Deadbat
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Podcast links to come later Sunday - report below….
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After Paul Heckingbottom had got his first victory as permanent manager in his opening game, the Blades followed it up with another win in South Wales as a struggling Cardiff side were put to the sword. United had missed a number of good chances before they conceded a sloppy goal but after Sean Morrison’s red card in the 2nd half, they were able to rip through Cardiff’s rear guard with three excellent goals with Gibbs White scoring an individual stunner and two good team goals. A late set piece goal made it a nervy finish but United deservedly held on and the victory saw United’s recent mini resurgence continue.
United made one enforced change with Sharp in for Brewster with the latter picking up a knock in the win last week. Back on the bench was Oli McBurnie and Lys Mousset. Cardiff started with Collins up front on his own and maybe surprisingly had Flint, Vaulks and dangerman Moore on the bench. Promising youngster Colwill was also on the bench.
The game started with little in the way of goalmouth action although Cardiff won a corner with a header off target. United slowly started to come into the game and move it around and Bogle’s cross was overhit for McGoldrick. On 12 minutes the Blades had a superb chance when Bogle’s cross bounced up and Sharp’s header was straight at Smithies. It was a really poor finish but he missed an even better chance only a minute later. Gibbs White played him in with a clever ball and Sharp was in on goal but he took too long and then Smithies narrowed the angle and made the save. The ball stayed in the box and Basham was able to help it back and somehow the ball was scrambled clear.
The Blades had created three great chances in a similar amount of minutes and the chances kept coming. On 16 minutes a corner came in from Norwood and the ball was stepped over and Hourihane blazed a good opportunity miles over the bar.
Norwood then threaded a neat ball through but McGoldrick let the ball go across his body and the chance was too far over on the angle and he wrongly opted to take it from such a position and it was straight at Smithies for an easy save.
It had been an excellent first 20 minutes from the Blades and they should have led after a number of good chances. Cardiff then came back into the game and it started with Egan’s sloppy back pass to Foderingham that saw him on the stretch and it went the wrong side of the post.
Sharp got down the left and found Gibbs White but he poked wide before Cardiff then had a superb chance to take the lead. Ball came in from a set play and Nelson headed towards goal and it came off Bogle and Foderingham readjusted to make a point blank save to tip it onto the post and somehow it stayed out.
Cardiff now were enjoyed a really good spell and they took the lead when another set play was not cleared and Cardiff were able to knock it back in and Morrison won the header and then with no pressure Ralls scooped it over the defence with some coming out and some staying back and HARRIS could take a touch and slammed it in. It was awful defending from the Blades with Cardiff allowed to take several touches and get through the centre of the defence easily.
United were rocked and were nearly two down as Davies came inside and completely skinned Egan and then went past Egan and was right in on goal but his shot was saved superbly by Foderingham. After such a good start, the visitors were now getting cut apart. Norwood was booked for the Blades and Collins for Cardiff for poor challenges, one sliding in and the latter with a high arm that saw Davies down for the second time.
The Blades did finish the half strongly and had better possession with Stevens, McGoldrick and then Sharp involved before a chance came when McGoldrick came inside and hit a shot that fell via a deflection for Bogle but the wing back was blocked at point blank range. It was a great defensive challenge and denied probably a certain goal. The half time whistle came soon after and United will feel they had the majority of the half and chances but a really poor 10-minute spell could have seen Cardiff score twice more in addition to the one they got.
Cardiff started the 2nd half forcing United back and Davies down the right was causing issued and he got away from Egan with superb skill. This led to a long throw that bounced around the box. United had not got going yet but then came a pivotal moment.
McGoldrick advanced through and slid a delightful ball through that saw Sharp in on goal and Morrison chopped him down. He claimed he got the ball but it was an obvious a red card as you could see and the inevitable card came out. The skipper trooped off and Flint came on for the scorer Harris just after Gibbs White had wasted the free kick blazing over the bar.
United were no pressing Cardiff back and making the man advantage count. They moved it about and Gibbs White was getting on the ball at every opportunity. He played a lovely ball into Sharp but he oddly tried to go back to the Wolves man and the ball was cleared. Hourihane over hit his cross but it was not long before the Blades were level just past the hour mark.
The ball came to the left and GIBBS WHITE had drifted off to the left this time and jinked past his man before unleashing a howitzer of a shot that dipped and arrowed past the flailing Smithies and into the top corner. A tremendous strike and United sprinted back to the centre circle knowing it was a game they now could go on and win.
On the next attack the ball came over from the left and Bogle was well placed but mishit his shot and McGoldrick re-directed it towards goal but somehow Smithies got back to make the save right on the line palming it away at full stretch.
