It's Not The Effort That Bothers Me!

[Rich_s]

I think the lads that are picked to play always put in a decent shift and I can't fault them for  commitment. Ability of one or two may be questionable but commitment no.

The thing that really bothers me is the entertainment value. It is low and almost as low as the Pulis era. It really provides no entertainment whatsoever. As a ST holder I'll always show up and support the team but hand on heart the  football constantly served up is very low quality. If we were winning it would be tolerable but Sheff Utd were pretty dire and we still lost.

[Slack Bladder]

I'm a season ticket holder and i have to say that i'm questioning why i bought one this year.

 

I enjoyed the last 10 mins yesterday as it was the only time in the game we got bodies forward and had a go.

 

The rest of the game was dire with very little creativity and quite frankly just boring.

 

I just cannot see how we are going to break down teams that come to defend.

 

The effort is there but almost no entertainment value at all. The biggest cheer i had yesterday was watching the 9 year old put 5 through the birds belly at half time.

[chinapig]

We were told it would be tough and we understood and accepted that, by and large. We were also told that the consolation would be that we would play entertaining, passing football. That particular part of the revolution seems to have been postponed.

 

Personally I'm no purist when it comes to tactics. Tactics can be justified if they work. So if setting up to keep a clean sheet and snatching enough 1-0 wins to have us safely in mid table was working, so be it. It is much more depressing when tactics are used that neither suit the players we have nor produce results. As SOD is not a man to accept he is wrong, I wouldn't expect to see much entertainment from here in. The "we just need 1 win and everything will change" theory has been debunked so more of the same is all we can expect.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

We were told it would be tough and we understood and accepted that, by and large. We were also told that the consolation would be that we would play entertaining, passing football. That particular part of the revolution seems to have been postponed.

 

Personally I'm no purist when it comes to tactics. Tactics can be justified if they work. So if setting up to keep a clean sheet and snatching enough 1-0 wins to have us safely in mid table was working, so be it. It is much more depressing when tactics are used that neither suit the players we have nor produce results. As SOD is not a man to accept he is wrong, I wouldn't expect to see much entertainment from here in. The "we just need 1 win and everything will change" theory has been debunked so more of the same is all we can expect.

 

Your first sentence says it all, I suspect that more than 70% of fans would have happily accepted mid table, I know I would have, but nobody expected it to be this bad FFS and the happy's are trying to claim that actually it was always going to be this bad.

 

 

[glynriley]

Your first sentence says it all, I suspect that more than 70% of fans would have happily accepted mid table, I know I would have, but nobody expected it to be this bad FFS and the happy's are trying to claim that actually it was always going to be this bad.

 

I think 70% expected to finish mid table. Not many thought we'd get to the play offs or any higher, but I doubt many saw us being 3 points adrift and with only 2 wins to our name after 17 games. Over a third of the season has now passed and progress is barely visible.

[Aizoon]

Your first sentence says it all, I suspect that more than 70% of fans would have happily accepted mid table, I know I would have, but nobody expected it to be this bad FFS and the happy's are trying to claim that actually it was always going to be this bad.

 

The use of happy and moaner labels doesn't really help among those who actually watch the team play. I'm quite happy (sorry) to apply it to the keyboard warriors who never go nearer the Gate than their bedrooms. Those who form their opinions on real evidence deserve more respect.

 

I expect us to be mid-table at the end of the season; I've seen nothing to make me think otherwise. However, what I have seen has disappointed me. I think we have adequate players who are, at least at the back, doing the right things. However, with the sole exception of JET, it's becoming increasingly tedious to watch. Despite the early season results, I could see, or thought I could see, the beginnings of a decent style of football. The trouble is that it hasn't blossomed into an effective attacking style, yet...

 

Now, I may be impatient. Maybe that is coming. It doesn't really matter that much in practice, though. We simply can't afford, financially or structurally, to change horses now. I think we have, in Hilaire Belloc's words, "Always to keep hold of Nurse, for fear of finding something worse".

