“Sheff Utd is a must win. I’ve always wanted to start one of these threads. They’ve been so successful the previous ten times we had one, I think we have a 0% record in OTIB-appointed Must Win Games™. So let’s have one last one for old times sake.If we’ve learnt anything this season it is to have as few must win games as possible. I suggest that next season we either sign a few more players like Diony or play a few of our Under-12s so that we go into games as massive underdogs and City are spared the overbearing pressure of minor expectation.For added effect let’s have the players run out at Ashton Gate to the theme tune of the magic roundabout and have home fans all dressed as sunflowers throwing small balls of cotton wool onto the pitch. Anything to create a happy marshmallowy sort of environment free of the dreaded must-win.  P.S. #1 On recent respective league form our point at Burton is looking more and more impressive. P.S. #2 For the sake of Niclas Eliasson’s poor family at least tell them where you have buried the body.”

“I want to know whose turn it is to come on the website and say we are fighting to the end, despite not having done so for the last 4 months?”

“Shame as it would’ve been a great game if this would played a few months back. Unfortunately both of us have collapsed a little bit. Still a good season for both of us imo”

“what was looking like a play off decider cracker to end of season damp squid.”

“Nothing can be proved in an end of season damp squid.”

“Didn’t you hear? Johnson said that he wants us to go out with a bang and the players will be really up for it. I can’t remember him ever saying this before so we must mean business. ”

“I have a season ticket and haven’t seen a home win in the league since Cardiff in November. Literally the only home games I have missed since then have been the wins. I even went to Sunderland and Hull games haha!Sorry to say I am going to this one. Feels like we should be 24th from what I have seen!!!”

“I’m waiting for LJ to come out in the week and say “Let’s make it a party occasion at Ashton Gate for the final game of the season, just like we have done in the past”. ”

“I honestly believe that Lee Johnson doesn’t have the faintest clue on how to manage or head coach a Championship football club.I know it will be a long time in the future but I really do hope that I will still be compos mentis/alive when he leaves Ashton Gate for the final time.”

“if SL really wanted premier league football he’d have appointed a proven, successful championship manager….we haven’t had one since Steve Coppell….we ain’t going anywhere soon in terms of promotion….but being in the championship ain’t the worse thing in the world…I just wish those at the top would tell us what they really want….because appointing Millen, McInnes, SOD, Cotts and LJ is not any signal of positive intent with regards to getting out of the championship in an upwards fashion rather than a downwards one….”

“Is anyone bothering with this game?”

“I aint going. Being on a Sunday for me is not a good day, if we were pushing for promotion/play-offs I would have moved heaven and earth to be there but we are finishing on a whimper. 60 odd years of going to the Gate can drain a bloke”

“I want to win to record yet another ‘double’. We’ve had quite a few in a really good season and one tends to like more of a good thing. Just hoping the woodwork is as kind to us as it was at Bramall Lane (was it 5 times they couldnt find the net but hit the white stuff??”

“9 points from the remaining fixture will see on 76 points, and into the play-offs by the skin of our teeth, just ahead of Derby who are going to bottle it yet again. With that in mind I think a front three of Kent, Diony and Woodrow should get us over the line on Sunday. Live the dream people. ”

 

 

 

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“Big game… or not, depends what happens elsewhere.
Huntington went off injured at half time and Clarke looked like he was playing through the pain barrier as well. Hopefully Maguire is sharp enough to start and I hope Alex Neil gives Harrop his chance as he’s looked great coming off the bench.”

“We have next to no chance of getting the play offs but I think we may well still take it to the last day of the season. I can see Villa beating Derby now that they still have a slim chance of automatic promotion, whereas had Cardiff won tonight, they may have rested a few key players like Huddersfield did last year. And Sheff Utd can no longer get the play offs so they may be tempted to go on their holidays whereas our players may think a miracle can happen. If both we win and Derby lose then regardless of other results, we take it to the last day of the season. I then believe Derby will pick up at least a point from Barnsley and we’ll be out of it but it’ll still make for an interesting last day Vs Burton and who knows we may even find a miracle from South Yorkshire on the last day of the season again… “

“Sheff United’s chances are not too far behind PNE’s. We both need two victories and we both need to climb over Derby, Millwall and Brentford (they also need to climb over PNE and Bristol City… but that’s who the Blades play in their last two matches, so that would happen naturally.). If Derby Millwall and Brentford do lose on Saturday, then a Sheff U victory would have them going into the last match just 2 points (and lots of goals) off the play-offs and praying for Derby to slip up in their last match… And that’s not too far from our situation if we win at Bramall Lane. There are clearly some additional permutations that can work in our favour but Sheff United will NOT be on their holidays on Saturday!”

