Wilder

[Johnstreet John]

Chris really needs to take some responsibility here.

I'm fed up of hearing excuses about referees and VAR. Yes, we've had decisions go against us and some rotten luck but we're been largely awful since the end of lockdown.

That's 7 games we've lost in a row in the league. Our form since lockdown, with a few bright spots, has been largely dreadful. It has been clear that goalscoring has been the issue.

Throughout, we've played the same way and used the same plan b. Same formation, largely the same players with largely the same results.

We've generally defended really well and so been hard to score against. However, since restart we have really struggled to score goals and looked increasingly iffy at the back. We've signed some decent players at the back but there's nothing in midfield to create. We've been crying out for more and we've ended up with much the same as before.

Personally, I think it's long past time for a new formation. I can't remember the last time we looked dangerous overlapping down the flanks? It's all too slow and ponderous. If we try and move it quicker there's no one in the box. We need to try something different. Teams know how we play and can neutralise us (which isn't hard at the moment).

We had a number 10 and a winger upfront today and when they come and get the ball deep and put it in early there are no midfielders anywhere near the box.

Hopefully, Brewster will help, but I think it's a bit much to pin all our hopes on a teenager who has only played 20 odd games in professional football. It seems a bit of a stretch, at best.

p.s. Anyone calling for Wilder's head is a moron

I'll call for his head. For a hell of a long time I've had no reason to get involved in Forum chit chat. Everythings been great with little to moan about. But that's changed. We've not built on the last few seasons success story and are now falling backwards, just as we all know happens to us. It's in our DNA so no surprises. Wilders looking like a rabbit in the headlights under pressure of being flattened by a truck. He's pang and stuttering more now than ever before. It's embarrassing listening to his excuses. But on a positive Brewstar is a great forward. He's scored goals galore in all divisions and will kick start the season, proving the £25m outlay on him, which isn't a lot for a proven scorer. I can't see him going backwards in his career and rejoining Liverpool or anyone else.for that matter. It's win win really. After helping is stay up he'll be worth several million more.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[Snowflake]

I see your point with the new lads but it will take them a while to settle into our formation. The last thing you'd want to do is throw them in and they're vastly out of position.

Agree with RCM. We're short there but we appear to have stopped looking after Swift?

Isn’t Swift out injured for several weeks ?

 

[I should coco]

I'll call for his head. .......
Wilders looking like a rabbit in the headlights under pressure of being flattened by a truck......
It's embarrassing listening to his excuses.....

Hmmmm

 

[Jon P]

not sure this was necessary. Reminds me of when Scunthorpe chairman kept putting statements out when they were bottling it. Nice gesture but didn’t say anything I didn’t already know

 

[bromtom]

not sure this was necessary. Reminds me of when Scunthorpe chairman kept putting statements out when they were bottling it. Nice gesture but didn’t say anything I didn’t already know

Isn't it just the pre Arsenal football focus interview with some highlights from the match cut in?

 

[Speedracer]

but we don't seem to have been trying to sign another RCM, which is a bit strange isn't it? Unless it was only ever to replace Lunny but we're short in than position.

Maybe we will go back for Swift in Jan if he can get back & prove his fitness before then? Maybe we already know we can get him then?

 

[Jon P]

Isn't it just the pre Arsenal football focus interview with some highlights from the match cut in?

oh is it, that's ok then. just seemed bit desperate but i understand why now

 

[Keen Blade]

Deffo need to get back to our old shape, Berge in for Norwood is ineffective, Berge Norwood fleck has to be the middle 3, Lunny is shite and I have no idea why he’s persevering with him.

Might have been hoping that a Club would see him play + bid for him so that he can get the RCM he was hoping to recruit when trying to get Swift.
But we're stuck with Lunny now + he's stuck here. A poor basis for a relationship.

 

[Bladesman]

Isn't it just the pre Arsenal football focus interview with some highlights from the match cut in?

Oh okay, that has totally changed my opinion of the video now.

