View From Southampton

September 15, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“PHEW!!!!!”
“Sheffield threw everything at us including the kitchen sink”
“Sheffield United were very unlucky not to get something from the match with the amount of clearcut chances they had & never gave up till the whistle.”
“Got to say I was impressed with Sheffield United first half, they knock it around nicely.”
“We rode our luck”
“Lucky to win”
“Fantastic three points. A bit of luck and a gritty professional defence of our lead !!!”

“I thought that was a superb away performance. There were long periods of that 2nd half where we just bossed it, took control of the ball and just played at our pace.We did get lucky on some occasions, but so did Sheff Utd as we could have easily had 1 or 2 in the first half. It was an honest and well fought game between two keen sides. Positive outlooks for both sides I think.”
“I thought we were in total control second half.”
“Thought it was a pretty decent game which could’ve gone either way to be fair. For a change the ex Saints didn’t come back to haunt us, McGoldricks finishing hasn’t improved any, he should’ve had a brace before we scored, but blew both chances. Didn’t see the Billy Sharp tackle as was clapping and chanting Boufal as he walked in front of the fans after being subbed.”
“McGoldrick’s efforts were a bit tame”
“we had more quality than them in the final third but we were nothing special and if they had a decent striker we would have conceded at least once.
Let’s not forget, this is a team with McGoldrick, Sharp and some homeless bloke as it’s strike force, FFS.”

“Not really sure what Wilder was talking about either, aside McGoldricks 1v1 saved by Gunn, we had all the best chances in that game and pretty much every highlight package shows that. They had 17 shots, but only got 4 on target and they needed a wonder save and the post to stop us scoring more.”
“Small-time northern mentality. They always think everyone’s out to get them and are constantly hard-done by. It’s a sort of Liverpool-lite.”
“These sides should realise their huff and puff is limited and on borrowed time if can’t finish. . You played a sophisticated side that outclassed you (of sorts)
Want to stay up just take your chances against us – we are quite liberal with them.”
“It’s amusing reading that thread from their forum complaining they had the better chances and should have won. The only really clear chance they had was when McGoaldrought got away from JV but fluffed his shot and made it easy for Gunn.
Their keeper made the best save of the match from Adams’ header in the first half. And his earlier shot against the post was really unlucky, cos he hit that superbly.”
“I love the irony of them accusing our players of going down with the merest touch, when despite being pulled back outrageously by their defender, Djenepo stayed on his feet to score the winning goal. And the commentary I was listening to praised Mason for allowing the game to flow, instead of blowing for every niggly little foul, as many of them being made by Sheffield Utd. Thank god he didn’t blow for that blatant foul on Djenepo.”
“Yes we were unlucky with Adams not taking his early chances but we got opened up multiple times and SU really should have scored which would have been a different game. It’s fascinating quite how much the VAR decision changed the momentum of the game. Ignited the away end anyway. Very satisfying victory, and an improvement but not sure that we are a much better team than SU – they are our level and on another day they would beat us.”

“VAR is working out great for Saints. Hotly contested, but a fair result in an even match thanks to VAR. Either side could have one, but justice prevailed through technology……’cos the rest was even”
“Loving VAR right now. Our games are anything but dull that’s for sure.”
“Very very lucky with that JWP handball Can see why Sheff United were fuming.”
“Absolutely baffled that VAR didn’t overturn that. We would rightly be fuming if that was the other way round.”
“Seriously? The ball just hit his arm after travelling through a bunch of players trying to head it. Never a pen and rightly not given.
I wouldn’t be fuming at all.
Pretty much the only thing Mason got wrong yesterday was not giving us a really obvious corner in the second half.”
“I used to think Lee Mason was a fat-headed skate cheat but he’s alright now.”

