Will relegation really matter?

[SwissBlade]

What if the world ends rhetoric?
Not really the case, is it Swiss. The club's going nowhere this season, next season or for the foreseeable future. We're just stuck.

I don't disagree that we're not going anywhere this season. Up or down. And yes we're most probably stuck for the foreseeable.

Does that mean we're destined to go down next year. No of course not. I see us building on what we have next year. But then again I'm backing Speed to do a decent job.

Obviously from your point of view you're covering your bases, sitting at your keyboard ready to wag the "i told you so" finger if the worst case did happen.

However, as you put "as for offering a way out, I don't see one unless money appears from somewhere". So whilst you're happy to criticise, you can't provide a solution. Not so easy this running of a football club is it Lenners.

You make it out as if McCabe and Birch are idlely watching the club go down the pan. Which is clearly not the case. However, as we are not seeing the fruits of their labours (and Speeds, but nobody wants to criticise him for another few weeks) its easy to point the finger and criticise their every move.

Like with Speed, i'm giving the club time as we're in transition. We made positive moves in the transfer market during the summer and have a lot of players on long term deals now. So we're becoming a more stable outfit again. We just need to settle on the pitch and start to get the gate receipts up.

 

[Worksop II]

and despite what people think, this is why I don't think he'd sit and watch us go down for the sake of a transfer or two. I agree though that he's in danger of letting all the good work go to waste and at the moment we're no better off on the pitch than we were when he took over, certainly positional wise we're not. There's no point in having this World-wide respect he's so keen on if we're languishing in the lower reaches of the Chumpionship or worse.

And while you are on, my phone never stopped yesterday afternoon with Texts from the Tangerine Tarts

---------- Post added at 12:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:15 PM ----------

as we are not seeing the fruits of their labours

Saw them there Fruits Saturday, plenty past their sellby date ...... a bit like McCabe and his ideas

 

[raul]

Wish there was German Tourist Board....

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

And while you are on, my phone never stopped yesterday afternoon with Texts from the Tangerine Tarts

Tell me about it. Thankfully, a fair few were stuck in scouse land until late and didn't get back in time to go out last night. Fair play to them, they're going down with a fight, and who's to say they're going down at all. Just goes to show that with the right mentality, tactics and team spirit, you can have relative success with a bunch of misfits.

 

[Fiery Blade]

I don't disagree that we're not going anywhere this season. Up or down. And yes we're most probably stuck for the foreseeable.

Does that mean we're destined to go down next year. No of course not. I see us building on what we have next year. But then again I'm backing Speed to do a decent job.

Obviously from your point of view you're covering your bases, sitting at your keyboard ready to wag the "i told you so" finger if the worst case did happen.

However, as you put "as for offering a way out, I don't see one unless money appears from somewhere". So whilst you're happy to criticise, you can't provide a solution. Not so easy this running of a football club is it Lenners.

You make it out as if McCabe and Birch are idlely watching the club go down the pan. Which is clearly not the case. However, as we are not seeing the fruits of their labours (and Speeds, but nobody wants to criticise him for another few weeks) its easy to point the finger and criticise their every move.

Like with Speed, i'm giving the club time as we're in transition. We made positive moves in the transfer market during the summer and have a lot of players on long term deals now. So we're becoming a more stable outfit again. We just need to settle on the pitch and start to get the gate receipts up.

The problem is Swiss that the long term deals are with the likes of Cresswell, Morgan, Monty and Quinny all who have been questioned with their ability to move the club forward.
We have been badly managed both on and off the field and what we have as you put it is 'the fruits of their labours' McCabe, Birch and Blackwell are all to blame
Their lack of proper management has rendered the club impotent and lacking structure.
Gary Speed has a mammoth task to bring the Blades back to a challenging club
What we have left is a bunch of overpaid, talentless players with no heart, passion or belief Good luck Speedo, youre going to need it in bucketloads!!!

 

[SwissBlade]

The problem is Swiss that the long term deals are with the likes of Cresswell, Morgan, Monty and Quinny all who have been questioned with their ability to move the club forward.
We have been badly managed both on and off the field and what we have as you put it is 'the fruits of their labours' McCabe, Birch and Blackwell are all to blame
Their lack of proper management has rendered the club impotent and lacking structure.
Gary Speed has a mammoth task to bring the Blades back to a challenging club
What we have left is a bunch of overpaid, talentless players with no heart, passion or belief Good luck Speedo, youre going to need it in bucketloads!!!

