Match thread v Sheff Utd

[ron obvious 1,502]

First half they had 6 attackers in or around our box every time they attacked.

Wen we attacked? 2 or 3 tops.

This happens a lot. Why is that?

[Guest]

This was on the cards as soon as Lewis equalised on Wednesday night unfortunately, in my opinion we should have prioritised today''s game.

You prioritise every game in our position. And tiredness was never a reason for today''s performance.

It was rank bad. Poor passing even at our snail pace and no-one pushing forward in support.

And then the second half error just summed it up. Two nil down so we add some pace to the game and push up.

It drives you mad.

[kick it off 1,948]

Ref is a complete (unt. Sheff united are a bunch of poncey (unts. We looked shattered and clueless up front not much else to say. If anyone is seriously bidding 8+ mill for NO we need to take it and use it to buy some actual strikers. 2 goals in 16 (one of those a penalty) is not acceptable for the only striker at the club. Sell him- take 3 cheap gambles on players like Mata, and Julan, and bring Abrahams or Fonkeu into the squad and hope one of them hits form. We need goals badly. Im done with Oliviera. Fantastic player on his day but his days are few and far between.

[GJP 79]

Thought Oliveira did ok. Murphy and Maddison were worse. Maddison was cr@p actually.

[Samwam27 527]

That''s what I don''t get, and makes me so angry. We have NO as the only striker in the entire club, who''s scored 2 in 16!) and that poses a severe risk (and frankly is embarrassing)

Clearly Fonkue and Abrams are not close to first team, else should be on the bench.

We''ve just sold only other striker, and 20 days into window show no signs of getting re-inforcements.

It''s called p*ss poor management.

[JF 694]

Results against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal are meaningless if we can’t perform in the league. Today we had the opportunity to move within touching distance of the play offs and blew it. We were second best all match.

[Gordon Bennett 783]

Tiredness absolutely was a reason for today. Not an excuse and certainly not the only reason but a significant one. Physically and mentally fatigued, the team can''t possibly be at its best after Wednesday''s efforts.

People will rant & rave and point fingers all evening as per but you just can''t pick ten players to play twice in 67 hours and expect them to be at their best against a fresh opponent.

Agree with the striker comments though, not good enough that we haven''t got a plan B on the bench.

[alex_ncfc 662]

It infuriates me that we can perform so well on Wednesday and go toe-to-toe with the *bloody reigning champions* of the Premier League and not look out of place in any way, and then when it comes to Championship games we just can''t get any sort of consistency going! If we go 4/5 unbeaten again now, great, but the pessimist in me says we are now likely to be looking at another post-Arsenal run.

It is a shame because I respect Farke for taking the cups seriously and going for it - and Wednesday night we really did go for it and looked excellent - but we can''t have it both ways and I would have to say I would rather we took the league as priority, it''s no good if we can''t take that sort of form from Wednesday night into the league games. How come the players can be up for the odd one-off big cup game but not trying to push us up the league?

[Barry Brockes 147]

How did Chelsea do today then?

[JF 694]

Barry Brockes wrote the following post at 20/01/2018 5:15 PM:

How did Chelsea do today then?

Isn’t comparable as Chelsea only had 2 starters today from Wednesday to our 10.

[king canary 7,599]

The last few minutes were some of the most brainless football I''ve ever seen. Klose took up a good minute of the added time having a hissy fit, then wouldn''t move back ten yards, Wes gives the ball away, Pinto commits a foul and suddenly a big chunk of the added time is gone.

[Indy 3,297]

It wasn’t the best performance, but Wilder did a job on us today, took Maddison out the game and Oliviera & Murphy just never really got going.

Tettey, did great to cover, then made one of his normal mistakes during a season, instead of booting it out, regrouping tried to keep position......it’s nice to see keep ball but sometimes it has to be belted into the stand.

Unfortunate but credit as much as it hurts to Seff United they did the job.

Onto next week, three points and mid table, but it’s clear we need more depth to our squad after today.

Not a bad day out, now tea and cinema!

