[Archived] Sheffield United 0 Blackburn Rovers 0

[dillo_dillo]

SUPER FRIEDEL!!!!!

....Why didn't play Toddy? even no on the bench...

[greggyk]

Have to say, I'd have Todd over Zurab almost evevery time.(not seen enough of Ooijer)

[RevidgeBlue]

Edit-Sky stats show we had ONE SHOT ON TARGET ALL GAME.

That's the worrying thing if it is correct.

Didn't see today's game but in two of our other three games we created no chances and one chance against Portsmouth and Chelski respectively.

So it seems that in three of our four games thus far we've mustered just 2 chances!

The other worrying thing was why one of the forwards didn't have the bottle to step forward for our penalty. You'd have thought they'd have been snatching the ball off one another to add an easy goal to their tally in the current climate.

[Alan75]

That's the worrying thing if it is correct.

The other worrying thing was why one of the forwards didn't have the bottle to step forward for our penalty. You'd have thought they'd have been snatching the ball off one another to add an easy goal to their tally in the current climate.

Could it be that Lucas is the designated penalty taker.

He took the one against United last season and he is Australia's penalty taker.

[Jammy]

Just got back, Bramall Lane is going to be a very hard place to visit for a lot of teams. On the whole didn't play too bad, think we had the skill edge, they had the grit and determination. would like to think 0-0 was pretty fair, but would say they had more chances, a bit quality up front and they probably would have won, so a point gained!

The majority of the team today did enough, excep MGP (very poor) and possibly McCarthy (deserved to be subbed)

Man Of the Match:-

Friedel no doubt

2nd choice Jeffers always wanted the ball and full of running, silly dive in the second half.

3rd choice Emerton as above

[SAS]

Just got back,

jeez what did you do walk home

`

[Shevchenko]

Well, I've just seen the game on a delay here and my thoughts for what its worth...I'm getting worried. There was something disjointed about us...not co-ordinated, off the pace, lack of confidence...something. MGP needs to be dropped badly. He looks totally off the pace and unable to do anything right. Infact, he's pretty much on the level he's been playing for Norway during the last year or so (with the exception of that goal against Hungary). I mean, Lucas Neill looked more dangerous coming forward than "Gamst" ever did!

Infact, Bentley looked like the only one even remotely interested and willing to get anything going in attack. He put some decent crosses in and he's always willing to take on his man...the complete opposite of MGP then. A lot of things need to improve in the next week if we're going to kick start our season.

[Poita]

I cant stand the way people are making excuses for our poor perfomances.

Firstly i would like to point out that none of the 3 penalties that were given today should have been given in the first place...

None of our signings from the summer or during the season have looked any good at all. The only person who came out of this game deserving credit was Brad Friedel.

I am very very concerned...

We need to sign new midfielders, but its too late now...

[Seggie]

sir bradley of blackburn

[RevidgeBlue]

On the basis of the brief highlights on MOTD, I must say we looked all at sea defensively.

How we could do with our best pairing of Todd and Nelsen.

Did it look that way watching it live?

[budha]

Just watched the delayed broadcast here. My 50 cents:

Our penalty and Shef's second one were ridicilous, but Shef's first one was so-and-so - Zurab kept on hanging from Hulse's shirt, Dean warned him before the corner took off and as it didn't end, he awarded the penalty. Holding the shirt is one of the biggest problems in footy at the moment and hopefully the ref's have the guts to keep on awarding penalties on those.

Zurab-Ooijer was out of sync again and we're really running out of time to get them on sync, but I guess that's the duo Hughes has his faith on, as Todd was on the stands with Gray and Neill playing at left-back. I can't imagine Henchoz forcing his way to the starting line-up anytime soon. Neill and Emerton on their respective back positions were good again, atleast those positions are in order.

Midfield didn't do bad, but no help to the strikers thou. Tugay will get better once he gets a few games under his belt, Savage was his own self and Bentley had a few decent crosses. MGP is looking like 50% of last years version - is he still out of form or what the hell has happened to the guy? Lousy decisions and doesn't look dangerous at all - if you can't be dangerous against Shef U and David Sommeil, who then?

McCarthy was simply bad. Jeffers was lively, I just wish he'd have 10 games under his belt - he'd be 10 times more dangerous, now I doubt we have time to give him the games he needs on the first team. I guess Hughes will try to play him at reserves so he'd retain his form from 6 years ago Nonda was looking strong and athletic, but that's it.

Hughes needs to pull some tricks from his sleeve to get things turned around, hopefully in time for the ManC's game. Bring on few tactical and personell changes for the Salzburg-game.

[USABlue]

Ooijer ~ two games, two penalties conceded This lad has a lot to learn. Didn't listen to the commentary today so can't make a remark on the game other than you have to wonder what's happening if we need Brad to save us against Sheffield United. As for Neill.....WTF?

I thought it was Zura the penalty was called on?

What I've seen says Zurab for the first and Neill for the second.

Correct.

Have to say, I'd have Todd over Zurab almost evevery time.(not seen enough of Ooijer)

I thought Zurab had rather a good game today.

[Paul]

I thought it was Zura the penalty was called on?

That was the first one frpm the press I've read. The second was Neil says the majority. I haven't seen it on TV. I posted before I was just quoting to BBC report here

And, unbelievably, Dean found time to award another spot-kick - against Andre Ooijer - but Friedel denied Rob Hulse.

