Sheffield Utd - Back from the game

[genome]

Swift - 7 - A player we have missed badly. Can see him leaving in January for a smaller fee than we would like to see. MOTM.

After signing a five year contract in the summer, no chance. Would take big bucks

[Woodcote Royal]

I thought we’d turned a corner last week but now it appears it’s back to square one.

My bottom line was don’t start without a striker whilst having one fit and ready to go on the bench or sat in the stand.

Well, fair enough, Bod was injured, but last week was also about a defence that didn’t leak like a sieve. So, having stumbled upon such a rare beast thanks to our mounting injury crisis, surely more of the same should have been the order of the day.

Don’t be silly. All that seemed clear on Radio Berks about yesterday’s defence was that it wasn’t the same as last weeks. Tim and Kev seemed to spend much of the afternoon trying to work out who was playing where.

Frankly, I feel like saying a big FFS

If yesterday’s match day squad and tactics are the best he could achieve from an uninterrupted week of training with this talented and expensively assembled bunch, what is left to say

In every walk of life management is about getting the most out of the resources at your disposal and whereas Stam did extremely well last season this one is turning into a disaster all of his own making.

What we really needed this summer was a keeper and a striker and he was given enough resources to acquire the required quality in both departments. Instead we got enough midfielders to prevent the highly talented Kelly and Swift playing a full role (I could handle some initial failure in order to sacrifice for the future)

He also sold/loaned out existing strike options before acquiring replacements. No one will tell me, at the very least, that Dominic Samuel would not have been a welcome addition for the cup games nor that, given a huge summer outlay, giving him another year to prove himself would not have been a comparatively cheap and worthwhile punt.

I know our national game is littered with prematurely off loaded managers but surely those given more time need to be barking up the right tree. Nothing I’ve seen from Stam this season suggests this is still the case and every week that passes the hole he’s digging gets deeper.

Thanks for all the match reports

[leon]

Thought we’d turned a corner last week but now it appears it’s back to square one.

My bottom line was don’t start without a striker whilst having one fit and ready to go on the bench or sat in the stand.

Well, fair enough, Bod was injured, but last week was also about a defence that didn’t leak like a sieve. So, having stumbled upon such a rare beast thanks to our mounting injury crisis, more of the same should surely been the order of the day.

Don’t be silly. All that seemed clear about yesterday’s defence on Radio Berks was that it wasn’t the same as last weeks. Tim and Kev seemed to spend much of the afternoon trying to work out who was playing where.

Frankly, I feel like saying a big FFS

If yesterday’s match day squad and tactics are the best he could achieve from an uninterrupted week of training with this talented and expensively assembled squad, what is there left to say

In every walk of life management is about getting the most out of the resources at your disposal and whereas Stam did extremely well last season this one is turning into a disaster all of his own making.

What we really needed this summer was a keeper and a striker and he was given enough resources to acquire the required quality in both departments. Instead we got enough midfielders to prevent the highly talented Kelly and Swift playing a full role (I could handle some initial failure in order to sacrifice for the future)

He also sold/loaned out existing strike options before acquiring replacements. No one will tell me, at the very least, that Dominic Samuel would not have been a welcome addition for the cup games nor that, given our huge summer outlay, giving him another year to prove himself would not have been a comparately cheap and worthwhile punt.

I know our national game is littered with prematurely off loaded managers but surely those who are given more time need to be barking up the right tree. Nothing I’ve seen from Stam this season suggests this is still the case and every week that passes the whole he’s digging gets deeper.

Thanks for all the match reports

I think that Stam needs someone to advise him. He's a young manager - he'll make mistakes. What he needs is someone to point this out and help him get it right.

At the moment we are doing the same (wrong) things expecting a different outcome.

[Kitsondinho]

What is coming through from each one of these posts is the same thing. Those of us who were there, those listening on the radio and seemingly the players too, all wondering who was playing where! As I said in my post, I was dismayed with the number of times Blackett was the furthest player forward on the left. Equally Aluko, Beerens and Barrow spent more time in central midfield, chasing shadows, than creating anything. The big question is now, can Stam simplify the tactics and return to basics? I really want him to, because I don’t want him to be sacked. However we have clearly been found out this year and something needs to change.

[WAZZOCK]

I think Stam is getting a bit of unfair criticism regarding the transfer activity over the summer, and it is in fact Gourlay and Tevreden who should be on the receiving end of it. No doubt it was identified we needed one or two further additions up top, but at the end of the day Jaap isn't the man who is tasked with picking up and phone and negotiating deals with clubs and players. These two failed Jaap in this regard, so I would be very disappointed if he was the man who got the chop as a result.