 

IMHO, the problem with Nurse isn't the results, or the performances; it's the entertainment value. The supporters who are still going* are totally supportive, but they do need something to cheer. If they don't, they'll go elsewhere. Christmas shopping is looking very attractive to some Despite what you might hear from the s*its and stewards, the club does need the fans to survive.

 

* Yesterday's result was utterly predictable. Whenever we've put together a run and attracted a larger home attendance, we've always lost, at least for the last 55 years

[Red-Robbo]

We were told it would be tough and we understood and accepted that, by and large. We were also told that the consolation would be that we would play entertaining, passing football. That particular part of the revolution seems to have been postponed.

Personally I'm no purist when it comes to tactics. Tactics can be justified if they work. So if setting up to keep a clean sheet and snatching enough 1-0 wins to have us safely in mid table was working, so be it. It is much more depressing when tactics are used that neither suit the players we have nor produce results. As SOD is not a man to accept he is wrong, I wouldn't expect to see much entertainment from here in. The "we just need 1 win and everything will change" theory has been debunked so more of the same is all we can expect.

I couldn't have put it better myself. I have never derived less entertainment from a football game then I did yesterday. Although we can admire possession football, it isn't particularly clever when you're keeping possession solely because you haven't a clue what to do with the ball. Fans want to see attacking football. If we'd peppered their goal, been unlucky, and lost to a fluke og, I wouldn't mind but that wasn't the case. We carried about as much threat as an unset blancmange.

That display - which I blame the manager for - has probably lost another 500 regular attenders. All around me, familiar faces are missing: fed up with the fare on offer and without any faith in O'Driscoll.

[Dolman Block B]

I'm a season ticket holder and i have to say that i'm questioning why i bought one this year.

 

I enjoyed the last 10 mins yesterday as it was the only time in the game we got bodies forward and had a go.

 

The rest of the game was dire with very little creativity and quite frankly just boring.

 

I just cannot see how we are going to break down teams that come to defend.

 

The effort is there but almost no entertainment value at all. The biggest cheer i had yesterday was watching the 9 year old put 5 through the birds belly at half time.

 

Ive had one for the best part of 30 years and didnt bother this season.

 

Wise decision?

 

Probably. Love the club with all my heart but just totally pissed with the whole situation and the way it is being ran

[RedM]

I'm glad it's not just me. For one of the first times ever I was finding it hard to keep my concentration at the game yesterday, seriously. I can't fault the effort, but there just seems to be something stifling us at the moment. Are we again too afraid to fail that we don't actually play, other than play safe by making lots of easy passes?

Sheffield Utd were there or the taking, they offered very little yet we didn't have the belief to take the game fully to them, we were always reining ourselves back. I don't think we are going to get such an easy opportunity to get 3 points than that one. I'd rather we were braver, go for the win, even if we had still ultimately failed it surely would have been better.

I think SoD said we missed Reid and Bryan, I'm confused by this. One day he is saying he misses them when they don't play ( which I agree with) but other days he says he can't play them as they have to be rested etc. is he saying the most effective players we have can't be played every week and without them we are weaker? I do realise that neither were available yesterday through injury.

Once again I think where we are finding themselves at the moment is down to lack of leadership on the pitch. Until this addressed properly we will continue to drift around in matches like these rudderless and aimless. All it needs is one such player to make the difference. We need to find him soon as he is not currently at the club.

[Aizoon]

I'm glad it's not just me. For one of the first times ever I was finding it hard to keep my concentration at the game yesterday, seriously. I can't fault the effort, but there just seems to be something stifling us at the moment. Are we again too afraid to fail that we don't actually play, other than play safe by making lots of easy passes?

Sheffield Utd were there or the taking, they offered very little yet we didn't have the belief to take the game fully to them, we were always reining ourselves back. I don't think we are going to get such an easy opportunity to get 3 points than that one. I'd rather we were braver, go for the win, even if we had still ultimately failed it surely would have been better.