Again I don't disagree that mistakes have been made, i've never denied that.

However, continually point the finger of blame does nothing unless it comes with a solution. I've been on this forum for over a year and there is the constant finger pointing but very little in terms of constructive comments to help move us forward unless you count "he's shit, he should be dropped/ sacked/ paid off etc"

Many (yourself included) were overjoyed about Blackie being sacked, but all its done is focussed attentions elsewhere. Now its McCabe and Birch, Cresswell, Quinn, Monty etc

Be careful what you wish for....

 

[lenners]

To be honest Swiss, I think I've been very generous on not using the 'I told you so' button given the events of the summer and the start of this season.
You expect Speed to build on what?
Bartley, loan player.
Nozza, loan player.
Calve, loan player.

That's most of a defence that will need replacing yet again next summer.

Midfield - what's to build on, beyond some promise from Britton? The others struggle in a footballing side (possibly Quinn aside) and will continue to do so.

Forwards - Evans, probably now confirmed the worst big money signing in our history, still contracted on huge wages with no-one in their right minds likely to take him off our hands.
Cresswell, steady eddie, showing signs of career winding down.
Boggy, a tourist board signing.
Ward, sadly losing his way after injury and a suspect temperament.

How is this really going to be built on?

 

[Worksop II]

still contracted on huge wages with no-one in their right minds likely to take him off our hands

Has anyone rung Warnock, he will be looking to waste some cash in the January Transfer Window

 

[Ollessendro]

I think Lenners and Fiery have answered the stuff aimed at me Swiss.

Coily, I was referring to other teams in the division, rather than just us. I'm thinking about the likes of the whopping £28 for tickets at Derby. Sure SUFC probably wouldn't drop ticket prices, but they certainly wouldn't go up. What's the usual caper in these scenarios? What have the pigs done this season? Surely season tickets must be cheaper.

I'm with Tuns on this one. Couldn't see anything wrong with a bit of 3rd tier football for a season. Like Lenners said we are going nowhere, so why not. Why not have a year spanking teams and maybe win some silver wear, rather than mid table mediocrity? It's going to take Speed time to build something and I have no qualm with us getting worse before we get better.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

A question for those who think it wouldn't matter. How many of the 16K or whatever it is ST holders would renew if we were relegated, bearing in mind it's going to be a miserable season hereon in if that was to happen ? GFollowing on from that, how are we going to build a team capable of bouncing straight back given the further loss of revenue and reliance on cheap buys and kids straight out of the academy.

I can see the argument for building momentum and re-igniting fans love of the game by bouncing straight back and what effect that tends to have on teams but for every Man City there's a Wendy and to me, the chances of that not happening are far greater.

Do you really all think it wouldn't matter, what the hell ?

 

[alcoblade]

My happiest football memories are all linked to the support / days out side of football - and definitley the lower leagues hold really fond memories for me. Part of me would love a stint. But the reality is that as a club, we're far too in debt to risk falling further and relegation would be disastrous.

On another thread Mic is berated for questioning the fortunes of Blades Realty and the effects of this on SUFC PLC. I think a few "clappers" (I hate the term) remain in blissful ignorance of our financial predicament. They're probably the same on our relegation prospects - so aren't worried. As a "realist" (I hate the term) I'm worried on both counts. In short, relegation could create real significant problems for our club.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

To be honest Swiss, I think I've been very generous on not using the 'I told you so' button given the events of the summer and the start of this season.
You expect Speed to build on what?
Bartley, loan player.
Nozza, loan player.
Calve, loan player.

That's most of a defence that will need replacing yet again next summer.

Midfield - what's to build on, beyond some promise from Britton? The others struggle in a footballing side (possibly Quinn aside) and will continue to do so.

Forwards - Evans, probably now confirmed the worst big money signing in our history, still contracted on huge wages with no-one in their right minds likely to take him off our hands.
Cresswell, steady eddie, showing signs of career winding down.
Boggy, a tourist board signing.
Ward, sadly losing his way after injury and a suspect temperament.

How is this really going to be built on?

Shall we close down the club for the season then Lenners.

 

[Ollessendro]

A question for those who think it wouldn't matter. How many of the 16K or whatever it is ST holders would renew if we were relegated, bearing in mind it's going to be a miserable season hereon in if that was to happen ? GFollowing on from that, how are we going to build a team capable of bouncing straight back given the further loss of revenue and reliance on cheap buys and kids straight out of the academy.