Moore and Vaulks came on for Collins and Davies as Cardiff looked to arrest the one-way traffic but United were now swarming all over the home side and it was attack after attack with Gibbs White and McGoldrick influential in all aspects of the play.
Flint won a header over Foderingham but it looped over but at the other end United continued to look a threat and Bogle was played in by Norwood and the cross was headed home by Sharp but Bogle had gone too soon and was adjudged offside. United were dominating the ball and Stevens had a chance but his cross was poor before Norwood’s cross was headed away by Flint.
It seemed like more chances would come and that happened with a flurry of goals with around a quarter of an hour to go.
On 73 minutes, the ball came down the right and Basham found Bogle who turned it inside the man cleverly to play in Gibbs White who hit a driven cross that SHARP gobbled up and converted. After missing two good chances, he would not miss another and he and McGoldrick celebrated in front of the visiting fans with Blades crosses arms signals!
Two minutes later and it was three. Gibbs White sprinted clear and waited perfectly to provide the pass to MCGOLDRICK whose shot was not the most convincing but it squirmed into the corner, maybe with the aid of a deflection off Flint. From 1-0 down at half time, United had turned it round in 15 minutes of play with three quick fire goals. Clearly the red card had changed things but United had been the better side in the first half.
United could have made it 4 as Hourihane’s ball came in and Bogle was on the angle but could not quite divert it goalward and it went wide. McBurnie came on for Sharp with 10 minutes to play but struggled to get up to the pace of the game. Moore had a shot a long way over and then had a header wide but was offside. Giles got a few crosses in and United were now having to defend for the first time and introduced Osborn for Gibbs White.
Cardiff had a chance on 88 minutes when a ball in saw Moore’s header down into the ground and Foderingham did brilliantly to flick it over the bar. From the corner MCGUINESS won the header above Davies and it may have bounced off the United man as it looped up and into the top corner. 2-3 and with 4 minutes of stoppage time to come, the Blades defensive frailties were exposed in a game they should have seen out easily.
Osborn, Hourihane and then Davies gave it away to allow Cardiff to punt it forward and then Basham foolishly conceded a long throw that came in and was cleared leading to Hourihane to break and maybe caught between going for the corner flag and for another goal with no one back, the loan midfielder cut in and hit a left footed effort that Smithies tipped over. There was no time for the corner and United had won again and continued their steady rise up the league table.
United – Just delighted to get the win. The performance was decent to good for the most part and we definitely were the better side. A lot will be made of the red card but it was our good play that led to it and saw him make the challenge. Going back to the start of the game we could have easily been 3-0 up with two great chances for Sharp and two good ones for Hourihane and McGoldrick. After this we started to make mistakes (Egan back pass) and could not defend crosses. We got lucky to survive one with poor marking when it hit the post via Foderingham but were not so lucky soon after and they should never have time to pick a scooped pass out and then to control, turn and score. We were not good after this for the next 10 minutes or so and they nearly scored again. Davies and Egan were struggling either side of half time and we looked like we might concede another I felt if they got the ball in the right areas. The red card came against the run of play but completely changed things and we scored a fantastic individual goal and then two well made and taken goals and we had completely put the pedal to the floor when we had the man advantage. It was all us and they could not live with some of the football we played with Bogle, Norwood Basham, McGoldrick and Gibbs White all central to the good stuff we were playing. The 2nd goal was a lovely goal and similar to last week with a man moving off the ball and the pass recognising this playing Gibbs White down the side. The third came and you sensed that was it as we actually looked more like scoring more goals. However, with Vaulks throws, the ball into the box from wide and you were worried they may always have a route back into it, even with a man less. So, it proved as Moore could have scored two before they got the late header. I was really worried after this and they had a few more balls go in our box. We simply could not deal with the high balls and crosses. We looked as susceptible as we did earlier in the season and you were just thankful Moore/Flint had not played from the start and that time ran out also.
As I have said, attacking wide and with the ball for 20-25 minutes to start the game we were good and then for 20 minutes in the 2nd half we again looked superb cutting through then. We scored 3 but could have had that many to start the game. Sadly, we have these mad spells where teams just put it into the box and we cannot deal with it – the 10-minute spell punctuated when they scored first half and then the last 10 minutes. They had 15-20 minutes of a 90-minute game. We had the rest and looked technically better with more skilled players who looked like they could open the opposition up. Sadly, all that counts for nothing if we cannot head it and clear balls into the box and set plays continue to be an issue. For all our own chances, Foderingham made 3 great saves and they did have a lot of moments themselves. It was a weird game really as both teams had good chances but United had more possession, more chances and more quality. Overall, the best team won and the score if anything flattered Cardiff a bit on the reflection of the whole game.
