MATCHWATCH : Sheffield United (h)

[Zip]

Pauno blaming the performance on fatigue in our second game back from a two week international break. Just fukk off. Either that or use the bench a damn sight earlier and don’t drop your best performer from the previous game.

[Zip]

WTF did I witness tonight. Can't remember an absolute shitty performance on that level for years. Probably Stams second season.
We actually look like we are going down. They looked clueless. Paunovic needs to be in the frontline for blame as well.
Unless Puscas has Swift and Helalovic behind him he offers no threat. We should have tried something different.
A word on Ejaria.....time to drop him, he offers so little nowadays.

Nah there have been too many performances like this under Pauno. Brum and Wycombe last season, Bristol City and Blackpool this season. There have been others too. I’m done with Pauno and this braindead, laboured, gutless style of play.

[URZZZZ]

Pauno blaming the performance on fatigue in our second game back from a two week international break. Just fukk off. Either that or use the bench a damn sight earlier and don’t drop your best performer from the previous game.

Made that point a few weeks ago when most were saying “he can’t make subs, there’s no one to use”. Except it’s the same situation even with a stronger bench. His lack of reactivity to situations is alarmingly bad

Agreed with the need for more width (and again, said the same about Yiadom from the get go). It’s remarkable how poor is he at crossing a ball. Given the conditions of the squad, there is little we can do about it at this point but the tactic of narrow inside forwards and fullbacks that don’t contribute offensively is just rubbish. Bordering on delusional

[10539.4 Miles Away]

POSITIVES

Puscas not awful.

Moore no howlers.

No injuries.

Hal is back.

Strong bench at last.

Most importantly Fleck is ok as far as we can tell for now - thoughts and prayers with him for his ongoing recovery and career.

Well, I didn't watch the game as it was at silly o'clock here and it being midweek and against sheff utd I imagined that it wouldn't be pretty. So nothing really to add on the game itself.

However I do have one very important request, please God never refer to Halilovic as "Hal" reading the phrase "Hal is back" nearly gave me a heart attack.

[URZZZZ]

Awful game of football. Shades of the 2-0 defeat under Marshall back in 2018 to that lot. I thought Sheffield were really disappointing. Jokanovic normally has his teams playing quick, incisive football through the thirds of the pitch but it was almost a polar opposite tonight, reminiscent of our Stam days where they passed for the sake of passing, rather than the sake of progression. The fact that we were slightly worse is a damning indictment of where we’ve ended up

Southwood 6 - Little to do aside from one save from Bogle early in the second half

Yiadom 5 - Same thing every week. He’s a trier but the lack of conviction in his play is always a concern
Moore 5 - Brewster got the better of him on too many occasions. No calamitous mistakes this week but to be physically dominated (at times) to someone like Brewster reinforces his regression
Dann 6 - OK enough but hasn’t really made the impact we were expecting
Baba 4 - At fault for the goal. He has technical attributes but not sure how useful they are for us. Another one that hasn’t quit hit expectations

Drinkwater 4 - As above. Has that extra bit of quality but doesn’t express it anywhere near enough. He seems to have just given up since the Blackpool collapse. Huge contrast in performances before and after that game
Laurent 5 - Isn’t close to hitting his form last season. He’s played worse this season (not saying too much) but is one of a handful of midfielders who just aren’t adding enough
Ejaria 5 - Think some people are beginning to cotton on that he just isn’t as good as he should be. I thought he was one of the better performing players in the first half from a defensive viewpoint with a number of tackles and interceptions. Next to nothing yet again offensively. Although I really don’t think he’s better in the centre, too congested

Dele-Bashiru 4 - Needs to add an identity to his game, some stand out characteristics. Aside from chirping in with the odd goal here and there, I couldn’t tell you what he’s supposed to be good at. Being kind, he’s very average but the reality is that he’s lightweight, ineffective and just not needed in a squad that already contains too many players of his ilk (I.e soft lightweight “attacking” midfielders)
Swift 6 - At the heart of most of our (few) promising situations. His goals have dried up recently and as a result, so have the teams. And there’s your problem of being over reliant on someone who has a history of periods of ups and downs

Puscas 5 - Worked hard and a bit more involved than usual. But the reality is that him (and the team tbf) just don’t look like scoring with him up top by himself. Why oh why Paunovic persists with it each week is a mystery

Carroll 7 - Adds a different dimension to the team. Our only period of pressure (sort of) was as a result of his presence. Hopefully is able to start ASAP

All in all, another awful display and it’s looking like the end of the road for Paunovic. The obsession of our recent managers (Stam, Gomes and to a lesser extent Bowen too) of cramming as many central midfielders possible into the team is frustrating. Whilst I understand the game has evolved from what it used to be and wingers aren’t a “magic fix”, we’ve consistently looked at our best using them. The two promotion teams and Stam’s (first season) used them to great effect. Constantly overlooked now, and we’ve never looked the same since

[Donny Ironside]

To be honest, that was a fair result, we played better in the 2nd half, but yet again the subs were too late. Andy Carroll and Tom Holmes need to start the next match. Ejaria needs to be shifted asap to make way for someone who wants to play for Reading.

