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No hoof at the Lane, just neat, progressive football
‘Nobody here is guaranteed a place.’
I like that quote from Danny Wilson this week and the fact that we have a ‘wealth of attacking options.’
Despite the fact that I (sure you are too) am feeling ever increasingly nervous right now about Sheffield United and our promotion. I actually feel really excited about our squad, our manager and the way the Blades are playing their football.
Ryan Flynn has stated this week that the display on the field isn’t what United are after and it’s all about points rather than performances.
To an extent I’m sure all Blades would rather put up with ugly football and win promotion than play a slick passing game and stay in League One.
When I was up at Bramall Lane over the New Year there was a lot of comment for the first time in a long time about the way United were playing football rather than just the table and promotion/play-off dog fight.
Recently though the questions have been raised over whether Sheffield United have not been as physical as deemed necessary by some... but do we actually need to be? I personally don’t think we do.
Wilson has changed the way we play football for the better and has brought in the results at the same time.
Resort back to the physical approach, add in an emphasis on the long ball and we may completely mess up our chances of getting out of this league. Flaws can be exposed through a physical game.
The best thing I like about United’s current approach is that for once it seems the club and the manager are thinking long term.
If we can get out of this League at the first time of asking and transfer the skill-set that we now have then I think we can move forward as a side and compete with the best.
And why not? We are improving, rebuilding and with it progressing.
You only have to look at Swansea and what Brendan Rodgers has done with the Welsh club.
The Swans play football, create chances and play out from the back with short passes.
Studies have shown that teams that work with possession are more successful in the long run. Swansea were in League One in the 2007-08 season! League One has changed so much over the last five years. The way to get promoted from League One used to be about hoofing the ball, grinding out the results through a physical game.
Now it’s playing football that gets a side promoted. Look at the teams that have recently gone through the leagues, Swansea, Norwich, Blackpool, they played teams off the park and bypassed the Leagues.
Previously it was seen that any football below the Championship was lumpy and ugly. There are so many big teams in League One now that is just not the case.
The difficulty comes when a team doesn’t want to play football and ‘parks the bus.’
However Sheffield United have displayed the most important thing, that we can adapt.
When we need to resort back to getting the job done the old fashioned way, we do.
The key is having both options and the Blades do, generally speaking.
We are getting there, progression and change takes time but it’s already paying off and will do in seasons to come if we stick with. I love a line that a Blade has written on one of the forums, NO HOOF AT THE LANE. I couldn’t agree more.
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Comments
There are 24 comments to this article
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blade4life1982
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 01:03 AMwatched wednesday on tuesday night and if Barcelona are the Marlyn Munroe of football wednesday are the Vanessa feltz :)
xover
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:51 AMSCB, misogynistic, "apparently" homophobic but then posts: "good analegry" I don't know what it means but he's obviously got something on his mind. Methinks he doth protest too much.
xover
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:48 AMSCB. At a seance.
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:35 PMVVankblunt.. Obvious you belive the hype and tripe fed to you. Like I said. I know someone who is related.. he tells me Beattie is a conceated self opinionated ar5e... cares about Beattie only. he NO other offers .. if he did please enlighten us.. links to club sites maybe? Like I said. believe or don't..it bothers me not
Mancblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:26 PMTalk about covering all the angles. You claimed to know what our players were on before the window and you still said the fire sale was about to start. Now you are telling us that nobody wanted them. etc. There wasn't a pig or Blade who thought NOBODY would leave the Lane in Jan but you seem to have predicted it because of what they were on. We would have been impressed if you has shown your aces before end of Jan. For what ever reason they didn't go, its great news for the Blades and bad for you and the chasing pack. BT you tell us had told us to shove it but now we offered more and he stayed. Couldnt just for once the headline we read was the truth? That being he had other offers but wanted to stay with the mighty Blades? I'd put him first in line to come on and make a 20min impact over ANYONE on your regular bench.
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:23 PMOh, and Heeley Bottom blunt.. I did think some players would go... didn't you, if you can be honest? McSue needs to reduce your wage bill.. fact. In reality transfers were down in every league. You are not as stupiud as you often come accross.. surely!!!. If one happens it has a domino effect. It just did not happen
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:09 PMOh Lon Rd owl keep up.... I told you about Beattie.. after it happened.. How could I tell you something which had not happened.. TBH, I care not what you think or believe.. why would i lie.??? to impress you? who the f are you any way.. Like I will meet you and you say 'oh- SCB, you are so clever' I have enough adulation from Blunt meister... !!!! Maybe it is sh1t I was told but I was simply putting down what a 'close; relation to beattie told me. don't believe it .. big deal
Ldn Rd Blade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 04:23 PMAh, so before the transfer window you were telling everyone how we were going to lose all our players. After, when they didn't go it's because no one wanted them but you knew that anyway didn't you, you just didn't say anything. Oh and Beattie wouldn't sign for 2K but you new through your family friend that he would sign for 3K, again you just kept that to your self. My point is, you talk bobbins mate.
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:18 PMWell Heeley Bottom Blunt... It is not my fault the fire sale went bad... You can not argue.. if anyone wanted your 'stars' they would be gone. The fact is that everyone saw average players on inflated wages. Be fair.. Is Chav Rapper an investment for anyone? a £15 k a week possible in mate... Montgomery circ. £10k a week ... Oh please!!!!! As for Meatie. What i said at the time was right. Blunts offered him £2k a week and he said stuff it. They bettered the offer to £3k a week and for 2 12 years with a clause saying he can leave if you are not promoted. So, tell me again.. what is your point?
Charlotte Blobster Pie Girl with her Lame view
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 02:43 PMSilverblade - do you suffer from a sstutter?
Charlotte Blobster Pie Girl with her Lame view
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 02:24 PMNo POOF at the Stain - yes, we are fed up of being called the 'gay club' - so we have to change our sty(le) - it's not that we are homophopic.
silverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:13 PMYep steely it just shows it can be done, if the clubs are in the right hands and a sound business plan the ffuture could look a lot different to what it is at the momment, and of caurse the right manager...would be great if both team's followed Swansea's example and followed them to the "promised land"... we can dream...
Ldn Rd Blade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:11 PMTypical Wednesday post, sexism followed by calling us gay. @11 Is this one of your amazing predictions? Like our fire sale and Beattie not signing?If I didn't know better I would think you were making things up.
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:59 PMHi EPNS.... good analegry... Wednesday almost went out of business. and we are working our way back... the future is the good bit... Yoour mob maywell go out of business. McSue will not put money in forever. nor will he wait for ever to get 10p in the £ back...
sliverblade
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:56 PMComment removed by moderator
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