Sheffield United away match day thread

[Midred]

6 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.

We need a player or two who will never get booked irrespective of their "gainsmanship"!

[cityexile]

5 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

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

Sykes, Scott, Conway. Interesting comments.

[Offside]

Frustrating performance. We barely created anything. Sheff Utd were very average but had more quality in the final third. 

[GrahamC]

4 minutes ago, Open End Numb Legs said:

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

Two of them came on (at 0-0) on 65 minutes, plenty of time to make an impression.

Scott didn’t really get into the game in his 20 minutes or so.

[Kodjias Wrist]

Just now, GrahamC said:

Two of them came on (at 0-0) on 65 minutes, plenty of time to make an impression.

Scott didn’t really get into the game in his 20 minutes or so.

Agreed similar to the Watford game it felt we should have brought on subs earlier but were actually worse with bell taken off.

[REDOXO]

We are pretty but almost always eventually go long after a lot of tip tap. The issue is our longer balls tonight in particular were short or wayward. 
 

However we are not far off. We have to sort out our CBs have a ball winner or two in the middle and improve our shooting all over the pitch. 

[robin_unreliant]

3 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

However we are not far off. We have to sort out our CBs have a ball winner or two in the middle and improve our shooting all over the pitch. 

Worth remembering too that we had Pring at CB and King in midfield due to the injury situation.

[Jerseybean]

Overall thoughts…..we created zero chances, managed to restrict/contain SU for most of the game, although in the second half they stepped it up and should have scored twice. 
 

So, a hard working team performance, with some neat and tidy stuff, however, we had no cutting edge and we’re beaten by one of the two clear chances they created. 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

23 minutes ago, DaveF said:

Wells has been great this season...

Hasn’t scored for a while, and that’s been our main problem recently…

[REDOXO]

2 minutes ago, robin_unreliant said:

Worth remembering too that we had Pring at CB and King in midfield due to the injury situation.

Exactly. I’m as pissed off about the last few days as the next girl, but we are yet again lurching to the end of a season with a big sick list. Our u21s will be massively important in the summer. I read some stuff and think most on here didn’t give ConwAy or Bell a second thought in July. The season before was Scott and Benerous. Nevertheless we need to have a more physical presence that’s for sure!

[Red Army 75]

 

[GrahamC]

3 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

Hasn’t scored for a while, and that’s been our main problem recently…

I like Wells but it’s a long while, his last 2 goals have been penalties, he has only scored one goal In open play this year.

His general game is good but even in the win at Stoke he should have scored & is struggling in front of goal.

[redkev]

36 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.

Do you have a spare 20million quid 

[redkev]

29 minutes ago, 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 

Looks like the subs might be subs this weekend 

[Mr Popodopolous]

39 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.

Both games? Dunno abour that. First half yeah perhaps , 2nd doubtful. How many clear chances did we have tonight, far from dominant. Point perhaps.

[Lew-T]

12 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

 

Good interview. I’m quite pleased he’s pissed off with that second half.

[Jerseybean]

As they said on Sky ‘you could tastes the relief’

[pillred]

1 hour ago, Northern Red said:

Last season.

Really W3 D3 L3 of the last 9 not bad I grant you but 12 points from a possible 27 is not finishing the season strongly, well not in my humble opinion.

[pillred]

1 hour ago, REDOXO said:

We are pretty but almost always eventually go long after a lot of tip tap. The issue is our longer balls tonight in particular were short or wayward. 
 

However we are not far off. We have to sort out our CBs have a ball winner or two in the middle and improve our shooting all over the pitch. 

Glad we are not far off then :laugh:.

[Wanderingred]

I know we’ve had some tough games and performances have generally been ok but the last seven games have yielded just five points. I think it’s important that we reverse that in the last 3 games and finish the season on a high. A bit of momentum going into next season would do us good.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, Wanderingred said:

I know we’ve had some tough games and performances have generally been ok but the last seven games have yielded just five points. I think it’s important that we reverse that in the last 3 games and finish the season on a high. A bit of momentum going into next season would do us good.

Doubt we'll beat Burnley, between now and 4 and 7 points perhaps.

Burnley have drawn their last two away from home but are Champions elect and rotating their squad somewhat.