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Pre-Match View From Southampton

September 12, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“They’ve had a decent enough start and certainly no whipping boys. Will be involved in the scrap but have a decent chance to stay up.”
“Tough game this. I’ve been really impressed by them.”
“a tough season is suddenly getting even tougher. Let’s hope the strikers start talking their chances”
“They’ll be looking at games like this as the sort of games they need to win to stay up. Will be a tough one.”
“Hoping we go and attack this game. They’re a good footballing side, this isn’t a Burnley away type game so I don’t think we need 3 at the back or packing the midfield.”
“One thing we must improve on this season is our record against newly promoted teams! Let’s start by taking this next match against Sheffield Utd with the same level of commitment as we played against Man U! Must go for the win!”
“I just hope we manage to put in a better performance than we did last time we played there in the EFL cup in 2014. We were atrocious that night.
Blades so far remind me of Hudds two years ago. They’ve got a good fighting spirit and they’ve kept their momentum going from the end of their promotion season. But they are a limited side in terms of quality.”

“Sheff U are a very limited side from what I’ve seen on MotD. Having momentum from last season is fine but will only carry them so far. Our high press and non-stop effort style will not suit them at all and as long as we turn up for the first half on the day it should be a comfortable win, even 0-3 perhaps.”
“They will look at our away record and feel that we are one of the poorer sides on the road and this is one where they will be pumped up with the crowd behind them to try and get points on the board and like Huddersfield two seasons ago use their good start to be the foundation to keep them up.”
“newly promoted sides seem to either bomb completely at the start of a season or have a good start followed by a steady decline, After promotion some teams seem to find an initial surge of adrenalin that can only be sustained for a short period before normality sets in.Sheffield United so far have made the best start of the three promoted clubs and sit one above Saints on 5 points after a win and two draws, but with due respect to the Blades they do not seem to have the firepower to keep this up, so it is Saints job to bring them back to the ground with a short sharp shock.That means keeping it tight at the back whilst taking our chances up front and controlling the game.The good news is that they are not prolific scorers and 2 of their 5 goals scored so far have been last minute equalisers so that should tell us something.”
“would be a huge 3 points if we can win at Sheffield Utd. Must be on the front foot as they have a good home defensive record. It will also be a physical game and we can expect little time on the ball. It’s the sort of test we need”

“Billy Sharp will inevitably score… and if he doesn’t, McGoldrick will!”
“I noticed David McGoaldrought was playing for Ireland, either him or Billy Sharp is bound to score against us”
“- Redmond still out
– Danso suspended
– Obafemi & Bertrand both training & in contention
– Djenepo sounds 50-50.”
“Fingers-crossed Adams does “an Abraham” and scores goals against defences he’s used to scoring against.”
“Went to Sheffield Utd away in ‘91 and Tiss n shearer won it 0-2. Very hostile outside the ground after towards saints fans wearing shirts. I didn’t as an 18yr old to avoid. Fans should think if this going to Skatesville. No colours on the street, no trouble”
“You can understand them being concerned about away fans infiltrating the home areas after ‘Coombsey’s Commandos’ assault on their Kop 40-something years ago!”

Republic Of Ireland Fans Views On John Egan

September 10, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“Buzzing for him captaining tonight”
“Good to see John captaining Ireland tonight.”
“is it though, he goes from not been in the team atal to capt. i just don’t see the logic.”
“He is a starting premier league player who never gets a game for Ireland so perhaps Mick is trying to keep him happy?”
“The Sheffield Stranglers continue to impress with Egan”
“Egan looking like the PL centre half he is”
“Egan was outstanding”

“John Egan looks like a really classy defender, we need to see more of him in an Ireland shirt.”
“Should be a regular”
“keogh ahead of Egan is a head scratcher “
“I’d have Egan over Keogh”
“would be starting Egan over Keogh everytime”
“ Really nice to see Alan Browne and John Egan in from the start. Long overdue for both of them”

“Egan, Cullen and Browne the positives from tonight.”
“Cullen’s the highlight
That and John Egans footwork at the start “
“Stupid from Egan for the pen”
“Gave the pen away but that was down to Christie”

Loan Updates

September 7, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“looks half decent when he’s played” “some nice touches, but he doesn’t look fully fit, so more to come, I hope”
“Think he is still sulking about not being part of a Prem squad doesn’t look like he wants to be here and was signed because our key signing Powell clearly isn’t going to play many games”
“half decent stop gap, loaning was the right idea, good to have in the squad. Equally, there are better LAMs about.”
“He’s wank”
“Was really disappointed with Duffy after everything we had been told. Hope it’s just cos it’s early days.”
“Duffy didn’t come to sit on our bench instead of Sheff Utd. Of course some healthy completion is good but this doesn’t make any sense.”
“Yet another player we didn’t need”
“Duffy is currently the best midfielder we have. I pinned my hopes for him to turn our fortunes but NJ isn’t playing him!
He should definitely start.”

