United – It was better I will say that and we dominated the ball most of the game, had loads of territory and for the first half the game was played almost exclusively in Huddersfield’s half. We had some patient (too patient) build up and moved it around but again it was all very safe and we always went down the sides. We did not create much at all with a knock down and McBurnie overhead kick the sum of our decent efforts first half – Norwood had a free kick first half also. I thought we dominated the game for the first hour but again saw very little in terms of meaningful chances or penetration. Berge did well in moments and Norrington Davies and Baldock were well advanced but it was all too ponderous for all the play we had. I felt Huddersfield made no attempt to attack at all but funnelled us wide, packing the midfield and then moved across to combat it knowing we would recycle and it came back and across. We were way too slow to move it on. Granted we controlled the and the tempo but not sure the tempo was where it needed to be in terms of being too laboured. Seen a lot say how well we played and I would concede for the first 60 minutes it was all us but it was all us with no real idea of how to break them down or score. Huddersfield were and are a really poor side. They do not have any real quality I would say with a few promising young lads but a team that will be right near the bottom I feel even after a good week. They basically time wasted, broke up the game and did all the horrible things but like with Birmingham we did not do enough. Two routine saves are not enough for a game played exclusively in the opponent’s half.
I did think the amount of possession and moving them about, albeit slowly would lead to them maybe tiring and some possible chances after the break and for 45-60 minutes we had a spell where where we really penned them back. We had lots of ball down the right and got into some fantastic areas but again nothing of note chances or decent balls in. It was a few fired across and some shots blocked from a long way out. We had them camped in and the crowd started to roar and get behind us even more but then I felt we did not up it even more and let them off the hook. We made a change (wrong one I felt even though Sharp scored) and then it started to sloppy around the hour mark. We had not looked like scoring and the crowd maybe got a bit frustrated (rightly so) and then Berge and Norwood made mistake and they had chances – one just wide and another where Norrington Davies made an interception. At this point you sensed for all the gamesmanship (keeper was awful and should have been booked after 15 minutes) they felt they could score and it became a bit more open. Berge’s threat diminished and the game looked for the first time it could be a 0-1 rather than the 0-0 or 1-0 it may have looked for the first hour.
The goal is awful with us having players out of position, no protection from Norwood or Egan and Baldock and Basham nowhere. The team does not react to the save and we concede a goal where a team has just run through us. We cannot ever play a pass and a simple through ball to create a chance and have not done (save McGoldrick one in week) all season. After this we made changes and went more direct and eventually McBurnie heads a few down that leads to a Sharp chance and finally a goal. At least we have got a point. A better performance – still concerns – but a better showing non the less. Oh no, this is United we are talking! I though maybe we might go and win it but no we concede a corner instantly and then fail to clear our lines and somehow after a weak challenge they have men queuing up to tap in the cross! That’s that. Another defeat.
For all the better play and some positives, we cannot make chances, cannot score goals still (one goal from 71% possession and the keeper made maybe 2 other saves is not enough) and we give away stupid goals. The two today saw us cut apart and were down to poor organisation from the defensive line/team. Awful goals. Does not matter what happens the other end we chuck away goals like that and we are going to struggle.
The 2 or 3 times we did not defend or made mistakes they nearly scored and did with two in the end. There will be a lot better sides than Huddersfield that we play and if we carry on defending like today than there is going to be loads more defeats coming as there has been for the last 18 months.
I have heard his after-match interview and it is fair and reasonable. Promising that Davies (despite his mistake) and Norrington Davies did ok and I also thought Berge showed more life but same concerns continue over lack of pace of the attacks and our inability to create anything down the middle or for the forward (maybe they need to do more too). I also think we went back to the Wilderball in that we had 5-3-2 and wing backs and whilst that allowed us to show some improvements and we looked more organised and had more of a kind of plan (despite stupid goals) we still had the same issues in terms of no idea how to create anything.
It is a major concern and we clearly need more signings. I believe we need to move away from Fleck and Norwood to allow us to play through the middle more and we probably need a different striking option (for all lauding all those strikers no one is really staking a claim and we may need to move a few out to move some in). There are still major holes.
