Sheffield United v Swindon Town Official Matchday Thread

[DarloSTFC84]

You could be on to something there.

My mother always said I had a gift.

[Batch]

you'll never come up with a formula for winning games, and don't blind us with your 'score more they that do' pseudo science

[Ells]

I expected us to lose today so I'm not deflated by that defeat to be honest. Would be different if I was there I know but.. Meh. The important thing is to get wins in games we can conceivably compete in, rather than pray something mad happens and we beat anyone big or in form. I hope those who did go have had a decent day out given that it's Sheffield though. You're all soldiers

[Flashheart]

you'll never come up with a formula for winning games, and don't blind us with your 'score more they that do' pseudo science

I've been thinking and I reckon it's really about making sure they score fewer than we do.

It's a work in progress, but I think it might have some legs.

[pauld]

I've been thinking and I reckon it's really about making sure they score fewer than we do.

Pfft! Like that's a thing!

[Flashheart]

I did say it's a work in progress.

[herthab]

I follow Professor Barry Fry's theory: put the ball in their net. Stop them from putting the ball in your net. Unfortunately Professor Fry's equation seems a little advanced for our club.

[Ells]

These "legs" you speak of sound quite interesting too. We've been having a few problems there  

[Flashheart]

Everyone's a critic.

OK, back to the drawing board.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

I expected us to lose today so I'm not deflated by that defeat to be honest. Would be different if I was there I know but.. Meh. The important thing is to get wins in games we can conceivably compete in, rather than pray something mad happens and we beat anyone big or in form. I hope those who did go have had a decent day out given that it's Sheffield though. You're all soldiers

Ffs, we should be able to compete in every game. Effort, sweat, application. Combine a lack of that and also the seeming inability to actually play the game to a competent standard sees us where we are.

Even if we avoid the drop, this bollocks of a recruitment policy will not improve things.

[Reg Smeeton]

Win more fucking games.

Amirite?

In 2016 we've now had 23 away games under Luke. In other words the equivalent of a whole season, we've won 3.  Seeing as the home form isn't completely reliable, an improvement on the road is needed otherwise it will be Div 4 next season.

[Ells]

Ffs, we should be able to compete in every game. Effort, sweat, application. Combine a lack of that and also the seeming inability to actually play the game to a competent standard sees us where we are.

Even if we avoid the drop, this bollocks of a recruitment policy will not improve things.

We should but we can't, that much is evident. So for the sake of my own sanity that's what's focussing on. I'm usually pretty optimistic but I find myself wavering between meh and "hopefully" during pre match lately.

It's been done to death, really, in terms of where we've gone wrong. Recruitment/ownership/transfer/players/coaching, there's like a little pie chart everyone has where the blame has varying sizes. But what is true is that there's absolutely fuck all you can do about it. So without wanting to go full Reg, I have pretty much written off some games and look to others as 'better' fixtures.

Regarding player effort though, Hockaday certainly wasn't impressed with that. Which is unsurprising given our own set pieces so often leave us vulnerable. That's one of those things I can't comprehend. It truly is pathetic.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

It's when you see Rodgers being first pick that gets you thinking of conspiracies as to why. Fans aren't stupid, they can tell the difference between a decent player just having a bad patch and a useless twat.

[Ells]

Admittedly he has had some terrible games, but I think Rodgers has become a bit of a scapegoat for some. He's had more than enough games where he's been the worst player on the pitch, but he's also had games where he wasn't, and others just don't get picked out as much as he does. If you expect a player to do badly you'll noticed every misplaced pass a lot more, even though it happens all the time. I guess that's a marker of how bad we are right now, we're disagreeing over who is the worst!

He works bloody hard, I think that's why I'm inclined to stick up for him. I don't think you can say that for every squad member who's had a bad game.

Where's the conspiracy? Expecting an influx of Celtic players or just with the Liverpool ones previously?

[Batch]

I don't agree he works hard. he ambles through and is half arsed at defending. look at Smith for genuine hard work

But aside from that doughty was/is Ill, kasim is injured/sulking, Murray isn't the player we were hoping (yet anyway) Ellis L and Smith have promise but are inexperienced/lightweight and inexperienced/injured (not now).... Goddard blows hot and cold.

you see the problem. in an ideal world Rodgers wouldn't be a first choice starter. but... well, there's no real absolutely obvious better alternative right now .

Though personally I'd start Smith, it's not necessarily just Anton whose place would be under threat - all of them would be .