Match Thread - Sheffield United FC vs Tottenham Hotspur - PL

[Gary Onedaysoon]

It's pretty simple really; as it has been explained to me by an agent familiar with the situation, RM can trigger the clause, but then the player has to agree. The buyback valuation clause does not apply to any other club.

What isn't being spoken off is what (if any) obligations them not activating the clause would mean for our Loan to buy deal for Bale.

So if RM want him back we have to persuade Reggie to choose us over them. Okay.....

 

[SmithAndJones]

Anyway, much better performance against a pretty inadequate side really, but at least we weren't set up to be negative, we looked so much more balanced as a unit without Sissososo.

Rondon was a brave move and he did well once he settled, Dier marshaled the back line well, but both LLoris and he are now the teams hoofers from the back into nowhere most of the time - the tactic has been done to death i.e. get the ball up quick so that Son can run onto it, or can create something from it, trouble most teams are fully aware of it now.

But let's not be churlish, I was literally having nightmares about what could happen in this game, and thankfully it didn't.

Our next few games are tough and I believe will be the defining games of our season - I hope Jose stays brave and trusts his players.

At least we didn't just sit back in our own half after taking an early lead. Ndombele and Bergwijn gave us some sort of midfield attacking impetus in the opponents half which hasn't been there for quite a while, and which probably more than anything else is what the fans want.
I'm not expecting us to be gung ho against Liverpool, but we do seem to lift our game against the better teams, whereby I fully expect us to win.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

when you

Dier isn't where we need him to be....yet.

That is 2 or 3 goals now where Dier has been caught under the cross and missed it, almost Dawsonesque. He drifts over to the side that the ball is on whereas great centre halves hold their centred position. Sometimes just 1 or 2 yards can make all the difference.

I also think Jose is trying to suss out how quickly he can get a tune out of Rodon. He's clearly raw at this level but the talent is there. He can go from looking really cultured one minute to looking rugged and ready for battle the next. I like that about him.

The net, net is that Jose isn't settled on his centre halves. If Dier isn't careful, he'll be the one back on the bench.

When you take into account the scope for improvement that will come with experience, Rodon looks our most likely first choice CB in the future. We've only seen glimpses of what Tanga could become also.

 

[steveperryman]

Anyway, much better performance against a pretty inadequate side really, but at least we weren't set up to be negative, we looked so much more balanced as a unit without Sissososo.

Rondon was a brave move and he did well once he settled, Dier marshaled the back line well, but both LLoris and he are now the teams hoofers from the back into nowhere most of the time - the tactic has been done to death i.e. get the ball up quick so that Son can run onto it, or can create something from it, trouble most teams are fully aware of it now.

But let's not be churlish, I was literally having nightmares about what could happen in this game, and thankfully it didn't.

Our next few games are tough and I believe will be the defining games of our season - I hope Jose stays brave and trusts his players.

The way in which the league is unfolding this season it looks like every game will be a 6 pointer.

 

[steveperryman]

when you

When you take into account the scope for improvement that will come with experience, Rodon looks our most likely first choice CB in the future. We've only seen glimpses of what Tanga could become also.

All our CBs have qualities & weaknesses. You could say we're well equipped, i'd prefer to call the situation as inadequate. We still need a top class CB to pair with all 3.

 

[Spursex]

All our CBs have qualities & weaknesses. You could say we're well equipped, i'd prefer to call the situation as inadequate. We still need a top class CB to pair with all 3.

I suspect for the foreseeable future unless we can unearth a 'cheap' hidden player, we won't be spending anymore on the CB situation until it's clear Toby is done for.

 

[muttley]

I suspect for the foreseeable future unless we can unearth a 'cheap' hidden player, we won't be spending anymore on the CB situation until it's clear Toby is done for.

Will Toby want to end up as backup and mentor though? Surely he'll want to go and play back in the Eredevisie. He's 32 in March.

 

[SmithAndJones]

when you

When you take into account the scope for improvement that will come with experience, Rodon looks our most likely first choice CB in the future. We've only seen glimpses of what Tanga could become also.

Agree entirely. When we paid big money for him as a young player, I'm sure that Sanchez was viewed as our future number one CB post Alderweireld and Vertonghen. After a promising start it hasn't worked out, and I'm sure that Levy will be looking to get decent money for him in the summer. Both Rodon and Tanganga look highly promising options for the future though, and together with Dier and Davies I really don't think that central defence is a problem for us. It's a certainty that Jose will continue putting a high emphasis on preventing 'easy' goals being conceded, but he should be able to do that with the players at his disposal, other than the problematic RB position.

 

[steveperryman]

I suspect for the foreseeable future unless we can unearth a 'cheap' hidden player, we won't be spending anymore on the CB situation until it's clear Toby is done for.

Undoubtedly his experience is key but we're making sacrifices by playing the double block in front of him. It doesn't help that we're also shoehorning a guy into a CB role as well. Dier's doing a capable job but once again we're making sacrifices in order to do so.

I rate Sanchez very highly but it would seem that Jose doesn't fully trust him yet.

 

[Spursex]

Will Toby want to end up as backup and mentor though? Surely he'll want to go and play back in the Eredevisie. He's 32 in March.