I can see the argument for building momentum and re-igniting fans love of the game by bouncing straight back and what effect that tends to have on teams but for every Man City there's a Wendy and to me, the chances of that not happening are far greater.

Do you really all think it wouldn't matter, what the hell ?

I don't think there would me a massive difference between season tickets sales next season if we are in the Championship or League One. Whatever happens it is going to be a miserable season. The team is dire and we are still playing dire without the result. Unless the board back Speed or there is another minor miracle then we are going to finish in the bottom half, flirt with relegation or go down. So how many tickets will be sell if we stay up? 14k maybe. What about if we go down? 12k?

Getting relegated would mean we would have to get rid of dead weights on big money such as Monty, Cresswell, Quinn and Morgan. I'd like to thinkthat Speed could do a better job at building a squad than Blackwell and given the whole summer he can build a squad. he may be forced to use youngster, but what the hell. McCabe spent enough on the academy.

Jim, do you seriosuly think we can mount a promotion push in the next 3 years?

 

[beechblade]

Of course I'd want us to stay in the league but I'll say this I'd still renew end of.

 

[ListerBlade]

would being relegated matter? of course it would!!

 

[lenners]

Fleets, we've only sold 14,000 this year, it would probably go down to 10,000 or 11,000, we'd lose tv money etc, etc.
I'm far from convinced we'd bounce straight back but I do think we'd get our club back one way or another.
I like the idea of kids straight out of the academy for starters, some players we could identify with instead of the short term revolving door.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

No idea Olly, never predict a Blades season, we should all have learnt that by now !

We said after relegation that we needed to change the whole philosophy of the way we play. Don't want to go over old ground with Robbo but the same seems to apply now, with a £15M smaller budget. We may have to wait a few years but it will be worth the wait IMO and I think Speed could be the man to do it, he may crumble under the pressure and resign before Xmas, who knows.

I've said before, we may have to write this season off and just hope we survive. If the signs of improvement are there, I don't think ST sales will drop, if the club get it right next Summer, they may attract some back but I fail to see how relegation would help. Get through this season, let Speed re-build the squad and see what happens.

 

[Bergen Blade]

No idea Olly, never predict a Blades season, we should all have learnt that by now !

We said after relegation that we needed to change the whole philosophy of the way we play. Don't want to go over old ground with Robbo but the same seems to apply now, with a £15M smaller budget. We may have to wait a few years but it will be worth the wait IMO and I think Speed could be the man to do it, he may crumble under the pressure and resign before Xmas, who knows.

I've said before, we may have to write this season off and just hope we survive. If the signs of improvement are there, I don't think ST sales will drop, if the club get it right next Summer, they may attract some back but I fail to see how relegation would help. Get through this season, let Speed re-build the squad and see what happens.

As proven when Robson took over from Warnock, a change of playing style isn't necessarily for the better. I thought we were going nowhere under Blackwell, so welcomed a change, but whether Speed's philosophy is effective (as well as prettier) remains to be seen.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

As proven when Robson took over from Warnock, a change of playing style isn't necessarily for the better. I thought we were going nowhere under Blackwell, so welcomed a change, but whether Speed's philosophy is effective (as well as prettier) remains to be seen.

You know as well as anyone that football today is all about pace, strength and athleticism and we need a forward thinking manager, not someone set in his ways (although our Neil seems to be doing OK this season !). It's still early days but I'd say the football under Speed (in patches) has been encouraging and in comparison, better than that under Robson and Robson had a much better squad to work with, and time to bring in his own players. It will certainly be interesting to see how much time the fans (and McCabe) give Speed if things don't improve beyond Xmas, if this site is anything to go by, not much.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Whilst there is a call for another striker, a creative midfielder etc etc etc
Lets face facts:
Evans - full international, under 21 international - scored goals at all levels
Cresswell - journeyman striker that scored 14 goals last season
Bogdanovic - full international (albeit Malta) - scored 14 goals last season
Ward - full international Northern Ireland - hailed as best thing since sliced bread
All four players have a good pedigree and last season clubs would have paid good money to take them
Perhaps its up to Speedo, Calver et al to bring out their best in training
You can't keep bringing in players - the above guys have proven in the past that they can score
Give them some self belief
Whatever your'e doing at the moment isn't working
Try something else!
Butwe still need some creation midfield Thats the big issue !

 

[super_pig]

woolford (scunny) and maynard (bristol city) are the solution

 

[Sothall_Blade]

We said after relegation that we needed to change the whole philosophy of the way we play. QUOTE]

Why?

