Sheffield United v Leeds United Match Thread

[1964white]

Most excellent/very good moments of play

29 Rodon
29 Soloman
25 Struijk
23 Firpo
20 Tanaka
18 James
14 Bogle
10 Piroe

Most individual errors

8 Bogle
7 Aaronson
7 Gruev
7 James
7 Tanaka
5 Meslier
5 Soloman

[1964white]

192 excellent/very good pieces of play from our team.

63 errors in all.

26 errors in the first 22 minutes

38 errors in the first-half

25 errors in the second-half

[JoeDenver]

Several good points

Farke in the stands? Yeah, probably

Piroe certainly affected the game more from deep. Aaronson was disappointing yesterday and just couldn't get involved.

Tanaka and Rothwell have played a lot more games together than any other combo. It was interesting that we've all wanted to see Tanaka play further forward. But he was anonymous and much more effective when he dropped back into the DMC role.

The Farke in the stands element reminds me of these types of occurrences in American Football. For instance, Lou Holtz, one of Notre Dame’s most famous head coaches, sparked a debate when he sat in the “press box” with other coaches following a surgery if memory serves. Some fans thought that Notre Dame was a tougher team to beat with him coaching from that vantage point.

Can’t help but wonder if that played out with Farke yesterday and explains the subs coming on when so many of us find ourselves shouting for them.

Agree re: Tanaka. I was one of those thinking he’d be more effective in an advanced role, but his play from deep with his pairing of Rothwell is clearly effective.

[1964white]

Only punished once, it won't be that easy in the PL as you know.

If we make as many errors as we did last night, we'll get severely punished in the Premier League.

[JoeDenver]

It’s an obvious thought. I do have a bit of a go at Aaronson now and again for all his endless running around, often without anything to show for it, but here’s a different angle. Does Aaronson tire out his markers to allow the slower moving but fast thinking Piroe to take advantage later on in the game? I’m not sure Piroe is an out and out 10, but he’s not an out and out 9 either. I’m just happy that this seasons team is greater than the sum of its individual parts. DF has worked wonders imo.

It’s definitely a different “wrinkle” that we could throw at teams and is effective enough that they’ll have to spend time studying up on. Nice to have these options. Agree re: DF. Credit where credit is due.

[1964white]

Most decent.....

Passes - Soloman (11)

Defensive headers - Struijk (10)

Runs/dribbles - Soloman (10) James (10)

Defensive clearances - Rodon (5)

Interceptions - Firpo (4) Bogle (4)

Saves - Meslier (4)

Tackles - Rodon (3)

Shots on target - Piroe (3)

Crosses - James (2)

Assists - James (2)

Assist - Firpo (1)

Goals - Firpo (1) Tanaka (1) Piroe (1)

[GreennWhite]

If we make as many errors as we did last night, we'll get severely punished in the Premier League.

If we dont make the correct signings when we go up thats exactly what will happen. Its happening regularly with the 3 teams that did go up.

[Barlow Boy]

If we dont make the correct signings when we go up thats exactly what will happen. Its happening regularly with the 3 teams that did go up.

Looking for at least 5 or 6 quality signings.

[1964white]

Sheffield United fans not happy with Wilder.

First of all as one of them put it "he was practically bumming us in his press conference".

And secondly they felt his subs killed the game for them.

Campbell playing well Wilder took him off.

Rak-Sakyi pace on the break, took him off for an unfit and slow Hamer and played him out of position.

Then just after our 1st he took of Brereton-Diaz an experienced goal threat and replaced him with Tom Davies. An injury prone cm barely on nodding terms with goals and played him as a winger as well.

Didn't cover himself in glory Chris.

And fair play to DF, his subs may not have been particularly outside the box thinking (like for lime stuff) but it worked.

Gnonto was bright, Joseph was involved.

Wilder panicked when we were making substitutions.

To be honest, the players he took off were becoming less of an attacking threat.

He wanted to use his waste of £11m signing Tom Cannon & bring on his overrated chunky boy.

Best manager in the championship

[Cjay]

If we make as many errors as we did last night, we'll get severely punished in the Premier League.

We weren't that good for large periods.

Lots of ball but very little created until Rothwell and Joseph came on (fair play to Farke making them early)

We had the Solomon tame effort 1st half, can't think of much else.

They had one off the line, Campbell 1v1 with Meslier which he did well and a few other good moments before we really woke up in the final half hour or so.

[Cjay]

Wilder panicked when we were making substitutions.