Quite happy to accept I was wrong

[doctorryan]

I swear if I was Benni I would want to throw Lucas off the wall. You never call your scoring stars off of a spot kick. Especially when you score 2 goals a year. 3 points just tossed in the waste bin. And then he's the one who's subbed. And now a penalty for the Blades......Brad again!! Unbelievable.

Having seen the tape-delay, I first have to apologize to the skipper. Lucas played pretty well today and the "off the wall" remark looks really stupid when you see Benni giving him the good-luck kiss while he was lining up the kick. However; Benni should still have been the one taking it. We'd be celebrating a 1-0 win if he had. The rest of the team was for the most part average with our wingers having the weakest days. Try to remember the international calendar might have had something to do with that.

On the bright side; Brad was/is in top form and we got our first clean sheet with the back 4 in some disarray at the moment. Emo continues to look great at RB and Lucas seems suitable enough at LB, but he'll need time to develop things with MGP. I definitely think we're better off overall back there; especially if The Admiral can get back anytime soon. Andre has the goods; let him figure out the league's pace and his teammates (especially Brad). We know what we've got with Zura and the boxing twins.

It all starts there at the back; they don't score - we don't lose. Tugs will start to figure out where Benni, Shaba & Jason want the ball, Reidy will hit his 3 or 4 thunderbolts, MGP will hit a few veins of form (along with more valleys) and as the season progresses our better training standards & fitness will start to show.

By the holiday season you'll all be crowing about this and that and talking about star-ball badges on the shoulder next fall, as well as fretting about Lucas and complaining about why the trust and board won't spend funds whose true first purpose in life is to secure a safe, prosperous and sometimes downright cozy future for the beneficiaries of the Jack Walker Trust. Our club is but one of many on that list, and definitely not the most important.

Next.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

So whats happened to Michael Gray (apart from being lamped by Rooney)?

Surely a natural attacking left back is better than playing Neill there.

We just don't seem the same down the left hand side and I believe that MGP's game is suffering.

Early days but its worrying that our lack of form has coincided with the absence of Gray and Todd

[Bobby G]

I personally think some people should take off their rose tinted classes which makes them see that we are right about to turn this around, and others should stop with the we are going down crap. It is what it is, a poor damn start but we havent seen anything to make us believe that we are about to turn it around.

For me, other than the individual defensive mistakes, the most worrying aspect of this season has been the lack of clear-cut chances created for our strikers! I really cant seem to recall many created for our strikers all season long. Thats a problem and with Gamst in absolutely poor form right now, we are depending on Bentley whose crossing was good yesterday and the old man Tugay who surely cant play 90 minutes every week.

And one final word on Brad Friedel who was magic! He saved us bigtime!

I personally dont think we will be finishing top 6 this season, but I dont think we will go down either; something around 10th I reckon.

Edited September 10, 2006 by Bobby G

[AggyBlue]

Having seen the tape-delay, I first have to apologize to the skipper. Lucas played pretty well today and the "off the wall" remark looks really stupid when you see Benni giving him the good-luck kiss while he was lining up the kick. However; Benni should still have been the one taking it.

Benni had the ball and was prepared to take it, that is until Lucas marched over and snatched the ball out of Benni's hands. Well done Lucas :ph34r:

[Jammy]

jeez what did you do walk home

`

Thought it looked that way after I'd sent it, quite a few refreshment breaks where made from Sheffield to Blackburn.

[thenodrog]

I can't believe we achieved sixth last season looking at the start we've made, can't all be down to Bellamy can it ?

I didn't go so feel free to correct me but...........

1. Hmmm.... we draw yet another blank and Bellamy couldn't even get on the bench for his super duper favourite boyhood hero club today! Unless he is injured (which I am led to believe is not the case). Just serves to re-affirm my belief that squads should be restricted to a max of 24 players. Big / wealthy clubs just sign players in order to stop them playing for anybody else. It's immoral and the Prem in it's own best interests should stop it.

2. Nobody has mentioned this but it appears that that dodgy git Warnock in recognising his sides poverty of talent has narrowed the Bramhall Lane pitch! Very difficult for footballing teams to 'play'. The prem should be frowning on this type of tactic.

3. Nice to see my personal pick of the summer signings in terms of value Jeffers having a decent game.

4. Experience means that I can never trust penalty takers who only take 1 or 2 steps in their run up! (Mike Harrison apart eh Jim?)

5. 3 pens and none of em valid! Thats not careless it's criminal! I even though Kishishvalli was the one being fouled! Still in the longer term if it stops all this shirt tugging and wrestling then maybe it's for the best. But just like players who have bad un's the ref and the linesman need a month or so in the lower divisions.

Edited September 10, 2006 by thenodrog

[Paul Mellelieu]

Bloody hell, Inspector 'Drog's got it right twice in a month!

[AggyBlue]

2. Nobody has mentioned this but it appears that that dodgy git Warnock in recognising his sides poverty of talent has narrowed the Bramhall Lane pitch! Very difficult for footballing teams to 'play'. The prem should be frowning on this type of tactic.

You're right, that must be the narrowest pitch I've ever seen.

We play without wingers so it can't be an excuse.

[Flopsy]

so more of a crawl home

[Ozz]

Deuchars IPA in The Rutland was the highlight. Plus jipping the trains out of £5.85.

Chorley to Sheffield £23.80

Chorley to Manchester duo, £4.75 each, Piccadily to Sheffield £13.20. Total £17.95. Saving £5.85!

[OhmiBRFC]

Fridel was amazing, definatley one of the best performances in a rovers shirt, the atmosphere was quality before the game & in the second half.

Was good goin home apart from nearly gerrin started on in sheffield

[yorkblues]

very poor again