Wilder's interview tonight

[robbiez666]

For those that have only watched the Sky interview, Wilder is more specific in his interview with Giddings in calling certain players out in addition to simply saying only the strikers came out with any credit from it.

Specifically, 3 mins into the interview: “Jack O’Connell never stepped over the halfway line, Bash stepped over it a couple of times, the two wingbacks were poor in everything they did, the midfield players kept giving the ball away didn’t win enough first or second balls and made poor decisions, and I take the front two out of it because I thought they looked bright and lively”.

Brutal.

Given that O'Connell was caked in mud and Bash put half 2 crosses in and won a header in the box to set Baldock up, it seems a little harsh.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

LoughboroBlade thanks for posting that, I haven't heard the Radio Sheffield interview. Calling out players like that is indeed brutal.

But, objectively, the strikers "bright and lively"? Give over. Leon was uninterested and occasionally sulky, and Billy was anonymous. Wonder why they get a free pass? Senior pro's that he needs to get the dressing room back on track?

The end of that on the strikers that I left off that perhaps explains where he was coming from with that view: “I’d have been looking behind me and thinking ‘pffff, not much happening tonight’ but to be fair to them, their honesty and their quality, and their professionalism, they stayed with it to the end”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05z5tgn

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Given that O'Connell was caked in mud and Bash put half 2 crosses in and won a header in the box to set Baldock up, it seems a little harsh.

I thought O’Connell was hesitant to move forward with the ball and support, possibly lost some confidence to do so since being caught on the ball in the Leeds game.

 

[metalblade]

I'm wondering what sort of message Wilder sends out when he as much as says it is time to throw in the towel. The players may as well toss it off for the rest of the season they have after all got improved and extended contracts to fall back on. What message does it send out to the fans it hardly inspires anyone to turn out on a cold and wet afternoon or night, if he can no longer be arsed why should the supporters be arsed to turn out ?

 

[itsinyerblood]

LoughboroBlade thanks for posting that, I haven't heard the Radio Sheffield interview. Calling out players like that is indeed brutal.

But, objectively, the strikers "bright and lively"? Give over. Leon was uninterested and occasionally sulky, and Billy was anonymous. Wonder why they get a free pass? Senior pro's that he needs to get the dressing room back on track?

It's worth listening to. You're right, why the front two seem immune from criticism is puzzling, but overall the comments Wilder made are, as you say, brutal but true.

It never fails to surprise/disappoint me how professional players become accustomed to the lifestyle that becomes their norm. It's as if the magic of the game they first saw as lads has vanished to be replaced by the more venal side of life. In Wilder we have a manager who is passionate, who sets standards that he expects those around him to share. Tonight it was a case of manager and team singing from very different pages. I thought Baldock looked ok, but maybe that was in comparison to the others who were well below par. Why JOC chose to remain in his own half, well only he and Wilder will be able to work that one out.

 

[blade too long]

whens all said and done the table last night showed us all having played 33 so its a true reflection and we are 2 points off the play offs having played 1 more away game and have 7 home and 6 away games left
weve won 2 and lost 1 of last 3, theres 4 more sets of 3 left , keep doing that thats another 24 points giving us 76oints with a spare game which could be enough so lets not run around , arms flailing screaming its over just yet

 

[Thorpy]

He should look inwards tonight, he's fucking around with the team too much. This Lenny is a mistake, don't play him just because he's a £750k signing. Duffy has been the master all season, stick to a winning formula.

the problem is that early season when our football was turning teams inside out, the trio of coutts duffy and fleck were the ones that were causing all the problems for the opposition. top of the league coutts on the end of a disgusting tackle season over. since then duffy has fitness problems and fleck lost without coutts. were now left with midfielders who are deffo league 1 standard. i dont know what wilder will do because our build up play is slow and ponderous lee evans thinks hes glen hoddle and leonard a headless chicken i dont envy wilder his problems

 

[Bladezz]

I think it’s a matter of time until Wilder leaves us for better things and we drop back down to League one.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Eh. Clarke must have something on him then Roy and Billy wasn’t much better.

Blackman and maybe Basham are the only two players worth more than a 3.

Basham Gray? He was poor and his distribution diabolical. As was that of others. Baldock was the only one apart from Blackman who looked remotely good enough last night.

I certainly recognised Wilders comments about the strikers thoughts though. They never got a decent ball, they weren't even feeding on scraps as there weren't any. Clarke had a poor game no doubt but I thought Sharp put a shift in only to see the rest of them just give the ball to opponents or just hoof and hope.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Regardless of selections and tactics, I've not seen a collection of players collectively fail to do such simple tasks for a long time... So many diabolical first touches and simple passes straight to opposition.

So many strange decisions made on the ball.

Lack of movement in the centre and no one taking responsibility to get on the ball and control things.

Sums the night up exactly.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I don't buy this "he,s a fan " , honesty bollocks .. he's the manager , his team, his players , his tactics ... tonight was utter shit .. his entire job is to acquire , train , organise and motivate a bunch of footballers ... by coming out and saying what he did he's basically saying I've bought / selected the wrong players and failed to organise and motivate them ... then do your fucking job you knob !!

