The performance vs. Hull was better but can the Rams take the positives on the road and points from the Blades? Everyone needs a pick-me-up and a trip to a team who sit second from bottom will be just the remedy.
P 50 W 12 D 9 L 29 F 59 A 87
Last game at Bramall Lane.
Sat 06 Feb 2010 - Sheff. Utd. 1 - 1 Derby County; Savage
Current Form:
Sheffield United - 23/24 P 33 W 7 D 8 L 18 F 30 A 53
Leading scorers: Evans (9)
Derby - 19/24 Derby P 32 W 10 D 6 L 16 F 41 A 45
Leading scorers: Bueno (4), Cywka (4)
The Rams
I honestly don't think I've ever cared less about the Rams.
I've seen us play badly before. If you indulge me, my memory goes back as far as 1969 with all things Rams. I've seen the glory years. I also saw the early 80's slump when we had some of the worst players ever to wear the Derby shirt.
13,000 at the Baseball Ground and down to the third division. Things were bad but the fans never lost hope and - more importantly - still seemed to have a good time.
Now - well now we're owned by corporate America, it seems we have to do everything as cheap as possible. Like American industry we have to be lean and have as few players to do as much work possible.
We're now in a relegation struggle with injured players, dispirited players and loan players who really don't care about the club.
Our only hope is that there are three worse teams than us. This weekends opponents being one of them.
Should we sack Clough?
Should we tough it out?
Who cares - I think I probably won’t renew next season.
That's my hard-headed business decision seeing as hard-headed businessmen now run the club.
Possible Line-Up:
Fielding
Brayford Barker Ayala Pearson
Savage Addison
B.Davies Cywka Green
Robinson
SUBS - Severn S. Davies Porter Bueno Pringle Leacock Doyle
Current Rams Squad:
No. Position Player
1 Keeper Stephen Bywater
2 Defender John Brayford
3 Defender Gareth Roberts
4 Midfield Paul Green
5 Defender Shaun Barker (vice-captain)
6 Defender Dean Leacock
7 Striker Steve Davies
8 Midfield Robbie Savage (club captain)
10 Striker Jamie Ward (on loan from Sheffield United)
11 Midfield Stephen Pearson
12 Striker Chris Porter
13 Keeper Saul Deeney
14 Defender Russell Anderson
16 Midfield James Bailey
17 Defender Jake Buxton
18 Midfield Ben Pringle
19 Striker Tomasz Cywka
20 Defender Miles Addison
21 Defender Daniel Ayala (on loan from Liverpool)
23 Striker Conor Doyle
24 Midfield Arnaud Mendy
25 Defender Mark O'Brien
26 Striker Callum Ball
27 Striker Alberto Bueno (on loan from Real Valladolid)
28 Midfield Ben Davies
29 Midfield Jeff Hendrick
34 Keeper Frank Fielding
-- Striker Michael Boulding
The Blades
A stark warning for the Blades players from Mickey Adams;
"Do they want to be playing in a lower division next year?"
"Some might think that, because they are under contract, my coming in will not affect them. But if someone is not pulling his weight he will be told."
Adams has not won once in the ten games he's been in charge and they managed to lose a two goal lead to Scunthorpe who they needed to beat.
They also had Shane Lowry sent off. Hard times for the Blades faithful. They've had four mangers this season already and what price a fifth?
The Blades are a team dripping with loanees - see the parallels with the Rams? They got rid of their manager however but this has not really reversed their fortunes.
Adams is scathing of the players. In A BBC Radio Sheffield interview he said;
"Some of these players have got to take responsibility, because they have been here since day one of the season, I'm the fourth manager this season, and from day one it has not been good."
"The fans were singing 'you're not fit to wear the shirt', I cannot disagree with them."
Current Blades Squad
No. Position Player
1 Keeper Steve Simonsen
2 Defender Stephen Jordan
3 Defender Nyron Nosworthy (on loan from Sunderland)
4 Midfield Nick Montgomery
5 Defender Chris Morgan (captain)
6 Midfield Johannes Ertl
7 Striker Darius Henderson
8 Midfield Michael Doyle
9 Striker Ched Evans
10 Striker Daniel Bogdanovic
11 Midfield Mark Yeates
12 Defender Jean Calvé (on loan from Nancy)
13 Keeper Mihkel Aksalu
14 Midfield Lee Williamson
15 Midfield Ryan France
16 Defender Andy Taylor
17 Striker Richard Cresswell
19 Striker Sam Vokes (on loan from Wolves)
20 Defender Joe Mattock (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)
21 Defender Shane Lowry (on loan from Aston Villa)
22 Defender Rob Kozluk
23 Defender Neill Collins
24 Midfield David McAllister
25 Keeper George Long
27 Striker Danny Philliskirk (on loan from Chelsea)
28 Midfield Stephen Quinn
29 Keeper Richard Wright
30 Midfield Kingsley James
31 Striker Jordan Chapell
32 Defender Phil Roe
33 Defender Elian Parrino (on loan from Estudiantes)
34 Defender Matthew Lowton
35 Striker Jordan Slew
36 Midfield Matthew Harriott
37 Striker Marcus Bent (on loan from Birmingham City)
38 Midfield Bjørn Helge Riise (on loan from Fulham)
39 Keeper Paul Crichton
— Midfield Seamus Conneely
— Midfield András Gárdos
— Midfield Kristoffer Løkberg
— Midfield Erik Tønne
— Defender Marc Warren
What the bookies think
The Blades are 6/4 favourites and we are 19/10. Given the form book that's about right. The draw is at 11/5 which is higher than I would expect for a nailed on draw like this.
Daniel Bogdonavice & Ched Evans are at 11/2 for first scorer while Steve Davies and Chris Porter are at 6/1. Our current strike force doesn't seem to have registered with William Hill yet.
Information for travelling fans
Driving
It's a short hop up the M1 to Sheffield or more sensibly, take the train. Take the M1 to J33 and follow the A630 into Sheffield. Follow the A621 signs for Bakewell and the ground is just outside the City centre.
Parking
A better bet is to go to J34 and park at Meadowhall and get the Tram. It takes about 20 minutes each way and you avoid most of the traffic problems getting in and out of Sheffield. Otherwise take your chances with street parking or park in the centre of Sheffield.
Drinking
Apparently the pubs around the ground are home fans only these days. I've always found the Blunts to be better behaved than their Wednesday neighbours and have never had a problem at Bramall lane.
footballgroundguide.com recommends the Earl on Queens Road or the Bridge 3/4 of a mile past the away end. Unlike Hillsbrough, you can get a drink in the ground.
Mick's prediction
I can't see where our goals are coming from. I can still see us messing up and conceding. Something dramatic needs to happen to stop the club sleep-walking and self denying its way onto League one. I just don't know what it is.
Sheffield United 2-0 Rams