Let's get physical

[RenzoRosso]

It's going to be physical against Sheff UTD and I hope we're working on that. We play lovely football but Burnley and Sunderland stuck it to us and we can expect the same on weds. Watching us today and second half we managed to find a way through when Cardiff finally decided to get stuck in so we know we can do it - we will need to be right at it from the off. Good practice for the play offs as well....

 

[Alzi]

Berge is probably the best player in the league, was gutted they didn’t sell him.

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

I honestly think, if we withstand their opening 15 min onslaught, we will pass them off the fooking park.


I remember in the home game Sandy Burger went from a young Steven Gerrard in the first half, to a lumbering prop forward in the second

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Their pressing is going to be relentless. They absolutely bullied some of our players last year at Bramall Lane and I hope they remember that.

We’ve shown we can deal with pressing to a certain extent when we played Norwich away.

The key will be to stay in the game and not fold like we did last season, tire them out and play the ball like we have been to cut through them.

 

[Simply red]

They play 3-5-2
We need to match them in midfield
Maybe Fry coming on v Cardiff was a trial
-------------------------Steffen
---------Fry--------Lenaghan ----Mcnair
Smith ------Howson ----Hackney---------Giles
------------------------Mcgree
----------Archer/ Forss-------Akpom

 

[Teesside87]

Find it amazing that this guy thinks we’ve had ****-easy games, when the most difficult his lot have played is Hull since early November. Hope we batter them

 

[chickenrunner]

Find it amazing that this guy thinks we’ve had ****-easy games, when the most difficult his lot have played is Hull since early November. Hope we batter them
View attachment 52703

Our form in the last 12 games is 30pts theirs is 29pts. In that time the average points per game of our opponents was 1.43 theirs was 1.13. Which suggests it's them that have had the easy games.

 

[RenzoRosso]

I reckon Barlaser might get a start, it’s hard to drop anyone but we could play Howson deeper and Barlaser and Hackney in the more advanced central roles. Would mean dropping a forward and that would be harsh I guess

 

[UTB70]

Theyll be up for this im sure. Theyll treat it as a cup final and think a win will end any chances for us. Ill take a point now and fancy them to lose to millwall next game as we beat qpr ti closing gap to 7 points.

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

Don’t bother changing the formation / team around too much.

Just make sure Chuba knows to play a bit deeper so we don’t get overrun by their midfield 3.

 

[El Guapo]

End. Of. Thread!

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Apparently Billy Sharp is out for six weeks after doing his ankle. Can only be a good thing for us as he always seems to be a menace against us.

 

[Rock Osborne]

When the players came over yesterday, looked like archer had a lot of strapping on his left leg, not heard anything, hopefully just a precaution

 

[Glover_elbow]

It's a game Steffen needs to play it long at times and not put us under extra pressure

 

[Boro_Interlinked]

Seems they thrive off an early goal at home . 3 of their last homes have involved 4m, 9m ,21m goals.
It poss works in our favour that they have had a set of easier games . They will be used to the way those games seem to flow. They take an early lead then have dominance before more goals later on , but always feeling comfortable. We have to avoid that pitfall of conceding early. I'm not worried that we can't reply , it just puts them in their comfort place and we need to not let them get there at all. Hopefully we frustrate them totally and it gets under their skin. The last thing I want though is the ref to dominate decisions in their favour. I'll feel sick if that starts to happen .

 

[Glover_elbow]

I worry about howson and hackney getting overpowered in the midfield against sheff utd it will be interesting to see if Carrick will change the team setup or/and has a tactical plan to beat their intense press

 

[WilliamMunny]

Here’s an idea. As we are absolutely flying under Carrick, instead of worrying about them and changing a successful team/formation, how about we stick with what we are good at and see if they can handle our potency.

If we lose, we’re still in a great position and can spend the rest of the season securing 3rd place. If we beat them, the chase is on. If we pass them off the park in the process, it’s a psychological blow that could pile the pressure on them knowing they’ve got a monster of a team chasing them down.

 

[Jonny Ingbar]

Their pressing is going to be relentless. They absolutely bullied some of our players last year at Bramall Lane and I hope they remember that.

We’ve shown we can deal with pressing to a certain extent when we played Norwich away.

The key will be to stay in the game and not fold like we did last season, tire them out and play the ball like we have been to cut through them.

This will be the most interesting thing for me, they puts high up and or style is to play through the press.

They're a very good team at this level and worth home advantage if will be a tough ask.

 

[Glover_elbow]

This will be the most interesting thing for me, they puts high up and or style is to play through the press.

They're a very good team at this level and worth home advantage if will be a tough ask.

Time maybe for a more pragmatic approach I don't particularly want McNair and Steffen taking extra chances at the back playing it out early on at least. Having said that maybe we should be thinking bring on the high press as we have the pace and skill to beat it

 

[BigJohnsPens]

I would rest McGree until the second half and play Barlaser who will keep the ball and be more agile. The first half in particular will be frenetic and I think McGree could be out of it until it settles down in the second part of the second half. As good as he is we need to make sure that we don’t get overrun in midfield like last year.