Blunts - this season's Reds?

Listened to the piggy derby yesterday, including some of the build up and also the crowing tonight from the majority of blunts fans.

Quite a few things in common. They walked league one, we had an impressive run in and smashed it in the playoffs, and now like us, they have carried the winning habit and mentality into the championship. I thought they were very good at Bumhole lane without being spectacular.

Tonight some of their fans couldn't help talking up promotion, and their excitement is understandable given their good start.

Last January when our season started to unravel, Brian the Blade was crowing about how were such a small club to be allowing our best players, unlike them.

It'll be an interesting January if they're still doing so well. Losing players could be something else we have in common.

 

I think you're spot on with the comparison, but unlike us, I don't think they've as many saleable assets. Players like Clarke, Coutts, Basham, Donaldson, Stevens etc aren't as desirable as what Hourihane, Winnall, Mawson, Roberts were...

They've probably got a bigger squad than we have, where we seemed to have a very good 13 or so players, and losing the backbone like we did knocked the stuffing out of us. The Blades don't have the quality of players we had, and that's not even arguable, but they do have the same team spirit, that winning mentality and positivity and a good manager - if they add a few more pieces to the mix in January, they could well be up there.

 

Go on then - name their players, other than Brooks (who isn't a patch on Barnes) that are worth any transfer money?
They haven't the quality that Barnsley had last season.
But what they do have is the same high energy - but eventually they will get found out.
Because, other than maybe Brooks, non of their players will be sold in January, then they will finish higher than what Barnsley finished last season. Maybe 10th?

 

They have quite a few older heads who have played at least at this level before, which we didn't have. However, I do believe they will be found out and that they'll fall way short of top six. I certainly hope so.

 

Like I said "if" they're doing so well at Christmas. I don't have to name them, and I'll be fecked if I could name a handful of them anyway, but they're doing very well.

Who's making them win games if not the players?

If they're doing so well, they'll attract attention.

 

Fleck

 

They'll run out of steam (I hope).

 

Brooks is destined for a Premier League club - and probably a bigger one at that. United played very well yesterday and you can't but admire what Wilder has done. A lifelong Blunts fan, so shades of Hecky there, I think. As for Wednesday, it's surprising to say the least that they are playing such leaden football. They seem devoid of any artfulness, and how can you pay £10M for a striker without working out how you are going to play him? Carlos doesn't seem to engender much team spirit in his squad.

 

Unfortunately the more I hear Wilder the more I think he's morphing into Warnock.

 

Hasn't Brooks already been at. premier Club. Thought he'd started out at Man City Academy

 

If you watch the England matches they play in - Barnes is far the better player.

 

Let's be serious, non of their current side would have got in our side from the beginning of last season. Maybe have Fleck and Brooks on the bench. A fair few of those players are the same ones that struggled for years in league one, they've just got a manager that knows how to set up a solid side and gets them playing for the shirt with what I've seen. He's no Heckingbottom though is he

 

Acid test is... if they are in as good a position as we were last season do you imagine for one second that their better players would be allowed to leave in January?
No way.
And do you think Carlos Meerkat would get away with putting in a derisory bid for Billy Sharp just to get him out of the Utd team so he can't score any more goals for them?
No way.
I had been thinking the same only a couple of days ago that Utd were doing exactly what we did after getting promoted. Good luck to them.

 

Good luck to Utd, not for me yuk

 

Mate, no disrespect, but playing for the shirt can only take you so far at this level. It's not enough without a bit of ability.

At the beginning of last season we conceded 4 at ipswich and lost at home against a lower league team in the cup. We couldn't be certain at that point whether our own players were going to be comfortable with the step up.

I've no reason to blow smoke up their arse, but credit where it's due. They are currently a team of good players with a good manager.

 

Be interesting to see if the owners put the money up for new contracts when they've got agents knocking the door down with offers from other clubs

 

One thing relevant to that is that last year their average home attendance was almost 22,000 - in League One!

I've never liked United much, but they are undeniably a club on the up. If they maintain their current position to January I think they're almost certain to invest for a final push.

 

Depends on who fancies their players and what they offer I suppose.

I don't know what the blunts average wage is, but if someone came in with the wages offered to Hourihane and Winall, could or would they match those kind of wages?

My hope is January weakens them and strengthens us. Vindictive I know, but rivalry is rivalry

 

The blades don't have as many saleable assets. They've recruited far more experienced forward players like Donaldson, Clark, Sharp as well as players like Stearman. They all rave over the lad brooks but they're less dependant on him as we were with any of the players we sold last season.

The concern for them is that they'll have to constantly replace some of these older heads which is more likely to lead to a decline in the long term. So the onus is on them to win promotion sooner rather than later.