Deadbat
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View from the sofa…credit to those that went for a rain cold February night on TV and a game that was effectively over after half an hour.
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For the first time in a long time going back to Walsall a year ago and then maybe Southend a whole 17 months ago; United were well beaten. However, in those two games a run of goals saw off the Blades in shock defeats. Tonight, for maybe the first time in Wilder’s tenure United were completely outplayed, outfought and outthought. Wolves’ million-pound stars tore United to shreds at times in a game that saw United have plenty of the ball but do little with it. United lost 3-0 and it could have been much more in a game that John Ruddy barely had anything to do. The miserable night was compounded when Simon Moore’s ridiculous moment of lunacy saw him wildly boot an opponent in the guts and rightly receive a red card.
Manager Wilder made one change with Ricky Holmes making his first United start for the Blades who had dropped down to 8th before kick-off. Clarke, Stearman and Evans all faced their former side. United began well with Holmes and Baldock involved early but despite this decent start it was a wonder goal that shook the visitors. NEVES picked up the ball after a break and from 30 yards hit a stunning shot that cannoned in off the far post giving Moore no chance. It was a scintillating strike.
United tried to rouse themselves but Evans shot well over before Jota then fed Costa who fired just wide. More flicks and tricks saw the same man then feed the ball into Jota who was blocked out before Costa was then close to a second. United struggled to stem the tide but had a spell of possession for a period without affecting the Wolves goal.
The second goal game from a lovely move that saw several Wolves players involved. JOTA was able to play a one two and then get the return to power the ball home. It was a beautiful goal although maybe United could have got a foot in earlier in the move; that is taking nothing away from the slick football.
United were stunned and with only half an hour gone faced an uphill task. Wilson had a low shot easily saved but Wolves had more chances before the half time whistle came.
The second half saw a more even game with the Blades having a half chance where Holmes fired badly over when well placed but Wolves looked the more dangerous going forward and some delightful footwork from Costa wrongfooted Stevens before two free kicks in dangerous areas saw Douglas blocked on both occasions.
United brought on Leonard and Donaldson for Holmes and Basham but soon after these changes it was game over. A ball over the top saw Jota onto it and Moore came and missed the ball completely and kicked the Wolves man high in the midriff. It was an awful tackle and the red card that followed was a simple decision. Young Jake Eastwood came on but his first act was picking the ball out of the net as the free kick from CAVALEIRO flicked off Clarke in the wall and wrongfooted the young keeper to make it 3-0.
It was damage limitation now and subs Bonatini and Afobe both were narrowly wide as it was ole football at times from the leaders. United looked a sorry side by the full-time whistle and were chasing shadows long before the end of the four minutes of stoppage time.
United – We got stuffed and comprehensively so. People will say we were in the game for spells but we did nothing with the ball and were chasing shadows without it. They just got men behind the ball waited for us to lose it and then sprinted forward to their next dangerous attack. They knew we did not have the pace or players to run at them. Defensively we could not live with their runners and they threatened to cut us to threads at times. I felt when we had it we just played it square and back. We never wanted to try and get them turned and nobody penetrated. The wing backs other than a few moments from Baldock did not advance and the wide centre backs did not advance but then we got overrun in midfield they could not. We then changed it and did a bit better but it was too late. I felt key men such as Clarke and Fleck were poor and lost their battles and we relied on brief threats from Baldock and Holmes. Too many players seemed to have no belief we could actually compete in the game. Remember this was the same team we beat at the Lane; granted with 10 men. This shows the two directions the sides have gone since.
For all their skill and the goals and quality; the things that got me the most was the work ethic. They won more 50/50 tackles, won the loose stuff and all the physical battles they won. They only way we could stop them was drag them back after they got to the ball first. We were dirty tonight and should have had more sent off but not dirty in getting some crunching ‘let them know you are there’ tackles but dirty in the sense that we lost our men and then tripped or pulled them back.
