MATCH DAY THREAD : Burnley v The Mighty Blades

[Grayblade]

Some puzzling post match comments from CW on the last transfer window.

"Obviously it was a difficult summer for us, and I think everyone recognises that. Join the dots up with the players we've signed, we've signed young players. Rhian's learning on the job, Max Lowe's learnt on the job, he's learnt the hard way."

I don't know if CW is saying these weren't players he wanted or not ? But they're comments far removed from "best ever transfer window", "we do our homework on players" and "we won't put the football club in financial risk".

I'm starting to get the feeling all's not well at the club.

I’ve just seen the video and thought the same. I also thought that his comment about the Everton players saying ‘Come on lads. We’ll only need one goal’ in the tunnel coming out for the second half last weekend was also revealing. He obviously sees the problem but he also knows that nobody within the club or likely to come into the club short term can solve it.

 

[winnipegblade]

I’ve just seen the video and thought the same. I also thought that his comment about the Everton players saying ‘Come on lads. We’ll only need one goal’ in the tunnel coming out for the second half last weekend was also revealing. He obviously sees the problem but he also knows that nobody within the club or likely to come into the club short term can solve it.

Who created this situation GB, the owner, the board or the coaching staff ?

 

[BlairBlade]

Egan's left footed shot was the highlight of the game. Because for me, it highlighted how pathetic the rest of them are - I've barely seen a shot that good come off anybody else's stronger foot.

Thinking about it I don’t think I’ve seen us take any shots like that all season.
I was a bit surprised really.
I assumed we had to do a two step shuffle and a one two to walk the ball into their penalty area.
Maybe we’re not allowed to shoot from so far out?

 

[Grayblade]

Who created this situation GB, the owner, the board or the coaching staff ?

I really don’t know WB. Let’s be honest back in August almost every Blades fan thought Wilder had been backed well by the Prince, I don’t think I read of many if any moaners mate. So if that’s the case it’s got to be down to Wilder. He seemed ok with it.

Then tonight we hear Wilder again using the kids asked to a mans job learning curve get out clause again. Like he’s been told to fill the squad with saleable younger players and he wasn’t 100% onboard with it. In that case it’s down to the Prince imposing an ideal upon the club that wouldn’t work at PL level.

As for the back room staff, maybe some of them could be up to it but it’s hard to be over critical of the ones who’ve served us well to date. As I’ve said before some seem to perform better in the good times and struggle when the going gets tough, but ultimately their performance has to be down to Wilder. He gets the plaudits, he’s the top of the tree, he’s got to take the criticism at times like this.

So to summarise, I’ve no idea at all why we’ve bombed so sharply buddy. To be honest personally, it’s like living through a living nightmare but I bet it pales into insignificance when it comes down to what Chris is going through.

 

[winnipegblade]

I really don’t know WB. Let’s be honest back in August almost every Blades fan thought Wilder had been backed well by the Prince, I don’t think I read of many if any moaners mate. So if that’s the case it’s got to be down to Wilder. He seemed ok with it.

Then tonight we hear Wilder again using the kids asked to a mans job learning curve get out clause again. Like he’s been told to fill the squad with saleable younger players and he wasn’t 100% onboard with it. In that case it’s down to the Prince imposing an ideal upon the club that wouldn’t work at PL level.

As for the back room staff, maybe some of them could be up to it but it’s hard to be over critical of the ones who’ve served us well to date. As I’ve said before some seem to perform better in the good times and struggle when the going gets tough, but ultimately their performance has to be down to Wilder. He gets the plaudits, he’s the top of the tree, he’s got to take the criticism at times like this.

So to summarise, I’ve no idea at all why we’ve bombed so sharply buddy. To be honest personally, it’s like living through a living nightmare but I bet it pales into insignificance when it comes down to what Chris is going through.

I get the buy young players that have a resale value to them, I just dont see us even recouping our money on most though which is what baffles me so much. Onto Saturday I guess.

 

[ayamonte]

Last season we were 60:40 and this season we're 40:60.....losing narrowly as opposed to winning narrowly.

We lost our 2 best players and that has made all the difference.

Either way our style of football has become drab and defensive and I want it to change. We have to drop down again....but hopefully this will give us time to restrengthen and improve with younger players who have the potential.

I'm moving on....the pain is a bit less each game now as reality strikes and I start looking at a more hopeful future.

 

[Bulmer1889]

Or is it other teams score 1 and sit back knowing the job is done Everton players in the tunnel at half time cmon lads we only need one goal says rather a lot I think
id given up on this season after the Fulham game as it was plain we weren’t good enough but this is now embarrassing I haven’t read the last 2 Roy’s views as we are now a laughing stock I don’t understand how the players can just accept it and if someone says they’re giving everything I don’t call passing it along the back 3 or 5 and knocking it back to ramsdale in the last 5/ 10 mins and even in injury time giving it everything

 

[ayamonte]

I think Wilder needs to step down for a while.............he's knackered and needs a break.

I want him back, invigorated for next season................can he have a sabbatical??

