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Reply | McGoldrick
at 18:30 26 Apr 2019
From a Blade, Didsy has been one of our best signings in recent times. He runs all over the pitch, and never stops running all game, he tracks back, goes out wide to get the ball etc. Some of the "moaners" (we all have them) mumble about him being too deep sometimes, too far from Sharp (Madine or Hogan) but it works, obviously. His touch is fantastic. He can do things with the ball that can leave an opponent on his backside. My only criticism is he can be a bit wasteful in front of goal, though he seems to have improved his goals per shots stats in recent games.
When he was at Ipswich, he was always one of your players I dreaded as he could change a game in an instant. I think the travelling caused his injuries, or recovery from, when he was with you. Wish he was still 26 so we'd have a lot more years of him. |
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Reply | It's going to be some atmosphere at Bramall Lane tomorrow....
at 18:24 26 Apr 2019
Blades have been fantastic at away grounds this year but there's been mixed "atmospheres" at Bramall Lane. Sometimes it's been electric, but since Christmas the fans have been nervous and its shown.
Hoping tomorrow will be back to being loud, but it depends on how frustrated the fans get. When it's loud, Bramall Lane is very loud, but we're possibly the most pessimistic fans in the country (for good reason, just look at our recent history) and it can sometimes show. |
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Reply | Sheff Utd's game against us must be the biggest in their history...
at 16:08 24 Apr 2019
For our purposes, I do hope Judge is given a licence to roam. We attack down the flanks by overloading with the WBs and with Didsy and Duffy coming out wide to support them and the left or right centre backs pushing forward and overlapping the WBs. Our 3rd at Hull was a good example of this, where our CB passed the ball backwards to our RWB, who crossed for our LWB to head home.
We overload most teams out wide, so if your winger wanders and leaves your FB on his own, it'll be mayhem. Wilder will 100% play 3-5-2. It's very rare we attack straight down the centre, although with Madine we do now have a Plan B if the wing overload isn't working and we have been known to lob the odd ball forward for Madine to hold up or flick on if needed.
It'll be much the same team as the last few games, the only variable likely to be whether he goes for Madine and his arial power or Hogan's pace. Of course, if fit again, it'll be Didsy and Sharp.
There are two types of style that we've struggled against on occasion this season. Teams that press us high and don't allow our WBs and CBs to power forward (e.g. Bristol City, Millwall etc) and teams that pack the box with 10 defenders (e.g. Wednesday, Boro etc).
We're as nervous as hell about this game and I don't expect it's going to be a pushover at all. [Post edited 24 Apr 2019 16:10]
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Reply | Sheff Utd's game against us must be the biggest in their history...
at 08:15 24 Apr 2019
History is good (and yes we do have a reasonable history compared to odious clubs like Norwich, not just in trophies but landmarks, like first live radio commentary, first floodlit match, first United ec) but the future is what matters, and this could be the making (or breaking) of our club.
This Twitter thread (by a Wednesday fan of all things) is brilliant in terms of what a difference being in the Premier League can make for a two club city like Sheffield (it's worth a read for anyone interested in football finance):
BTW - how do you think you'll approach Saturday? Park the bus and try to grab a goal on the break or from a mistake, or go for it to see what your youngsters are capable of? |
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Reply | Sheff Utd's game against us must be the biggest in their history...
at 08:10 24 Apr 2019
It's complicated. Basically McCabe sold 50% of his shares to a Saudi Prince (let's call him HRH) for a quid on the basis he'd invest £10m in the club. It went OK for a while but then HRH did something McC didn't like so he decided to invoke a clause in the contract that allowed McC to make a bid for HRH's shares for a derisory £5m. The clause meant that to avoid selling at a loss, HRH had to make a counter offer of at least £5m and one penny. But, making a counter offer triggered another clause that meant HRH had to first buy share options for £10m. So in reality, McC could get out and get £10m. HRH triggered the clause but then moved some of his shares to another company meaning he no longer owned enough shares for the share option to trigger.
So, they fell out and decided to take it to court. This was halfway through last season.