We started the game ok and had a few decent attacks but then they score with a wonder goal (people blaming Evans or others) need just to concede it was a superb goal. Sometimes you have to hold your hand up. Evans might have got out but he bent it that far wide when he hit it; it would probably have not mattered little. Moore had no chance. The second was a great team goal but Stevens gave his man too much time and Basham was ball watching. Moore also could have got a firmer hand to it but was hit in close. Still a great goal. They could have had 3 or 4 more goals. In between goals one and two we did ok with Holmes doing some neat pieces of play but we never looked like scoring with a weak Wilson shot the only effort on goal all game. After it went 2-0 they may as well have come off. We stood off for long periods and seemed to invite pressure as good as they were. It became like a practice game. Second half we had a spell but other than half chance for Holmes never looked like scoring at all. They still had more chances and then the Moore sending off killed it. Ridiculous and should be fined for a moment of madness. Killed the game and also affects us for the next 3 games. What was he thinking? After this they could have scored 5 or 6. We gave up and it was painful to watch.
Wolves were brilliant and simply too good. They have multi million-pound players who have played for Porto and Sporting Lisbon and we have their cast offs or players that have played lower champ or League One. That is the reality.
Today brought into sharp reality where we are at. We are nearer the likes of Preston, Brentford, Ipswich etc than the Wolves, Villa, Derby etc of this world. Most of the clubs I compare us to have been mid table teams at this level for 4 or 5 years and you sense for us that might be the best we can hope for without the investment. People may say we cannot go silly and chuck money at it as it could be suicide but I am not sure what the Prince’s intentions are really? Has he come here to be a Preston or Brentford at this level or did he come here to thrust himself and his people properly into the spotlight and be part of the big Premier League global market. If it is the latter then you would have thought now he would have spent money? Next year will be even harder. Maybe he has been surprised by our progress and we have almost made it harder for fans in that if we do tail off and have say a season or two at mid table will fans grumble and expect more. Should we expect more or is that about the best we can hope for with current spending power (however we grumble about it – that is what we have and nothing we can do without fresh investment).
It is an interesting one as some feel Wilder may say he has had enough and sod off in 6 months or a year if we don’t kick on and give him a proper chance but then you could argue no Prem team took a chance on him when his star was at its highest. If we continue to trail off and finish mid-way and are say are mid table next year; no Prem team would take him I feel. His only way of leaving would be to another Champ club with more spending power. Would he leave United for that? United’ success this season has almost made fans hungry for more and maybe pushed up expectation level too much. We have done really well and even if we do finish say mid table that is a solid season. It is just frustrating that we had a real chance and but for a few injuries and maybe the board not quite properly backing Wilder; it seems like the chance has gone. I recall a Wednesday fan saying after they lost to Hull when a lot of my other Wednesday mates were saying they would go one better; he argued they had missed their best chance and it might be 4 or 5 years before they get the opportunity again and it looks like that has proved right. We had an opportunity this year and now it seems to have gone which is a shame.
Going back to this season, the playoffs is going to be really hard to achieve. The sides above save for maybe 6th are well away now and all on good form. The likes of us and Leeds are just fading away. Next Saturday really is a huge game. Whoever loses that could very well be starting at a mid-table finish. Win and you give yourself a jot in the arm.
Our current form is really poor (4th lowest in league in terms of points accumulated last 12 games and relegation form really) and now we simply have to steady the ship and get a few goals and wins (we are not only not winning but not scoring – outside the Norwich game we have scored 1 goal in 5 games at Derby) and simply do not look the same side with the energy levels on and off the ball missing. We need to stop the rot and quick as if we have another month like the last one we will be in the bottom half. We do not look like putting a run of wins together at all and the performances even when decent has still seen us fail to win (Bristol City, Derby, Villa, Birmingham). Wilder has a huge week. He needs to bring Duffy back next week and needs to get back to basics of earlier in the season – pressing high up the field, winning the ball and then attacking with pace and fluidity. Everything we have done has been slow on and off the ball and we look a tired side that lacks belief. The coaching staff have a huge week to restore confidence after two crushing defeats this week that has really hit the side hard.
