Sheffield United away match day thread

[firstdivision]

9 minutes ago, Kingswood Robin said:

Only a few games to go. It's frustrating, but we know the final third is a problem and without additional personnel, that will continue to be the case. Nige has sorted things out elsewhere, I trust him to fix/improve the final third for next season. There's so many good things, a few tweaks and it'll all feel different.

But he brought in Cornick and Mehmeti in January. The signings will be in midfield and defence. 

[Super]

1 minute ago, Northern Red said:

The point is that the referee dealt with each team differently.

You're probably right but I didn't think the ref was bad.

[Bris Red]

5 minutes ago, petehinton said:

Performances far far more important than results at this stage imo. We’ve been excellent since Boxing Day. Cardiff & Swansea probably the only genuine ‘poor, move on’ performances since then, and they were injury inflicted. Had a thread bare squad for two months. 
 

Very excited for next season. We’ll be another level above this, again, with another good pre-season and multiple signings. 

Agreed mate. I think performance wise we have been as you said superb since the turn of the year bar a couple wobbles.

I think next season is going to be a interesting/exciting one. We are a couple of players away from seriously challenging IMO, get the recruitment right in the summer and next season we will be there or there abouts IMO.

[alexukhc]

Referring has to improve next season

[Midlands Robin]

The good thing to take away from this game is that we've got a solid base of a team who can hold their own. We've got a group of young lads who have played their way across the season in to first choice contention for their spots. Every game through the remainder of the season will continue to help develop this squad for next season.

It is obvious however, that we lack an extra something in the final third. Someone who can attack through the middle and play behind a single striker or a front two and pull defences apart would be a must for me. I like Weimann but he wasn't getting the in the first half and wasn't doing much with it when he had it in the second.

The one good thing I can take away from the way we've played since Christmas though, is that it's enjoyable to watch. Even when we lose we've played some great stuff. After some trying times a few years ago, it's great to be able to say we are fun to watch.

[OliOTIB]

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

[redkev]

1 minute ago, OliOTIB said:

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

You ever tried it , that’s hard to do mind 

[italian dave]

1 minute ago, OliOTIB said:

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

Arguing with referees?

[Kingswood Robin]

6 minutes ago, firstdivision said:

But he brought in Cornick and Mehmeti in January. The signings will be in midfield and defence. 

We haven't seen the best of them yet, they're still settling in. A forward could leave and another come in. A midfielder could make all the difference for us in the final third. 

I'm as frustrated as anyone, I've see them about 15 times this season and only seen one win, but I believe we're on the verge of something good.

Edited April 18, 2023 by Kingswood Robin

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

That's what I'm saying though, we did have it "both ways". We were punished harshly with the booking for Cornick, they got away with about 5 worse instances of it and he only booked the most blatant booting of the ball away. 

Same with the foul by Pring and the foul on Wells. If ones a booking then they both are. Got no problem with us being punished in whatever way a referee sees fit, just want the same to be applied to the opposition. 

It's as I said Saturday, some of our either tougher play or gamesmanship gets held to different standards for some reason.

[italian dave]

6 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

I know, I don't have a problem with Sheff United players doing all they could to get a result. Its just another example of the worst kind of officiating. 

I want us to have a few seasons in the prem so that when we come back down we are treated like royalty in comparison to other clubs. It's a joke..

I’m no apologist for officials, and will stand with anyone in criticising the current standard, but I don’t think it’s OK for players to do ‘all they can’ (with the implication that it doesn’t matter whether it’s within the rules or not). And to then criticise referees whose lives are made massively more difficult by players who deliberately cheat and try to deceive the referee. 

[RedRock]

1 minute ago, OliOTIB said:

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

Love the guy, but when he’s off the boil he brings very little to the side. Yes energy and we did have a good shape. Absolutely zero threat though.

Think he’s had his chance to play himself into the side now. Time for a change to see if we can reinvigorate things up front. 

[CityCiderEd]

20 minutes ago, keflav said:

To be fair got to look at it in the context of the league positions, they just about to go up we sat in middle with nothing to play for... So that being said we've done pretty well, yes we have to be more clinical and ruthless when on top but that will come....

And on this performance Sheffield will need to spend big otherwise they coming straight back down again...

On what I've seen of SU this season they will need almost a completely new team. With this team they could probably break the lowest points total.

[Top Robin]

9 minutes ago, OliOTIB said:

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

Weimann and Wells are too inconsistent and should be sold in the summer and replaced with proper reliable goal scorers.

[pillred]

Apart from the obvious when did we last finish a season strongly? we always seem to fade and finish seasons on a downer.

[Northern Red]

Just now, pillred said:

Apart from the obvious when did we last finish a season strongly? we always seem to fade and finish seasons on a downer.

Last season.