Both being adults, they realised that whilst they were battling in court, they didn't want the club to suffer too much, so they agreed to both put in another £1.5m each to fund the losses for this financial year (the sale of Brooks covering the rest and providing a modes war chest for Wilder).
It seems, allegedly, that HRH hasn't coughed up his £1.5m, so now McC has taken own an injunction to make HRH disclose his financial affairs, as McC believes the reason for not paying the agreed £1.5m is that he doesn't have two Emirati Dinah to rub together. The court just denied the injunction, so now we have to wait and see what happens.
Of course if, IF, we get into the PL the stakes become significantly higher so McC might decide he no longer wants to walk away.
Sorry, boring I know, but it's a miracle we've got where we are with this going on in the background. |
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Reply | Sheff Utd's game against us must be the biggest in their history...
at 16:23 23 Apr 2019
You mean it's the biggest in history for our feuding owners. Doubt Wilder will see 1/10th of the TV money we've got coming. He'll still do a sound job though and if nothing else we'd surprise a few big guns.
Got to get past you (or Stoke) first though and if anyone can screw this up, United can... |
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Reply | I understand many here know little of League One
at 16:19 23 Apr 2019
Blade in peace (I expect you'll be getting a few of us over the next few days).
Having spent six, very long and arduous, years in League One I can tell you, it's not an easy league to get out of. Next year will be especially difficult as there are some strong sides in there, depending on who eventually goes up.
Teams will defend against you in numbers and rely on the break, so you need a good six yard box striker and an anchor of a centre back to soak up and re-organise when defending breakaways.
Defences will be relatively weaker than what you're used to in the Championship and despite them defending in numbers, you'll tend to be on the forward foot and create lots of chances. Having a striker (e.g. Billy Sharp) who can score from second balls and six yard box chaos will be essential.
Most teams will see a trip to Portman Road as a big game and will generally play above their usual levels. On their home soil, they'll want to prove a point against the bigger sides, especially one with a bit of history like Ipswich (and a bit unlike Norwich).
We always tried to play football in League One, even under Adkins and Clough. Difference between them and Wilder was they were too negative and it was all about keeping possession. Two banks of four would form in front of us and we'd spend the majority of the match passing the ball around the back four and not really creating much. Wilder's approach was much better and he took the game to teams, getting around the back of packed defences by pushing wing backs and centre backs down the flanks and moving the ball quicker and always looking to go forward. He also knows how to mix it up and will go long if needs be. For that reason you'll also need a big "donkey" up front. Hanson from Bradford was ours and stopped defences bullying our slighter forwards.
We also made our pitch much narrower (you'll notice this when you come to Bramall Lane next week as the Desso pitch is much wider than it needs to be as the touch lines have been squeezed in. Allows the wing backs to push on without leaving big gaps between them and the midfield that breakaway teams can take advantage of.
Anyway, my advice is have fun - experience the smaller, ofter older grounds that tend not to have the rules and regulations the Championship grounds do and often give you more tickets than Championship sides would. Get Lambert to play fast, attacking football. Do a Wilder and buy the cream of the League One players and ignore the temptation to sign big time Charlies on a final pay day and you'll be fine. [Post edited 23 Apr 2019 16:22]
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Reply | Blunts have sold 1,000 allocation for tomorrow
at 08:30 6 Jan 2018
Every team has them to be fair.
Ipswich is the only ground where my 7 year old son (sitting with me in the Town family stand) was told to "sit down you Northern W***er" after we were awarded a last minute penalty to earn a draw. Not nice, even if you ignore the fact that at 7 he'd have been very unlikely to be guilty of the accused activities AND he was playing at ITFC academy at the time.
Admit it. You just hate our association with Colin - probably because he was a decent manager who got us to the PL - unlike the current charaltan you have who has turned Ipswich from a much respected footballing side into a bunch of hoofers.