We still have to work on our defensive side as if we continue to defend like that then we won’t be near the top 6. All the good attacking stuff is effectively wasted if we cannot deal with a simple cross or throw in. Still, it is a win and one we merited. Gibbs White was superb – McGoldrick good too and I felt Bogle, Norwood and Foderingham did well too. A few (Stevens, Davies and Hourihane) still need to do more as it is rare, we have 8 or 9 players at it and are relying on MGW and Didz play on the ball to create goals and win games.
We are up to 10th and definitely now can sense we seem to be going in the right direction. We have some tougher games to come but then after Xmas, I also feel there are some games we can win too. We need to ensure we are in around those top 6 places. It is certainly building up nicely to the return of Mr Wilder in 3 or 4 games with their upward resurgence too.
It is positive we have McBurnie, Mousset, Berge back too so if players standards drop then they should lose minutes. I do feel we need to try and find a powerful and physically dominant centre back in January though.
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After Paul Heckingbottom had got his first victory as permanent manager in his opening game, the Blades followed it up with another win in South Wales as a struggling Cardiff side were put to the sword. United had missed a number of good chances before they conceded a sloppy goal but after Sean Morrison’s red card in the 2nd half, they were able to rip through Cardiff’s rear guard with three excellent goals with Gibbs White scoring an individual stunner and two good team goals. A late set piece goal made it a nervy finish but United deservedly held on and the victory saw United’s recent mini resurgence continue.
United made one enforced change with Sharp in for Brewster with the latter picking up a knock in the win last week. Back on the bench was Oli McBurnie and Lys Mousset. Cardiff started with Collins up front on his own and maybe surprisingly had Flint, Vaulks and dangerman Moore on the bench. Promising youngster Colwill was also on the bench.
The game started with little in the way of goalmouth action although Cardiff won a corner with a header off target. United slowly started to come into the game and move it around and Bogle’s cross was overhit for McGoldrick. On 12 minutes the Blades had a superb chance when Bogle’s cross bounced up and Sharp’s header was straight at Smithies. It was a really poor finish but he missed an even better chance only a minute later. Gibbs White played him in with a clever ball and Sharp was in on goal but he took too long and then Smithies narrowed the angle and made the save. The ball stayed in the box and Basham was able to help it back and somehow the ball was scrambled clear.
The Blades had created three great chances in a similar amount of minutes and the chances kept coming. On 16 minutes a corner came in from Norwood and the ball was stepped over and Hourihane blazed a good opportunity miles over the bar.
Norwood then threaded a neat ball through but McGoldrick let the ball go across his body and the chance was too far over on the angle and he wrongly opted to take it from such a position and it was straight at Smithies for an easy save.
It had been an excellent first 20 minutes from the Blades and they should have led after a number of good chances. Cardiff then came back into the game and it started with Egan’s sloppy back pass to Foderingham that saw him on the stretch and it went the wrong side of the post.
Sharp got down the left and found Gibbs White but he poked wide before Cardiff then had a superb chance to take the lead. Ball came in from a set play and Nelson headed towards goal and it came off Bogle and Foderingham readjusted to make a point blank save to tip it onto the post and somehow it stayed out.
Cardiff now were enjoyed a really good spell and they took the lead when another set play was not cleared and Cardiff were able to knock it back in and Morrison won the header and then with no pressure Ralls scooped it over the defence with some coming out and some staying back and HARRIS could take a touch and slammed it in. It was awful defending from the Blades with Cardiff allowed to take several touches and get through the centre of the defence easily.
United were rocked and were nearly two down as Davies came inside and completely skinned Egan and then went past Egan and was right in on goal but his shot was saved superbly by Foderingham. After such a good start, the visitors were now getting cut apart. Norwood was booked for the Blades and Collins for Cardiff for poor challenges, one sliding in and the latter with a high arm that saw Davies down for the second time.
The Blades did finish the half strongly and had better possession with Stevens, McGoldrick and then Sharp involved before a chance came when McGoldrick came inside and hit a shot that fell via a deflection for Bogle but the wing back was blocked at point blank range. It was a great defensive challenge and denied probably a certain goal. The half time whistle came soon after and United will feel they had the majority of the half and chances but a really poor 10-minute spell could have seen Cardiff score twice more in addition to the one they got.
Cardiff started the 2nd half forcing United back and Davies down the right was causing issued and he got away from Egan with superb skill. This led to a long throw that bounced around the box. United had not got going yet but then came a pivotal moment.