 

[Blade for Life]

Last season we were 60:40 and this season we're 40:60.....losing narrowly as opposed to winning narrowly.

We lost our 2 best players and that has made all the difference.

Either way our style of football has become drab and defensive and I want it to change. We have to drop down again....but hopefully this will give us time to restrengthen and improve with younger players who have the potential.

I'm moving on....the pain is a bit less each game now as reality strikes and I start looking at a more hopeful future.

Lost JOC and are now playing Robinson, Jags, Ampadu and Osborn. The transfer window weakened our first 11 rather than improve it. Wilder seems to sign players that are jack of all trades but master of none. We need players that are specialist and excellent in their preferred position.

 

[Raumdeuter]

I’ve just seen the video and thought the same. I also thought that his comment about the Everton players saying ‘Come on lads. We’ll only need one goal’ in the tunnel coming out for the second half last weekend was also revealing. He obviously sees the problem but he also knows that nobody within the club or likely to come into the club short term can solve it.

In the space of a few months it's gone from the 'best' transfer window to a 'difficult' window. The Prince said the board has only ever knocked back CW on one player. It doesn't add up and feels like we're being treated like mushrooms again.

Wilder has mostly signed seasoned pros up until the last window, very seasoned in the case of Donaldson and Jags, so why has the mission statement changed so drastically that the approach is we now have to buy young kids ?

 

[tomytony]

In the space of a few months it's gone from the 'best' transfer window to a 'difficult' window. The Prince said the board has only ever knocked back CW on one player. It doesn't add up and feels like we're being treated like mushrooms again.

Wilder has mostly signed seasoned pros up until the last window, very seasoned in the case of Donaldson and Jags, so why has the mission statement changed so drastically that the approach is we now have to buy young kids ?

And who's choice was that?

I reckon CW thought, after last season's remarkable results, that we had enough to be able to survive and improve- hence Berge.

He's seen Covid etc as an anomaly, a temporary setback and ignored how we finished and focused the rose tinted on pre Covid.That's all come unstuck, as I said, and he's repeated recently () we had a perfect non storm last year matched by this year's perfect storm.

He's been caught unprepared, he's though we could run before we could even stumble as we are seeing now and he's not used to getting it wrong.

He doesn't know which way to turn, this is far,far deeper than a bad run- it's a team, a system, maybe even a club being dismantled on the nation's biggest stage - no wonder he's talking rubbish, he's totally, totally lost.

Does he deserve sympathy or is he just a disposable comet who's star has burnt out?

 

[Grayblade]

I think Wilder needs to step down for a while.............he's knackered and needs a break.

I want him back, invigorated for next season................can he have a sabbatical??

He looks shocking doesn’t he? Pale/grey skinned and almost stammering in his interviews.

I do worry about his ongoing health, like TT points out, it would be bad enough in any division but he has the eyes of the world constantly on him 24/7 before and after every game it must be a living nightmare. If he stays maybe bringing in an experienced ex Premier standard manager to share the load and take some flack would help like Boro did with Robson. One thing is for sure, something has got to give, he physically and mentally can’t put himself under this pressure for a full season, I genuinely fear for him.

 

[Fan not a Fanatic]

Another interview of excuses but no solutions. Highlights the problems but they are repeated in the next game, what do we actually do between games. Remarks from posters on S2 and here of players just going through the motions, would Wilder allow that then we have serious problems that will go beyond this season.
Do fans actually believe that Wilder has been told to buy a specific type of player, really, if he has then he has seriously lost the plot. I'll say he's just recruited badly and not just in the last window.
In the interview he looks out of ideas, deflated, 22 more league games don't see him lasting the course, if he does he will need more than a few weeks holiday to get his mojo back, if ever.

 

[Raumdeuter]

And who's choice was that?

I reckon CW thought, after last season's remarkable results, that we had enough to be able to survive and improve- hence Berge.

He's seen Covid etc as an anomaly, a temporary setback and ignored how we finished and focused the rose tinted on pre Covid.That's all come unstuck, as I said, and he's repeated recently () we had a perfect non storm last year matched by this year's perfect storm.

He's been caught unprepared, he's though we could run before we could even stumble as we are seeing now and he's not used to getting it wrong.

He doesn't know which way to turn, this is far,far deeper than a bad run- it's a team, a system, maybe even a club being dismantled on the nation's biggest stage - no wonder he's talking rubbish, he's totally, totally lost.

Does he deserve sympathy or is he just a disposable comet who's star has burnt out?

CW certainly deserves sympathy, it's devastating to watch him struggle so much and under so much strain that could crack a human being. We've reached the sad situation where retaining him as manager isn't in his or the club's best interests.

The 'join the dots' up comment has put into question who's signing the players, I think Ramsdale, Ampadu, Foderingham and Burke were players CW wanted, the other three I'm not so sure. I think it's fair to assume Verrips, Retsos and Zivkovic weren't CW signings and Berge is also questionable. It's food for thought when the next manager comes in.