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For the first time in a long time going back to Walsall a year ago and then maybe Southend a whole 17 months ago; United were well beaten. However, in those two games a run of goals saw off the Blades in shock defeats. Tonight, for maybe the first time in Wilder’s tenure United were completely outplayed, outfought and outthought. Wolves’ million-pound stars tore United to shreds at times in a game that saw United have plenty of the ball but do little with it. United lost 3-0 and it could have been much more in a game that John Ruddy barely had anything to do. The miserable night was compounded when Simon Moore’s ridiculous moment of lunacy saw him wildly boot an opponent in the guts and rightly receive a red card.
Manager Wilder made one change with Ricky Holmes making his first United start for the Blades who had dropped down to 8th before kick-off. Clarke, Stearman and Evans all faced their former side. United began well with Holmes and Baldock involved early but despite this decent start it was a wonder goal that shook the visitors. NEVES picked up the ball after a break and from 30 yards hit a stunning shot that cannoned in off the far post giving Moore no chance. It was a scintillating strike.
United tried to rouse themselves but Evans shot well over before Jota then fed Costa who fired just wide. More flicks and tricks saw the same man then feed the ball into Jota who was blocked out before Costa was then close to a second. United struggled to stem the tide but had a spell of possession for a period without affecting the Wolves goal.
The second goal game from a lovely move that saw several Wolves players involved. JOTA was able to play a one two and then get the return to power the ball home. It was a beautiful goal although maybe United could have got a foot in earlier in the move; that is taking nothing away from the slick football.
United were stunned and with only half an hour gone faced an uphill task. Wilson had a low shot easily saved but Wolves had more chances before the half time whistle came.
The second half saw a more even game with the Blades having a half chance where Holmes fired badly over when well placed but Wolves looked the more dangerous going forward and some delightful footwork from Costa wrongfooted Stevens before two free kicks in dangerous areas saw Douglas blocked on both occasions.
United brought on Leonard and Donaldson for Holmes and Basham but soon after these changes it was game over. A ball over the top saw Jota onto it and Moore came and missed the ball completely and kicked the Wolves man high in the midriff. It was an awful tackle and the red card that followed was a simple decision. Young Jake Eastwood came on but his first act was picking the ball out of the net as the free kick from CAVALEIRO flicked off Clarke in the wall and wrongfooted the young keeper to make it 3-0.
It was damage limitation now and subs Bonatini and Afobe both were narrowly wide as it was ole football at times from the leaders. United looked a sorry side by the full-time whistle and were chasing shadows long before the end of the four minutes of stoppage time.
United – We got stuffed and comprehensively so. People will say we were in the game for spells but we did nothing with the ball and were chasing shadows without it. They just got men behind the ball waited for us to lose it and then sprinted forward to their next dangerous attack. They knew we did not have the pace or players to run at them. Defensively we could not live with their runners and they threatened to cut us to threads at times. I felt when we had it we just played it square and back. We never wanted to try and get them turned and nobody penetrated. The wing backs other than a few moments from Baldock did not advance and the wide centre backs did not advance but then we got overrun in midfield they could not. We then changed it and did a bit better but it was too late. I felt key men such as Clarke and Fleck were poor and lost their battles and we relied on brief threats from Baldock and Holmes. Too many players seemed to have no belief we could actually compete in the game. Remember this was the same team we beat at the Lane; granted with 10 men. This shows the two directions the sides have gone since.
For all their skill and the goals and quality; the things that got me the most was the work ethic. They won more 50/50 tackles, won the loose stuff and all the physical battles they won. They only way we could stop them was drag them back after they got to the ball first. We were dirty tonight and should have had more sent off but not dirty in getting some crunching ‘let them know you are there’ tackles but dirty in the sense that we lost our men and then tripped or pulled them back.
