Deadbat
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Pod and final match report below
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United’s excellent first season ended with three straight defeats and a rather disappointing end as they Blades ended up bang in 9th place. When the restart began fans dreamed of a top 5 finish but despite a trio of great wins, the bookends of this truncated mini season has seen United put in some poor performances and in the end lost 5 games (they had only lost 7 before the break – 4 to Liverpool and City) to end up some way from the final place we had hoped for prior to football coming back. Still despite the fade out, it has been a tremendous season for the red and white wizards and one where they have not come close to being relegated, flirting with the top places for most of the season.
Manager Wilder made four changes with many enforced due to knocks/injuries. In came Robinson, Lundstram, Fleck and Sharp for O’Connell, Norwood, Osborn and McGoldrick. On the bench possibly for the final time was Freeman, Clarke and Jagielka. Southampton started with former Blade Che Adams back in the starting line up alongside the free scoring Danny Ings who still had a chance of the golden boot.
United were wearing their lime third kit, maybe for the final time whilst Southampton were wearing their new red strip with diagonal white stripe.
The early going saw McBurnie commit an early foul and then Henderson had to sweep up before neat football from Sharp and Fleck combined but Fleck’s cross went over. Berge pulled down his man but made amends when he strongly swept up after the free kick was cleared.
The first real chance came when a ball from Basham came in and the ball was deflected from McBurnie’s shot but fell comfortably for McCarthy. After a quiet start the chances started to come with Ings going in on goal and falling outside the box quite theatrically and United broke away with no foul given. Lundstram’s long ball curled around his man and Sharp held off his defender really well but as he went on the angle and with McBurnie square, he probably rightly went for goal with a free run but one on one, his shot hit McCarthy’s legs and rebounded back onto Sharp and out for a goal kick. It was a really good chance and one he would expect to score.
At the other end, Redmond had a curled shot that was grasped by Henderson before Armstrong went down signalling a slightly early drinks break. After this United took the lead on 25 minutes. Stevens cross deflected off Vestergaard with Sharp occupying the centre back and fell perfectly for LUNDSTRAM. The midfielder hit the ball firmly and it went in off McCarthy’s legs to give United the lead.
Smallbone came on for Armstrong who could not continue. Egan took charge twice with balls over the top before at the other end United could have made it 2-0. A poor mistake saw McBurnie take advantage and feed Sharp down the left who cut in and dinked over a cross over his striker partner but in the path of Lundstram. The midfielder probably hit this effort better than his first but McCarthy made a superb save to beat the ball away.
It was not end to end and Ings had an effort deflected wide from Robinson before soon after Adams sent Basham for a McDonalds as he completely out foxed his former teammate and was away before his cross was cleared. Soon after Redmond then powered past Lundstram and Basham and his cross ricocheted around before United hacked clear. Adams was proving a real danger man and he rolled Adams again before Fleck blocked a shot from the edge of the box with great bravery.
Three minutes stoppage time saw United had to defend a final corner but it had been a solid first half and the away side, whilst not having anywhere near as much possession, created by far the best chances and scored from one of the three clear ones they made.
The second half saw Southampton come out and were clearly more determined to make a mark as they came at the Blades. They had two players grounded looking for penalties but Berge and Robinson were rightly not penalised.
At the other end great skill from Fleck set up Stevens whose shot was block but this was a rare attack in one-way traffic. Basham lost the ball and then Berge could not get it back and it was played through for ADAMS who beat Henderson at his near post..
Redmond then had a shot blocked for a corner as Zivkovic came on for McBurnie. Smallbone then shot over as United could not get out at all. However, they had a great chance to retake the lead when Sharp got in after a McCarthy error but he tried to dribble it round the keeper and Romeu got back to make the tackle.
McCarthy took the ball just inside his box with appeals for a handball but the VAR waved it away – at the other end – Adams looked set to score after Ings ‘over’ from the Ward Prowse cross but Robinson made a goal saving block.
Southampton were dominating possession and United had really struggled this half. Clarke came on for Sharp but it was not long after Southampton deservedly took the lead. It was a run inside from Walker Peters away from Stevens and his shot was blocked by Basham but fell perfectly for ADAMS who smashed home with United’s defence ball watching.
This half had been reminiscent of the Leicester/Everton games and it was easy for the Saints to knock the ball about. United had barely kept the ball at all this half and other than the one Sharp chance had not looked an attacking threat as Redmond and Adams continued to cause problems but the main issue seemed to be midfield where Berge, Fleck and Lundstram were not in the game and Ward Prowse and Romeu dominating the ball.