I can’t help feeling that the “good football” mafia are partly responsible for the mess we now find ourselves in. Was it really so terrible watching Bassett’s men “hoof-ball” their way to two successive promotions, scoring 171 league goals in the process? Were we embarrassed by our “one-dimensional” play as we reached two Semi-finals and the Play-off final in 02-03? Did we really care what others thought of our “direct approach” when we scored 76 league goals on our way to The Premiership in 05/06?

We’re on course to score 23 league goals this season but at least we might get to see the team play football “the right way”, “keeping it on the carpet, not in the clouds” etc.... Whoopee-do!
For me, “good” football is “exciting” football and I want to see us play an attacking game, get the ball in the box, create chances, score goals. I want to see skilful players who can take a man on and beat him or conjure up a chance with a piece of brilliance. Most of my best times watching United have been under “big boot” managers playing “long ball” football. So what? At least the games were enjoyable and the team was successful.

Who are we trying to impress by moving away from what learned critics might call our “prosaic” style of football? Did I cringe when Gary Lineker said he might as well watch our games on Ceefax? No, not really. Do I long for the day when Manish and Claridge don’t describe playing against us as a “tough physical examination”? Not at all, as they clearly never watch us play if they still think that.

I accept that Speed has inherited a squad systematically shorn of all it’s pacy, skilful, exciting players but that’s no excuse for not making their recruitment the top priority or playing 1 up front and 3 defensive midfielders at home. Forget the notion that we have to start “knocking it around” like Arsenal, Doncaster or Swansea (a lot of good it does them when it comes to actually achieving anything!). Just play an attacking game with players who can thrill the crowd from time to time. Hint. Nothing thrills a crowd, quite like a goal or two.

 

[Ollessendro]

Whilst there is a call for another striker, a creative midfielder etc etc etc
Lets face facts:
Evans - full international, under 21 international - scored goals at all levels
Cresswell - journeyman striker that scored 14 goals last season
Bogdanovic - full international (albeit Malta) - scored 14 goals last season
Ward - full international Northern Ireland - hailed as best thing since sliced bread
All four players have a good pedigree and last season clubs would have paid good money to take them
Perhaps its up to Speedo, Calver et al to bring out their best in training
You can't keep bringing in players - the above guys have proven in the past that they can score
Give them some self belief
Whatever your'e doing at the moment isn't working
Try something else!
Butwe still need some creation midfield Thats the big issue !

what do you suggest Fiery? Getting a goal that is 20 metre by 20 metres and having shooting practice without a keeper. Then Speedo standing there and saying unlucky Chedward, keep your head up. Way to go Boggy, in off the post, what a strike. Cressy, come on stand up and take a shot. Yay, you boys are the tops. Keep your heads up, you know you are good enough, the goals will come ......

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

We said after relegation that we needed to change the whole philosophy of the way we play. QUOTE]

Why?

I can’t help feeling that the “good football” mafia are partly responsible for the mess we now find ourselves in. Was it really so terrible watching Bassett’s men “hoof-ball” their way to two successive promotions, scoring 171 league goals in the process? Were we embarrassed by our “one-dimensional” play as we reached two Semi-finals and the Play-off final in 02-03? Did we really care what others thought of our “direct approach” when we scored 76 league goals on our way to The Premiership in 05/06?

We’re on course to score 23 league goals this season but at least we might get to see the team play football “the right way”, “keeping it on the carpet, not in the clouds” etc.... Whoopee-do!
For me, “good” football is “exciting” football and I want to see us play an attacking game, get the ball in the box, create chances, score goals. I want to see skilful players who can take a man on and beat him or conjure up a chance with a piece of brilliance. Most of my best times watching United have been under “big boot” managers playing “long ball” football. So what? At least the games were enjoyable and the team was successful.

Who are we trying to impress by moving away from what learned critics might call our “prosaic” style of football? Did I cringe when Gary Lineker said he might as well watch our games on Ceefax? No, not really. Do I long for the day when Manish and Claridge don’t describe playing against us as a “tough physical examination”? Not at all, as they clearly never watch us play if they still think that.

I accept that Speed has inherited a squad systematically shorn of all it’s pacy, skilful, exciting players but that’s no excuse for not making their recruitment the top priority or playing 1 up front and 3 defensive midfielders at home. Forget the notion that we have to start “knocking it around” like Arsenal, Doncaster or Swansea (a lot of good it does them when it comes to actually achieving anything!). Just play an attacking game with players who can thrill the crowd from time to time. Hint. Nothing thrills a crowd, quite like a goal or two.