I think SoD said we missed Reid and Bryan, I'm confused by this. One day he is saying he misses them when they don't play ( which I agree with) but other days he says he can't play them as they have to be rested etc. is he saying the most effective players we have can't be played every week and without them we are weaker?

Once again I think where we are finding themselves at the moment is down to lack of leadership on the pitch. Until this addressed properly we will continue to drift around in matches like these rudderless and aimless. All it needs is one such player to make the difference. We need to find him soon as he is not currently at the club.

 

To be fair, that makes perfect sense. We can't afford to run them into the ground, frustrating as it is. Can we hope that they both play on Tuesday?

[RedM]

To be fair, that makes perfect sense. We can't afford to run them into the ground, frustrating as it is. Can we hope that they both play on Tuesday?

Maybe I didn't explain it so well, I mean we are relying on 2,albeit very talented, kids and when they aren't played we lack creativity. I understand they should be used sparingly, but they should be the 'understudies' if you like to older, more experienced creative players. The trouble is we haven't got these type of players.

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

I'm glad it's not just me. For one of the first times ever I was finding it hard to keep my concentration at the game yesterday, seriously. I can't fault the effort, but there just seems to be something stifling us at the moment. Are we again too afraid to fail that we don't actually play, other than play safe by making lots of easy passes?

Sheffield Utd were there or the taking, they offered very little yet we didn't have the belief to take the game fully to them, we were always reining ourselves back. I don't think we are going to get such an easy opportunity to get 3 points than that one. I'd rather we were braver, go for the win, even if we had still ultimately failed it surely would have been better.

I think SoD said we missed Reid and Bryan, I'm confused by this. One day he is saying he misses them when they don't play ( which I agree with) but other days he says he can't play them as they have to be rested etc. is he saying the most effective players we have can't be played every week and without them we are weaker? I do realise that neither were available yesterday through injury.

Once again I think where we are finding themselves at the moment is down to lack of leadership on the pitch. Until this addressed properly we will continue to drift around in matches like these rudderless and aimless. All it needs is one such player to make the difference. We need to find him soon as he is not currently at the club.

 

This really is nothing new and has been the same for years... we play what you could consider poor opposition and sink to their level and play equally as bad or worse and when we play a team flying high, we up our game and get a good result or at the very least get an entertaining performance.

 

Hasn't happened with just SO'D but many of his predecessor's before that.

[Chappers]

Must admit, I'm getting very bored with it, endless tedious matches, no sign of anything improving, and yesterday, no bright young hopes for the future. No quality wide players, two pretty poor full backs, Baldock horribly isolated, and JET having an off day. Sheff Utd were utterly inept, and we more than matched them!

[RedM]

This really is nothing new and has been the same for years... we play what you could consider poor opposition and sink to their level and play equally as bad or worse and when we play a team flying high, we up our game and get a good result or at the very least get an entertaining performance.

 

Hasn't happened with just SO'D but many of his predecessor's before that.

I did actually say on the way out we would possibly beat Orient on Tuesday because that's the sort of game we used to win, the unexpected. Southampton home and away, Cardiff etc, numerous examples over the years, you are right.

[Dolmanator]

Can't believe people think its our fault it wasn't entertaining Saturday. The way sheff Utd played there was no chance of a decent game being played, they were embarrassing at times.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Can't believe people think its our fault it wasn't entertaining Saturday. The way sheff Utd played there was no chance of a decent game being played, they were embarrassing at times.

 

Mate we set a more defensive line than they did at home, 2 shots on target, oh yes and the embarrassing Sheff Utd 2 shots on target.

 

 

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

Can't believe people think its our fault it wasn't entertaining Saturday. The way sheff Utd played there was no chance of a decent game being played, they were embarrassing at times.