Basham came off for Norwood with 10 minutes to play but his first act was a disaster as he chopped down his man and despite Henderson saving the shot – the referee went back and rightly gave the award. INGS easily scored and now was within one goal of the golden boot.
The final 10 minutes saw it resemble a practice game and Southampton moved the ball about and looked more like scoring again winning a few more corners but United looked a tired team as Redmond, Waller Peters and others ran off them and just looked quicker and with more energy in their legs. There was 4 minutes of stoppage time but it was played out in with the home side having the ball and the final whistle came with United ending a fantastic season with three straight defeats.
United – Poor overall but definitely a game of two halves. First half we did ok and maybe should have had 3 goals in an open game but after missing some good chances; it was not to be. You worried they would come out strong second half and so it proved and it was very one sided second half other than the one Sharp chance– we kind of fell apart second half and 3-1 actually flattered us really after the first half we deserved to lead. First game we have led a game at home and lost for a long, long time.
It was a weird game in this sense. We maybe shaded the first half; not possession but big chances but then second half they dominated and ran out easy winners. Be interesting if Lundstram or Sharp x 2 took their chances but in terms of overall play, passing and quality they were much better 2nd half. Essentially, they took their chances and we did not – we probably had better chances. However, the last half an hour they just ran away from us and we looked a really tired group and could not even run/chase for the final half hour. It was sad to watch players who have had a fantastic season just look done for. They had 73% possession and had loads more efforts on goal, corners etc but we had the big chances and you have to take them when they come.
The penalty summed it up as even as Ings scored none of our players even bothered following in which suggested the body language was not what it has been for much of the season. It was poor end the season like we did but we still finished 9th and equalled the best ever finish my lifetime – this is a much better team than the Bassett one too and play better football. Overall, it has been a fantastic season and one we can be so proud of. We need to keep improving at definitely at the top of the field where we lack quality/goals and pace. Today and the last few weeks was a reminder that the players cannot be complacent and we have to be bang at the first few weeks of the new season.
We have an excellent base and some really good players to build on but we have to improve and cannot stand still. Feels a bit flat tonight but we will reflect in a day or so and realise what we have achieved.
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United’s excellent first season ended with three straight defeats and a rather disappointing end as they Blades ended up bang in 9th place. When the restart began fans dreamed of a top 5 finish but despite a trio of great wins, the bookends of this truncated mini season has seen United put in some poor performances and in the end lost 5 games (they had only lost 7 before the break – 4 to Liverpool and City) to end up some way from the final place we had hoped for prior to football coming back. Still despite the fade out, it has been a tremendous season for the red and white wizards and one where they have not come close to being relegated, flirting with the top places for most of the season.
Manager Wilder made four changes with many enforced due to knocks/injuries. In came Robinson, Lundstram, Fleck and Sharp for O’Connell, Norwood, Osborn and McGoldrick. On the bench possibly for the final time was Freeman, Clarke and Jagielka. Southampton started with former Blade Che Adams back in the starting line up alongside the free scoring Danny Ings who still had a chance of the golden boot.
United were wearing their lime third kit, maybe for the final time whilst Southampton were wearing their new red strip with diagonal white stripe.
The early going saw McBurnie commit an early foul and then Henderson had to sweep up before neat football from Sharp and Fleck combined but Fleck’s cross went over. Berge pulled down his man but made amends when he strongly swept up after the free kick was cleared.
The first real chance came when a ball from Basham came in and the ball was deflected from McBurnie’s shot but fell comfortably for McCarthy. After a quiet start the chances started to come with Ings going in on goal and falling outside the box quite theatrically and United broke away with no foul given. Lundstram’s long ball curled around his man and Sharp held off his defender really well but as he went on the angle and with McBurnie square, he probably rightly went for goal with a free run but one on one, his shot hit McCarthy’s legs and rebounded back onto Sharp and out for a goal kick. It was a really good chance and one he would expect to score.
At the other end, Redmond had a curled shot that was grasped by Henderson before Armstrong went down signalling a slightly early drinks break. After this United took the lead on 25 minutes. Stevens cross deflected off Vestergaard with Sharp occupying the centre back and fell perfectly for LUNDSTRAM. The midfielder hit the ball firmly and it went in off McCarthy’s legs to give United the lead.
