Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers: 29th December 2018

[Stuart]

8 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

I think the elephant in the room is that mowbray has set his team up , formation/signings to accommodate dack. We don’t play two up top because we have dack, we don’t have wingers because we have dack. I know he didn’t start yesterday but by all accounts we won’t wrong when he came on. He has played ok this season but he has had far too many quiet games. Gives the ball away too much and his fitness isn’t up to scratch. 

Love him but would happily sell him to get two good pacey wingers in, go to 442 and become solid. This would also allow Armstrong to play up top because on that winger role he is useless and a complete waste of time. Cut the square pegs nonsense and make it as simple as needs be. Let Tony Mowbray be Tony Mowbray and not trying to be Tony klopp

The problem is that Dack makes a heck of a lot of goals for this team - including winning free kicks for Mulgrew to take.

We don’t have any alternative and we have no successful Plan B. That is down to recruit to an extent but also down to Mowbray’s distrust of the likes of Rothwell and Travis - until yesterday.

If that’s because we don’t have good enough centre backs, then don’t play two uber-defensive midfielders to cover it up, get new centre backs.

In the Summer I said that we needed to bring in players to go straight into the first XI. Mowbray decided to stick with his League One team and hope that our legendary team spirit would be enough. It hasn’t been. In January he has to change that - before it’s too late. For starters we need a brute of a CB with Championship experience. £7m would have bought a lot of those.

[Ossydave]

Personally think we should go 3-5-2 with Dack in behind that front 2, will it happen though, absolutely not

[Bbrovers2288]

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

The problem is that Dack makes a heck of a lot of goals for this team - including winning free kicks for Mulgrew to take.

We don’t have any alternative and we have no successful Plan B. That is down to recruit to an extent but also down to Mowbray’s distrust of the likes of Rothwell and Travis - until yesterday.

If that’s because we don’t have good enough centre backs, then don’t play two uber-defensive midfielders to cover it up, get new centre backs.

In the Summer I said that we needed to bring in players to go straight into the first XI. Mowbray decided to stick with his League One team and hope that our legendary team spirit would be enough. It hasn’t been. In January he has to change that - before it’s too late. For starters we need a brute of a CB with Championship experience. £7m would have bought a lot of those.

He does but we are over reliant and a one man team. This makes it easy to defend against us. I’d rather have 3-4 players in the middle that we’re capable of creating something, be it a quality cross, mazy run to the byline, a long shot that bursts the net, a sublime pass to our strikers. As it is we are waiting on dack to beat 2-3 men and find the one striker up top. We need more options. We also don’t keep the ball enough and dominate teams. We are looking for smash and grab results. I’m all honesty it’s hard to watch

[Ewood Ace]

Just now, Ossydave said:

Personally think we should go 3-5-2 with Dack in behind that front 2, will it happen though, absolutely not

We don't have two decent centre back's let alone three.

[Waggy76]

5 minutes ago, Stuart said:

The problem is that Dack makes a heck of a lot of goals for this team - including winning free kicks for Mulgrew to take.

We don’t have any alternative and we have no successful Plan B. That is down to recruit to an extent but also down to Mowbray’s distrust of the likes of Rothwell and Travis - until yesterday.

If that’s because we don’t have good enough centre backs, then don’t play two uber-defensive midfielders to cover it up, get new centre backs.

In the Summer I said that we needed to bring in players to go straight into the first XI. Mowbray decided to stick with his League One team and hope that our legendary team spirit would be enough. It hasn’t been. In January he has to change that - before it’s too late. For starters we need a brute of a CB with Championship experience. £7m would have bought a lot of those.

We need more physicality in midfield and up front !!!

I find it Incredible that Mowbray (a very capable defender at this level ) cannot see it !!

We are soft all over the pitch ..

[Stuart]

2 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Personally think we should go 3-5-2 with Dack in behind that front 2, will it happen though, absolutely not

Don’t like it but, like this...?

[Bbrovers2288]

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Don’t like it but, like this...?

No thanks. Williams and nyambe at the back means goals goals and more goals. Armstrong and bennet wouldn’t create much on the wing, both have showed they are not the answers there. If your going to take lenihan out of defence he deserves a chance to play his actual position of defensive mid. 

[Ossydave]

4 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Don’t like it but, like this...?

Given current personnel I'd have Charlie, Rodwell and lenihan as the back 3. Nyambe on the right and not sure about the left tbh, bell at a push but not sure he's the man for the job

[Bbrovers2288]

At this moment in time without much needed reinforcements I’d suggest the strongest team we could field would be 

gk- raya

rb- nyambe

cb- downing

cb- lenihan

lb- mulgrew 

dm- rodwell/davenport

dm- Reed/travis

rm- Conway/bennett

am- dack

lm- rothwell

striker- graham/brereton 

[Ossydave]

Not sure about Mulgrew as a full back, he's seriously static way too much 

[Waggy76]

Reed and Bennett in midfield for me...