 

[Badger Blade]

Totally agree on the sentiments regarding the formation, whole reason behind the overlapping centre backs in the first place was because teams in League One used to park the bus against us and the only way to get to them was to flood the box with every man and his dog.

Going up to the Championship we didn't do away with having someone in the 10 position, it was only towards the end in games against Leeds and West Brom that we started going defensive and started putting Basham in midfield where we ground some results out and have taken it forward into the Premier League where having a defensive mindset leads to a lack of goals as we've already seen. Only problem now is that we still have a lack of goals but have started leaking them at the other end.

FWIW
------------Ramsdale----------
Baldock - Ampadu - Egan - Lowe
----------- Norwood -------------
-------Berge------Fleck------
-----------McGoldrick------------
-------Burke------Brewster-------

Instead of committing a bloke forward from the back, just have him up there to start with.

Or flick it round a bit and go with this and defend with 2 banks of 4
-----------Ramsdale------------
Baldock - Ampadu - Egan - Lowe
------ Berge------Norwood ----
---Burke---McGoldrick-----Fleck----
----------- Brewster-------

 

[originaltrueblade]

It’s easy to criticise the manager just remember where we were before he arrived

 

[bypassblade]

How soon some seem to forget!!!!!!!!

 

[elvin777]

You'd think Wilder would see all this himself ..does anyone know why he's not playing Norwood ?

 

[CaptainMorgans]

You'd think Wilder would see all this himself ..does anyone know why he's not playing Norwood ?

My guess, is that he saw things the same way I did last season.

That is to say, Norwood limits us as a team through his lack of mobility & ability to carry the ball forward. I suspected we'd try to replace him and I wasn't surprised to see Berge come in and to hear Wilder say he'd play central for us eventually.

However, the balance without Norwood isn't working because it means Lundstram has to play and sadly he just isn't good enough. We need that RCM player to always be an option off the ball, to be able to carry it forwards, to retain possession, to create openings for our strikers. Lundstram can do a lot of things, but not what we need.

Unless we sign a RCM of significant quality we have to keep Norwood at the base. We're committing suicide with Lundstram and Osborn starting every week. I wouldn't even be happy with those 2 in a promotion charge.

 

[Harry's Game]

That is to say, Norwood limits us as a team through his lack of mobility & ability to carry the ball forward. I suspected we'd try to replace him and I wasn't surprised to see Berge come in and to hear Wilder say he'd play central for us eventually.

Unfortunately Berg in the central role hardly carries the ball any further than Norwood and doesn’t have anything like Norwoods passing range Or vision.

 

[Keen Blade]

We're committing suicide with Lundstram and Osborn starting every week.
Exactly this.
There is no creativity in our midfield.
Berge Osborne & Lunny don't have an attacking mindset.
I am disappointed that we are not looking for a RCM.
Could Burke play there ?
He's played a season at RWB so he must be able to cover & tackle.
He's a ball-carrier with an attacking mindset.

 

[Mumbo]

Agreed. Wilder at this point, in my opinion if purely picking favourite's. Bogle/Lowe must be sat there wondering what they've done having watched Enda and Baldock played crap the last 4 times.

Lowe was the main bright spark against Burnley and Bogle is literally nowhere to be seen. Both have a better delivery that Enda and Baldock.

Also, when we have absolutely no pace in the side, can we stop taking off our only outlet in Burke.

We also desperately need another RCM as Lunny could have 3 bad games and not be dropped as nobody plays in his position.

Lowe was the stand out player against Burnley he needs to start.

 

[bromtom]

Lowe was the stand out player against Burnley he needs to start.

What negatives can come from starting Lowe and Bogle? As far as I can see there are none.

We haven't won a game, so the only way is up.

Stevens and Baldock might get face on, but it'll give them a kick up the arse too.

Bogle and Lowe seem to be far more offensively capable so might get us moving.

 

[Bartleby]

It’s easy to criticise the manager just remember where we were before he arrived

Just hope he's read this thread and taken it all in cos what the fuck does he know eh?

 

[jono_t2000]

Just hope he's read this thread and taken it all in cos what the fuck does he know eh?