[Spike]

3 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

Let's be fair, Mehmeti has done nothing for weeks. Conway has been injured and Sykes just back from a suspension. 

Yeah, but Sykes is easily the best wide-attacking player we have as he offers a little bit of everything.
How you can critique Mehmeti for doing nothing when he's played 42 minutes across the last 4 games is beyond me, of which in one of those games he came on and scored. I don't understand how he is supposed to be at his best when he's given 9 minutes against Stoke (scored), 15 mins against Middlesbrough and 15 mins against Watford and then only 3 minutes today?! I am genuinely concerned that he may not get enough consistent game time which in turn will set him back. 
With Conway yes he has been injured but he is bar far the best striker we have when he's given game time, I'd pick him before Wells in the middle every time, Wells may score goals but he also misses some sitters and make some terrible passes at times, I'd much rather have Conway getting consistent game time over him.

[RedM]

8 hours 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.

Pearson doesn't like to have players on loan. We will have to think of something else, loans aren't going to happen on the whole whilst he is here.

[brad blit]

As others have said, a young spirited team in transition and not a million miles off being a decent team at this level. If Pearson can bring in 5/6 good squad players that can offer competition in key area's then we should push on next year aiming for that illusive 6-13th group of teams.

Looking ahead to next year, would it be safe to say Bell probably needs a good L1 loan next year to play week in week out and build confidence at a lower level? He's proven himself to show good promise and potential, but now he needs to hone his skills playing regularly somewhere else to "grow up"

[Dolman Block B]

Off subject slightly but what has ever happened to Kane Wilson ? 

[Super]

9 hours ago, spudski said:

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. 

 

You mean dominate the first half.

[Davefevs]

12 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

It's a percentage play. 

Cornick physical enough to challenge situations where he's probably less than 10% likely to win the header and not end up on his arse.

Tanner more likely to win second ball than Dasilva.

I don't get too down about the perception we lose a lot of those balls, it's just percentage football for territory. Its not pretty, but we don't have the midfield or defence available to play out often. 

It's just part of the game. Kick it wide, make the margin for conceding a counter attack smaller by condensing the pitch. Potentially win a throw or gain the chance to "pen them in". 

 

It's fine. Nowt special, just fine.

Yeah, I get all that….I still don’t like it.

12 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

We announced 12,000 sold in early May last year. Given its currently mid-April I expect we're about on track to have the same number of STs next season. That's somewhere around 13,500, maybe up towards 14,000.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a tweet that we’d sold more at that stage than last season, suggesting ST sales were going well.

12 hours ago, Curr Avon said:

O'Leary punches the ball confidently and clears out Ahmedhodzic into the bargain!

Don’t go posting stuff that O’Leary does come off his line decisively!

[Open End Numb Legs]

Heckingbottom told the press after the match about our time wasting in the 1st half.

I don't get that. The crowd were whistling and booing, presumably the 4th official was getting it verbally, eventually we got a booking. BUT!! - we looked more likely to score and were playing some really quick football. We had no reason to waste time, SU and the crowd were trying to take the moral high ground whilst at the same time struggling to get a touch of the ball at times. Total nonsense.

[Davefevs]

12 hours ago, Henry said:

This is Kings best game for us. 
 

He’s looking like a key player for us, rather than emergency cover.

I thought he had an excellent first half.  Whilst in second half he passes it well, was calm in possession, I think his lack of legs was a big part of Utd starting to find lots of holes in our midfield.  In first half he seemed to pick up every loose ball / great positioning, second half he didn’t / we didn’t.  And that meant we had to wi stand pressure.

Certainly not suggesting he was bad or even average, just first half performance far outweighed his second half, and a sign that at 34, playing full 90s, or maybe playing back to back may be a bridge too far.

Re extending contract, his role as a player is gonna be hard to define, and if we sign CMs too, that role is gonna be harder still.

Well played overall though Kingy.

[Davefevs]

12 hours ago, IAmNick said:

Sheffield United goal: https://streamin.one/v/eb7ae873

Someone remind me….was this in the next passage of play from Pring slicing a right foot clear straight up in the air near the right touchline, ie we never quite recovered from that error?

Not blaming Pring, just trying to work out whether we react well enough to things like that?