6 s at best to our players

Peck got a 8.5 rating vs Boro and no player got lower than 6 so no idea how you’ve worked that out.

 

[Bladezz]

Couldn't have gone any slower than last season.

I’ve still got the trauma. Worst thing is if we do well this season we get another year of it.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I think it's an age thing. It doesn't seem two minutes since the start of the season, but then it doesn't seem that long since Bash's winner at Leeds in 2019.

Although I'm sure we'll be better equipped for the Premier League than we were last season, when we really couldn't have been less prepared, I still think we could spend £50m and still end up in the bottom three. Once again, the teams that went up last season are in the bottom three and not really looking like they will survive. Ipswich are this season's Luton, but still think they get relegated. I thought Leicester would be ok, but they are really struggling.

I'm still not convinced I even want us to get promoted. The only positive is that we've got new owners and you hope they have ambition for us to compete. Otherwise I don't see the point in another season of getting our arses handed to us every week.

 

[Bladezz]

I think it's an age thing. It doesn't seem two minutes since the start of the season, but then it doesn't seem that long since Bash's winner at Leeds in 2019.

Although I'm sure we'll be better equipped for the Premier League than we were last season, when we really couldn't have been less prepared, I still think we could spend £50m and still end up in the bottom three. Once again, the teams that went up last season are in the bottom three and not really looking like they will survive. Ipswich are this season's Luton, but still think they get relegated. I thought Leicester would be ok, but they are really struggling.

I'm still not convinced I even want us to get promoted. The only positive is that we've got new owners and you hope they have ambition for us to compete. Otherwise I don't see the point in another season of getting our arses handed to us every week.

Think we can spend £150m like Ipswich and still get relegated.

We have a better chance of setting up well as Wilder hopefully has more experience now. When he was backed financially we finished 9th when we withheld it come bottom. I think the Americans seem to have the funds.

 

[SwissBlade]

To me this season has just flown by so far. The first few seasons under wilder obviously felt so much better because we was underdogs but so far I feel we are just scraping through games without any big feel of accomplishment, in some sort of strange depressing way.

Anyone else?

I kind of get that because the first 4 seasons under Wilder were SO good.

For me, football hasn't been that interesting since, COVID / lockdowns, VAR and football generally killed my enthusiasm but i don't really feel it's Blades related as much as enjoying life in a different way and football is kind of secondary now anyway.

 

[Frank the tank]

Can't wait for it to be over
Watching t'blades just gives me chest pains and coming on her exacerbates it

 

[Cheesebored]

Can't wait for it to be over
Watching t'blades just gives me chest pains and coming on her exacerbates it

 

[blade too long]

Peck got a 8.5 rating vs Boro and no player got lower than 6 so no idea how you’ve worked that out.

Im going across several blades sites and deadbeat gave 6.5 highest nark to our defence and subs ..only peck got an 8

 

[ATL Recs]

We seem to able to find more increasingly bizzare reasons why winning a game is not enjoyable
Is it because we analyse things to death on social .media, we seem to be giving lower marks to players post match, .are expectations too high...

Leeds were 2nd best v Sunderland for 75 minutes.but found a way to win and they all get 7 8 s and 9 s.we tear boro apart and dish out 5s and 6 s at best to our players

Don't get it
The clues in the name SUPPORTers

Leeds battered Sunderland for almost an hour except scoring reminded me of us under Wilders years 1-3
So maybe that perspective has something to do with it

 

[Melbourne Blade]

I think it's because we've all been looking forward to games and there are more of them so seems to have flown by.

Unlike last season when each and every weekend, getting dry bummed by 5, 6 or 8 nil, time seemed to move slowly.

 

[loyalblade95]

Games coming thick thick and fast this season, especially compared to last season.

Last season it was quite stop start at times due to the international breaks and longer times between games, usually 1 game per week.

There's hardly any midweek premier league games this season, since there are more champions league games under this new format, so most clubs play 1 game a week.

Compare that to this season where it's been Saturday-Tuesday pretty much all season, how many times have we seen this season where we've played 3 games in 6-8 days?

 

[Swannyblade]

Think we can spend £150m like Ipswich and still get relegated.

We have a better chance of setting up well as Wilder hopefully has more experience now. When he was backed financially we finished 9th when we withheld it come bottom. I think the Americans seem to have the funds.

Really? I think he was backed in 2020-21, he just didn't spend it very wisely. Overspent on Brewster & Ramsdale, when we should have been in the market for a JOC replacement and a striker with Prem experience.

 

[Swannyblade]

The first few seasons under wilder obviously felt so much better because we was underdogs but so far I feel we are just scraping through games without any big feel of accomplishment, in some sort of strange depressing way.