[Clever Farke 64]

Wonder what Tettey''s excuse for today is. Ref allowed Blades plan to work a treat, so he was a twunt. Hopefully we''ll sort out our goal threat before the window shuts. Oveall, tired, laboured, and a repeat of Derby at home.

[Mason 47 1,376]

Think Reed has some maturing to do if he''s to reach his potential. He''s brilliant to bring on against tiring legs but it seems from the start he cant help but chase the ball. It is his first full season, so it is to be expected, but it does contribute to our being weak in the middle.

Sounded like Vrancic did ok when he came on, hopefully we''ll see some consistency from him there now.

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

[quote user="Gordon Bennett"]Tiredness absolutely was a reason for today. Not an excuse and certainly not the only reason but a significant one. Physically and mentally fatigued, the team can''t possibly be at its best after Wednesday''s efforts.

People will rant & rave and point fingers all evening as per but you just can''t pick ten players to play twice in 67 hours and expect them to be at their best against a fresh opponent.

Agree with the striker comments though, not good enough that we haven''t got a plan B on the bench.[/quote]You''re exactly right and I find that I''m pretty much the same. Most Mondays I''ll give 100%, so long as Im well rested from the weekend of course. By Wednesday, having worked two days in a row, my perfomance levels drop and come Friday I''m so tired I don''t even bother getting out of bed. Then if my line manager has the cheek to summon me to their office about the effort I put into my job, I''ll remind him that there are bigger and better companies out there and if he doesn''t change his attitude and set more realistic perfprmance targets I''ll jump ship at the first available opportunity and go and work for one of his compettitors. This usually does the trick and there are even instances where they offer me an improved contract because they''re so desperate to keep me.

[Nuff Said 5,118]

You’re a professional sportsman then IBT?

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

Sadly, in professional sport, there''s not much call for a 40 year old with bad knees and a shoulder prone to dislocation. I wish there were, it sounds like nice work if you can get it, only having to put in half the effort for the same wage if you''re asked to work twice in three days. [:D]

[Guest]

What was Tettey thinking? And then to have a go at Gunn who did nothing wrong. Poor behaviour from someone who should have been fresh.

[Guest]

Isn’t comparable as Chelsea only had 2 starters today from Wednesday to our 10.

I think you will find Chelsea started 6 from Wednesday.

[Gordon Bennett 783]

Interesting that Wilder recognises today was an opportunity for his team due to our 120 minutes in midweek, and he was surprised how we came on strong towards the end for the same reason.

Also Farke says players had to leave before new ones could come in. I think there should still be a striker on the bench though, even if it''s an U23.

[Herman 9,752]

Just poor all round today unfortunately. It''s pretty certain that Wednesday took its toll but it also highlights how thin a squad we have.

Struggling to think who was our best player, probably Hanley or Pinto. Not sure who got the man of the match.

[Herman 9,752]

Oh, and that Wilder is a fat horrible cunt.

[JF 694]

Yeah thought I heard 2 mentioned but it’s 5

[Indy 3,297]

Just one of those games, we didn’t play well enough, be it knackered or whatever reason, but Sheff did a job on us in that game, could have been three up in the first 25 minutes.

Herman, agree Wilder is in the same bracket as Warnok and Pulis.

[Budapest Canary 152]

If I was a journo, I''d title my article "Wednesday helped United".

With the lack of squad depth, and goal scoring ability (noticeably our only goal again was produced by a defender) given United''s physicality and more rest the result is not that surprising. Based on our last encounter at CR, physical and tightly defending Brentford away won''t be any easier...

[Capt. Pants 4,225]

We played well in patches but overall it was a shocker. We seemed to perk up a bit when Wes came on but overall it was lethargic and lack lustre. Tettey was either by-passed or awful and Maddison was seldom involved and his passing wayward. Unfortunately it was a play-off 6 pointer so it will be Championship again next season. On the plus side it highlighted that we simply must get another striker and playing 8 defensive players at home for a must win game is not ideal. Sheff Utd were worthy comfortable winners and we can have no complaints.