Match Day Thread Sheff United v Hull City

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City win?

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The midfielder thing I think is a real conundrum. Our usual midfield obviously lacks quality on the ball. Weirdly, we have a few very good passers that we've signed in the last year in Huddlestone, Moncur, Walsh (apparently) and even Cannon who I thought looked good on the ball when he played in the autumn. None of them play very much at all, because they don't give us the energy that Honeyman, Smallwood, Docherty and now Slater do, and that energy in winning the ball back is a big part of our game.

Whenever we bring one of those guys in, it seems to go badly and they end up getting quickly taken out again with the more energetic midfielders restored. But that still leaves us with the glaring lack of quality on the ball. Presumably Walsh was signed with a view to giving us an option with the best of both, but he's disappeared after one disappointing half. It makes me wonder how we actually improve this team. I guess the answer is by buying a seriously good quality player who can do it all by paying really decent money in the summer.
And I'd hope we give it to them. Never understand clubs that are happy to shell out a transfer fee + wages to bring players in when they could re-sign players already at the club for similar or less money. We went through years of penny pinching on contracts only to then bring in players who surely would have ended up costing us similar to what the player at the club was after.

Transfers falling out of the Premier League were haphazard to say the least.
 
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A strange game. Defensively we were excellent. As an attacking force we were almost impotent, which is worrying. We aren’t even creating many chances of note. I was envious watching Sheffield United pinging pinpoint accurate passes from one side of the pitch to the other, our passing with the exception of whatever came down our left from KLP/Fleming was generally very poor. Forss hasn’t done anything really to impress me. He seems far too lightweight to play the role he is being asked to play. I’d personally stick with Eaves up front, at least we are more likely to keep hold of the ball in the final third with Eaves on the pitch.

I’m not convinced this is the attacking football Acun craves?

Our set pieces need a major overhaul, as they are largely ineffective and ****.
 
The midfielder thing I think is a real conundrum. Our usual midfield obviously lacks quality on the ball. Weirdly, we have a few very good passers that we've signed in the last year in Huddlestone, Moncur, Walsh (apparently) and even Cannon who I thought looked good on the ball when he played in the autumn. None of them play very much at all, because they don't give us the energy that Honeyman, Smallwood, Docherty and now Slater do, and that energy in winning the ball back is a big part of our game.

Whenever we bring one of those guys in, it seems to go badly and they end up getting quickly taken out again with the more energetic midfielders restored. But that still leaves us with the glaring lack of quality on the ball. Presumably Walsh was signed with a view to giving us an option with the best of both, but he's disappeared after one disappointing half. It makes me wonder how we actually improve this team. I guess the answer is by buying a seriously good quality player who can do it all by paying really decent money in the summer.

I think Acun/Shota did the right thing in the last window, not spending a lot of money, just bring players in that will see us through to the end of the season.

IMO, Smallwood is probably past his best, doing a good job at present, but going forward we need better. Slater might be that player, or at least be cover for someone we bring in. Docherty has a good engine, but doesn't get his head up and often runs into trouble or miss places the pass. Moncur and Cannon are not up to the standard we need. I think Walsh was brought in as cover for Honeyman who is struggling with his shoulder, and they will probably try to see him through to the end of the season.

I think we need 2 or 3 better players in midfield that can retain the ball and are better passers. Tom H has this, but he is just not mobile enough now. Hopefully that will be address in the summer.
 
Like the Fulham game, I really enjoyed the match. Firstly, great to really upset the Blunt fans, was another highlight, who are a set of moaning twats, I just wish I had been amongst the 2000 faithful to really appreciate it.

Yes, it was another defensive display, but like Fulham, they have for the most part a side that played in the EPL recently, whereas we were 2 divisions lower in Div1 last term.

To a man, everyone gave their all, Fleming was standout for me, and so was KLP, who in the first half who ran them ragged on the left wing. Having said that, it could have been anyone of eleven as the Greaves and McLoughlin repelled everything, particularly in the 2nd half, when the Blunts decided to go route one, which I thought we handled excellently. I thought Elder did a really good job out of position on the right, and as mentioned Fleming was excellent again on the left.

I'm really encouraged how Shota and his team are finding a way to play that suits the players. Special mention for Longman, who worked tirelessly, and has that quality to create a chance, which he nearly did towards the end, as he did against Bournemouth.

On to QPR, who seem to be having a bit of a wobble, as they lost to Millwall last night.
 
According to the Blunts we conned the ref spoiled the game feigned i juries and lots of ‘’ ****housery’
So a pulled hamstring guy out for 3 weeks and an elbow in the face on Forss were conning the ref? They dominated the possession and we weren’t good enough to compete equally so it’s our fault we were stuck in our half !!!
All the things they complain about Warnock and Bassett did for years , multi ball , dodgy ball boys speeding it up slowing it down
The e got some nerve!!!
 
Forss has not done anywhere near enough to warrant a starting place in the next game.

I think it's really tough for Forss. He's clearly not a target man, I don't think he won one aerial duel last night and he's being asked to play the lone front man role, which does suit him.

He's meant to be a finisher but he's missing big chances. I suppose it depends how Eaves is
 
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What was that all about when Slater came off and Shota had hold of/talking to him on the touch line?
Don't know but Slater didn't look happy. Maybe Arvo wanted to forgo the attacking threat Slater can provide for a more defensive player? With hindsight it looked a decent move.
 
Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We're disappointed but we can't beat ourselves up over that. We know why we've not won - we didn't take one of the many, many chances.

"On another day if a team tries to sit behind the ball like that and make it difficult for us and we play like that we win the game, but today wasn't one of those days simply because we didn't take our chances.

"That was the story of the game - all those little moments where you'd take a scruffy goal but the ball doesn't drop and the pattern of the game gets even more set, which is them sitting in and playing on the counter. They defended the box well. It's another point."

Hull head coach Shota Arveladze told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I think we defended very well, better in the second half because we had a chance to give a message at half-time.

"The players did well and in the second half I think they (United) only had one chance. The rest was all blocks and corners and not really clear.

"We knew it was going to be very hard, we should stay in the game and would get small chances, if only we could finish them.

"I'm delighted we got this point as it's a very hard away game. I'm really pleased."
 
What was that all about when Slater came off and Shota had hold of/talking to him on the touch line?

Not sure. I’m sure his dad will let us all know on Twitter soon enough.

Thought Regan had a decent game. He looks far more comfortable on the ball than Doc does recently. Docherty could be a class player at this level if he improves the technical side of his game.
 
Not sure. I’m sure his dad will let us all know on Twitter soon enough.

Thought Regan had a decent game. He looks far more comfortable on the ball than Doc does recently. Docherty could be a class player at this level if he improves the technical side of his game.

Totally agree, Docherty needs to get his head up and improve his passing.