[downendcity]

What I noticed tonight ( and in other games against "top" championship sides) is that while we look good attacking on the break, our attacks were often a bit frenetic and as a result all too often broke down without really troubling their defence. Moreover, when the attack did break down  the ball inevitably fell to a defender, who then initiated their attack with space to run into because we had become stretched.

By comparison, especially in the second half Sheff United not only broke at pace, but they did so  in a way that enabled them to sustain pressure in and around our penalty area.  When we got a foot in and cleared the ball it would often fall to a Sheff U player causing yet more sustained pressure.

Also, why are we still pretty rubbish at taking throw ins?!

 

[spudski]

So frustrating watching us dominate game and lose. 

Imo...it's a mental thing and part coached. 

We play composed measured football into the final third...then become headless chickens. Rushed, poor touch, poor decisions, poor delivery. Literally no composure. 

I watch, and it's obvious to me that we are trying to play fast one touch passes and crosses into the final third to try and catch out the opposition. In trying to do so , it's rushed and unmeasured. No composure. Trying to push the percentages. 

Sheff Utd rode their luck, but when they got the chance it was composed and accurate and played with precision. 

It's what we are lacking of late imo. 

 

[cityexile]

I mean, we have to be fair, I assume there is some reason they are top two? Four wins in their last five, only exception the defeat to Burnley, concede less than a goal a game. McAtee made a difference when he came on and one real chance and a decent finish, with the type of run where we keep getting done offside or the pass is not quite on the money. We held them to the last 15.

First half we were zipping the ball around, and creating space. On us we did nothing with it. Always going to be a difficult game and ended up very disappointed to lose, but we know it makes no difference and no point risking players. Fairly obvious how NP wants us to play, and what we need to work on.

[Open End Numb Legs]

4 minutes ago, CityCiderEd said:

On what I've seen of SU this season they will need almost a completely new team. With this team they could probably break the lowest points total.

Was about to say much the same. Whilst I hate the result, I think we showed in the 1st half that we would be better suited to the Prem than SU. Even when we faded they could barely string 3 passes together. If you can't pass well in the Prem you have no chance.

[DaveF]

5 minutes ago, Top Robin said:

Weimann and Wells are too inconsistent and should be sold in the summer and replaced with proper reliable goal scorers.

Wells has been great this season...

[W-S-M Seagull]

That was frustrating. 6 points lost to them this season despite us being the better team in both games. 

We need a player or two that is able to create a bit of magic in games like tonight cos that's all that was missing. It's what won Sheffield Utd the game tonight. We need to be trying to get players like that on loan.

[W-S-M Seagull]

2 minutes ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

Was about to say much the same. Whilst I hate the result, I think we showed in the 1st half that we would be better suited to the Prem than SU. Even when we faded they could barely string 3 passes together. If you can't pass well in the Prem you have no chance.

I think they could be as bad as that Derby team that finished on a record low number of points.

[Kodjias Wrist]

9 minutes ago, OliOTIB said:

Does Weimann offer anything apart from running and pointing at the same time?

Ah the old Weimann argument 

[Open End Numb Legs]

3 minutes ago, downendcity said:

......Also, why are we still pretty rubbish at taking throw ins?!

 

If anyone has Nige's number for me I would be suggesting that since we often lose possession on our throws we need to practice what some teams do which is when we are under pressure on a throw that the ball is delivered on the volley to the receiving player. That way we cannot be closed down, as a defensive throw it gets cleared down pitch.

[Loosey Boy]

Anyone hear Nige on Radio Bristol just now?

Not happy with the subs (not including Mehmeti) as they didn’t work hard enough and impact the game 

[exAtyeoMax]

On RB, Nige wasn't happy with the performance of the subs… (apart from Mehmeti)

Edited April 18, 2023 by exAtyeoMax

[Andy082005]

33 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Same old tbh and it's becoming quite frustrating. Played well with the vast majority of play yet I don't remember us working the keeper once and we lost again!

Where is the issue though, front men or the midfield supply? I genuinely don't know.

Both. Overall Lack of quality in the final third. Without a doubt

Final ball / pass is very poor - has been all season . 
 

 

[Open End Numb Legs]

Just now, Loosey Boy said:

Anyone hear Nige on Radio Bristol just now?

Not happy with the subs (not including Mehmeti) as they didn’t work hard enough and impact the game 

Thought he could have brought them on earlier TBH. Not much time for them to get into it when already losing.

[cityexile]

2 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

That was frustrating. 6 points lost to them this season despite us being the better team in both games. 

We need a player or two that is able to create a bit of magic in games like tonight cos that's all that was missing. It's what won Sheffield Utd the game tonight. We need to be trying to get players like that on loan.

I think it’s more one step back. Does not matter if you have prime Shearer in the middle if the final ball is constantly over hit or yards away from him. Bell is young and developing, he has pace which scares defenders, but tonight in the first half he was guilty of failing to get the ball in close to one of our players time after time. Hopefully it can be worked on and it ‘clicks’. Their goal was a well timed run, a good pass and a good finish. All it took.