Who else needs to leave?

[Bristol Paul]

To be honest, that was a fair result, we played better in the 2nd half, but yet again the subs were too late. Andy Carroll and Tom Holmes need to start the next match. Ejaria needs to be shifted asap to make way for someone who wants to play for Reading.

Who else needs to leave?

Moore - clearly given up, not captain material and not even the best central defender
Puscas - on a big salary, never scores. Feel sorry for him, still think there’s a good player in there, but Reading aren’t the team for him as we don’t play to his strengths.
Laurent - unless he can pull his boots up and play like last season, he’s not worth a place in the team anymore
Cabral - Southwood clearly better
Swift - deserves a better team than us.
Ejaria - doesn’t contribute anything to the attack, slow and ponderous.
Yiadom - tries hard, rounds down dead ends, can’t cross for toffee


Really need some less talented, but more energetic players.

[Zip]

Awful game of football. Shades of the 2-0 defeat under Marshall back in 2018 to that lot. I thought Sheffield were really disappointing. Jokanovic normally has his teams playing quick, incisive football through the thirds of the pitch but it was almost a polar opposite tonight, reminiscent of our Stam days where they passed for the sake of passing, rather than the sake of progression. The fact that we were slightly worse is a damning indictment of where we’ve ended up

Southwood 6 - Little to do aside from one save from Bogle early in the second half

Yiadom 5 - Same thing every week. He’s a trier but the lack of conviction in his play is always a concern
Moore 5 - Brewster got the better of him on too many occasions. No calamitous mistakes this week but to be physically dominated (at times) to someone like Brewster reinforces his regression
Dann 6 - OK enough but hasn’t really made the impact we were expecting
Baba 4 - At fault for the goal. He has technical attributes but not sure how useful they are for us. Another one that hasn’t quit hit expectations

Drinkwater 4 - As above. Has that extra bit of quality but doesn’t express it anywhere near enough. He seems to have just given up since the Blackpool collapse. Huge contrast in performances before and after that game
Laurent 5 - Isn’t close to hitting his form last season. He’s played worse this season (not saying too much) but is one of a handful of midfielders who just aren’t adding enough
Ejaria 5 - Think some people are beginning to cotton on that he just isn’t as good as he should be. I thought he was one of the better performing players in the first half from a defensive viewpoint with a number of tackles and interceptions. Next to nothing yet again offensively. Although I really don’t think he’s better in the centre, too congested

Dele-Bashiru 4 - Needs to add an identity to his game, some stand out characteristics. Aside from chirping in with the odd goal here and there, I couldn’t tell you what he’s supposed to be good at. Being kind, he’s very average but the reality is that he’s lightweight, ineffective and just not needed in a squad that already contains too many players of his ilk (I.e soft lightweight “attacking” midfielders)
Swift 6 - At the heart of most of our (few) promising situations. His goals have dried up recently and as a result, so have the teams. And there’s your problem of being over reliant on someone who has a history of periods of ups and downs

Puscas 5 - Worked hard and a bit more involved than usual. But the reality is that him (and the team tbf) just don’t look like scoring with him up top by himself. Why oh why Paunovic persists with it each week is a mystery

Carroll 7 - Adds a different dimension to the team. Our only period of pressure (sort of) was as a result of his presence. Hopefully is able to start ASAP

All in all, another awful display and it’s looking like the end of the road for Paunovic. The obsession of our recent managers (Stam, Gomes and to a lesser extent Bowen too) of cramming as many central midfielders possible into the team is frustrating. Whilst I understand the game has evolved from what it used to be and wingers aren’t a “magic fix”, we’ve consistently looked at our best using them. The two promotion teams and Stam’s (first season) used them to great effect. Constantly overlooked now, and we’ve never looked the same since

Agree with pretty much all of those ratings although I would mark Swift down a point because his set pieces were terrible. Tempted to mark him down another point because he has kept Pauno in a job this season. Without his contributions we would be in a desperate mess.

[Snowflake Royal]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

[Zip]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

He was probably our best player in the first half. He won the ball on a number of occasions. However he does all his good work on or around the halfway line and offers nothing in an attacking sense. Very frustrating and very disappointing.

[Hound]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

to be fair, he had 100% pass completion, 2nd most dribbles, 3rd most tackles with 3, only lost possession once in the game. Won us a few fouls as well, and generally worked his backside off (ie not a show pony)

he is on poor form and creating nothing, but he still contributes to the game. Which is why I find the criticism like the above both wrong and also a but distasteful

If you want to highlight someone who was really bad last night, have a look at TDB. Awful performance. Had one more touch in his time on the pitch than Halilovic. He shouldn't have been in the side in the first place

[NathStPaul]

He dribbles in to nowhere and passes the ball about 2 yards each time, he offered nothing. Not sure where you're getting "worked his backside off" from either?