Well end of this season he has one year left on his deal and he's openly stated he wants to go back at some point, I can see us exercising the 1 year extension option, money is going to be/is so tight that until the fan rev's are flowing again, I just can't see how we can fund new buys/deals beyond that which we can generate. We still have the immediate prospect of paying 150 mill back to BOE in March, but I expect us to roll that over for a further year - unless of course old Joe and Levy (how long will he live for!?) stick their hands in their pockets, I think borrowing more is even for us now, not an option.

 

[steveperryman]

Well end of this season he has one year left on his deal and he's openly stated he wants to go back at some point, I can see us exercising the 1 year extension option, money is going to be/is so tight that until the fan rev's are flowing again, I just can't see how we can fund new buys/deals beyond that which we can generate. We still have the immediate prospect of paying 150 mill back to BOE in March, but I expect us to roll that over for a further year - unless of course old Joe (how long will he live for!?) stick their hands in their pockets, I think borrowing more is even for us now, not an option.

Not the ideal situation both on or off the pitch then.

 

[Spursex]

So if RM want him back we have to persuade Reggie to choose us over them. Okay.....

Yep....

That's why Jose is treating him like his pet player...i.e. the ham etc..

 

[RichmondSpur]

Dier isn't where we need him to be....yet.

That is 2 or 3 goals now where Dier has been caught under the cross and missed it, almost Dawsonesque. He drifts over to the side that the ball is on whereas great centre halves hold their centred position. Sometimes just 1 or 2 yards can make all the difference.

I also think Jose is trying to suss out how quickly he can get a tune out of Rodon. He's clearly raw at this level but the talent is there. He can go from looking really cultured one minute to looking rugged and ready for battle the next. I like that about him.

The net, net is that Jose isn't settled on his centre halves. If Dier isn't careful, he'll be the one back on the bench.

Conveniently, you ignore what we didn't do to prevent the cross entering our box.

 

[Nick Real Deal]

Full 90 on Spurs website.

 

[WaccyMaccy]

Most conceded goals carry a collective responsibility but how far does one rewind the play in order to place the lion's share of the blame?

The usual suspect is more easily remembered if they had the last opportunity to prevent the opposition scoring with the added proviso of forgiveness in varying degrees if it is considered they either did all within their capabilities to deny or there was nothing more they could do.

In view of Eric's recent difficulty to jump higher than a gnat's willy he might be better advised to order some flubber via click and collect or at the very least change his boot sponsors from blue circle.

 

[RichmondSpur]

The new phase of play started 10 seconds before the ball entered our net.

 

[Greavswasthegreatest]

Most conceded goals carry a collective responsibility but how far does one rewind the play in order to place the lion's share of the blame?

The usual suspect is more easily remembered if they had the last opportunity to prevent the opposition scoring with the added proviso of forgiveness in varying degrees if it is considered they either did all within their capabilities to deny or there was nothing more they could do.

In view of Eric's recent difficulty to jump higher than a gnat's willy he might be better advised to order some flubber via click and collect or at the very least change his boot sponsors from blue circle.

Is the gnats willy erect or flaccid though?

 

[Departed]

Is the gnats willy erect or flaccid though?

This is the first thing I read today.,

 

[Pompey Yid]

Having read the posts, good n bad lol! I have an opinion on yesterdays game and questions.....
We won yes, excellent, but why by only 2?
Once we have them on the rack! why do we not destroy these sides? thus increasing our goals for.

Maybe its me but I was getting pissed with us during the game...
1st half, start off on the front foot, excellent, score early, ease off/lower gear, allow our opponents way to much of the ball, gets frustrating, score a 2nd late on.

2nd half, again ease off early/lower gear, allow opponents way to much of the ball, eff up! they score, thus up a gear and off on front foot again, score again, ease off/lower gear again.

Why do we always ease off once we are ahead, why not keep on the front foot for the majority of the game, especially v the so called lesser sides, even one of our ex-players Michael Dawson said the same quote "when Spurs play on the front foot Sheffield do not know how to handle them"

What annoys me the most is when we ease off/lower gear we make our opponents look like champions elect, even though we are winning.

That's my opinion at the mo, am I wrong or am I right.
Have had a wee rant.

 

[Gary Onedaysoon]

Just my perception. I note whoever you pair with Dier, there is too much to and fro passing between them, barely finding a pass forward. In the absence of Toby, Dier appears to be the designated hoofer... and he is poor. Rodon inevitably (being younger and newbie) is still quite rigid and seeing how Jose slates mistakes, he is playing safe. But the pairing with Dier irritates me. Rodon has a good physique and height and will mature to be quite imposing.

Dier's heading imo is very poor, like Sanchez, is very random in to no man's land. Dier doesn't read the corners very well. Not the first time he was caught by the flight and Goldrick simply our-muscled Davis for the header.

Final rant is, and I have watched it time and time again to comment, Dier takes too many pauses before passing the ball. Partly due to no outlet but mostly he's looking for the clever long ball which he invariable executes poorly.

Pretty obvious I am not a fan of Dier!!. I think playing at DM over several years, he's like a new signing still learning.

Reggie made quite a few runs behind the last defender when Dier and PEH were in possession and they either didn't look up or didn't have the confidence to play the pass. He does make some great runs though.