“The inexperience of SamGraham , and I’m sorry to point this out really made it easier for Barnet.”
“This lad looks good, yet his inexperience shows when the games become difficult”
“Good battling performance, dealt with Wrexham well.”
“Good player but he needs to clear the ball better at times.”
“Provides a bit of pace in central defence”
“Did very well sweeping up behind Turner and did the basics right”
“Distribution is ok”
“Messed up for Yeovil’s first.”

“The hope is that the young lads, Hardcastle, Greaves and Dyson, will get even better because they all have lots of ability.”
“the game bypassed Greaves a bit”
“gives us some legs in the middle”
“liked the look of Greaves”
“Greaves looked good when he came on”
“will be a big player for us this season – arguably our best signing”
“he looks like another gem from the Sheff Utd youth set up.”

“Norrington Davies is a real find at Left Back”
“He’s been our most impressive player”
“Norrington-Davies looks one of the signings of the season so far to me.”
“I told my Dad he was the best player in the world after Tranmere on the opening day. Seen nothing to convince me otherwise yet.”
“What a player we’ve got on our hands in Rhys this season. Made that LB position his own.”
“Very impressed”
“Looks a class act”

“Stole the show”
“Parkie is on fire”
“Parkhouse didn’t get much ball at all and subsequently went off the boil. He had the beating of that c back too”
“He was run into the ground trying to close them down an impossible situation”
“Anyone else find it strange that Parkie is our long throw specialist? Our Maine target man taking long throws to who?”
“His 2nd goal was one of the best strikes of the season”
“The bloke is class”

“Ran himself into the ground but should have come off with at least one goal and probably two or three. For me he is another who is too lightweight and not the answer to our problem.”
“Terrible service to him but lacks the physicality to do the sort of holding up game he need to do for the way we play”
“Tyler-Smith very weak up front making us effectively a striker short.”
“I thought Smith did okay by the way and looks a half decent player. Saying he ‘lacks physicality’ seems a bit odd to me, we have players who certainly don’t lack that, but didn’t do any better than him. The poor bloke looked bemused as some of our Neanderthals hurled abuse at him after the game.”
“Worked hard but a little light weight. Was he unlucky to have his “goal” disallowed in the second half? Not sure if it was penalised for offside or a foul as from where I was stood there seemed little wrong. He does at time get out muscled and is a bit Nicholesque but he does have something about him and always seems to get in the right position and whenever a goal is scored or a save made he is not far away”
“The thing I like about young Smith is exactly what I dislike about Tom Nichols- he wants to get in the six yard box and try to score goals. His run across the keeper made the first goal and he probably should have scored from close in during the second half but he also won and converted the penalty and generally made a nuisance of himself.”

“Couple of good runs but quiet overall”
“saw a lot of the ball in the first half in front of us but cut inside and was closed down every time but once when he went outside and got to the by line but put in a poor cross.”
“lovely cross for the first goal and was much more effective in the second half when we gave him more of the ball”
“always threatening, good ball for the first and great play for another two misses”
“mom today, his one trick worked well today.”
“Thomas was excellent, set one up and put two others on a plate for Hope/Sorensen”

