Deadbat
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Sheffield United’s wait to secure a playoff spot goes on after a late Bradford equaliser from former Blade Billy Clarke. United had seemed set to seal the three points they needed after Jason Holt scored once again but the equally scrappy leveller denied United again. A draw was a fair result in a game lacking real quality throughout. The Blades once again failed to totally convince against another poor opponent.
Manager Nigel Clough changed the side again with Kennedy, Baxter and Murphy in for Flynn, Scougall and also Done. Bradford had a number of players with United connections amongst their match day squad and began with Tony McMahon in the centre of midfield.
Baxter began on the right but Bradford began well and Halliday flashed wide before Knott was not far off target against a sluggish Blades. United had been poor but had the best chance when Brayford was set up from Davies’ pass and his cross fell to Murphy who wildly blazed his shot over the bar.
Bradford came again and Clarke looked set to score but his shot was cleared over the line from Basham as Howard was beaten. McArdle was booked for a foul as United tried to break down the right hand angle.
Bradford then nearly got in from Hanson’s knock down but Basham got the block in. Coutts had a shot blocked before a neat turn from Davies saw him get a shot away (United’s first on target) just before the break but Williams saved easily. Doyle was then booked before the half time whistle went.
At half time Kennedy was withdrawn, with seemingly another knee injury and Alcock came on meaning Brayford had to go to centre back.
United improved for the opening stages but were struggling to create much in the way of chances. They forced more play in the final third though and Murphy was getting on the ball more. Davies won a free kick before Doyle’s ball gave United some room down the right.
Murphy was able to get the run on Andrew Davis and his cross was not cleared and fell kindly to HOLT who was able to calmly convert from close range. It had been a poor game but it was the all important opening goal.
Yeates came on and had two shots; one good one powerfully hit but straight at Howard. For United Adams was brought on for Baxter and Coutts came inside with Murphy going to the right.
Bradford put another former Blade, this time Jon Stead who drew a better reaction than McMahon and Yeates. Soon after his introduction City were level with just 6 minutes remaining.
A free kick came over and as Hanson went down in the box looking for a penalty, Davies won the header for City and the ball fell to CLARKE that did not make the cleanest contact but it bounced beyond Howard into the net. It was a really poor goal to concede and should have been cleared and then saved.
United tried to rouse themselves but the goal has knocked the stuffing out of them and they huffed and puffed to little affect. The won a free kick when McArdle then blocked off Davies and after a delay the referee opted to give the City man a second yellow card and his subsequent marching orders.
An additional 5 minutes of stoppage time was to be played but it took united at least 2 or 3 minutes before they could even get it into the Bradford half as the visitors had a series of throws ins deep in home territory. United won a corner but it came to nothing and the game fizzled out drawing boos from another large but disappointed home crowd.
United – Not good enough. Again. I could just copy and paste most of the other reports from this season and I am tired of writing same thing. To summarise briefly; it was slow, ponderous, lacking goal threat, negative with the best two players the full backs. We did not have many chances nor create much against another poor side. We nicked a goal and should have seen it out but gave away another sloppy goal. The three results and performances this week have been really poor. There are no excuses for me. They have rotated players so tiredness should not be an issue but again they served up a really poor performance against a side that should have been rock bottom in confidence. We started badly again and then the game just sort of drifted by. We did not deserve to win the game and a draw between two not even ordinary sides was fair. It ought to have finished 0-0. Both goals were so scrappy.
We lacked shape, spine and organisation allied to little skill. I have no confidence this side can raise themselves for the playoffs (expect they will get in now – Rochdale need to win all 3 of course, we need to then lose 2 but sure we will scrape a draw and/or Rochdale won’t win all 3 (got Orient, MK and Barnsley to come).MK are destroying teams and Chesterfield are in great form. I have a concern we will drop to 6th – Chesterfield play an already promoted Bristol and then come to us and cannot see how we would beat them playing the way we are versus the way we are playing. I think some fans think we are suddenly going to turn on a switch and we will see a different side. It is very unlikely to happen. The side we saw today is the one we have seen much of the season and I cannot see why they would suddenly lift themselves say 50%. Clough is already giving the tired excuse so how he will lift them I do not know. You never know. Football can surprise you but like the team 2 years ago that scraped in and then tamely lost to Yeovil; I cannot see us even getting to the final.
Bradford – Thought they were poor too. A team loaded with experience but they have fell away. Maybe they are jaded in the sense they have a much smaller squad than us but they looked as poor as us. They started well and had a few half chances but never made Howard work. They played a lot of long stuff to Hanson and whilst he is a handful it does become a bit one dimensional at times. I was amazed Stead remained on the bench and whilst there is clearly some issues with him (so many clubs) being a regular anywhere he has been, he would have been better than anything on that pitch in an attacking sense. Soon as he came on it was ironic they scored instantly. They too sort of played one up top with Clarke off him. I liked Clarke at United but unlike Matt Phillips; he has not quite gone on. Yeates is another that is a bit part player for an average League One side. It was odd seeing McMahon in central midfield. He is another that has probably back at his true level. He did not do much other than feign injury in the corner and then get a booking for a crude foul.