“Sheffield Utd are likely to be more physical and direct so a lot more contact is likely to take place and the 50/50 challenges need to won. A lot could come down to who wants it more. With it being the end of the season expect to see Clarke or Hunts play strapped up and injected with pain killers”

“I believe Sheffield United play a 3-5-2 and most of their attack is fast breaks, going forward in numbers with the wingbacks bombing down the flanks at every opportunity. Keeping the wingbacks pegged back in a defensive role should be a top priority, which means pace on the wings, forcing Baldock and Stevens to keep tight to them and be hesitant to join the attack. Without them united have very little width from what I’ve seen of them, so Robinson and Barkhuizen on the wings is a must in my opinion, with Bodin either benched or played centrally.  O’Connell, Basham, and Stearman are all around 6’3″ so we’ll have no luck with the long balls forward we resort to at times, so keeping the ball on the ground is an absolute must as I doubt we’ll win many duels. Set pieces will pose a problem too, as we’ve been weak defending them recently and having tall centre halves and the likes of Leon Clarke and Clayton Donaldson attacking the ball will be very dangerous. ‘m expecting a few goals for both sides in this one. Both teams will be at each other’s throats from the off “

“We should basically do the opposite of what Alan Irvine did the last time we had such a huge game at Bramhall Lane. “

“The opposite of how we played there in the FA Cup this season would be very

good. “ “ our away form has been excellent this season and AN has the mindset in the players that we can go and get something at any ground in the Championship. Just keep that mindset and lets get 3pts “

“What I’ve found funny and interesting is that their fans have this down as a dead cert 3 points and expect to struggle against Bristol City. I know we’ve not been as good as we can be and not been finishing chances, but we’re still more than capable of going there and winning. The players do need to turn up though and deliver if they really want it this season.”

“tbh I can’t see it happening now. If we’d have beaten Norwich we’d still be well and truly in the mix and taken another 1,000 to Sheffield Utd. There’s too many permutations for it to be likely but there is still a small chance so the seasons still interesting. I honestly don’t think we’re clinical enough at this stage of the season to win the play offs anyway.
Whether we make it or not, we’ve improved on last year and even with exactly the same squad it shows that with a little bit of luck we could well have made it. We have money to spend in the summer so if we can get the right players in for Neil’s style I really don’t see why we can’t improve further next season. Overall whilst a tad frustrated I’, happy with the club, management and players. “

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“This is must win but a point could do (Strange football isn’t it?)

This is huge, the biggest game of the season by far. I think we are in it till the last day which worries me as surely we don’t get out of it three times with last day drama.
Difficult one to predict as I think Wolves away has really unsettled quite a few.”

“We seriously need all 3 points and I dont give a toss how we get them. If they are brinking 2.8k then the atmosphere should be good, but feck em,all I want is the 3 points. “

“I honestly think we can take Sheffield United in this match. I would maintain that, even if they are chasing a playoff place, their team is no better than ours and we are at home. The way Monk has got us playing, I think a win is definitely possible”

“No excuses for not winning this. Sheffield United are not in great form”

“They are 3 points from play offs, Villa couldn’t beat them at home could they? Donaldson!!
We will show you them it’s done Saturday”

“They may be but they are not in great form and if you remember we completely matched them earlier in the season.”

“This game will be difficult, Sheff U are still in the hunt for a play-off. However we should remember that they are in this good position because they got off to a flyer at the beginning of the season, they have come off the boil since.
I don’t think I have been to a squeaky bum game in years.”