Scotland Fans Views On Oli McBurnie

September 6, 2019 / Roy / 4 Comments

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“Boos for McBurnie as his name was read out. Good, the rat.”
“hate Oli McBurnie, and scoring for Scotland won’t ever change that.”
“The only thing in the world as ridiculous as Oli McBurnie’s beard is Oli McBurnie playing up front for Scotland.”
“Dear Oli McBurnie, Please stop strutting about like you own the joint – you’ve not earned it. Ps. Pull your socks up. Love, The whole of Scotland”
“Oliver McBurnie is the type of guy who shows up to play 5’s in a pair of 400 quid boots, wearing aftershave and refuses to take his turn in goals.”
“Think there’s nobody in the world I hate more than McBurnie. Hope some big Russian breaks every bone in his body”
“£20m doesn’t get you much in football these days”
“A poor mans Steven Fletcher”

“Mcburnie getting the full 90 mins tonight is ridiculous, if he is the striker that we rely on over the next few years then we are well and truly screwed”
“Awful footballer”
“Andy Robertson in possesion looking for Salah coming short or Mane over the top. Gets Oli McBurnie”
“Oli mcburnie is one of the worst players iv ever seen”
“Mcburnie is honestly the worst player in that Scotland squad. Has zero outstanding qualities. Total pile of shite !! Leigh Griff 50% fit is twice the player !!”
“The guy can barely control the ball. His passing is shambolic & his ability of the ball is just as bad.”
“Mcburnie is the worst starting striker Scotland have had in my lifetime. His price tag doesn’t change that.”
“Oli McBurnie being an international striker pretty much gives me hope that I can still be whatever I want to be in life. Just can’t decide between rock star, great novelist or pro golfer. I reckon I’d be about as much use in any of those roles as he is playing for Scotland.”

“Mcburnie, Scottish championship player at best man” “McBurnie looks like a fan who won a competition to play for Scotland. Absolute mince.”

“McBurnie is absolutely horrific. Never want to see him play for the team again.”
“McBurnie being worth £20 million tells you a sad story about where modern football is as a sport…mercy wept”
“20 million for your man McBurnie Sheffield United got mugged off”
“Sheffield Utd fans need to ask questions of just why their club would spend that much on someone so poor. Brown bags and motorway service stations is all I can think of.”
“Sheffield Umited actually paid 20 million for mcburnie hahahahahahahahahah”
“£20m for McBurnie?? I’d be asking for £19.5m of that back!”
“Who ever sanctioned 20million for mcburnie needs to have a look at themselves waste of space”
“Going by the English football market, Sam Cosgrove must be worth £40million. He is twice the player of Ollie Mcburnie. Whoever sanctioned £20million for him needs locked up and never let out in civilisation again. He will probably score the winner now.”
“Fair play to Swansea getting 20 million for McBurnie”

“don’t see how McBurnie is to blame for our failure to defend properly”
“McBurnie is an easy target for fans, but he’s had nothing to work with tonight. We’ve done nothing since we scored, horrendous tactics, asking for Russia to come at us”
“Big Mcburnie will get slaughtered by certain people because it suits their agenda but the lad has had zero to work with.”
“McBurnie battled away well on scraps and won a few in the air but no real support.”
“McBurnie half decent.”
“The only people defending McBurnie are tinpot English championship fans and Rangers fans.”

View From The Republic Of Ireland

September 5, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

A collection of quotes from fans of the Republic Of Ireland on the performances of David McGoldrick, Enda Stevens and Callum Robinson against Switzerland

“Let me kiss his big shiny head”
“Big Bald Bearded Beautiful Man.”
“David McGoldrick > Robbie Keane”
“David McGoldrick is the best player in the world,, I’m being serious”
“Is David McGoldrick the best player ever to play for Ireland? a) Yes b) Yes”
“Pele McGoldrick”
“McGoldrick is a classy player”
“Absolutely delighted for David McGoldrick. That goal has been fully deserved since he first pulled on a green jersey.”
“Delighted for McGoldrick!! Superb again today, works his socks off every time and got his reward.”