Sometimes managers need to hear outside voices. They can be too close to the players and not see what others are seeing.

Not saying that's the case with Wilder but don't think hearing what fans are saying is the worst thing either.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

We're committing suicide with Lundstram and Osborn starting every week.
Exactly this.
There is no creativity in our midfield.
Berge Osborne & Lunny don't have an attacking mindset.
I am disappointed that we are not looking for a RCM.
Could Burke play there ?
He's played a season at RWB so he must be able to cover & tackle.
He's a ball-carrier with an attacking mindset.

If we're going to try a square peg in a round hole (if the return of Norwood really isn't an option) then Bogle would be my choice for RCM, possibly even Ampadu.

Oli Burke is a young lad that needs some direction at this stage of his career. He's adapting quickly at the top of the pitch (maybe not quickly enough for where we are at mind) so I think he deserves to not be continuously rotated as that's what has caused his career to stagnate.
He's also our only wheels up front. Brewster can get about, but he isn't rapid & Mousset won't be back til after Christmas. We need Burke as an outlet. I also don't think Burke has the ball retention skills that role requires.

 

[Northernsoulblade]

Baldock has been solid for me but would give Stevens a rest bring Lowe in,the lad looks a talent

 

[A Storm of Blades]

#bringbackthe10

 

[sjl]

It could be argued that we struggle to play in an empty stadium. CW always said fans was worth an extra goal a game.

Maybe he has a point.,

Trouble is, it could be next season the way thing are being locked down.

He should have spent the past 6 months scouting players that feel comfortable in empty stadiums then.

 

[Red Wing Blade]

What we need is a mix of styles. All we do is pass, pass, pass then cross the ball. The opposition know exactly what we're going to do and it's no coincidence that most teams flood their own boxes and drop deep when we get the ball, as they know a cross is coming in. When this stops working we bring on McBurnie and just hoof it, which is a sign that we're all out of ideas and it never works.

When was the last time our players kept the ball and ran with it, drawing opposing players out of positions, or winning fouls by keeping the ball? We don't anymore, or at least don't do it enough. As soon as they get the ball they get rid immediately, often resulting in a turnover of possession when the receiving player isn't quite switched on, hence our abysmal possession stats every single game.

We have become predictable with a lack of imagination and no player wants to take responsibility for making something happen. If you have the ball and no one is closing you down then keep it. Why get rid? This is why Mark Duffy was so effective in his role, and David Brooks when he was with us. We are crying out for a Jack Grealish or Todd Cantwell type player. For me Oli Burke could be that player as a midfielder instead of a striker.

At the start of last season we played a mixed style. Players ran at defenders with the ball, sometimes Didsy dropped deep to link up the midfield and front line, which freed midfielders up to run through on goal with the ball at feet, or we sent it wide, flooded the box and put in a cross. We mixed it up. Now we just try the same thing over and over, get it wide and cross it in, but we don't have the overload anymore.

We resemble the post 3-3 Villa game Blades, where Wilder went ultra defensive towards the end of the season, constantly changed his team and we lost our swagger. Wilder needs to grow a pair and stop being so defensive and negative with his tactics. You can't defend your way to victory.

 

[JayGreen17]

What we need is a mix of styles. All we do is pass, pass, pass then cross the ball. The opposition know exactly what we're going to do and it's no coincidence that most teams flood their own boxes and drop deep when we get the ball, as they know a cross is coming in. When this stops working we bring on McBurnie and just hoof it, which is a sign that we're all out of ideas and it never works.

When was the last time our players kept the ball and ran with it, drawing opposing players out of positions, or winning fouls by keeping the ball? We don't anymore, or at least don't do it enough. As soon as they get the ball they get rid immediately, often resulting in a turnover of possession when the receiving player isn't quite switched on, hence our abysmal possession stats every single game.

We have become predictable with a lack of imagination and no player wants to take responsibility for making something happen. If you have the ball and no one is closing you down then keep it. Why get rid? This is why Mark Duffy was so effective in his role, and David Brooks when he was with us. We are crying out for a Jack Grealish or Todd Cantwell type player. For me Oli Burke could be that player as a midfielder instead of a striker.

