The defensive mindset is the underlying toxic problem which has seen our deterioration.
Managers seemingly all fall into this same trap. The reason why is unfathomable without resorting to wild conspiracy theories.
Normally, pushing forwards means that you are defending in the opposition half but slow-thinking defenders have admittedly made that difficult this season.
Even so, the more time spent defending – the more time to allow ever more balls into our box. Even a good defence would be troubled.
I cannot believe where we keep our back defensive line. We are not especially vulnerable to defence-splitting passes – happily – so why defend so deep?
We are still trying, very foolishly, to get 10 outfield players behind the ball at set pieces.
Leaving our fastest forward on the halfway line means opposition have to leave two back as they can’t risk a one on one.
Two outcomes. One is the opportunity to launch counterattacks. The other is to have an extra man when defending.
If Fallon sees it so clearly, why do our management team not get it?
I was interested too by Newey’s comments on ‘lazy defending’. Wild challenges instead of interposing self between forward and the goal. Proper tracking of forwards needs a great deal of work in training.
We do not have too many poor players.
We do have a lot who are: inexperienced, underdeveloped, played out of position, however.
Quite a few of these lads could have made the grade playing off a proper SPINE!
Howard – 6
Brown – 5 (But will get better.)
Butroid – 5
Cordner – 2
Bedeau – 5 (Just too many misreadings of the play + mistakes.)
Spence – 6
Gilliead – 7
Taylor – 5
Green – 6
Turan – 4
McAtee – 5
So. Seven out of my 11 are classed below par or worse. That’s how you lose at home to a non league outfit.
Cordner must be dropped and replaced by Rowe. It’s a no-brainer even if Cordner is available on Tuesday. Cordner has ability but looks to me that he lacks bottle. Send him back if humanly possible. Looked decent enough when first arrived …
Ref: One more out of that stable who gives no allowance for fair contact. It has been happening every bit of the season. Some of the penalties we’ve conceded have been laughable by officials BUT – still our fault. You don’t give the man in the middle the opportunity to make a decision. Assume he is going to be a half wit.
The reffing is getting weaker rather than stronger.
Mike and Tom are talking PURE sense. Tom Newey spoke with great wisdom today.
For me, the ref was distinctly below par – just about holds onto a 5.
What got me again was the lack of intelligence showing in the side.
November 8, 2020 at 11:54 am
in reply to: Team.#197051
I thought somebody might say that.
It was not a great display from Ray Clemence – he’d only had a few games before that one.
Hat trick to each of Tees and Hill, if memory serves.
Simple fact. Started a critical season without the necessary spine for a team largely based on youngsters.
That problem can only be addressed by the addition of a tough, intelligent leader in the middle of the park.
I finally managed to chat with a couple of Blades fans over the back hedge.
VERY impressed that we had signed Howard. Could not praise him highly enough.
Had seen the bad error though and said in unison “He never did that playing for us.”Followed by “He’ll see you alright.”
Some interesting points.
One extra though, is that the Swedes can often be far more socially-minded than we are, in my experience.
I was in Spain in September – and it was noticeable just how much more careful the Spaniards are than what I generally tend to witness in Sheffield.
I had an excellent record of spotting precisely when a manager would be sacked – right up to Paul Hurst, that is.
Hurst had just got the team firing when he got the bullet.