[Hound]

As a general comment, thought we were really poor last night. So negative. You can't wait for 60m to try to attack in the game

Very poor team selection with TDB in and Holmes out, continuing to stick with the desperate Moore and not making subs earlier. Days like that which make me lose faith in Pauno. Pretty sick of the basic template of play until Big Andy (who was decent) came on.

I'd be up for changing things substantially - going to some sort of 4-4-2 and starting Carroll. Play more to the wings - Get AH and maybe Hoilett out there, and get crosses in where Puscas and Carroll look dangerous.

Thought Puscas had a good game. Southwood his worst for us. Baba is getting targeting with the cross field ball behind him and not handling it. Moore and Dann weren't good again. Laurent and DD poor games as well. Swift did pretty well but the set pieces weren't too good when they needed to be

[Hound]

He dribbles in to nowhere and passes the ball about 2 yards each time, he offered nothing. Not sure where you're getting "worked his backside off" from either?

because he did. Can't fault his work rate

[Zip]

He dribbles in to nowhere and passes the ball about 2 yards each time, he offered nothing. Not sure where you're getting "worked his backside off" from either?

because he did. Can't fault his work rate

He worked his socks off in the first half on both sides of the pitch but really faded in the second period.

[Snowflake Royal]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

to be fair, he had 100% pass completion, 2nd most dribbles, 3rd most tackles with 3, only lost possession once in the game. Won us a few fouls as well, and generally worked his backside off (ie not a show pony)

he is on poor form and creating nothing, but he still contributes to the game. Which is why I find the criticism like the above both wrong and also a but distasteful

If you want to highlight someone who was really bad last night, have a look at TDB. Awful performance. Had one more touch in his time on the pitch than Halilovic. He shouldn't have been in the side in the first place

You mean like where Ive said TDB is consistently awful when used out wide

[URZZZZ]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

If you were actively looking for contributions worthy of praise and couldn’t find any, then you clearly weren’t watching very hard! Was surprised at the number of times he won the ball back in the first half, either through interceptions or tackles

Didn’t do much with it after mind. He’s always frustrated with his decision making and the trend has generally continued this season but think he’s been hurt by a lack of movement up top, in the absence of Meite and even Halilovic running in behind

[Hendo]

He dribbles in to nowhere and passes the ball about 2 yards each time, he offered nothing. Not sure where you're getting "worked his backside off" from either?

because he did. Can't fault his work rate

He worked his socks off in the first half on both sides of the pitch but really faded in the second period.

Thought this as well, there was one point, I think it might've actually been in the second half, where he raced back and blocked a cross/made a tackle which I was pretty impressed with.

[Millsy]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

to be fair, he had 100% pass completion, 2nd most dribbles, 3rd most tackles with 3, only lost possession once in the game. Won us a few fouls as well, and generally worked his backside off (ie not a show pony)

he is on poor form and creating nothing, but he still contributes to the game. Which is why I find the criticism like the above both wrong and also a but distasteful

If you want to highlight someone who was really bad last night, have a look at TDB. Awful performance. Had one more touch in his time on the pitch than Halilovic. He shouldn't have been in the side in the first place

Spot on, he was good.

But - and I say this as someone who used to call him "my boyfriend" as I absolutely love that fella - I am leaning more towards understanding criticism of him. Ian is saying he is a player of epic talent. I think the frustration is that a player of such talent doesn't do more in the attacking areas. While he did some good stuff I just think he didn't have a good game last night. BUT to be fair noone did.

[Hound]

Glad more people are finally seeing Ejaria for the pointless joyless show pony with an overall negative impact on the team he is.

Game 2 of actively looking for contributions worthy of praise. Game 2 where his best contribution is someone else capitalising on his failure.

Set up the awful performance by tackling himself in the first minute after nearly walking the ball off the pitch under no pressure and then sulking at the ref for no fk whilst Utd broke on us. Whilst on the RW because we have no shape.

A player of epic talent and the footballing brain of a root vegetable who couldn’t deliver a letter.

to be fair, he had 100% pass completion, 2nd most dribbles, 3rd most tackles with 3, only lost possession once in the game. Won us a few fouls as well, and generally worked his backside off (ie not a show pony)

he is on poor form and creating nothing, but he still contributes to the game. Which is why I find the criticism like the above both wrong and also a but distasteful

If you want to highlight someone who was really bad last night, have a look at TDB. Awful performance. Had one more touch in his time on the pitch than Halilovic. He shouldn't have been in the side in the first place

You mean like where Ive said TDB is consistently awful when used out wide

hardly matches your anti-Ejaria campaign though does it? I'm not even sure he was outwide last night. 13 touches in 60mins, yet you pile into Ovie