The biggest concern (yes, I know tactics, personnel and style are the chief worries) is the mentality of this group. They are a set of ‘losers.’ Sounds harsh but they are. They are soft and do not know how to win or even draw games. We are timid and have no leadership. I thought likes of Egan, Fleck and Norwood were bigger character than us but they are all meek and mild. There seems something wrong in the camp and what I mean by that is they are just limping along, losing every week. So far, we have seen no sign of a huge chance in effort/drive from most and that worries me with a new manages. So, in a roundabout way what I am trying to say is the issue and biggest concern is the players. We need to quickly overhaul half a dozen (sad as it is to see the back of McGoldrick, Basham, Fleck, Norwood and possibly even Baldock/Egan) it has to be done. We need a different feeling. The worry is the more stay, the rot is set in and as we have seen with Brewster etc, they are part of this losing group. This was my argument for bigger changes in the summer. We will not bring in the 5 or 6 starters he demands in 8 days I feel. I hope I am wrong. It worries me if we don’t where we go? It seems already at best we are looking at a season of transition (mid table I mean I suppose) rather than a promotion assault that may seem a jerk reaction but the lack of chances/points/goals means that without a few transfer windows he cannot change this all round so dramatically. I know Fulham turned it round but they had the same players that turned it round for the most part – not sure we can do that with this group at all.
I still maintain it could get worse before it gets better and would not be shocked to see us lose at Luton (we have won two away games in 18 months) despite their result today and go into the international break rock bottom. I just hope the fans do not start saying ‘sack the manager’ and demanding a change here. He needs to do better but it was clear from last season that this team is broken and now he probably knows it – made 5 changes today and believe he would make if he could (argument he could have played Osborn).
Ratings:
Foderingham 5.5/10 – Had very little to do but not totally convincing to say he barely had anything to do. Just basic stuff first half really but he too got lucky with a foul from a high ball where he came out flailing. Not sure he had a save to make though the entire first half. Then he saw one go just wide after we made a mess of a pass. Had one odd moment where he failed to take a ball and followed it to the wing and then made a tackle and possibly fouled their man – it was not great keeping. So, two things fairly routine he nearly made a mess of. He did punch one out after this that was ok and better than how Verrips did with such things in the week. The goal I have seen some criticise but he got his foot to it and those ones are hard to go down with your hand (close to your body) and then nobody reacted to the rebound as the player controlled and picked his spot. No chance on the second goal as the defence went AWOL.
Baldock 5.5/10 – This mark may seem harsh as he did try hard and put a lot in but once again in the key moments, he makes the wrong choices both ends. He had so much of the ball but again I cannot recall one good cross or moment where he created anything all game. It was all touch, touch, touch and then back. He has no confidence to drive into the box or drive it in. His crosses that did come in were overhit or to no one. He often just went to Berge and hoped he would do it. Some decent football and interplay down the right but no end product at all. On the first goal they conceded he was nowhere as they got in between him and Basham. Likewise on the winner, why he and the other defenders all stood on the box and several of their players ran into the box (watch it back)? I love the guy but we need to give Bogle a go – he may create something, put a decent ball in, go beyond his man and has shown he can score a goal. Baldock is making mistakes defensively so not sure what harm it will do trying Bogle?
Norrington Davies 6.5/10 – Steady first league start and some promise. Got down the wing and tried to get involved and to make things happen. He was lively and looked to get on the ball. Most of his play was attacking wise as he did not really have to defend much – one tackle that good after the Norwwod error – but he spent most of his time going forward. At times his crosses did not find anyone but like he did try and put it in the box at least. His control and passing was fine. Definitely need to persist with him here – probably got tired at the end and why he came off – if not I would have left him and Brewster on personally who were better than Baldock/McBurnie who stayed on in respective positions. I have heard some rumours that RND might be one he lets go but would seem odd him playing if that is the case?
Davies 6/10 – Decent debut overall but loses a mark for the weak attempt to clear/challenge on the winner. On the ball he was solid enough and tidy as he moved it on and he was one of few who tried to move it quicker. Comfortable on the ball and tidy enough. Quite mobile too. Sadly, the goal he has to be stronger – some said he was pushed but I have watched it back and he goes down way too easily against a small player and this directly led to the goal. One or two appealed but most of our lads’ lack of appeal was telling in terms of the look of resignation.
Egan 5.5/10 – Ok but put under no pressure at all really. They had 2 up top but both of them actually ended up as extra midfielders at times too. It was an easy game for an hour and the main part needed to be him moving it on but was way too slow to do this when he had it and ended up going to Norwood all the time which slows us down – try something different – switch it wide or come out with it? The two goals did not come through him directly but do wonder where the defence was on both goals – it was laughable marking with huge holes. Why are we so high out from a corner we had not even cleared properly?