I think much of the enthusiasm is being tempered by the lack of evidence on the pitch that we'll be able to compete next season if we go up. If we can develop a distinctive and effective style of play and put together a string of more coherent displays, I think the belief will grow amongst the fanbase. It's a big if, but as you say, it does feel like we're scraping through games and relying on a few isolated bits of quality.

 

[s20Blade]

I think much of the enthusiasm is being tempered by the lack of evidence on the pitch that we'll be able to compete next season if we go up. If we can develop a distinctive and effective style of play and put together a string of more coherent displays, I think the belief will grow amongst the fanbase. It's a big if, but as you say, it does feel like we're scraping through games and relying on a few isolated bits of quality.

I think this seasons tactics are abit lazy just relying on good quality players together on the pitch rather than a system and style.

 

[Balham]

Really? I think he was backed in 2020-21, he just didn't spend it very wisely. Overspent on Brewster & Ramsdale, when we should have been in the market for a JOC replacement and a striker with Prem experience.

Danny Welbeck moved to Brighton on a free in the summer of 2020. I know they could offer more wages but we weren't even linked with him. He'd have been perfect for Wilderball. That would also have left the funds for the quality JO'C replacement and a competent, athletic central midfielder.

 

[billyblademan]

Danny Welbeck moved to Brighton on a free in the summer of 2020. I know they could offer more wages but we weren't even linked with him. He'd have been perfect for Wilderball. That would also have left the funds for the quality JO'C replacement and a competent, athletic central midfielder.

That whole summer was crazy. It felt like we were being reactive the whole time. CM and CB were the most pressing needs (I think), and we managed to sign neither, or rather an Ethan Ampadu on loan who was kind of half of each. It really was a bizarre window.

 

[Balham]

That whole summer was crazy. It felt like we were being reactive the whole time. CM and CB were the most pressing needs (I think), and we managed to sign neither, or rather an Ethan Ampadu on loan who was kind of half of each. It really was a bizarre window.

BeSt WiNdOw EvEr

 

[Swannyblade]

Danny Welbeck moved to Brighton on a free in the summer of 2020. I know they could offer more wages but we weren't even linked with him. He'd have been perfect for Wilderball. That would also have left the funds for the quality JO'C replacement and a competent, athletic central midfielder.

For what we paid for Brewster (who'd had a good spell on loan with Swansea in the Champ), we could have got someone with Prem experience like Welbeck, and still taken a punt on a signing with potential like Ivan Toney (who many were calling for at the time). We were too wedded the wage structure at the time and valued youngsters with potential (higher transfer fees, but lower wages) over players with valuable Premier League experience (lower transfer fees, but higher wages).
More criminal was the inability to find an adequate replacement for JOC, which massively impacted our ability to play the old over/underlapping CB system.
There's also an argument to be had over the downgrade from Henderson to Ramsdale (who started the season appallingly).

 

[Bladezz]

Really? I think he was backed in 2020-21, he just didn't spend it very wisely. Overspent on Brewster & Ramsdale, when we should have been in the market for a JOC replacement and a striker with Prem experience.

Ramsdale we turned a healthy profit on.

Brewster was our 5th choice as usual and we got it badly wrong.

That’s not being backed though. You’ve seen the gulf in premier league and championship. One signing was to replace Dean Henderson! So we made our goalkeeper worse as we didn’t pay the money for Deano and bought a striker. That’s not backed in the grand scheme of things in PL. £100m is a starting point these days.

 

[GymClassHero]

Danny Welbeck moved to Brighton on a free in the summer of 2020. I know they could offer more wages but we weren't even linked with him. He'd have been perfect for Wilderball. That would also have left the funds for the quality JO'C replacement and a competent, athletic central midfielder.

Makes me tear my hair out this (Welbeck)... I remember when I suggested it on here I was laughed out the room! We could've probably tempted him to join us over Brighton at the time as well. What a signing he's been for them.

 

[Swannyblade]

Ramsdale we turned a healthy profit on.

Brewster was our 5th choice as usual and we got it badly wrong.

That’s not being backed though. You’ve seen the gulf in premier league and championship. One signing was to replace Dean Henderson! So we made our goalkeeper worse as we didn’t pay the money for Deano and bought a striker. That’s not backed in the grand scheme of things in PL. £100m is a starting point these days.

He was backed, just didn’t spend it wisely.
If Brewster was 5th choice, then spending over £20mil was an insane decision.
We could have brought in another keeper on loan, but forked out for Ramsdale. Yes we turned a profit, but we still paid a big fee initially.
You could also argue that Berge was brought in for the 20/21 season as well