“Anyone else as worried as me about where our goals are coming from? 1-0 would be great and if Barnsley lost I think we would be close to safety- one more point in the remaining two matches I reckon would be enough”

“Sheffield will be a tough nut to crack because they are still chasing a play off place, but we are the home team and we’ve got to want and go for a win.
Adams will be available, but Dean will be missing, which is a big blow.
However, we’ve got something else, the St Andrews crowd. The noise we made at the final match of last season was deafening and helped us to victory. I’m sure it will be the same again for this match.”

“We need goals if we are to improve our goal difference compared with Bolton, so I think Adams has to start. Davis has scored goals, but he’s not a natural goalscorer.”

“Adams has scored 3 in 27 League games this season. I know he’s been injured but he is not prolific. He’s inconsistent and can go missing in games but because he was previously with the Blades and it could be a case of ‘scoring against yer old team’ I’d start with him in a 4-4-2 and hope he get’s his head down and drills a powerful one in as he did v Cardiff. “

“I think we simply have to win
Hopefully Monk feels the same way and goes all out for the win
IF we are going to go down then lets go down the right way and not trying to defend defend defend and hope that Juke somehow manages to get one goal in the 2 or 3 chances that we may be able to give him (at home) when he usually needs 10 chances to get one goal.
So come on Blues, don’t be afraid anymore, its past that point now, just go for them from the off and get that win.
I don’t want to see Jota anywhere near our box and he should be told to go wherever he likes.”

“I have posted previously about that night game in the 70s, i said then that it was the worsy hiding i had ever seen an away following endure at st andrews.
It was sureal, the police had literally vacated the ground to take up position outside the ground, leaving 6,000 sheffield fans behind. Que groups of blues climbing the fencing that had kept us apart now minus the lines of police. The sheffield fans although in large numbers didn’t know what to do and were like sitting ducks as probably no more than a couple of hundred blues fans rained down on them.
Our away games in sheffield in the 70s were also carnage with police being pulled from there horses and the city centre shops taking a batterig. So many blues fans were arrested they had to lay on a special train to take them homeo one year and the night game when we were fighting relegation was carnage, over 10,000 travelled that night.”

“They tried to come the ‘big I am’ up there in November. I know somebody who gat smacked from behind, the bloje that did it got filled in. Wasn’t the only incident that day”

“Must have been a couple of different things going on, as I know a small group of our lot came Second, this season.”

“They got a kicking at their place earlier this season and a fairly decent scrap prior and after the 4-0 fa cup game.”

“Never really minded Sheff Utd, even when Colin W*nker was in charge, although I’m still scarred by that 0-0 draw in ’98 when we missed the playoffs on goals scored – goal difference would’ve seen us make the top 6, but the FL had changed the rules that year to supposedly inspire more attacking football – after Sasa Ilic spent 90 mins channeling his inner Lev Yashin. “

“I like Sheff Utd fans to be honest.”

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“must-win for the Blades. Must-not-lose for the Lions. This is a big one.”

“Sheffield United is now a must-not-lose, rather than a must-win. That being said, a win would put us six points clear of the Blades, taking them out of it, and possibly four/five points clear of Boro with three games to go. So  tight. With so many of the top 8 playing each other, I think it’s possible, if unlikely, that we could even get in with 4/12.”

“This is the one I’m dreading the most of our games left to be honest”

“Imagine looking at them fixtures knowing we needed points to stay up Championship next season ? I will take that as a prize for losing out ”

“They are going to play 3-5-1-1 formation apparently.That would be completely insane. So lets hope thats what they play.”

“Makes no difference to us as we’re set up to cover every angle.
All our outfield players are covering each other,a sort of ‘total football’ Do you not think that our oppo have been trying to counter our set-up, and failed so far,?”

“Looks like David Brooks was on song during midweek.”

“Hope Sheffield United fans are embarrassed by their clubs ticket allocation for Millwall fans on Saturday…disgraceful but hey we’ll still make twice the noise they do as at all other grounds we go to”

“The Blades Business Crew’s top boy is Norris Ramsbottom . He led a crack unit of Sheffield’s finest into the back doubles of Bermondsey, but came unstuck – literally; his false leg fell off. Noz has always told people that he lost his leg in Afghanistan; but in fact it was in Gregg’s (so to speak). That’s because like most northerners, Nozza is addicted to a diet of sausage rolls and pasties. He lost his leg to diabetes and then to some young rascals on a SE London estate. Yet, the BBC are still the top firm in Yorkshire – unlike the famous Leeds United, they do at least forgo getting selfies with tourist at Borough Market to actually venture into Bermondsey!