[Stuart]

2 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Given current personnel I'd have Charlie, Rodwell and lenihan as the back 3. Nyambe on the right and not sure about the left tbh, bell at a push but not sure he's the man for the job

So 5 defenders and no place for Bennett?

To be honest, 5 defenders is what Mowbray has been doing for a while. He’d have the above but drop Rodwell for Williams and drop Brereton and Travis to make sure Evans and Smallwood could play.

It’s going to be a very interesting month. Two of our best first-teamers, Dack and Reed, will be watched nervously while glaring problems like cb, lb, and both wings will need looking at. The wings will be what they will be though in my view - although he does have an opportunity if he can do a deal with Palmer’s slot.

[OJRovers]

3 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

At this moment in time without much needed reinforcements I’d suggest the strongest team we could field would be 

gk- raya

rb- nyambe

cb- downing

cb- lenihan

lb- mulgrew 

dm- rodwell/davenport

dm- Reed/travis

rm- Conway/bennett

am- dack

lm- rothwell

striker- graham/brereton 

Bit harsh on Evans. He’s not been at the level of Reed, but I think he’s had a good season at DM.

Unfortunately I think Travis is going to be the next Alan Judge, lots of potential but left out for reasons unknowns. Will get dropped now and probably loaned out then leave.

 

[Bbrovers2288]

Just now, Ossydave said:

Not sure about Mulgrew as a full back, he's seriously static way too much 

Played a large part of his career at lb, I’d not be wanting him to be bombing up and down the wing, just solid defensively which is where we have been let down all to often this season. It’s an easy concept, defensive players win the ball back and give it to our attacking players to do their jobs. Dominate the midfield with ball winners and players comfortable holding the ball, hence rodwell and reed. Mulgrew gives it to rothwell to run with it or play a defence splitting ball. 

[Bbrovers2288]

Just now, OJRovers said:

Bit harsh on Evans. He’s not been at the level of Reed, but I think he’s had a good season at DM.

Unfortunately I think Travis is going to be the next Alan Judge, lots of potential but left out for reasons unknowns. Will get dropped now and probably loaned out then leave.

 

Evans doesn’t hold the ball well enough, tackle well enough, find the net well enough to justify his place. Hence we get overrun in the middle

[OJRovers]

3 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Evans doesn’t hold the ball well enough, tackle well enough, find the net well enough to justify his place. Hence we get overrun in the middle

He’s not perfect but he’s been one of the better players IMO this season.

We looked solid against Norwich until Evans took a knock and then started he overrun in midfield.

Id play Evans and Travis in the centre with Reed wide.

[Ossydave]

6 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Played a large part of his career at lb, I’d not be wanting him to be bombing up and down the wing, just solid defensively which is where we have been let down all to often this season. It’s an easy concept, defensive players win the ball back and give it to our attacking players to do their jobs. Dominate the midfield with ball winners and players comfortable holding the ball, hence rodwell and reed. Mulgrew gives it to rothwell to run with it or play a defence splitting ball. 

With the way we (seemingly) want to play though it's essential we have some attacking input from the full backs. Not saying you're wrong though we can only dream of solidarity at the back! 

[Bbrovers2288]

Just now, Ossydave said:

With the way we (seemingly) want to play though it's essential we have some attacking input from the full backs. Not saying you're wrong though we can only dream of solidarity at the back! 

Point is the way we have seemingly wanted to play is clearly not working, changes needed and I’d start be becoming more solid 

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, blueboy3333 said:

I think I may have quoted t'other fella but from the quoted bit in your reply to him. Humblest apologies sir. 

Good. I thought I was going mad

[blueboy3333]

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Good. I thought I was going mad

You are, but not that for that reason?

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

Perhaps we could but Tony doesn’t sign/like wingers and can’t help but feel it’s to accommodate dack to allow him a free role 

I just don't see how proper wingers would impact on him. If anything it would be positive. Its hard to guess what Tony is at sometimes 

[Bigdoggsteel]

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

You are, but not that for that reason?

That's what supporting rovers does to a man! 

[Bbrovers2288]

8 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I just don't see how proper wingers would impact on him. If anything it would be positive. Its hard to guess what Tony is at sometimes 

I agree it could, but mowbray doesn’t play it or sign players to do so 

[Ewood Ace]

Not only do Sheff U have the best finisher in the Championship in Billy Sharp but in Enda Stevens they also have the best player that I have seen in the Championship this season, everything that you want from a wing back, you watch him play and you see why we can't play 3/5 at the back as we don't have anyone on either side who could do the job that he does.

[RevidgeBlue]

5 hours ago, Ewood Ace said:

I can't see Palmer being here much longer after West Brom. A shame as with a run of games I think there is a good player there, I fully expect him to go on loan to another Championship club under a different manager and excel.

Yes, I think Palmer is potentially a really good player given a free sort of role across the pitch just behind the striker. I fully expect him to go to another Championship Club and excel Shame TM hasn't been brave enough to allow him and Dack to link up more often and form an understanding.

My worry we will lose Dack in January and the guy who was a ready made replacement, at least in the short term whilst we consider our options, will already have gone back. if that happens, if you thought we were bad now.............