“Another Man of The Match award for McGoldrick surely.”
“Without a whole lot of support from that midfield, McGoldrick put in one hell of a shift.”
“David McGoldrick has the most difficult job in world football. Lone striker for this Irish side really is a slog. Suberb header! Quality result!” “McGoldrick continuing to shine in the Irish shirt”
“Delighted for McGoldrick. Always works his socks off”
“Delighted for McGoldrick, deserved that for work rate alone”
“probably our best player on the night apart from the CBs”
“McGoldrick had a good second half”
“About time he scores a goal”
“McGoldrick is playing so deep but lacks the pace to get back up the top again. He runs like he’s wearing a pair of oversized Wellington boots.”
“Alright Robbie? Howya Mick, I mean boss? The lad McGoldrick, scores goals? Eh, no boss. Leads the line? No. Good first touch? No. Makes clever runs? No. Decent passer? No. Puts himself about? No. Dangerous on set pieces? No. Right so, he starts every match!”

“Our best player”
“our worst player”
“Stevens excellent after a v.dodgy first 30 mins.”
“McClean looks like a passenger in the team. Think Stevens did ok given that he’s having to carry him”
“If by ok you mean give the ball away or hoof it over the line almost all the time then ya hes done ok.
Yes he’s McClean ahead of him, so it’s basically him on his own defending, attacking doing everything, he’s running the ball out each time”
“Mcclean is trying to play in all the positions, this leaves Steven’s isolated and outnumbered. But he has made unforced errors too”
“Stevens horrendous first 30 minutes.”

“He was terrible”
“Stevens has been a disappointment”
“Jaysus stevens is fcking sh*te when he puts on a green jersey”
“The longer this game goes on the happier I am Enda Stevens is missing the next match”
“Stevens is absolute poo”
“Enda Stevens..…..……. is he a professional footballer?”

“Yet to see Robinson utilised properly in an Ireland shirt”
“Robinson certainly has a role to play for us just have to find where he fits.”
“For all the talk of Ireland’s young and overlooked forwards in the build-up, McGoldrick and Robinson put in two very solid performances.”
“Two very good players, its midfield where we struggle”
“Showed flickers”
“We wont be getting anything from games when we play Whelan and take off Robinson.”
“Why on Earth was Callum Robinson taken off?”
“Looks out of his depth”

View From Chelsea

August 31, 2019 / Roy / 9 Comments

“This may very well be up there with Bournemouth last season as the most embarrassing result I’ve ever seen.”
“Dominated by Sheffield United in the second half”
“Outplayed for the whole second half”
“Sheffield deserved that for the way they made us look like amateurs.”
“Tactically outclassed by a championship side, at home.” “I think the trouble with most people is that Lampard didn’t manage to get a grip on the game against a newly promoted side, which btw, he knows and had time to prepare for.On performance alone we should have lost this game and the Leicester one as well.”
“We were lucky to get a draw”
“They had two styles of attack, long ball out from the back and crosses from out wide. We failed to stop either happening.”
“Big boys vs a small team (us). We don’t have any identity or can’t keep any possession”

“The most embarrassing thing you can say about that is that we allowed Sheffield f*****g United to come in to Stamford Bridge and totally dictate the game in the second half. Think about that. A newly promoted side came in and they forced US to adapt to them rather than the other way around. We couldn’t do ANYTHING with the ball in that second half. Against a side that doesn’t have a single player who would make our squad and after being 2-0 up!”
“We have a patched up team out there with people either very young and inexperienced or old and experienced. Yes so it was Sheffield United – but they are a f****g hard working decent team – they will finish in the Top 10 and grind out results against other clubs too”
“Doesn’t matter that they are! That team should not be drawing at home with sheff Utd! If people think that group of players drawing is acceptable then we are in massive trouble”
“Sometimes you just got to give credit to the opposition, Sheff U played really well in the 2nd half, this draw is tough to take but we only got ourselves to blame”
“Disappointing to only leave with a point today. But props to Sheff Utd, surprisingly good” “Fair play to Sheff United deserved the draw”
“Well done Sheff Utd! Went to the match. We struggled defensively when they attacked us.”
“Sheffield were all over us 2^nd half”
“They look tidy and we’ll organised and know their game plan to perfection. They will stay up”