Basham 4/10 – Thought he was really poor today. Started with a miskick that put them in and carried on from this all game with several intercepted balls and poor choices. Going forward he was looking for fouls that were not there and did not really offer much or was too slow to do things. He made another few mistakes second half that led to chances as they broke and then on the first goal have no idea where him and Baldock were? He did get into decent areas at times second half and came out like the old days but not sure we had those drives into the box and was a bit hesitant to do it. He carried on with poor touches defensively and just seemed a bit errand. On the second even after Davies loses it, he gets beat so easily and then puts his arm up for offside?
Norwood 5.5/10 – A frustrating game again where he was always on the ball but invariably, I felt quite slow and predictable. He did ‘ping’ a few around but again I wanted more forward passes and it being done quicker. He was ok with it and did not give it away and I suppose he is not going to run forward with it but want him to occasionally try and break the thirds rather than always go wide. Taken off set plays – Fleck’s were no better – apart from the free kick which was a tame effort straight at the keeper. Second half he started to become a bit ragged like the rest and gave one away that nearly led to the goal. As the game went on, we seemed to start to lose this area and they created a few chances. I would like us to move away from him and Fleck now and get some midfielders in that can run and have some dynamism. They never get in the box or even look like scoring a goal so with strikers who do not score it is a problem.
Fleck 3.5/10 – Another largely anonymous showing. One good run where he took two men on was good in the first half and it was like the Fleck of old but after this several poor moments where he got out run or outfought. There was one near the touchline and he was so slow to react to it. He just sort of gave up and the player ran away. This happened again soon after. Looked woefully unfit and other than the one moment I mentioned he moved it on when he had it and often his passes were just into an area and rarely forward. Thought once again he was our least effective midfielder. He took free kicks A game where the defence needed little protection and he should have been able to drive forward and make things happen and was static, slow and looked disinterested. Looks done to me as sad as that is to type. As he trooped off his body language suggested he just knows he is struggling. You saw it when a few players skipped away from him.
Berge 7/10 – Our best player by a fair way I felt. Norrington Davies and Davies did ok as the other outfield stand outs and Sharp got the goal but he was the one who actually looked good on the ball and ‘might’ make something happen. He was the one player who looked like he might make things happen as he dropped the shoulder, drove along the field (sadly rarely forward) and tried to link. He showed he wanted to get on it and tried to create things and was always looking for it back. I do think once he gets to the last third, we do not see that bit of magic, a killer ball, a shot or a dribble into the area. He somehow just runs out of steam and then plays it off almost negating some of the good work. Second half he linked well with Baldock and Basham and a few others and once or twice even got into advanced areas but again no end product sadly. I also felt he tired around the hour mark and then he almost put them in with a loose ball. The final part of the game not sure we saw much of him. Still the stand out player on the pitch and technically stood out but again need a final bit from him.
McBurnie 4/10 – I have debated on the pod that I felt he was poorer than Brewster before Brewster went off but my colleague on the pod said he was better. I thought it never really stuck to him at all. There was a spell in the opening of the game where he gave it away three times in about 10 seconds. He just kept giving it them back. He tried to put himself about but often he sort of stumbled around although did win one free kick from such a piece of play. Had the overhead kick effort which was decent. Second half again the service was not great coming in and it never stuck to him. Looks for fouls or wrestles with defenders at the wrong point. Thought he was lucky to stay on as he has been ineffective but he did win two headers that led to a chance and the goal. Still need to see a lot more from him but do think the way we play is not helping out strikers – it is too slow and we do not get the ball in the right areas at all and never play through the middle.
Brewster 4.5/10 – I thought he was ok at times first half and had a few decent runs down the side and won a corner or tried to link but it was all scraps and he had little service. He seems to want to play on the shoulder but we do not play balls to the strikers – we go down the sides and try the patient build up stuff. He kept chasing and trying to get in and even 2nd half had a few bits of play but again the play we had was all down the side and never coming in. I think we might have put one decent cross in all game. Most were overhit or hit the first man and it was never giving them a chance to attack. Maybe they do need to gamble more and should be in better areas but are probably never used to it coming in so keep doubling back on themselves? Not sure either of our strikers did anywhere near enough really at all despite the lack of service and need to show a lot more. It is incredible we have paid 40 million for these two. FORTY MILLION!