We started the game ok and had a few decent attacks but then they score with a wonder goal (people blaming Evans or others) need just to concede it was a superb goal. Sometimes you have to hold your hand up. Evans might have got out but he bent it that far wide when he hit it; it would probably have not mattered little. Moore had no chance. The second was a great team goal but Stevens gave his man too much time and Basham was ball watching. Moore also could have got a firmer hand to it but was hit in close. Still a great goal. They could have had 3 or 4 more goals. In between goals one and two we did ok with Holmes doing some neat pieces of play but we never looked like scoring with a weak Wilson shot the only effort on goal all game. After it went 2-0 they may as well have come off. We stood off for long periods and seemed to invite pressure as good as they were. It became like a practice game. Second half we had a spell but other than half chance for Holmes never looked like scoring at all. They still had more chances and then the Moore sending off killed it. Ridiculous and should be fined for a moment of madness. Killed the game and also affects us for the next 3 games. What was he thinking? After this they could have scored 5 or 6. We gave up and it was painful to watch.
Wolves were brilliant and simply too good. They have multi million-pound players who have played for Porto and Sporting Lisbon and we have their cast offs or players that have played lower champ or League One. That is the reality.
Today brought into sharp reality where we are at. We are nearer the likes of Preston, Brentford, Ipswich etc than the Wolves, Villa, Derby etc of this world. Most of the clubs I compare us to have been mid table teams at this level for 4 or 5 years and you sense for us that might be the best we can hope for without the investment. People may say we cannot go silly and chuck money at it as it could be suicide but I am not sure what the Prince’s intentions are really? Has he come here to be a Preston or Brentford at this level or did he come here to thrust himself and his people properly into the spotlight and be part of the big Premier League global market. If it is the latter then you would have thought now he would have spent money? Next year will be even harder. Maybe he has been surprised by our progress and we have almost made it harder for fans in that if we do tail off and have say a season or two at mid table will fans grumble and expect more. Should we expect more or is that about the best we can hope for with current spending power (however we grumble about it – that is what we have and nothing we can do without fresh investment).
It is an interesting one as some feel Wilder may say he has had enough and sod off in 6 months or a year if we don’t kick on and give him a proper chance but then you could argue no Prem team took a chance on him when his star was at its highest. If we continue to trail off and finish mid-way and are say are mid table next year; no Prem team would take him I feel. His only way of leaving would be to another Champ club with more spending power. Would he leave United for that? United’ success this season has almost made fans hungry for more and maybe pushed up expectation level too much. We have done really well and even if we do finish say mid table that is a solid season. It is just frustrating that we had a real chance and but for a few injuries and maybe the board not quite properly backing Wilder; it seems like the chance has gone. I recall a Wednesday fan saying after they lost to Hull when a lot of my other Wednesday mates were saying they would go one better; he argued they had missed their best chance and it might be 4 or 5 years before they get the opportunity again and it looks like that has proved right. We had an opportunity this year and now it seems to have gone which is a shame.
Going back to this season, the playoffs is going to be really hard to achieve. The sides above save for maybe 6th are well away now and all on good form. The likes of us and Leeds are just fading away. Next Saturday really is a huge game. Whoever loses that could very well be starting at a mid-table finish. Win and you give yourself a jot in the arm.
Our current form is really poor (4th lowest in league in terms of points accumulated last 12 games and relegation form really) and now we simply have to steady the ship and get a few goals and wins (we are not only not winning but not scoring – outside the Norwich game we have scored 1 goal in 5 games at Derby) and simply do not look the same side with the energy levels on and off the ball missing. We need to stop the rot and quick as if we have another month like the last one we will be in the bottom half. We do not look like putting a run of wins together at all and the performances even when decent has still seen us fail to win (Bristol City, Derby, Villa, Birmingham). Wilder has a huge week. He needs to bring Duffy back next week and needs to get back to basics of earlier in the season – pressing high up the field, winning the ball and then attacking with pace and fluidity. Everything we have done has been slow on and off the ball and we look a tired side that lacks belief. The coaching staff have a huge week to restore confidence after two crushing defeats this week that has really hit the side hard.