“you dont take experience off like kovacic for kids when your 1 goal ahead you do that when your 3 up lampard showed total disrespect to sheff utd and underestimated them same showed by playing tomori if you are gonna play tomori at least take zouma out he is having a shocker”
“The problem is the so called seniors Azpilicueta and Zouma give away an easy goal. One gets bullied by f****g Callum Robinson and another can’t time his bloody run.”
“Azpilicueta was culpable for United’s first goal, when he was way too easily beaten by Enda Stevens in the build up and he generally failed to inspire confidence, particularly when confronted with the pace of Callum Robinson”
“Lets be honest even at 2-0 we were pretty shite. Never created more than maybe 2 chances from open play (Kova and Tammys chances). A better performance from their GK for 1 of the 2 goals and for the other if their 2 CBs didnt cock up, we wouldnt of scored. Simple as that.”
“we blew a 2 nil lead AT HOME and drew with a team whose top 27 players have a combined market value of around what we spent on just Morata . they have ELEVEN players under one million quid in MV and their highest MV player is worth less than we sold LUIZ for to Arse at that £8m cut-rate price. NOT ACCEPTABLE”

“How does one draw against Sheff utd?????”
“We also drew 2-2 against the European Champions. Perspective is needed”
“Sheffield are above us due to our stupid goal difference”
“I know it is early stages but these are games that our rivals would win comfortably imo at home. We will face better teams than Sheffield United also”
“Well, if we cannot win at home against a pub side …. I am afraid we will have to fight against relegation and ending up 10th or so would be an achievement.”
“5 points after 4 games against pub teams bar ManUtd. Worst is being outplayed by Norwich and Sheffield in second half.”
“So now even recent PL Champions are pub teams. Priceless!”
“So disappointed when Sheff Utd scored, I crushed my coffee cup and chucked it On the floor of the Stand!”
“Lol you must have been livid mate”
“I’d like to see Frank dressed as a skinhead on the sidelines. Ben sherman,braces,jeans and bovver boots,eith nutting gestures for poor play!”
“Sheff Utd fans singing 2-0 and you effed it up and to be fair they are right!”

Pre-match View From Chelsea

August 29, 2019 / Roy / 4 Comments

“Be nice to get a 2nd win before the break. Especially with Wolves and Liverpool after. These are the ones we should be winning… Hopefully onwards and up! “
“Arguably the easiest match of the season. Absolute must win especially after the confidence booster today. Full week of rest too. Should be fine.”

“Yeah poor opposition no doubt. Will provide a different challenge as they will likely employ a very low block, so not a whole lot of spaces to run behind their defense.definitely a confidence builder and a game to be on the younger side with the starting XI. Perhaps give rudiger his first start if ready?

“I think a good gauge for the quality of the opposition is just to think how important a player our “beloved” willian would be for them. “

“They looked pretty good first three games. But yeah we should win.”

“Another 3 points”

“Our next 3 points come against Sheffield United”

“think the way teams sometimes set up with a blockade nowadays, the notion of easy games is changing “
“No such thing as an easy game for me……..they will come to sit back all day everyday at SB. We have injuries left and right, refs all fucked up and var is consistently fucking us over. Of course its a must win to boost ourselves with another win but nothing comes easy anymore. A win is massive considering the tough matches utd have in store, plus arsenal and spurs are bound to lose pts next weekend.”
“More and more teams going toe to toe with the big boys, apart from Palace and Newcastle i don’t think we will face many if any pure spoiler tactics all season.”
“Be a tough game too as they always look to switch the ball fast to create overloads out wide. “
“We need goals , a lot of goals and a clean sheet please”

“We need to win by at least 4 to make up the goal difference on United”

“Tammy certainly to continue his goal scoring exploit against Sheffield United. Who is with me on this”

“Another championship side for Abraham to statpad against!
If he is to prove himself to the doubters, then he needs to do it against Wolves the following week. That will be the true test, not scoring against championship sides like Norwich or Sheffield.”