You only need to look at how many years we've spent in the top flight and how many years the football has been enjoyable to watch over the period you're talking about to answer those questions. Football has moved on in the last 20 years, we haven't. OK, there's been the odd promotion (from the lower divisions) and one promotion to the Prem but for every 02/03 there's been 4 or 5 04/05s.

Liverpool 4-0 SUFC
Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool

shows the difference in application and style, not to mention my '40 years a fan of Blackpool' mate saying that was one of the greatest days of his football life. Yes, being the battling underdogs that people love to hate is fine but I'd like to see us outpass and outplay a team for a change and I suspect I'm not in the minority.

 

[Micalijo]

You only need to look at how many years we've spent in the top flight and how many years the football has been enjoyable to watch over the period you're talking about to answer those questions. Football has moved on in the last 20 years, we haven't. OK, there's been the odd promotion (from the lower divisions) and one promotion to the Prem but for every 02/03 there's been 4 or 5 04/05s.

Liverpool 4-0 SUFC
Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool

shows the difference in application and style, not to mention my '40 years a fan of Blackpool' mate saying that was one of the greatest days of his football life. Yes, being the battling underdogs that people love to hate is fine but I'd like to see us outpass and outplay a team for a change and I suspect I'm not in the minority.

Come back to us Jim when Blackpool have 38 points, I'll give you it then. You saying we didn't show application?

How about Chelsea 6 - 0 Blackpool? Shocking application. Arsenal 4 - 0 Blackpool

Come back to me when Blackpool have beaten Arsenal at home.

Don't deny that they have obviously scored more than we did away from home in same matches but to claim a lack of application on our part in Prem is beyond belief.

 

[Bergen Blade]

You only need to look at how many years we've spent in the top flight and how many years the football has been enjoyable to watch over the period you're talking about to answer those questions. Football has moved on in the last 20 years, we haven't. OK, there's been the odd promotion (from the lower divisions) and one promotion to the Prem but for every 02/03 there's been 4 or 5 04/05s.

Liverpool 4-0 SUFC
Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool

shows the difference in application and style, not to mention my '40 years a fan of Blackpool' mate saying that was one of the greatest days of his football life. Yes, being the battling underdogs that people love to hate is fine but I'd like to see us outpass and outplay a team for a change and I suspect I'm not in the minority.

We outpassed Scunthorpe did we not? ;-)

 

[alcoblade]

Evans - full international, under 21 international - scored goals at all levels

I think you're trying a bit hard to blame the midfield, though I'd concede it's not all OK there.

Ched Evans scored 10 golas in a purple patch at Norwich over half a season. Overall, his record suggests you can supply as many banjo's as you like, the bulls ass is not going to be bruised. He scores about 1 in 8 or something equally depressing. He's the worst signing (financailly wise) in our history and I believe it's the huge price tag, and ongoing wage, that is preventing some from seeing what plays out in front of them every week. He cost £3M, he really can't be that bad can he? Yes he can. He's a league 1 striker at best.

We need some more creativity from midfield but we're desperately short up front.

UTB

 

[Sothall_Blade]

You only need to look at how many years we've spent in the top flight and how many years the football has been enjoyable to watch over the period you're talking about to answer those questions. Football has moved on in the last 20 years, we haven't. OK, there's been the odd promotion (from the lower divisions) and one promotion to the Prem but for every 02/03 there's been 4 or 5 04/05s.

Liverpool 4-0 SUFC
Liverpool 1-2 Blackpool

shows the difference in application and style, not to mention my '40 years a fan of Blackpool' mate saying that was one of the greatest days of his football life. Yes, being the battling underdogs that people love to hate is fine but I'd like to see us outpass and outplay a team for a change and I suspect I'm not in the minority.

Good luck to Blackpool but I don’t see that their fan’s joy at beating a poor Liverpool side has anything to do with the style of football. It’s ironic that while we were “changing the philosophy of the way that we play because football has moved on”, Stoke were happily kicking, rushing and long-throwing their way into the top half of the Premiership. I don’t think their great, unexpected wins were any less enjoyable to their fans than Blackpool’s.

Don’t you think we outplayed Spurs when we beat them 6-0 at home under Bassett? Did it really matter to you if we didn’t “outpass” them as well? What would we give to beat Spurs, Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal now? We stuffed them all in the past by playing so-called “bad football” and we could do again. Will we ever outplay them? Unlikely....