He's also been a tad unlucky that of the two strikers that can lead the line, one hasn't kicked a ball and the other has been out for at least half the season so far. I get fans' frustrations about not playing Smith, but we have to respect that fact that Jaap an his numerous coaching staff see these guys day in day out - if these guys don't think he's ready then it's very likely he isn't. Let's not forget there were similar murmurs about Samuel last season, and when he did get the opportunity he flattered to deceive.

[Hound]

Agree on the striker criticism. I’m guessing Stam highlighted the kind of player he wanted - is Hugill, Hemed and BT and Gourlay failed to bring them in

I doubt he ever envisaged ending up with 3 wingers up front

[RG7Fan]

Not me, my boy who was scouting Sheff Utd for upcoming game v LUFC, (he's an RFC fan and former ST holder)

"Woeful. Men against boys. Only shining light was Swift who made a huge difference. No other positives whatsoever. Pathetic."

Rather think I trust a professional's view on the performance rather than the cr@p Stam spouts.

Dont need to be a professional to know that plan A (i.e. dont play strikers but play a load of wingers) does not work and makes for nothing more than utterly pathetic football and zero threat. We all knew what to expect as soon as the lack of Bod was revealed yesterday.

Wonder if itll be the same next week or will there be an experienced striker available?

Why the hell didn't he play Smith?

[NewCorkSeth]

Swift - 7 - A player we have missed badly. Can see him leaving in January for a smaller fee than we would like to see. MOTM.

After signing a five year contract in the summer, no chance. Would take big bucks

Just a bit worried that some of our better players and even some of our good players not getting much game time will be thinking about jumping ship.

[WAZZOCK]

Not me, my boy who was scouting Sheff Utd for upcoming game v LUFC, (he's an RFC fan and former ST holder)

"Woeful. Men against boys. Only shining light was Swift who made a huge difference. No other positives whatsoever. Pathetic."

Rather think I trust a professional's view on the performance rather than the cr@p Stam spouts.

Dont need to be a professional to know that plan A (i.e. dont play strikers but play a load of wingers) does not work and makes for nothing more than utterly pathetic football and zero threat. We all knew what to expect as soon as the lack of Bod was revealed yesterday.

Wonder if itll be the same next week or will there be an experienced striker available?

Why the hell didn't he play Smith?

Because clearly he feels he's not ready yet. He did take a goal well (almost two hours into a game against Millwall's second string), but aside from that he got absolutely bullied in his limited appearances this season.

[windermereROYAL]

Swift - 7 - A player we have missed badly. Can see him leaving in January for a smaller fee than we would like to see. MOTM.

After signing a five year contract in the summer, no chance. Would take big bucks

Just a bit worried that some of our better players and even some of our good players not getting much game time will be thinking about jumping ship.

That was always the danger bringing so many midfielders in.

[Oilroyal]

Thought we’d turned a corner last week but now it appears it’s back to square one.

My bottom line was don’t start without a striker whilst having one fit and ready to go on the bench or sat in the stand.

Well, fair enough, Bod was injured, but last week was also about a defence that didn’t leak like a sieve. So, having stumbled upon such a rare beast thanks to our mounting injury crisis, more of the same should surely been the order of the day.

Don’t be silly. All that seemed clear about yesterday’s defence on Radio Berks was that it wasn’t the same as last weeks. Tim and Kev seemed to spend much of the afternoon trying to work out who was playing where.

Frankly, I feel like saying a big FFS

If yesterday’s match day squad and tactics are the best he could achieve from an uninterrupted week of training with this talented and expensively assembled squad, what is there left to say

In every walk of life management is about getting the most out of the resources at your disposal and whereas Stam did extremely well last season this one is turning into a disaster all of his own making.

What we really needed this summer was a keeper and a striker and he was given enough resources to acquire the required quality in both departments. Instead we got enough midfielders to prevent the highly talented Kelly and Swift playing a full role (I could handle some initial failure in order to sacrifice for the future)

He also sold/loaned out existing strike options before acquiring replacements. No one will tell me, at the very least, that Dominic Samuel would not have been a welcome addition for the cup games nor that, given our huge summer outlay, giving him another year to prove himself would not have been a comparately cheap and worthwhile punt.

I know our national game is littered with prematurely off loaded managers but surely those who are given more time need to be barking up the right tree. Nothing I’ve seen from Stam this season suggests this is still the case and every week that passes the whole he’s digging gets deeper.

Thanks for all the match reports

I think that Stam needs someone to advise him. He's a young manager - he'll make mistakes. What he needs is someone to point this out and help him get it right.