“Some of the Fixtures already leaked for next season. Millwall vs West Ham: Thursday morning 5am, Fiji National Stadium. Millwall vs Tottenham 2:45am Monday morning, North Korea Missile Testing Arena with Kim Jong Un in the studio”

“If Millwall gets promoted, I’m cancelling the kids’ season tickets. They can’t get a sniff of sporting glory at such a young age. It’ll ruin them. First they need to suffer decades of soul-crushing misery.”

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“Well, well, well. Boro got out of their mini slump and beat Karankas toothless troops 2-0 thanks to goals from Daniel “CR7” Ayala and Downing. We keep our place in the play offs but Milwall are somehow keeping up the pressure. Our next game is already on tuesday night as we go to fellow play off contenders Sheffield United in the first of a number of “6 pointers”. United lost their last game 2-3 away at Barnsley despite leading 2-1 with 25 minutes to go. United are in bad shape at the moment and have only won 1 game in 7 which was at home againt the mighty Burton 5 games ago. They are trailing Boro by 4 points so the onus is on them to attack us. That might free up some space for Traore, Downing, Howson and Bamford on the break which is likely the tactics Pulis will employ.They seem a bit nervous about the game knowing that a loss or maybe even a draw could end their season. They know they are not in great form and their defence isn’t getting much praise. If the players are thinking along those lines too I predict a very tactical game and probably only one goal in it. We really need to get at them and not let their confidence grow. They are in a bad shape and we need to rattle them from kick off.”

“Apart from Millwall all of the other contenders are as equally as bad as Boro in terms of results however looking at the fixtures it would seem likely that all should pick up 3 points though Millwall might not get the 3 points as I feel Bolton desperately need something to maintain their own precarious position.. Absolutely a massive game for both Boro and Sheffield United and falls into the category of THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE SEASON………….so far! Definitely a “must not” lose game for both teams. Think it is within us to get 3 points but I suspect a draw will be the outcome”

“It’s a case of an in form team against a struggling one, so of course Boro will reverse the Blades fortunes as we do against any team low on confidence…I’d go with the same Lineup, it seems like Sheffield United’s momentum from their terrific promotion season is finally slowing down. Their left wing back Stevens has looked a bit dodgy in the games I’ve seen him, he wont be looking forward to matching up against Traore.”

“I watched Sheffield United against Cardiff live on Sky the other night and they were very, very good. If we are not at the races here we could get beat which would be a big blow. I’ve seen some calls for Adama Traore to be rested but we cannot afford to do that under any circumstances until a top 6 position is confirmed. Hard to predict the outcome until we know which Boro turn up!”

“This one has got nil nil written all over it as far as I can see. I think both teams will be trying to keep things tight and snatch a single goal, I can’t see either side being particularly adventurous. ”

“I have a feeling we’ll lose this one, our away performances against top half teams have been poor and we aren’t good enough on the counter-attack. Think TP would snap your hand off for a draw and will start too cautious with Bamford isolated. Can see us going behind by 1 then huffing and puffing like we tend to. We’re really not good at chasing games, look at Burton. Best case scenario Boro score first from a set piece or Adama/Bamford does something magic and then have something to defend, as that’s when the team looks happiest (although it is torture to watch as fans). Not trying to be negative just think this is a fair reflection of how we’ve played recently and the likely outcome.”

“Sheff Utd’s last 6 games W1 D4 L1, hard to beat on their own ground as Cardiff found out”

“Sheffield Utd will think themselves unlucky first game of the season which may turn to our advantage on Tuesday.”

“I can’t believe they’re still hanging on in there – especially as Leon Clarke’s goals have all but dried up.”

“Derby and Sheff Utd for me are the two games I worry about. Although Sheff Utd, Bristol and Millwall will have to come at us and try and beat us just because of the state of the table, which opens them up to Adama more.”