To be honest, the players he took off were becoming less of an attacking threat.

He wanted to use his waste of £11m signing Tom Cannon & bring on his overrated chunky boy.

Best manager in the championship

He tried to shut up shop too early.

Glad he took Campbell and Rak-Sayki off

[mentalcase]

Looking for at least 5 or 6 quality signings.

I just can't see that happening BB.
I reckon we'll try wing it yet again with 2 or 3, if the owners look at history, it will show them that investment is needed and the manager needs backing.
I'll enjoy the rest of this season then see what does or dosen't happen in the close season, we ought to be identifying players now, maybe are
Or maybe we're not.

[1964white]

We weren't that good for large periods.

Lots of ball but very little created until Rothwell and Joseph came on (fair play to Farke making them early)

We had the Solomon tame effort 1st half, can't think of much else.

They had one off the line, Campbell 1v1 with Meslier which he did well and a few other good moments before we really woke up in the final half hour or so.

Joseph didn't do much. (Piroe has nothing to fear there).

Gnonto & Rothwell were far more productive.

[Cjay]

Looking for at least 5 or 6 quality signings.

Not just that though imo.

(Calm down FarkeBabes)

But if promoted we will need a tactical change, the chances of us being able to win games by controlling possession like we do now are non existent.

Every promoted Championship side has had to switch to counter attacking, the ones that don't end up like Southampton.

Bielsa 1st season may be the exception but the rest, massively possession based in Championship had to switch.

Periods of possession if you are lucky but being good off the ball becomes far far more important.

[Barlow Boy]

I just can't see that happening BB.
I reckon we'll try wing it yet again with 2 or 3, if the owners look at history, it will show them that investment is needed and the manager needs backing.
I'll enjoy the rest of this season then see what does or dosen't happen in the close season, we ought to be identifying players now, maybe are
Or maybe we're not.

We will have to invest if we want to stay up, and invest well. You’d think they are looking at players now, ready to go when the season finishes and, hopefully, we’ve gone up.

That squad is not going to survive as it is, no chance. Sheer stupidity if we don’t bring those 5 or 6 players in MC.

[The Subhuman]

Not just that though imo.

(Calm down FarkeBabes)

But if promoted we will need a tactical change, the chances of us being able to win games by controlling possession like we do now are non existent.

Every promoted Championship side has had to switch to counter attacking, the ones that don't end up like Southampton.

Periods of possession if you are lucky but being good off the ball becomes far far more important.

By the same token you can't go the defensive route.. too many good players/teams in the prem for that to work.

[The Subhuman]

We will have to invest if we want to stay up, and invest well. You’d think they are looking at players now, ready to go when the season finishes and, hopefully, we’ve gone up.

That squad is not going to survive as it is, no chance. Sheer stupidity if we don’t bring those 5 or 6 players in MC.

How would you invest, what are you offering that would make us atractive to quality targets?

[mentalcase]

We will have to invest if we want to stay up, and invest well. You’d think they are looking at players now, ready to go when the season finishes and, hopefully, we’ve gone up.

That squad is not going to survive as it is, no chance. Sheer stupidity if we don’t bring those 5 or 6 players in MC.

Yea, we need to start the hard sell now like you say, some players won't be available until later as we know, but surely we can be looking elsewhere like abroad, unearth another Tanaka or some African.
Why not go to dover and check the boats for good footballers, mind you, we won't have enough time to give em all a trial

[1964white]

I just can't see that happening BB.
I reckon we'll try wing it yet again with 2 or 3, if the owners look at history, it will show them that investment is needed and the manager needs backing.
I'll enjoy the rest of this season then see what does or dosen't happen in the close season, we ought to be identifying players now, maybe are
Or maybe we're not.

They would be total boneheads if they tried to wing it, Mental

All those errors we committed last night & still the blunts couldn't take advantage of us. We won't get away with it against the likes of Bournemouth, Brentford, Palace, Forest, etc, and that's without even considering the top PL clubs.

We are a top championship club right now, and that's about our status, unless we invest in some shrewd quality recruitment.

[1964white]

We will have to invest if we want to stay up, and invest well. You’d think they are looking at players now, ready to go when the season finishes and, hopefully, we’ve gone up.
That squad is not going to survive as it is, no chance. Sheer stupidity if we don’t bring those 5 or 6 players in MC.

You would hope so, Kev.

No hanging about until the end of August, we can't afford to start slowly in the PL, every point is precious!