 

[Fan not a Fanatic]

“Jayden and Max will put huge pressure on George (Baldock) and Enda (Stevens). It was important we got the right characters, the right type of players, ones who are athletic and technically very good, both are modern day wing backs and I’m looking forward to working with them.
“We’ve got a clear plan and identification of what we need and we’re still going through that process. We’re not just signing players because other people are in for them, we’re signing these players because they fit into what we are about.
“It’s game on for everyone, it’s not a warning, it’s a fact and yet again I have to thank the board for making the two permanent signings happen because it’s a great bit of business for the football club.”

I'm pretty sure Wilder wanted these two, and pretty convinced he would kick off if players were forced on him. Purely down to mediocre recruitment which Wilder is an active participant in.

 

[twirlo70]

CW certainly deserves sympathy, it's devastating to watch him struggle so much and under so much strain that could crack a human being. We've reached the sad situation where retaining him as manager isn't in his or the club's best interests.

The 'join the dots' up comment has put into question who's signing the players, I think Ramsdale, Ampadu, Foderingham and Burke were players CW wanted, the other three I'm not so sure. I think it's fair to assume Verrips, Retsos and Zivkovic weren't CW signings and Berge is also questionable. It's food for thought when the next manager comes in.

conspiracy theories the lot mate. chris wilder runs the football part of the club from top to bottom ,the prince as given him total control of the football ,including the signings and the academy,how that runs. chris wilder as hired staff to do his scouting his planning for games his reports on the opponents everything from fitness to diets to the physios ,he is in total control. the prince as given him everything hes asked for. its actually wilder that puts the value on players transfers and wages, whether they are worth what they are asking or not and to green light paying the valuation,that then goes upto the prince and he says yes we have the money or no we dont. those foreign players you mentioned were scouted and veted by wilders self appointed scouts and staff.
wilder is being paid handsomely to be our manager. all of a sudden hes having it tough through his own decisions its as simple as that and theres summat wrong somewhere else not him though lol. if he thought or thinks it was all gonna be roses managing us then hes in the wrong job.
he needs to pull his socks up muscle in and go for it. He needs to grow some balls admit hes getting it wrong but hes working hard to put it wright. hes in experienced at prem level its fucking so plain to see. hes lost totally lost. and needs to look or ask for help from an experienced premiership ex manager or coach. and 100 percent get premiership scouts. although we wont need any of em in the championship. hes fucked it up simple as that ,everything is down to him at the end of the day. he was happy to take all the praises when it were going well,so now the shits hit the fan im sorry but its on his toes. suck it up and get on with it. this experience hes going through will make him better stronger,and most of all when he brings us back up he wont be as bad. utb long live chris wilder

 

[twirlo70]

“Jayden and Max will put huge pressure on George (Baldock) and Enda (Stevens). It was important we got the right characters, the right type of players, ones who are athletic and technically very good, both are modern day wing backs and I’m looking forward to working with them.
“We’ve got a clear plan and identification of what we need and we’re still going through that process. We’re not just signing players because other people are in for them, we’re signing these players because they fit into what we are about.
“It’s game on for everyone, it’s not a warning, it’s a fact and yet again I have to thank the board for making the two permanent signings happen because it’s a great bit of business for the football club.”

I'm pretty sure Wilder wanted these two, and pretty convinced he would kick off if players were forced on him. Purely down to mediocre recruitment which Wilder is an active participant in.

spot on pal spot on

 

[Blade for Life]

“Jayden and Max will put huge pressure on George (Baldock) and Enda (Stevens). It was important we got the right characters, the right type of players, ones who are athletic and technically very good, both are modern day wing backs and I’m looking forward to working with them.
“We’ve got a clear plan and identification of what we need and we’re still going through that process. We’re not just signing players because other people are in for them, we’re signing these players because they fit into what we are about.
“It’s game on for everyone, it’s not a warning, it’s a fact and yet again I have to thank the board for making the two permanent signings happen because it’s a great bit of business for the football club.”

I'm pretty sure Wilder wanted these two, and pretty convinced he would kick off if players were forced on him. Purely down to mediocre recruitment which Wilder is an active participant in.

The one player that looks quality and had great reviews was Bogle. So why not play him even in midfield. He has to be better than Ampadu, Norwood or Osborn.

 

[Chronic]

I just want signs from him that he's being fully honest with himself in acknowledging his own mistakes, and ready to channel the immense disappointment he must be feeling into an absolute determination to get us back up and make amends. The players probably need to see this as well.

If I can see that I'd be happy for us to tear up the squad if that's what it took to make it viable for him to stay.

 

[Blade for Life]

I just want signs from him that he's being fully honest with himself in acknowledging his own mistakes, and ready to channel the immense disappointment he must be feeling into an absolute determination to get us back up and make amends. The players probably need to see this as well.

If I can see that I'd be happy for us to tear up the squad if that's what it took to make it viable for him to stay.

If we do get 2 loan signing in the JTW the type of player and position will tell me if he really knows where we are failing. Will he at last get some technical ability and quality in ?. I am starting to think he is too one dimensional for the Premiership.