At the moment we are doing the same (wrong) things expecting a different outcome.

I was thinking the same thing this morning. He may get advice from the Director of football, Brian Tevreden and from what I've been told Steven Reid often spoke his mind. But I get the feeling Stam's an emotional person beneath his hard exterior and spikes when questioned. I also know that that following the team's 3rd place finish everyone at the club moved heaven and earth to support him ahead of this season. I think Stam pretty much called the shots so far.

After 3 wins in 12, Stam needs some serious help but I fear he's not one for advice from others on matters of his own doing. In his mind he wants to pull the rabbit from the hat all by himself.

[Hound]

Why the hell didn't he play Smith?

Probably re-Reading the BFTG threads for Millwall and Gillingham in the cup would tell you why

J.Lows own 5 things on Get Reading was pretty informative (when did this happen that he suddenly became a reasonable read) and backs up a lot of the criticism on here whilst highlighting we were playing a decent team

[Pandoras Box]

Simple thing is we just need to play better. Tactics going forward need to be better, movement needs to be better and we need to stop conceding every bloody game

So basically all round fvcking useless.

[Hound]

Simple thing is we just need to play better. Tactics going forward need to be better, movement needs to be better and we need to stop conceding every bloody game

So basically all round fvcking useless.

Well yeah. But also all things we got right one game ago against Leeds in a very good win

[Oilroyal]

Simple thing is we just need to play better. Tactics going forward need to be better, movement needs to be better and we need to stop conceding every bloody game

So basically all round fvcking useless.

Well yeah. But also all things we got right one game ago against Leeds in a very good win

So why do you think Stam changed that winning formation? He could have used Smith to replace Bod but instead chose to go back to his old ways and most of us not being able to make out a formation at all. I've read the posts saying Smith isn't good enough so please explain why Stam put the lad on the bench?

Hound, I do admire you plugging away in Stam's defence but come on mate, run with the facts, things have been complete pants and another 3 games of this shit and we'll be in real bother.

[Hound]

Not really defending him Oil, think he has done a poor job this year and no mistake. Just trying to give balance

Agree not much point putting Smith on the bench if no intention to bring him on. Also don’t agree with his treatment of Popa at all

Also agree these next 2 games are absolutely massive for him - 2 more Norwich-esque displays and I’ll be with you fella

But imo you don’t bin a manager who lets face it, did an unbelievable job last year, without giving him a proper chance to rectify. Yeah he fcuked up in a very very tough fixture yesterday when his 3 CFs were injured - let’s give him these next 2 and see what happens

[Snowflake Royal]

Not me, my boy who was scouting Sheff Utd for upcoming game v LUFC, (he's an RFC fan and former ST holder)

"Woeful. Men against boys. Only shining light was Swift who made a huge difference. No other positives whatsoever. Pathetic."

Rather think I trust a professional's view on the performance rather than the cr@p Stam spouts.

Dont need to be a professional to know that plan A (i.e. dont play strikers but play a load of wingers) does not work and makes for nothing more than utterly pathetic football and zero threat. We all knew what to expect as soon as the lack of Bod was revealed yesterday.

Wonder if itll be the same next week or will there be an experienced striker available?

Why the hell didn't he play Smith?

Because he thinks Smith is less good than Beerens, Aluko or Barrow being the obvious answer.

Clamour for Smith is very much a case of putting faith in someone purely because they're someone different who's not really been seen. Any striker, no matter their experience, quality or goalscoring record is not automatically superior to senior forwards. There's this weird obssession with football fans that it's better the devil you don't know.

Smith's had a couple of chances in the first team and not impressed. It's not even like he's scored loads in the Academy, a decent amount for sure, but the step up is huge.

[NewCorkSeth]

So basically all round fvcking useless.

Well yeah. But also all things we got right one game ago against Leeds in a very good win

So why do you think Stam changed that winning formation? He could have used Smith to replace Bod but instead chose to go back to his old ways and most of us not being able to make out a formation at all. I've read the posts saying Smith isn't good enough so please explain why Stam put the lad on the bench?

Hound, I do admire you plugging away in Stam's defence but come on mate, run with the facts, things have been complete pants and another 3 games of this shit and we'll be in real bother.

I don't agree with the subs Stam makes in general.

Who would you have brought him on for out of interest? Personally I would have changed it back to -

----------------Mannone----------------
Bacuna---Moore---Ilori---Gunter
-----------Edwards---JVDB--------------
Aluko-------------Swift---------Barrow
------------------Beerens------------------

at half time. If nothing changed after that Kelly on for Edwards, then I guess last 10 minutes would depend on whether we had scored a goal or not. If we had levelled or taken the lead then no need to bring Smith on.