 

All part of the plan though surely? Sheffield United win and win ugly by being ultra negative, its upto City though to break them down but as its been alluded to SO'D has set the team not to concede considering the amount of goals we have shipped.

 

Just seen the highlights today and think City were unlucky regarding certain decisions.. the foul on Cunningham in the build upto their goal and the goal chalked off for virtually nothing.

[Dolmanator]

Im just talking about yesterday, don't care about there other games, id be genuinely embarrassed if i was one of their fans yesterday, completely played for a nil nil.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

All part of the plan though surely? Sheffield United win and win ugly by being ultra negative, its upto City though to break them down but as its been alluded to SO'D has set the team not to concede considering the amount of goals we have shipped.

 

Just seen the highlights today and think City were unlucky regarding certain decisions.. the foul on Cunningham in the build upto their goal and the goal chalked off for virtually nothing.

 

So SOD was wrong about these decisions then?

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

So SOD was wrong about these decisions then?

 

Peoples perceptions I would say but I would say he was wrong if that's what he said.

 

Their keeper made a right hash of it and don't know who their player was but he barged Cunningham off the ball basically taking him out giving the winger plenty of time to cross.

[glynriley]

Can't believe people think its our fault it wasn't entertaining Saturday. The way sheff Utd played there was no chance of a decent game being played, they were embarrassing at times.

 

But everyone in the ground could see their game plan, so why do we leave it so long to do something different to open them up? SOD should have changed it at half time IMO. I'd have stuck Mccalughlin on and gave them some pace to worry about, tried to get in behind. We can't just wait for the opposition to let us play. Proactive rather than reactive if you like.

[Rich_s]

Can't believe people think its our fault it wasn't entertaining Saturday. The way sheff Utd played there was no chance of a decent game being played, they were embarrassing at times.

 

Pretty much agree. Sheffield UTD came with a researched plan. Put bodies behind the ball to stifle the game and JET and hopefully nick a goal. Utd were the poorest team I have seen this season and they are equally culpable for the dire performance yesterday.  A one-off poor performance I can handle but it's literally game after game after game. It's so uninteresting. The result is almost secondary to the entertainment. It's just not entertaining at all.

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Peoples perceptions I would say but I would say he was wrong if that's what he said.

 

Their keeper made a right hash of it and don't know who their player was but he barged Cunningham off the ball basically taking him out giving the winger plenty of time to cross.

 

SOD was spot on the referee got them all right, the penalty just imagine that being given against us, no foul on Cunningham the guy stood his ground, the disallowed goal mate goals like that have been disallowed forever even in time when players had to commit attempted murder to be sent off, fart around the goalkeeper no goal, that's the way it's always been.

 

 

[Aizoon]

SOD was spot on the referee got them all right, the penalty just imagine that being given against us, no foul on Cunningham the guy stood his ground, the disallowed goal mate goals like that have been disallowed forever even in time when players had to commit attempted murder to be sent off, fart around the goalkeeper no goal, that's the way it's always been.

 

Not always, but for a very long time.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

Not always, but for a very long time.

 

Probably since Mcpartland on Wood 1958 cup final, that's pretty long.

 

 

[Aizoon]

Probably since Mcpartland on Wood 1958 cup final, that's pretty long.

 

John Atyeo on Roy Hodkginson - BCFC v Sheff U, 1967. Shoulder-charged him into the net and the goal stood

[Red-Robbo]

Pretty much agree. Sheffield UTD came with a researched plan. Put bodies behind the ball to stifle the game and JET and hopefully nick a goal. Utd were the poorest team I have seen this season and they are equally culpable for the dire performance yesterday.  A one-off poor performance I can handle but it's literally game after game after game. It's so uninteresting. The result is almost secondary to the entertainment. It's just not entertaining at all.

 

And of course, it's easy to put bodies behind the ball when you are facing one small striker and no-one making runs into the box.

 

When opponents sit back, that's when you should get aggressive.