“These are another championship side like Norwich”

“Tougher game than some might predict. Well drilled under their manager, playing expansive football with high tactical detail”
Sheffield United haven’t been bad defensively at all”
” If we don’t beat them there is a serious issue”

“Last season Sheffield United thumped Lampard’s Derby home and away. Chelsea are not Derby, it’s true, but I’m not convinced by Lampard’s tactical nous”

“We shouldn’t ever underestimate an opponent. So far, bouts of excellent play but that needs to be more consistent over the 90 minutes.”

“It’s Chelsea, anything can happen”
“Should play Alonso. He gives us extra height against a big Sheffield and we have few fit wingers.”

“On the day of this game, it will be 96 years and 328 days since Sheffield United kept an away clean sheet against Chelsea, a 0-0 draw in October 1922; the Blades have conceded in all 30 games since”

View From Blackburn

August 28, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“Pointless game.”
“I thought this was our best performance of the season by far. At times we played some really good stuff and outplayed United for large parts of the first half.”
“The game was there for the taking and if we had scored that pen, would have gone on to comfortably win I think. The positive is dominating a prem team who despite the changes had more money on the pitch then our whole club is worth.”
“First half hour I thought we played some good stuff, opened them up and looked dangerous getting forward. The winning of the penalty was just one of a number of nice moves into dangerous areas.Then came the inevitable regression as we cannot sustain the pressure indefinitely although we were still competing well in the game when we fell behind.They probably couldn’t believe their luck going in at 2-0 given the balance of the game but sadly that’s the way we seem to operate these days – bucket loads of possession, some nice passing and moving around the midfield, some decent play getting forward, but then nothing by way of a final ball or killer instinct. Just wasteful, hesitant or poor decision making – take your pick but it happens every time we get into advanced areas and means we are struggling to convert our possession into goals or even decent goalscoring opportunities. It seems Mowbray’s frustrations boiled over which they rarely do which probably sums up the ineptitude of the referee tonight. An abysmal performance from him who I think was just looking forward to an easy and comfortable night out and a routine home win. Sadly not the first time we’ve had to endure that particular referee and won’t be the last”
“The difference in the first half was the keepers. Their keeper saved a penalty and the rebound whilst ours clapped at a perfectly catchable cross. Leutwiler prefers to punch than catch and it drives me mad. Poor, poor goalkeeping. The second goal should have signalling least a double change at half time but Mr Play It Safe did nothing. When he eventually changed he kept his two banks of four when I thought we should have gone all out.”

“Last nights game was very reminiscent of last season with the set up and way they played but predictably shipped a few crap goals and didn’t take their chances. Yes good opposition but who’d made about ten changes so essentially a bunch of strangers so we saw plenty of the ball. Maybe reinforces the more pragmatic approach of the first team recently.”
“We played well last night, not a lot you can really fault from the performance apart from actually testing the keeper, our goalkeeper & Smallwood. Dreadful players that really shouldn’t be playing for us again if we want to progress.The biggest thing is though, we are struggling to score goals, far too many “cute” attempts at through balls and making that final pass, we were trying to walk it in at times. I also don’t see this changing anytime soon, we’re in for a long frustrating season on that front I think.”
“They had two shots, and made ‘em both count. Good reason why they are in the PL, and we’re in the Championship (yes, I know there are more reasons than one).”
“Interesting stats on this one. You’d expect a team with such domination in stats to win the game comfortably or at least draw. But when you can’t keep the ball out of the net at your end and fail to take your chances at the other end this is where it leads.”
“When stats like these don’t lead to a win, it should be a one off-just one of those days etc. But with Rovers , I think it is becoming a pattern.”
“2 really shite goals to give away from pretty much the blades only chances”

“Rovers played well and were the better team throughout.The young team were knocking it around towards the end really nicely. Future is bright with these kids.Sadly, we gave away 2 of the softest goals I’ve seen away.”
“Wasn’t bothered about the result before the game. Not quite sure how we managed to lose” “I’ve seen us play far worse and win games.”
“Horribly let down by two goal keeper foul ups and a penalty kick as bad as they come.” “We have plenty of possession but we create very little with it.”
“Mowbray got sent off for lecturing a BallBoy about lifestyle choices. This is true, believe it or not.”