“The league been very average has worked well in our favour so we’re 6th on merit at the end of the season your league position is were you deserve to be. I think what’s mainly rattled the majority of fans is that given our resources we should have been up there not worrying about the play offs but if we could manage to get one of the automatic promotion spots, its bloody annoying.”

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“Remember when we sent the blunts down at their place… oh how we laughed..
Well I hope our skin is on the collective thick side this Saturday .. may need to be”

“If being taunted at the game isn’t going to be bad enough, Reds supporting Radio Dee Darr listeners are in for even more. The presenters will already be salivating at the prospect of this. I certainly won’t be tuning in for the foreseeable. “

“they could get revenge for the season we sent them down and put a huge nail in our coffin.” “I think we will do really well just to get a point against a decent blunts side at the weekend but after that it’s **** or bust time….”

“I can’t see us getting anything against the Blunts on Saturday”

“we will suffer a humiliating defeat.”

“If we go 2 down on Saturday I’ll be walking out.
Of all the supporters in England they are the ones I’d least like to be facing in our situation. I can just see it now.
Could even be the last action I see this season.”

“I’m seriously worried about Saturday, I absolutely detest them as a club but unfortunately can’t see anything other than a defeat for us. To have them gloating and taking the piss will be too much especially if it gets to 2 or 3 nil.”

“If Sheff U play anything like they did against Cardiff then we’re in trouble. There energy and pressing alone will cause us major problems. Here’s hoping they have an off day. “

“They looked pretty useful against Cardiff. Have a job on to get 3 points on Saturday. Nowt new there tho”

“Cardiff were hardly impressive at oakwell. Just a thought.”

“they play the energy and pressing game that we had so much success with. Dread to think how whoever plays at left back copes with young Brookes. “

“No doubt Billy Blunt will get his annual goal against us . “

“Two wins in 25 games, both away from home, were doomed I tell you, doomed.”

“If we can get players around Kieffer Moore and he plays like he did on Friday we can win on Saturday….Its a massive game where only 3 points will do. “

“They`ll know what they`re up against and tek him art of equation early doors I would imagine.”

“My Sheffield United supporting Brother says they are more than capable of defending against players like Kieffer Moore, so the route 1 tactics probably won’t work on Saturday.”

“be a tough game Saturday , but just like a few years back , a result against the blades could turn our season”

“When we have lost to the Blunts in recent times it’s because McCabe has been paying big wages.
I think the last time we lost at home to them their centre forward was on £39.000 per week.
That’s not the case now. They have players of lesser quality than us now – if they beat us it will because they were either better organised or worked harder or both.
This game is there for Barnsley to win.”

“The only thing that gives me a bit of hope is that they need to win too and if they go for it there’s a possibility it could be an open game. I’m clutching I know.”

“Even if we were to go down anyway how desperate are we for just a little cheer, a win would be a massive lift to everyone And at least leave is with a positive memory for this season and a home win in 2018.”

“Saturdays game reminds me of when we played Hull City not so many seasons ago (was it the great escape season)? I went down to Oakwell fully expecting to lose and be put out of our misery but low and behold we beat them and there 6 thousand following 2-0.Lets hope for the same at the weekend.” “We’ve wasted gilt edged opportunities to build a gap or pull away. Only in the last few months we failed to beat a dreadful Wednesday team, failed to hold onto a lead at Hull, lost to Burton, failed to beat Norwich and Bristol at home, not to mention all the other 20 odd games before it when we haven’t gained maximum points.
I’m not sure we have 5 points left in us. And it’s unlikely Reading, Bolton and Brum will fail to pick up any more points.
We’ve been saying must win for over a month. The blunts is an absolute must win, if we don’t close that gap Saturday, i can see the last vestiges of hope leaving even the most optimistic. “

“It will be a long time before i forgive the club for the events of January 17 and this season. All that hard work 3 years ago pissed down the drain. And all the while clubs like Sheffield United & Millwall are thriving after their promotions.”

“Sheffield United spent six seasons in League 1. Do we expect to improve on their performance, especially as they had Brian the Blade?”

