Yo yo club?

[CarlMcBlade]

I am a massive fan of Heckinbottom and his coaching and recruitment team. With very limited finances and some very trying circumstances beyond his control, he has managed the side very well.
Look at the effect a new manager has had on Palace and Villa? Very promising.

We question the owner here, but PH gets away with it because he isolates the players from all the turmoil in the background.

Something is not quite right. Should PH do better with the talented and committed group he has, or would he be better with more money? I’m really not sure. I really want him to do well, but I’m not 100% sure about him, despite being a big supporter of what he has achieved?

Yes, we were all up in arms when Hecky was not deemed fashionable enough to be nominated for the EFL manager of the season. But if truth be known, he’s still quite unfashionable amongst a certain proportion of Blades fans. Let’s remember when our 14 point lead was being whittled down, he had an annoying healthy number of detractors.

 

[Charlieblade]

Yes, we were all up in arms when Hecky was not deemed fashionable enough to be nominated for the EFL manager of the season. But if truth be known, he’s still quite unfashionable amongst a certain proportion of Blades fans. Let’s remember when our 14 point lead was being whittled down, he had an annoying healthy number of detractors.

I am not having a downer on what PH has achieved in this league. Results are one thing, but when will we see more of the fast, skillful football we know the team is capable of? Is PH guilty of sacrificing that, because the cost of promotion failure is more important.
Is he more likely to take the shackles off if we do get promoted?

I suppose it’s a choice of fast attacking football, or a more conservative style to prevent us losing a game. Which game would you prefer to watch?

 

[Champagneblade]

Sprog ! Haha, but a likeable and knowledgeable one at that.

Very kind of you Charlie.

Cheque’s in the post

 

[MadDad38]

I am not having a downer on what PH has achieved in this league. Results are one thing, but when will we see more of the fast, skillful football we know the team is capable of? Is PH guilty of sacrificing that, because the cost of promotion failure is more important.
Is he more likely to take the shackles off if we do get promoted?

I suppose it’s a choice of fast attacking football, or a more conservative style to prevent us losing a game. Which game would you prefer to watch?

Even that isn’t fair though. We have had to cut our cloth this season because the available squad is not suited to the all out attack of e.g. peak Wilder. It’s current strength is solidity at the back with individuals who can unlock defences. Imagine trying to pour forward with overlapping JLT and Angel with the defensive screen being Fleck (2023 version), Berge and Norwood…

 

[Swannyblade]

I am not having a downer on what PH has achieved in this league. Results are one thing, but when will we see more of the fast, skillful football we know the team is capable of? Is PH guilty of sacrificing that, because the cost of promotion failure is more important.
Is he more likely to take the shackles off if we do get promoted?

I suppose it’s a choice of fast attacking football, or a more conservative style to prevent us losing a game. Which game would you prefer to watch?

I think fans would be more willing to accept the conservative style in the Premier League - we won't be as good as the majority of opposition next season, so it makes more sense to keep it solid and rely on a bit of individual brilliance to create the chances and nick a goal.
The frustration at times this year is that we've still been relatively conservative despite being much better than a lot of the opposition. BUT, we're 2nd in the league so it has been effective and we do still look vulnerable if we adopt a more attacking approach.
A good example was Saturday - PH saw that we weren't comfortable at 2-1, hooked Bogle and brought on Clark, moved Baldock to RB to keep it solid and we coast to a 4-1 victory. It's not always pretty but it's working.

 

[LurkerBlade]

Looking at the current plight of Everton, Leeds, Leicester, Southampton and maybe West Ham, yo-yo is almost certainly unavoidable without a huge amount of investment.
There are examples of teams currently doing well further up the league (As the Blades did first season back) but I wouldn't back them heavily to be up there next season?
If we invest in young players whilst we are in the Prem and develop them, having comfortable and successful seasons in the championship I will be happy.

Of course I want to go for the FA/League Cup and be a top half side in the prem, just doesn't seem realistic.

 

[BladeByChoice]

I think Prince with Hecky in the Prem is the answer to this.
PA got sucked in to Wilders blinkered self importance and let him blow the budget. Experience and calm heads sees us stabilise.

All the talk about spending billions on players and stadium if we go up is bonkers. Get the house in order first. Whatever happens after that sees us safe.

Agreed

Wilder seemed to spunk millions on prospects, we should be investing in the academy and bringing on our own prospects. Signings and loans should be the finished article.

Stadium expansion is a pipe dream for now, lets try selling out every week and not see ‘football tourist’ as a dirty word first.