“Mowbray was initially yellow carded for leaving the technical area. He spoke to a ball boy about the time he was taking to give Rovers players the ball back. He must have said something to the referee because a red card was produced within seconds presumably for something he said.I honestly don’t know what Mowbray thought he was doing by speaking to the ball boy. That’s completely out of his remit. All this ‘good human being’ is bollocks in my view and in my view he has made a fool of himself. Uncle Tony indeed .The referee was poor all night and his inconsistency was about as bad as I have seen.”
“Reading his comments in the LET about wanting to teach the ball boy about ethics, honour, integrity and personal values the ref probably did everyone a favour. He does come out with some nonsense does old Tony.”
“Somebody needs to talk to TM about the ethics, honour, integrity and personal values of picking Smallwood/Evans in midfield and giving Leutwiler an extension despite not being good enough to start in League 1, let alone for a Championship club.”
“Wish we had ball boys who slowed things down and helped the team out when defending leads. The one at Sheffield looked at least 16-17 and was no doubt a youth team player well rehearsed in such things. Our ball boys are young children of Primary school age by the looks of things. We could do the same but don’t. “
“Ravel Morrison is a dirty bastard. Shocking tackle on Travis”
“Ravel Morrisons tackling on Travis was shocking!”

Pre-Match View From Blackburn

August 26, 2019 / Roy / Leave a comment

“Premier League Sheffield Utd lie in wait in the Carabao Cup on 27th August, a testing encounter certainly, based on the evidence of last season’s Championship and early PL fixtures. However, with almost every club in the competition deploying squad rotation, the only prediction from me is that parking* around Bramall Lane, much like facing Lewis Travis, will be tough and challenging!”
“listening to Mowbray on the radio it sounds like a number of players may well be rested for the Sheffield game so they are ready for West Brom. Personally, I wouldn’t have a problem with that and it will be interesting to see if some of the fringe players can make more of their opportunity than they did against Oldham.”
“Do I care if we lose? Not really if it doesn’t impact on league performances.”
“I imagine not much stock will be put into this match and we will play fringe players”
“This mid week game in the city of Steel will be contested fiercely by our fringe players.Sheff Utd will make wholesale changes and i expect at least 8 by TM.”
“I would certainly play a strong side to see how we do against Prem opposition. Albeit most players are familiar from last season including their signings”

“Sheffield will ring the changes from their first 11 , so we won’t really be playing Prem opposition”
“Chris Wilder looking to field a good side, with Ravel Morrison expected to make his first start.”
“Interesting conundrum is the Sheffield United team selection. I think Mowbray said post match that Downing will have the night off, and that Brereton and Adarabioyo are unlikely to be fit. For me, Chapman, Armstrong and Rothwell all have to start, theres no point giving the former 20 minutes at the end, let him start a game. The 4th place in the attacking positions I would give to Gallagher, to try and get him a goal. Dack obviously did get one in the cup, and theres an argument to get him firing but I would have him on the bench.”
“I accept not all players are blessed with great skill and as such they as a minimum requirement have to put total effort in. but as Chris Wilder said on Saturday at Sheff Utd, he cant understand why it gets a round of applause when it is their minimum requirement. “
“Reading his comments you can see how Chris Wilder’s gotten Sheff Utd to where they are. A total winner’s mentality.”

“look at what Warnock did with Cardiff. Less money than what Mowbray has gone through yet got them up in his first season through his expertise for hauling teams to promotion. Wilder at Sheff Utd similar. Both succeeded in getting their clubs up within a couple of seasons on restricted budgets so it can clearly be done. I think Mowbray ties himself in knots with inconsistency in recruitment and selection, never really sure how to approach things from one game to the next.”
“I think that the signings of Tosin and Cunningham mean we are going to try and play the Sheffield United way. Mowbray has commented about the way the play and how they progressed several times”
“at least we’ll have a chance to focus on the league when they beat us”

“Sheff U newly promoted to the Prem with a sprinkling of £10m men will show how far away from the promised land we really are”