[royalp-we]

Thought we’d turned a corner last week but now it appears it’s back to square one.

My bottom line was don’t start without a striker whilst having one fit and ready to go on the bench or sat in the stand.

Well, fair enough, Bod was injured, but last week was also about a defence that didn’t leak like a sieve. So, having stumbled upon such a rare beast thanks to our mounting injury crisis, more of the same should surely been the order of the day.

Don’t be silly. All that seemed clear about yesterday’s defence on Radio Berks was that it wasn’t the same as last weeks. Tim and Kev seemed to spend much of the afternoon trying to work out who was playing where.

Frankly, I feel like saying a big FFS

If yesterday’s match day squad and tactics are the best he could achieve from an uninterrupted week of training with this talented and expensively assembled squad, what is there left to say

In every walk of life management is about getting the most out of the resources at your disposal and whereas Stam did extremely well last season this one is turning into a disaster all of his own making.

What we really needed this summer was a keeper and a striker and he was given enough resources to acquire the required quality in both departments. Instead we got enough midfielders to prevent the highly talented Kelly and Swift playing a full role (I could handle some initial failure in order to sacrifice for the future)

He also sold/loaned out existing strike options before acquiring replacements. No one will tell me, at the very least, that Dominic Samuel would not have been a welcome addition for the cup games nor that, given our huge summer outlay, giving him another year to prove himself would not have been a comparately cheap and worthwhile punt.

I know our national game is littered with prematurely off loaded managers but surely those who are given more time need to be barking up the right tree. Nothing I’ve seen from Stam this season suggests this is still the case and every week that passes the whole he’s digging gets deeper.

Thanks for all the match reports

I think that Stam needs someone to advise him. He's a young manager - he'll make mistakes. What he needs is someone to point this out and help him get it right.

At the moment we are doing the same (wrong) things expecting a different outcome.

I was thinking the same thing this morning. He may get advice from the Director of football, Brian Tevreden and from what I've been told Steven Reid often spoke his mind. But I get the feeling Stam's an emotional person beneath his hard exterior and spikes when questioned. I also know that that following the team's 3rd place finish everyone at the club moved heaven and earth to support him ahead of this season. I think Stam pretty much called the shots so far.

After 3 wins in 12, Stam needs some serious help but I fear he's not one for advice from others on matters of his own doing. In his mind he wants to pull the rabbit from the hat all by himself.

Agreed. Stam also leaves it way too late to pull that rabbit out.

Started ok yesterday, but overall we were terrible in the first half and at 2-0 down at half time, he changes nothing and puts the same team back out on the pitch gives it a few minutes then hauls off Blackett, again. Only when Swift came on and the midfield / attack became more defined roles did we actually start to play.

He keeps saying 'we' got it wrong. No Jaap, this is your slump. We know 'we' have the players to trouble a lot of teams in this league. YOU have been supported more than any other manager in our history. YOU need to learn from your mistakes and keep a winning team. YOU are not setting up the team to get the best from them. The boos will be aimed at YOU should we not be prepared for Boro on Saturday.

I was in the 'give Stam till Jan' camp, but sod spending the next 10 weeks watching a confused team of individuals trying to play a system they just can't grasp. He's got the next 2 games to turn it round imo.

[leon]

Dont need to be a professional to know that plan A (i.e. dont play strikers but play a load of wingers) does not work and makes for nothing more than utterly pathetic football and zero threat. We all knew what to expect as soon as the lack of Bod was revealed yesterday.

Wonder if itll be the same next week or will there be an experienced striker available?

Why the hell didn't he play Smith?

Because he thinks Smith is less good than Beerens, Aluko or Barrow being the obvious answer.

Clamour for Smith is very much a case of putting faith in someone purely because they're someone different who's not really been seen. Any striker, no matter their experience, quality or goalscoring record is not automatically superior to senior forwards. There's this weird obssession with football fans that it's better the devil you don't know.

Smith's had a couple of chances in the first team and not impressed. It's not even like he's scored loads in the Academy, a decent amount for sure, but the step up is huge.

Nah. Striker like certain other roles are specialist positions. The runs you need to make, where you need to be to receive the ball, being able to react to half chances all different to being a midfielder. Playing a small winger who isn't even quick is ridiculous. Ridiculous.

You need to play a specialist up front, who knows what to do. It's all about a team's balance.

Hence, why is Stam refusing to play a striker? It's a good question.

Especially as we are SHIT when we don't.

He's on borrowed time. I don't want him to go, but he can't keep making the same mistake over and over and over again. If he was working for me he'd be removed. He needs some sound/harsh advice.