Post by El Morto La Hoja! on Dec 6, 2008 18:29:56 GMT -1
... there are big problems at Sheffield United and alot of them lay at the feet of Kevin Blackwell.
To put my impending criticism into prospective, i'll admit that you can't blame a manager for everything such as lack of funds; much criticism leveled at Brian Laws seems to ACTUALLY relate to the fact he has no money to spend and player under-performance; as awful-a-manager as Bryan Robson it is very noticeable that many players during his time at Bramall Lane did not perform for him...
... however there are certain areas which are purely the realm of the manager and as such any criticism leveled at them for these areas, they are at fault for. Such as tactics, team selection and transfer policy and as such i'd like to run through Kevin Blackwell's performance in these areas.
*turns off pc mode*
Tactics
Why the. fuck. are we playing such a turgid, defensive form of football? we look like that leeds side that lost the championship playoff final to Watford (managed by Blackwell) and they were fucking shite! If we don't get a penalty or free kick in shootable range we're fooked! Thats how uncreative and backward to are at the minute, and god for-sake us if we actually come up against a GOOD attacking side (note results against Reading, Wolves, Burnley....) I've seen all but 2 of our home games this season and i've only seen us lose once, but thank is we've been crap throughout the season. Do the players know each other!?!? .... however some of this is undoubtedly down to team seletion....
Team Selection
WHY ARE WE PLAYING A FULL BACK ON THE RIGHT WING!? AND A CENTRAL MIDFIELDER ON THE LEFT!?!?!?! Halford has never, will never be a right-sided midfielder and should NEVER be played there!! Its taken Blackwell almost a third of the fecking season (and a third of the game against Burnley) to realise that if he INSISTS on playing two right full backs with one on the right wing, maybe he should play the two footed one who can run a players (naughton) in midfield! not the lanky sod who is only good at defending and long throws But why not just play WINGERS anyway!?!? .... well that'd be down to transfer policy....
Transfer Policy
We have 4 proper wingers: Coterill - never starts, Dyer - on-loan from Soton, never plays, Carney - Frozen out, Keef - Frozen out and loaned out to Charlton WTF!? i wonder why we play such shocking football and find it hard to break teams down?
But lets review some of the other transfers...
Stead - Runs his socks off, scores goals - webber should have gone instead
Hulse - Hard worker, scores goals - Beattie (on £40,000 A WEEK) should have gone instead
Alan Quinn - if we had Alan Quinn we would have needed Howard
Halford - WHY DO WE HAVE THIS GUY!?! Geary, Naughton, and Sun are all better full backs.
Geary - Off to Palace on loan, one of our most consistent players for the last 3 season, and inspite of formerly being an owl a fans favourite. WE NEED PLAYERS LIKE THIS!!
Sheffield United need to have a complete overhaul in playing style - i'm actually remembering Warnock fondly as we played attacking passing football . but not now..... i've heard people say we've played well this season, i assume they mean we've dominated possession and done little with it.
We'll probably still make the playoffs, but god help us if we get promoted....
HOWEVER do you know whats worse than all of the above?
THEY'VE GIVEN HIM A NEW CONTRACT!!! Supposed because the board like what they've seen this season
What I'VE seen is a disjointed sided playing shit football, capable of grinding results out against weaker sides, but incapable against those with at bit of know how! - the board have just cost themselves more money.
Prediction: Blackwell to be sacked within the next 12 months
... On a side note, cudos to Owen Coyle. With a quarter of the resources we can muster, he's put together a very good attacking and determined Burnley side, who as a Blades fan, i envy. They completed deserved their win today.
To put my impending criticism into prospective, i'll admit that you can't blame a manager for everything such as lack of funds; much criticism leveled at Brian Laws seems to ACTUALLY relate to the fact he has no money to spend and player under-performance; as awful-a-manager as Bryan Robson it is very noticeable that many players during his time at Bramall Lane did not perform for him...
... however there are certain areas which are purely the realm of the manager and as such any criticism leveled at them for these areas, they are at fault for. Such as tactics, team selection and transfer policy and as such i'd like to run through Kevin Blackwell's performance in these areas.
*turns off pc mode*
Tactics
Why the. fuck. are we playing such a turgid, defensive form of football? we look like that leeds side that lost the championship playoff final to Watford (managed by Blackwell) and they were fucking shite! If we don't get a penalty or free kick in shootable range we're fooked! Thats how uncreative and backward to are at the minute, and god for-sake us if we actually come up against a GOOD attacking side (note results against Reading, Wolves, Burnley....) I've seen all but 2 of our home games this season and i've only seen us lose once, but thank is we've been crap throughout the season. Do the players know each other!?!? .... however some of this is undoubtedly down to team seletion....
Team Selection
WHY ARE WE PLAYING A FULL BACK ON THE RIGHT WING!? AND A CENTRAL MIDFIELDER ON THE LEFT!?!?!?! Halford has never, will never be a right-sided midfielder and should NEVER be played there!! Its taken Blackwell almost a third of the fecking season (and a third of the game against Burnley) to realise that if he INSISTS on playing two right full backs with one on the right wing, maybe he should play the two footed one who can run a players (naughton) in midfield! not the lanky sod who is only good at defending and long throws But why not just play WINGERS anyway!?!? .... well that'd be down to transfer policy....
Transfer Policy
We have 4 proper wingers: Coterill - never starts, Dyer - on-loan from Soton, never plays, Carney - Frozen out, Keef - Frozen out and loaned out to Charlton WTF!? i wonder why we play such shocking football and find it hard to break teams down?
But lets review some of the other transfers...
Stead - Runs his socks off, scores goals - webber should have gone instead
Hulse - Hard worker, scores goals - Beattie (on £40,000 A WEEK) should have gone instead
Alan Quinn - if we had Alan Quinn we would have needed Howard
Halford - WHY DO WE HAVE THIS GUY!?! Geary, Naughton, and Sun are all better full backs.
Geary - Off to Palace on loan, one of our most consistent players for the last 3 season, and inspite of formerly being an owl a fans favourite. WE NEED PLAYERS LIKE THIS!!
Sheffield United need to have a complete overhaul in playing style - i'm actually remembering Warnock fondly as we played attacking passing football . but not now..... i've heard people say we've played well this season, i assume they mean we've dominated possession and done little with it.
We'll probably still make the playoffs, but god help us if we get promoted....
HOWEVER do you know whats worse than all of the above?
THEY'VE GIVEN HIM A NEW CONTRACT!!! Supposed because the board like what they've seen this season
What I'VE seen is a disjointed sided playing shit football, capable of grinding results out against weaker sides, but incapable against those with at bit of know how! - the board have just cost themselves more money.
Prediction: Blackwell to be sacked within the next 12 months
... On a side note, cudos to Owen Coyle. With a quarter of the resources we can muster, he's put together a very good attacking and determined Burnley side, who as a Blades fan, i envy. They completed deserved their win today.