“I got punched in the head walking back to the train station the day we relegated them….. I didn’t have colours on and never even spoke to the bloke responsible so Christ knows why he picked on me!”

“If they go 2 0 up I’m going to put some ear plugs in and stay until the end to see if we pull it back. If we don’t I’m going to set fire to the Curry Mahal, where some of the waiters are Blunts.
After we beat Leeds in the famous January 2017 match I went in there for a curry, still on a high from the match. One of the waiters told me to stop going on about Barnsley in the presence of Blunts fans. I told him I was in my home village in my home town and I’ll celebrate what I want, and it was him who was on “away” territory. One of two other customers who were Reds fans backed me up. The t**t (there, I’ve said it) asked me to leave. His boss (Ash, for those who know him) intervened and the knob got a right telling off. My meal was free and the Blunt never bothered me again.
Might pop in on Saturday night if we win… “

“Even if we’re 5-0 down I won’t leave early, even if it means having to go home on the same train as them. After 50 years of watching us I’m immune to bad results. There are still people on here gloating about how we sent them down a few years ago when we drew 2-2 at their place even though they’d have still gone down with a win. So if they do help send us down this season they’ll just think that what comes around goes around. Call it korma. “

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Tough games coming tick and fast now, and Bramhall Lane is always a tough one, though we are unbeaten there in our last five visits. Our injury list is shrinking and a couple of important players are back so the squad is looking strong and fresh. Our run of wins is bound to come to an end soon and I’d be happy with a draw.”

“Sheff United is no tougher than Brentford away. They’re in poor form and we should be going there full of confidence and looking to beat them. If we score first the place will get restless. A draw would be ok in a far from easy fixture but we can get 3 points.”

“Lets cut dem blades down”

“They haven’t had a good run lately and are just clinging onto playoff hopes. Had goalie sent off on Friday so I wonder who will replace him? Simon Moore perhaps?”

“they have Simon Moore to come in so sure it won’t overly affect them”

“The dread trio of fixtures. Well, the time has finally arrived!9 days and 3 games that could make or break our season, so let’s have some score predictions and number of points gained.All matches @19.45 live on Sky Sports.02/04 – Sheffield United v Cardiff City
06/04 – Cardiff City v Wolves
10/04 – Aston Villa v Cardiff City”

” Beating Blades is the hard part.”

“I reckon Sheffield Utd, Wolves and Villa are just as worried about playing us, possibly more so. Sheffield Utd and Villa are playing catch up, so are more desperate for a win, which should play into our hands.”

“A deadly trio of fixtures would be playing Cardiff City 3 times in a row.”

“I think many of us seem pessimistic due to nerves. We have to remind ourselves that ‘everyone’ dread playing us.
We are an excellent team”

“Massive game on Monday night
Those of us old enough to remember know that we are owed something there 1970-71. Also an April game saw our season ended. ”

“I thought we looked like the early season team on friday, where we were playing with a swagger. Confidence seems to be returning at the right time.”

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“Biggest game of the season for me, I hate this lot. Nasty bunch of cretinous fans.”

“I am confident of a Bees win. We’re a much better side and they’re on the slide. COYR’s. If we don’t reach the P.O. lets at least get 7th above PNE, SU, the Wall and Brizzle and psychologically a top side to be reckoned with next season.”

“I think we’ll be bang up for this one and they’re no great shakes”

“ A close game with chances missed for both teams but the luck is with us, to keep us temptingly within touch with the play-offs”

“a win for us and if Boro or Derby lose, we’re back within 5 points of play offs again- I know there’s other teams between us-but u never know.”

“It’s a must win”

“Looks like a decent crowd tomorrow, most of the ground is limited availability”

“Is Donaldson available? If he is then surely he will dive in the box enabling Sheffield to take the lead from the resulting penalty. We equalise when Canos, several yards offside, goes around the keeper when their back four have stopped, anticipating the linesman’s flag and scores with a minute to go. Woods wins it with a 30 yarder in the 94th minute. Can’t wait.”

“Sharp and/or O’Connell to react to some stick from Voice”

“No they’re ok, doesn’t ched evans play for em though ?????”

“He’s in their squad – but I think he plays elsewhere (allegedly)”

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