How does he get them to stop passing straight to opponents the majority of the game?

 

[Pedro's Winger]

It boils my piss when teams like Hull, who have been under performing all season, then seem to go,” you know what, it’s sheffield United I think I’ll put a shift in for this game”.
If I was a hull supporter, and Nigel Adkins, thank fuck I’m not, would be very pissed off that they can put an effort in when it suits. Been a few teams against us that have put a lot more into their game, than their position in the league suggests. I know it’s down to us to overcome these things, but it does wind me up.

Hull were bobbins and Wilder was right when he listed all the teams that would have beaten them last night.
Doubt they played any different but just came up against a team that decided to not bother in the most un-Wilder performance I've seen since he came to the club.

 

[bladesman3]

Billy was poking it towards goal and had no intention of playing Fleck in, which to be fair most strikers would do but it was the wrong decision.

Look carefully....there was no way he could get it to him...his first touch was not great, made his angle different , let the defender get closer and shut off his angle for the pass...he ends up toe poking it at goal...

 

[robbiez666]

I thought O’Connell was hesitant to move forward with the ball and support, possibly lost some confidence to do so since being caught on the ball in the Leeds game.

I'm pretty sure he's been blamed for giving it away a few times now. Maybe, not the best encouragement for a centre back to get forward into an alien position.

I agree with others when they say he's lost confidence in Stevens. I think that goes equally in the midfield's ability to cover if he gets caught forward.

 

[ljk]

Saying those things on air is surprising, but I wouldn't bet against it getting a good response from the players. Wilder has performed wonders since he arrived and I don't think our recent "bad" spell has been anywhere near as worrying and poor as some people have led themselves to believe.

At first I thought his interview was a mistake, but then I remembered something Steve Bruce said about Alex Ferguson: “If you couldn’t stand up to him and his demands, and many a player couldn’t, then you couldn’t play for Man United. That was his mentality, to have people around him who were born winners, like he was. He wanted people to respond to it and react to it rather than shrink from it."

 

[LJBlade]

Look carefully....there was no way he could get it to him...his first touch was not great, made his angle different , let the defender get closer and shut off his angle for the pass...he ends up toe poking it at goal...

Billy should have played it across first time. He could easily have got it to him.

 

[Booker4]

Very unfair to say Baldock was poor, he was our best attacking threat. The midfield three were woeful. Leonard electing to shoot (wide) when Baldock was screaming for the ball, to his right, with a clear chance on goal.

No one marking Dicko for his goal, etc.

The system we play relies on the number ten playing well and yesterday we only had Duffy fit but Wilder chose to rest him after Tuesday which is fair enough. Sadly Leonard was poor but he wasn't the only one. We badly need Brooks fit and/or Holmes! Still plenty of optimism for me and Wilder's comments are from the heart, straight after the game and by his own admission he is emotional. Does that mean he regrets it? I very much doubt it and I think he'll stick to it for Monday's press conference ad otherwise it makes Wilder look like he just lost his cool on Saturday whereas in reality he meant what he said and its up to the players to say screw you now, we're good enough. Its decent man management from Wilder and I think we'll be much improved for Reading.

Things could be worse, we could have spent 30 million plus and still be crap!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

If we were a poor team I could understand Chris trotting out the usual “manager speak” defending his team.
But we’re not and his words echoed all our feeling. Too many players didn’t put a shift in and our ball retention was diabolical. The midfield were just standing on the toes of our defenders and offered no service to the front players. Leonard and Evans are simply no better than the players we already have. Neither of them seem to be able to pick a killer pass or offer the team any flair or vision in the middle of the park. They are too similar in style and in my opinion shouldn’t be the same starting lineup.
It’s a shame because I really thought Lundstram was just about getting grips with the Coutts role.

 

[Darthblade]

He’s hurting and we all are. At least he’s honest. If that doesn’t make them want to play up a bit nothing will. I agree he got the team wrong though. No Duffy to start. Nothing exciting on the bench either.

Hmmmmmm....... not so sure he got the team "wrong" ....

The side we put out should have been capable of getting a result at Hull tbh.

The performance from the players ....... with the exception of Blackman and possibly Baldock was nothing short of shoddy !! That is probably the worst performance from a Blades side that I have seen since the Southend ( home) debacle last year.

We got what the performance deserved ....... fuck all ...... and the players should look at themselves and ask "do we deserve these supporters" and "have we let the fans and ourselves down".

Hope I never see such a crap performance again ...... and even worse ...... on the f**king telly as well .....

Billy should be ripping them all a new arsehole today .......

UTB & FTP

 

[Darthblade]

He also said only Sharp and Clarke deserve any credit tonight

Disagree with that tbh ....... I think Clarke needs a rest ...... he's been poor for a few games now. Billy looked tired after Tuesday ....... I thought nonly Blackman & Baldock deserved paying tbh ....

Team showed no composure, skill, attitude or bottle and that is NOT good enough for Tufty ....... or the supporters

UTB & FTP

 

[Champagneblade]

I think the forwards were lucky to get a free pass given Wilder was throwing everyone under the bus.

