Sheffield Utd - Back from the game

[WAZZOCK]

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.

It may be a specialist position, but clearly he feels that Smith is no where near the standard required to fill the role, so he needed to adapt accordingly. Samuel was so far off the pace last season despite being a 'specialist' in that position, you'd have thought people would have learnt about putting unproven strikers on a pedestal.

[Y21]

I think he needs to go. He showed yesterday that the Leeds result was a blip, as he would rather go back to the bad old way rather than play an untested striker. Surely the shape/formation that played against Leeds with a different striker is better that the oxf*rd shambles that yesterday was? A shit/untested striker is better than no striker or three wingers kinds sorta trying to play upfront. I think for that reason, I'm out.

[WAZZOCK]

You have to question your loyalties when you call a decent away win a 'blip'. Have a word.

[leon]

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.

It may be a specialist position, but clearly he feels that Smith is no where near the standard required to fill the role, so he needed to adapt accordingly. Samuel was so far off the pace last season despite being a 'specialist' in that position, you'd have thought people would have learnt about putting unproven strikers on a pedestal.

That's fine as manager he makes the decisions.

So why was he on the bench?

And why did we start the season with only ONE fit striker that he thought was "near the standard required to fit the role"?

And one that he bought and then doesn't even play?

Pertinent questions.

[bobby1413]

You have to question your loyalties when you call a decent away win a 'blip'. Have a word.

I sometimes wonder what modern Reading fans would do if we truely did plummet.

Like slide into league one and league two, As has happened to other clubs.

Not saying things aren't poor but they're really not that bad.

[WAZZOCK]

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.

It may be a specialist position, but clearly he feels that Smith is no where near the standard required to fill the role, so he needed to adapt accordingly. Samuel was so far off the pace last season despite being a 'specialist' in that position, you'd have thought people would have learnt about putting unproven strikers on a pedestal.

That's fine as manager he makes the decisions.

So why was he on the bench?

And why did we start the season with only ONE fit striker that he thought was "near the standard required to fit the role"

And one that he bought and then doesn't even play?

Pertinent questions.

He was on the bench because we are so threadbare he needed to be, pretty simple to figure out.

We started the season with one fit striker because he was clearly let down by the people tasked with bring players in, owner, CEO, DoF.

He decided against playing JdB when he was fit about twice, clearly he has learnt from this mistake and would play him if he had him at his disposal now.

Not pertinent questions at all, very simple and narrow minded in fact.

[Hound]

Yeah that’s my viewpoint. If Dadi had been fit but dropped again I’d have been absolutely fuming with him, but I don’t think he had that much choice against Sheff Utd

Obvs there are things he could have done - inc giving Smith some minutes - but it wasn’t an obvious fcuk up like he did in dropping Dadi

Think on balance he was right not to risk bringing Yann along, but wonder how close he is. He must be as desperate as well all are to see him back

[Y21]

You have to question your loyalties when you call a decent away win a 'blip'. Have a word.

In the context of this season, it is a blip. So should I just bury my head in the sand and ignore the dreadful string of results, the pathetic performances, the awful team selections, the baffling formations and the stubbornness to change a failing system? Would that make me loyal? My loyalties lie with the club not with Stam. And at the moment Stam is running the team in such a way that relegation is a serious concern.

It would be a shame if all the progress made over the last decade or so is tossed away due to one mans stubbornness.

I suspect that some people would be happy with relegation just so they can bleat on about how loyal they are.

[John 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.

Great post.


Regarding the game - that's it for me - I won't be going again. Would have left early if I didn't have to get back on that awful coach. Shit journey, shit match, not entertaining, don't need to be spending the whole of my Saturday doing ridiculous things like going to Sheffield to watch football again. Shit.

[Marino13]

your post sums up my mood.

might not go away now until after xmas.

[genome]

Regarding the game - that's it for me - I won't be going again.

Bye then

[tidus_mi2]

It's been a while since I've been able to go to an away league game and boy did I pick the shit one. We were second best the whole match until the 85th minute when we scored and decided we might actually get something.

Also, the supporters singing to bring a striker on, what was the point? Sam Smith was the only fit striker we had and I don't think he was magically going to save the game for us, as to why he even had him on the bench, we get to name 7 subs, perhaps he likes to keep a promising youth player on the bench to give them an experience of the match day squad and perhaps get some playing time if things are going well, plenty of clubs do that.

Hopefully with Swift returning and having a proper striker fit we might start picking up results, after the poor start, it's all the more important we do well in our next two home games.

[Lower West]

Roll on the January transfer window. Even temporary loan signings would fill the gaps in what is a threadbare squad in certain playing positions.

[Hound]

Roll on the January transfer window. Even temporary loan signings would fill the gaps in what is a threadbare squad in certain playing positions.