Is it too much to ask that we at least adopt a more attacking approach? I don't care if we pass it, hoof it or a mixture of both just as long as we create chances, score goals, win matches. At the moment, we are so defensive and have so little flair going forward it's hard to see where the goals are going to come from.

 

[broomhillblade]

We said after relegation that we needed to change the whole philosophy of the way we play. QUOTE]

Why?

I can’t help feeling that the “good football” mafia are partly responsible for the mess we now find ourselves in. Was it really so terrible watching Bassett’s men “hoof-ball” their way to two successive promotions, scoring 171 league goals in the process? Were we embarrassed by our “one-dimensional” play as we reached two Semi-finals and the Play-off final in 02-03? Did we really care what others thought of our “direct approach” when we scored 76 league goals on our way to The Premiership in 05/06?

We’re on course to score 23 league goals this season but at least we might get to see the team play football “the right way”, “keeping it on the carpet, not in the clouds” etc.... Whoopee-do!
For me, “good” football is “exciting” football and I want to see us play an attacking game, get the ball in the box, create chances, score goals. I want to see skilful players who can take a man on and beat him or conjure up a chance with a piece of brilliance. Most of my best times watching United have been under “big boot” managers playing “long ball” football. So what? At least the games were enjoyable and the team was successful.

Who are we trying to impress by moving away from what learned critics might call our “prosaic” style of football? Did I cringe when Gary Lineker said he might as well watch our games on Ceefax? No, not really. Do I long for the day when Manish and Claridge don’t describe playing against us as a “tough physical examination”? Not at all, as they clearly never watch us play if they still think that.

I accept that Speed has inherited a squad systematically shorn of all it’s pacy, skilful, exciting players but that’s no excuse for not making their recruitment the top priority or playing 1 up front and 3 defensive midfielders at home. Forget the notion that we have to start “knocking it around” like Arsenal, Doncaster or Swansea (a lot of good it does them when it comes to actually achieving anything!). Just play an attacking game with players who can thrill the crowd from time to time. Hint. Nothing thrills a crowd, quite like a goal or two.

Spot on! My thoughts too.

 

[alcoblade]

Why?

I can’t help feeling that the “good football” mafia are partly responsible for the mess we now find ourselves in. Was it really so terrible watching Bassett’s men “hoof-ball” their way to two successive promotions, scoring 171 league goals in the process? Were we embarrassed by our “one-dimensional” play as we reached two Semi-finals and the Play-off final in 02-03? Did we really care what others thought of our “direct approach” when we scored 76 league goals on our way to The Premiership in 05/06?

We’re on course to score 23 league goals this season but at least we might get to see the team play football “the right way”, “keeping it on the carpet, not in the clouds” etc.... Whoopee-do!
For me, “good” football is “exciting” football and I want to see us play an attacking game, get the ball in the box, create chances, score goals. I want to see skilful players who can take a man on and beat him or conjure up a chance with a piece of brilliance. Most of my best times watching United have been under “big boot” managers playing “long ball” football. So what? At least the games were enjoyable and the team was successful.

Who are we trying to impress by moving away from what learned critics might call our “prosaic” style of football? Did I cringe when Gary Lineker said he might as well watch our games on Ceefax? No, not really. Do I long for the day when Manish and Claridge don’t describe playing against us as a “tough physical examination”? Not at all, as they clearly never watch us play if they still think that.

I accept that Speed has inherited a squad systematically shorn of all it’s pacy, skilful, exciting players but that’s no excuse for not making their recruitment the top priority or playing 1 up front and 3 defensive midfielders at home. Forget the notion that we have to start “knocking it around” like Arsenal, Doncaster or Swansea (a lot of good it does them when it comes to actually achieving anything!). Just play an attacking game with players who can thrill the crowd from time to time. Hint. Nothing thrills a crowd, quite like a goal or two.

To be fair, didn't the good football brigade just want an end to the reign of the man who delivered the squad that is "systematically shorn of all it's pacy, skillful exciting players".

We need to attack more. It was the same under Blackkwell and Speed is still too unconvincd by his squad to go out and try to win matches. But it's not working and he'll have to make changes. Football isn't just either hoof of flowing total football. I think most fans who've excpeted the reality that we've blown our chnaces of near term top flight football, would just like to be entertained every other match. That was definitely not going to happen under Blackwell. The jury is out on Speed who must be afforded much more time given resources and what he's inherited.