Smallbone came on for Armstrong who could not continue. Egan took charge twice with balls over the top before at the other end United could have made it 2-0. A poor mistake saw McBurnie take advantage and feed Sharp down the left who cut in and dinked over a cross over his striker partner but in the path of Lundstram. The midfielder probably hit this effort better than his first but McCarthy made a superb save to beat the ball away.
It was not end to end and Ings had an effort deflected wide from Robinson before soon after Adams sent Basham for a McDonalds as he completely out foxed his former teammate and was away before his cross was cleared. Soon after Redmond then powered past Lundstram and Basham and his cross ricocheted around before United hacked clear. Adams was proving a real danger man and he rolled Adams again before Fleck blocked a shot from the edge of the box with great bravery.
Three minutes stoppage time saw United had to defend a final corner but it had been a solid first half and the away side, whilst not having anywhere near as much possession, created by far the best chances and scored from one of the three clear ones they made.
The second half saw Southampton come out and were clearly more determined to make a mark as they came at the Blades. They had two players grounded looking for penalties but Berge and Robinson were rightly not penalised.
At the other end great skill from Fleck set up Stevens whose shot was block but this was a rare attack in one-way traffic. Basham lost the ball and then Berge could not get it back and it was played through for ADAMS who beat Henderson at his near post..
Redmond then had a shot blocked for a corner as Zivkovic came on for McBurnie. Smallbone then shot over as United could not get out at all. However, they had a great chance to retake the lead when Sharp got in after a McCarthy error but he tried to dribble it round the keeper and Romeu got back to make the tackle.
McCarthy took the ball just inside his box with appeals for a handball but the VAR waved it away – at the other end – Adams looked set to score after Ings ‘over’ from the Ward Prowse cross but Robinson made a goal saving block.
Southampton were dominating possession and United had really struggled this half. Clarke came on for Sharp but it was not long after Southampton deservedly took the lead. It was a run inside from Walker Peters away from Stevens and his shot was blocked by Basham but fell perfectly for ADAMS who smashed home with United’s defence ball watching.
This half had been reminiscent of the Leicester/Everton games and it was easy for the Saints to knock the ball about. United had barely kept the ball at all this half and other than the one Sharp chance had not looked an attacking threat as Redmond and Adams continued to cause problems but the main issue seemed to be midfield where Berge, Fleck and Lundstram were not in the game and Ward Prowse and Romeu dominating the ball.
Basham came off for Norwood with 10 minutes to play but his first act was a disaster as he chopped down his man and despite Henderson saving the shot – the referee went back and rightly gave the award. INGS easily scored and now was within one goal of the golden boot.
The final 10 minutes saw it resemble a practice game and Southampton moved the ball about and looked more like scoring again winning a few more corners but United looked a tired team as Redmond, Waller Peters and others ran off them and just looked quicker and with more energy in their legs. There was 4 minutes of stoppage time but it was played out in with the home side having the ball and the final whistle came with United ending a fantastic season with three straight defeats.
United – Poor overall but definitely a game of two halves. First half we did ok and maybe should have had 3 goals in an open game but after missing some good chances; it was not to be. You worried they would come out strong second half and so it proved and it was very one sided second half other than the one Sharp chance– we kind of fell apart second half and 3-1 actually flattered us really after the first half we deserved to lead. First game we have led a game at home and lost for a long, long time.
It was a weird game in this sense. We maybe shaded the first half; not possession but big chances but then second half they dominated and ran out easy winners. Be interesting if Lundstram or Sharp x 2 took their chances but in terms of overall play, passing and quality they were much better 2nd half. Essentially, they took their chances and we did not – we probably had better chances. However, the last half an hour they just ran away from us and we looked a really tired group and could not even run/chase for the final half hour. It was sad to watch players who have had a fantastic season just look done for. They had 73% possession and had loads more efforts on goal, corners etc but we had the big chances and you have to take them when they come.
The penalty summed it up as even as Ings scored none of our players even bothered following in which suggested the body language was not what it has been for much of the season. It was poor end the season like we did but we still finished 9th and equalled the best ever finish my lifetime – this is a much better team than the Bassett one too and play better football. Overall, it has been a fantastic season and one we can be so proud of. We need to keep improving at definitely at the top of the field where we lack quality/goals and pace. Today and the last few weeks was a reminder that the players cannot be complacent and we have to be bang at the first few weeks of the new season.
We have an excellent base and some really good players to build on but we have to improve and cannot stand still. Feels a bit flat tonight but we will reflect in a day or so and realise what we have achieved.