At the start of last season we played a mixed style. Players ran at defenders with the ball, sometimes Didsy dropped deep to link up the midfield and front line, which freed midfielders up to run through on goal with the ball at feet, or we sent it wide, flooded the box and put in a cross. We mixed it up. Now we just try the same thing over and over, get it wide and cross it in, but we don't have the overload anymore.

We resemble the post 3-3 Villa game Blades, where Wilder went ultra defensive towards the end of the season, constantly changed his team and we lost our swagger. Wilder needs to grow a pair and stop being so defensive and negative with his tactics. You can't defend your way to victory.

Dont agree we’ve played it long in the first 2 games, decent against Leeds and then hardly passed it all against Arsenal..

 

[Working Class Hero]

All this talk of the downturn being Wilder's or the players' fault. I don't think the fans (or anyone else) are giving enough credit to how much of a difference we actually make to a team like ours. For a start, the proof is in the pudding, our form and performances have dropped off a cliff since we haven't been allowed in.

That opinion is not just based on the form though, I appreciate the away game attenders are probably a minority on here, but those of us who went last season will understand the atmosphere that our presence created. I don't mean in terms of singing all game, but just the pressure that seemed to be generated on the home team. Even when we went a goal behind, you could feel the stadium atmosphere change as we started to push for an equaliser, and as our fans became louder, the home ends became more tense and we'd start to get on top. That's often the case in away games obviously, but it was massively amplified in those huge stadiums, when little newly promoted Sheff Utd started to turn the screw. It was a very powerful thing. And now it's gone.

 

[Blade56]

Not calling for Wilders head. However, think we all agree PL footy is totally different from EFL league footy.

Wilder was pure genius at EFL level as were many of our players, but if the players can’t make the transition we replace them in the blink of an eye.

Wilder proved he could use ‘our system‘ in the PL until they’ve all got wise to it, last year we were so written off before a ball was kicked teams and managers approached us as a joke at their peril and it played to our strengths.

Now we have respect after a good attempt at Europe and teams are putting a shift in, defending with ease due to a slow complicated build up and no attacking threat from midfield. They wait for our defenders to overlap and hit us with an out ball player waiting to spring a quick counter attack.

My one big criticism of Wilder is his home grown player strategy, he says it suits us, I think it’s more it suits him. The PL plays a level of football England has failed to adopt due to the influx of quick talent form across the world. English players don’t get into PL club teams in enough numbers to produce a pool of players capable of representing their country. The players we get in the England pool now are more like social media/reality ’stars’ more concerned with squandering their million pound monthly wages and how many followers they’ve got.

My point is can Chris become the technical manager that can change and adapt rather than just make do with the same old system played with better UK players?

 

[HeCanDoMagic]

Not calling for Wilders head. However, think we all agree PL footy is totally different from EFL league footy.

Wilder was pure genius at EFL level as were many of our players, but if the players can’t make the transition we replace them in the blink of an eye.

Wilder proved he could use ‘our system‘ in the PL until they’ve all got wise to it, last year we were so written off before a ball was kicked teams and managers approached us as a joke at their peril and it played to our strengths.

Now we have respect after a good attempt at Europe and teams are putting a shift in, defending with ease due to a slow complicated build up and not attacking threat from midfield. They wait for our defenders to overlap and hit us with an out ball player waiting to spring a quick counter attack.

My one big criticism of Wilder is his home grown player strategy, he says it suits us, I think it’s more it suits him. The PL plays a level of football England has failed to adopt due to the influx of quick talent form across the world. English players don’t get into teams in enough numbers to produce a pool of players capable of representing their country. The players we get in the England pool now are more like social media/reality ’stars’ More concerned with squandering their million pound monthly wages.

My point is can Chris become the technical manager that can change and adapt rather than just make do with the same old system played with better players?

"...in the PL until they've all got wise to it" hahahahahaha!