Just saing ;-) [Post edited 6 Jan 2018 8:31]
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Reply | Ched Evans
at 15:25 5 Jan 2018
Surely Clarke must have played for you at some point too, he's had a spell at most clubs :-) |
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Reply | Best Place to Park Saturday
at 15:23 5 Jan 2018
LOL. Nice to hear Ipswich hasn't changed since I left and is still full of nut jobs ;-) |
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Reply | Best Place to Park Saturday
at 11:29 5 Jan 2018
Thsnks. Do you mean the multi-story at the station? How much does it usually put you back? Cheers. [Post edited 5 Jan 2018 11:29]
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Reply | Ched Evans
at 11:27 5 Jan 2018
Wilder said yesterday that Ched is still a few weeks away but is back in full training. Could be mind games. He may be on the bench with Sharp (who has been off colour and lost his place to Donaldson lately) and Lavery starting up top. |
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Thread | Best Place to Park Saturday
at 11:10 5 Jan 2018
Hi all,
When I've been to Portman Road previously, I've parked in the car park opposite Cardinal Park but it's always been a nightmare to get out of after the game.
Anywhere else cheaper and better to park on matchday?
Looks like it's going to be more like an u23's game based on what both managers have said... Blades have sold out their initial allocation (1,000) with a new batch now on sale.
We've not been our usual selves lately, though we were good at Villa and outstanding away at Derby and really should have won that one (even Derby's manager, players and fans agreed). We coasted against Sunderland but to be fair they were very poor - relegation fodder IMHO.
Our defence has looked a litle dodgy latelt and although we're still missing Coutt's influence, Lundstrum has started to find his own rhythm (was highest passer in Europe against Derby) but he doesn't protect the back four as much as Coutts did to be fair.
We rely on our wing backs so who plays there will be a big decider. Baldock is still not 100% fit so may be rested.
Our minds may be on the Steel City derby coming up next week and with so many changes (on both sides) it's going to be a difficult one to call... |
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Reply | Blades thoughts/ team / predictions?!
at 15:16 12 Oct 2017
Forgot to mention Coutts is suspended and that is going to leave a very big hole in our midfield. If you're into stats he leads the current "passing accuracy" table for the Championship and, as the song goes, he never gives the ball away. But anyway, not your problem as he'll be sat in the stand. |
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Reply | Blades thoughts/ team / predictions?!
at 11:53 12 Oct 2017
A friendly Blade here. One thing is nailed on and that is the Blades will line up as 3-5-2 (or more accurately 3-5-1-1) with wing backs instructed to push into the channels and centre backs told to run the ball through midfield whenever possible.
Our right WB Baldock was injured at Forest and will miss the game, but Freeman is back from injury and ready to step in - but he's not going to be match fit so that's our potential weakness as this role requires a lot of running to attack and then cover back.
If you play an open game it'll be an entertaining affair (the Forest game was a purists wet-dream). What we seem to struggle with though is the Norwich approach - 11 behind the ball, time wasting, niggly fouls, disrupting play and generally being total nobheads.
Teams that have put us on the back foot tend to have quick, strong forwards or midfielders who can run through or around out back 3. Teams that play the long ball tend to struggle against us as our back 3 are all monsters and comfortable on the ball so will just bring it down and turn it into an attack.
Should be a good one - looking forward to it.
Edit: Sharp has been injured and hasn't played for a while so is likely to be on the bench with Clarke and Brooks up top. If he does come on he won't be match fit either. I know Sharp has a habit of scoring against Ipswich so you'll be pleased to hear that one. That said, if you give Sharp the ball in the box he'll score, fit or not... Evans had a knee op last week and is out for 6 weeks in case you wondered. [Post edited 12 Oct 2017 11:59]
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Reply | Sheffield United Pub
at 13:54 11 Oct 2017
The Sentinel Brewing Company on Shoreham Street always seems to have a nice mix of home and away fans drinking in there and it has a great range of craft beers. It's also about half way between the ground and the railway station.
Most of the pubs closer to the ground are home fans only and will be chock full anyway. You can also try the Devonshire Cat (food here as well) or the Sheffield Tap at the railway station, the Howard opposite the railway station is also OK.
Most pubs in the city centre don't allow team colours but at this time of year you'd be covering up with a jacket anyway. Hope you have a good day in what's now a very nice city, but hope the result makes you cry ;-) |
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