I don't think we can wait till then tbh

Yann and Dadi have to get fit and stay fit or we will struggle to win any games imo. But I think if they are fit and in the team, we'll actually do pretty well over the next couple of months. They really are that important on what Ive seen this year

[leon]

It may be a specialist position, but clearly he feels that Smith is no where near the standard required to fill the role, so he needed to adapt accordingly. Samuel was so far off the pace last season despite being a 'specialist' in that position, you'd have thought people would have learnt about putting unproven strikers on a pedestal.

That's fine as manager he makes the decisions.

So why was he on the bench?

And why did we start the season with only ONE fit striker that he thought was "near the standard required to fit the role"

And one that he bought and then doesn't even play?

Pertinent questions.

He was on the bench because we are so threadbare he needed to be, pretty simple to figure out.

We started the season with one fit striker because he was clearly let down by the people tasked with bring players in, owner, CEO, DoF.

He decided against playing JdB when he was fit about twice, clearly he has learnt from this mistake and would play him if he had him at his disposal now.

Not pertinent questions at all, very simple and narrow minded in fact.

Apologies for being so narrow minded. It's funny what utterly shit football, relegation form and seemingly no attempts to rectify it can do to a man.

So not playing a striker is a better option than playing a formation that clearly does not work?

Sorry being narrow minded again.

If we get relegated (which at the rate after 12 games we are heading for. No?) it won't be Stams fault? It will be injuries, the director of football, negative fans?

I'm struggling to see improvement or Stam learning anything. Please let me know if you are.

[leon]

You have to question your loyalties when you call a decent away win a 'blip'. Have a word.

I sometimes wonder what modern Reading fans would do if we truely did plummet.

Like slide into league one and league two, As has happened to other clubs.

Not saying things aren't poor but they're really not that bad.

I've seen that shit and I don't want it to happen again Bobby.

[tidus_mi2]

How do you figure we are sliding to relegation? We're currently better than 4 teams and have a game in hand, not a great season by any stretch of the imagination and yes, currently we're around the relegation zone but if you transposed all results across the rest of the season, we'd probably actually go up a place or 2 because of that game in hand.

Frankly, I think we'll be fine, finish mid-table and then have to get it right next summer, Kermorgant is retiring so will need to be replaced and if anything, there will probably be more pressure on Stam should the owners keep him on for the season, it makes me wonder how much time the over-achievements of last season will buy him but I don't think we're ready to get rid of him just yet.

Stam is still a big name in football, certainly at the level we're at so can be the deciding factor on whether a player joins us or not and to be honest, who is available right now that will guarantee us an improvement in results?

[windermereROYAL]

That's fine as manager he makes the decisions.

So why was he on the bench?

And why did we start the season with only ONE fit striker that he thought was "near the standard required to fit the role"

And one that he bought and then doesn't even play?

Pertinent questions.

He was on the bench because we are so threadbare he needed to be, pretty simple to figure out.

We started the season with one fit striker because he was clearly let down by the people tasked with bring players in, owner, CEO, DoF.

He decided against playing JdB when he was fit about twice, clearly he has learnt from this mistake and would play him if he had him at his disposal now.

Not pertinent questions at all, very simple and narrow minded in fact.

Apologies for being so narrow minded. It's funny what utterly shit football, relegation form and seemingly no attempts to rectify it can do to a man.

So not playing a striker is a better option than playing a formation that clearly does not work?

Sorry being narrow minded again.

If we get relegated (which at the rate after 12 games we are heading for. No?) it won't be Stams fault? It will be injuries, the director of football, negative fans?

I'm struggling to see improvement or Stam learning anything. Please let me know if you are.

I look at Coventry. now that really is scary.

[leon]

How do you figure we are sliding to relegation? We're currently better than 4 teams and have a game in hand, not a great season by any stretch of the imagination and yes, currently we're around the relegation zone but if you transposed all results across the rest of the season, we'd probably actually go up a place or 2 because of that game in hand.

Frankly, I think we'll be fine, finish mid-table and then have to get it right next summer, Kermorgant is retiring so will need to be replaced and if anything, there will probably be more pressure on Stam should the owners keep him on for the season, it makes me wonder how much time the over-achievements of last season will buy him but I don't think we're ready to get rid of him just yet.

Stam is still a big name in football, certainly at the level we're at so can be the deciding factor on whether a player joins us or not and to be honest, who is available right now that will guarantee us an improvement in results?

Come on. You know as well as I do that there's usually a team that struggles throughout the season and then drops like a stone. One or two of the teams in the zone might rally and then we're right in it.

Nothing is certain obviously but we have the stench of death about us at the moment.

[Basildon]

The thing I cant get my head around is the fact we put out a defensive lineup last week which managed a clean sheet, something we have struggled to do all season, and he's then decided to change it again?

I still think Stam can turn this around but some of his decisions are baffling.