Overall City were poor but did deserve a point because we were as bad. I also felt that they were as bad as us in possession and looked as slow and sluggish and was one of few sides with as little pace as us! A side that gets good crowds and I would expect Parkinson to tweak things over the summer and for them to be there or thereabouts next season but probably like us need an injection of pace and some solidity at the back.
Manager Nigel Clough changed the side again with Kennedy, Baxter and Murphy in for Flynn, Scougall and also Done. Bradford had a number of players with United connections amongst their match day squad and began with Tony McMahon in the centre of midfield.
Baxter began on the right but Bradford began well and Halliday flashed wide before Knott was not far off target against a sluggish Blades. United had been poor but had the best chance when Brayford was set up from Davies’ pass and his cross fell to Murphy who wildly blazed his shot over the bar.
Bradford came again and Clarke looked set to score but his shot was cleared over the line from Basham as Howard was beaten. McArdle was booked for a foul as United tried to break down the right hand angle.
Bradford then nearly got in from Hanson’s knock down but Basham got the block in. Coutts had a shot blocked before a neat turn from Davies saw him get a shot away (United’s first on target) just before the break but Williams saved easily. Doyle was then booked before the half time whistle went.
At half time Kennedy was withdrawn, with seemingly another knee injury and Alcock came on meaning Brayford had to go to centre back.
United improved for the opening stages but were struggling to create much in the way of chances. They forced more play in the final third though and Murphy was getting on the ball more. Davies won a free kick before Doyle’s ball gave United some room down the right.
Murphy was able to get the run on Andrew Davis and his cross was not cleared and fell kindly to HOLT who was able to calmly convert from close range. It had been a poor game but it was the all important opening goal.
Yeates came on and had two shots; one good one powerfully hit but straight at Howard. For United Adams was brought on for Baxter and Coutts came inside with Murphy going to the right.
Bradford put another former Blade, this time Jon Stead who drew a better reaction than McMahon and Yeates. Soon after his introduction City were level with just 6 minutes remaining.
A free kick came over and as Hanson went down in the box looking for a penalty, Davies won the header for City and the ball fell to CLARKE that did not make the cleanest contact but it bounced beyond Howard into the net. It was a really poor goal to concede and should have been cleared and then saved.
United tried to rouse themselves but the goal has knocked the stuffing out of them and they huffed and puffed to little affect. The won a free kick when McArdle then blocked off Davies and after a delay the referee opted to give the City man a second yellow card and his subsequent marching orders.
An additional 5 minutes of stoppage time was to be played but it took united at least 2 or 3 minutes before they could even get it into the Bradford half as the visitors had a series of throws ins deep in home territory. United won a corner but it came to nothing and the game fizzled out drawing boos from another large but disappointed home crowd.
United – Not good enough. Again. I could just copy and paste most of the other reports from this season and I am tired of writing same thing. To summarise briefly; it was slow, ponderous, lacking goal threat, negative with the best two players the full backs. We did not have many chances nor create much against another poor side. We nicked a goal and should have seen it out but gave away another sloppy goal. The three results and performances this week have been really poor. There are no excuses for me. They have rotated players so tiredness should not be an issue but again they served up a really poor performance against a side that should have been rock bottom in confidence. We started badly again and then the game just sort of drifted by. We did not deserve to win the game and a draw between two not even ordinary sides was fair. It ought to have finished 0-0. Both goals were so scrappy.
We lacked shape, spine and organisation allied to little skill. I have no confidence this side can raise themselves for the playoffs (expect they will get in now – Rochdale need to win all 3 of course, we need to then lose 2 but sure we will scrape a draw and/or Rochdale won’t win all 3 (got Orient, MK and Barnsley to come).MK are destroying teams and Chesterfield are in great form. I have a concern we will drop to 6th – Chesterfield play an already promoted Bristol and then come to us and cannot see how we would beat them playing the way we are versus the way we are playing. I think some fans think we are suddenly going to turn on a switch and we will see a different side. It is very unlikely to happen. The side we saw today is the one we have seen much of the season and I cannot see why they would suddenly lift themselves say 50%. Clough is already giving the tired excuse so how he will lift them I do not know. You never know. Football can surprise you but like the team 2 years ago that scraped in and then tamely lost to Yeovil; I cannot see us even getting to the final.
Bradford – Thought they were poor too. A team loaded with experience but they have fell away. Maybe they are jaded in the sense they have a much smaller squad than us but they looked as poor as us. They started well and had a few half chances but never made Howard work. They played a lot of long stuff to Hanson and whilst he is a handful it does become a bit one dimensional at times. I was amazed Stead remained on the bench and whilst there is clearly some issues with him (so many clubs) being a regular anywhere he has been, he would have been better than anything on that pitch in an attacking sense. Soon as he came on it was ironic they scored instantly. They too sort of played one up top with Clarke off him. I liked Clarke at United but unlike Matt Phillips; he has not quite gone on. Yeates is another that is a bit part player for an average League One side. It was odd seeing McMahon in central midfield. He is another that has probably back at his true level. He did not do much other than feign injury in the corner and then get a booking for a crude foul.
Overall City were poor but did deserve a point because we were as bad. I also felt that they were as bad as us in possession and looked as slow and sluggish and was one of few sides with as little pace as us! A side that gets good crowds and I would expect Parkinson to tweak things over the summer and for them to be there or thereabouts next season but probably like us need an injection of pace and some solidity at the back.