Leon was languid, slow to react and hardly won a header all night. Bereft of service yes, but forwards can also create their own menace but that does involve retaining the ball for a few seconds. They can’t just expect to get it on a plate.

Sharp ran around a bit, but posed no danger. He had our best chance and these are the fine margins at this level. He squandered it through poor decision making. Either square it - he could have dinked it over the guy sliding in, straight to Fleck - or play it across the keeper. Percentages. Going near post was never really on. It cost us the game as much as the poor defending. Tight game, one chance and he missed it.

FWIW, if I was singling two out it would have been Blackman and Baldock. The latter looked our only realistic outlet, even if everything didn’t come off.

 

[ChemEngBlade]

And we all believe he's being entirely genuine?

Not a chance, I think it was to drive home to the players how disappointed he was in them, hopefully to get a reaction

 

[ChemEngBlade]

Disagree with that tbh ....... I think Clarke needs a rest ...... he's been poor for a few games now. Billy looked tired after Tuesday ....... I thought nonly Blackman & Baldock deserved paying tbh ....

Team showed no composure, skill, attitude or bottle and that is NOT good enough for Tufty ....... or the supporters

UTB & FTP

I thought he did well on tuesday night, worked his arse off for the whole game

 

[SteveBlade]

I think it’s a matter of time until Wilder leaves us for better things and we drop back down to League one.

 

[Pierre's PC]

View attachment 37186

#TeamMeme

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

At the risk of being lynched around here, I'm just pointing out the fact that this is Wilder's first year at this level. As much as the players have been found out at this level, so has, to a certain extent have his abilities.

No doubt he's very much on an upward curve, but to think he's a messiah who's too big for us/Championship needs to look at the bigger picture. He's been out coached in a couple of games this season, and it sticks in my throat to say this, but Adkins out manoeuvred him last night. In the same way Steve Bruce adjusted in the Villa game and stifled our midfield.

I'd hesitate to call Wilder one dimensional, but if does seem that if a manager adjusts to stifle us, our Plan B is lacking...

In Tufty I still Trust - but I realise he's still learning at this level too!

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I think it’s a matter of time until Wilder leaves us for better things and we drop back down to League one.

Without bigger investment we may struggle to progress - but I can’t see Wilder being offered anything better than us anytime soon.

 

[1066blade]

Ive not listened to his interview.

But Wilder has created a problem that was not there by bringing in Evans and Leonard,he is now falling into the trap of having to justify the signings by playing them at the expense of Duffy and Lundstram,its upset the apple cart.

Leonard will never make it in the championship he is too weak cannot hold onto the ball,he is not what we needed and Southend had our pants down with him,i can see him being loaned back next season to league 1.

Evans he is so one dimensional,he is basically Lundstram by another name.

Fleck must be scratching his head when he is asked to play with any 2 of those 3,and it shows in our slow slow play and is possibly why the defenders are now hoofing the ball more and more.

It is no wonder that our strikers are looking poor there is no service.

Last nite only Baldock showed any sort of drive.

Never mind we are higher than anyone expected us to be,but i dont look forward to next season,unless we get more quality and strength in the middle of the park.

So Chris is to blame as well as the team? Will some of you lot make your bloody minds up?
In my view, for what it's worth, Chris as manager and being responsible for the team and tactics, MUST shoulder a huge percentage of the blame, it was his team (new players) his tactics(or lack of) last night.
Another thing, regarding his interviews, I was really surprised at how positive he was after the QPR result, compared to say, his reaction after the win at Leeds, he was not at all happy with a very impressive result away at Elland Rd, but thought last Tues night was apparently OK?? Puzzling, when most fans could see the writing on the wall for a display like last nights.
Sorry Chris, you cannot have your cake and eat it, just by coming out and venting your pain ( and we all love him for that, we too feel the same) Your job, your decisions, as the fiasco last night developed, played a huge part in the debacle, your anger and disappointment is not a defence. Based on the last run of 4 wins in 17 matches, this clubs future in this division, and your job, would be under serious threat, but for the over achieving start we performed, thanks for that, we are safe, you deserve the chance to see this intriguing scenario through.
Good luck, we are all behind you, but you have to 'manage' us through this.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

When we were playing well earlier in the season Wilder and Knill (rightly) got most of the credit, as others have said this has been coming although not as bad as it was last night but we have changed our approach ,more direct, what happened to JOC bombing forward, balls from the left towards the right flank on a regular basis and going nowhere ,defense looking a little unsure with the ball, goalkeeper kicking it long most of the time,as a team we are rarely on the front foot, it's been like it in general for weeks, it's right the players did let us down but Wilder and Knill are more to blame, they have changed our tactics, it's not working, I would love to ask Chris why have you changed our style? And before anybody says it, its not down to coutts, don't help I agree but successful teams stick to there style of play with a few tweaks depending on the opposition

We are 2 points off the play offs and Wilder knows the issues.

Everyone chill.

 

[DI36O]

It's psychology.
Players: show us you can make that step up if you want to stay
Board: if we don't make it I've made it clear why
Other teams: feel free to write us off

Gauntlet laid down for Reading away. If we win that we'll have forgotten about all this by Saturday.