McGoldrick advanced through and slid a delightful ball through that saw Sharp in on goal and Morrison chopped him down. He claimed he got the ball but it was an obvious a red card as you could see and the inevitable card came out. The skipper trooped off and Flint came on for the scorer Harris just after Gibbs White had wasted the free kick blazing over the bar.
United were no pressing Cardiff back and making the man advantage count. They moved it about and Gibbs White was getting on the ball at every opportunity. He played a lovely ball into Sharp but he oddly tried to go back to the Wolves man and the ball was cleared. Hourihane over hit his cross but it was not long before the Blades were level just past the hour mark.
The ball came to the left and GIBBS WHITE had drifted off to the left this time and jinked past his man before unleashing a howitzer of a shot that dipped and arrowed past the flailing Smithies and into the top corner. A tremendous strike and United sprinted back to the centre circle knowing it was a game they now could go on and win.
On the next attack the ball came over from the left and Bogle was well placed but mishit his shot and McGoldrick re-directed it towards goal but somehow Smithies got back to make the save right on the line palming it away at full stretch.
Moore and Vaulks came on for Collins and Davies as Cardiff looked to arrest the one-way traffic but United were now swarming all over the home side and it was attack after attack with Gibbs White and McGoldrick influential in all aspects of the play.
Flint won a header over Foderingham but it looped over but at the other end United continued to look a threat and Bogle was played in by Norwood and the cross was headed home by Sharp but Bogle had gone too soon and was adjudged offside. United were dominating the ball and Stevens had a chance but his cross was poor before Norwood’s cross was headed away by Flint.
It seemed like more chances would come and that happened with a flurry of goals with around a quarter of an hour to go.
On 73 minutes, the ball came down the right and Basham found Bogle who turned it inside the man cleverly to play in Gibbs White who hit a driven cross that SHARP gobbled up and converted. After missing two good chances, he would not miss another and he and McGoldrick celebrated in front of the visiting fans with Blades crosses arms signals!
Two minutes later and it was three. Gibbs White sprinted clear and waited perfectly to provide the pass to MCGOLDRICK whose shot was not the most convincing but it squirmed into the corner, maybe with the aid of a deflection off Flint. From 1-0 down at half time, United had turned it round in 15 minutes of play with three quick fire goals. Clearly the red card had changed things but United had been the better side in the first half.
United could have made it 4 as Hourihane’s ball came in and Bogle was on the angle but could not quite divert it goalward and it went wide. McBurnie came on for Sharp with 10 minutes to play but struggled to get up to the pace of the game. Moore had a shot a long way over and then had a header wide but was offside. Giles got a few crosses in and United were now having to defend for the first time and introduced Osborn for Gibbs White.
Cardiff had a chance on 88 minutes when a ball in saw Moore’s header down into the ground and Foderingham did brilliantly to flick it over the bar. From the corner MCGUINESS won the header above Davies and it may have bounced off the United man as it looped up and into the top corner. 2-3 and with 4 minutes of stoppage time to come, the Blades defensive frailties were exposed in a game they should have seen out easily.
Osborn, Hourihane and then Davies gave it away to allow Cardiff to punt it forward and then Basham foolishly conceded a long throw that came in and was cleared leading to Hourihane to break and maybe caught between going for the corner flag and for another goal with no one back, the loan midfielder cut in and hit a left footed effort that Smithies tipped over. There was no time for the corner and United had won again and continued their steady rise up the league table.
United – Just delighted to get the win. The performance was decent to good for the most part and we definitely were the better side. A lot will be made of the red card but it was our good play that led to it and saw him make the challenge. Going back to the start of the game we could have easily been 3-0 up with two great chances for Sharp and two good ones for Hourihane and McGoldrick. After this we started to make mistakes (Egan back pass) and could not defend crosses. We got lucky to survive one with poor marking when it hit the post via Foderingham but were not so lucky soon after and they should never have time to pick a scooped pass out and then to control, turn and score. We were not good after this for the next 10 minutes or so and they nearly scored again. Davies and Egan were struggling either side of half time and we looked like we might concede another I felt if they got the ball in the right areas. The red card came against the run of play but completely changed things and we scored a fantastic individual goal and then two well made and taken goals and we had completely put the pedal to the floor when we had the man advantage. It was all us and they could not live with some of the football we played with Bogle, Norwood Basham, McGoldrick and Gibbs White all central to the good stuff we were playing. The 2nd goal was a lovely goal and similar to last week with a man moving off the ball and the pass recognising this playing Gibbs White down the side. The third came and you sensed that was it as we actually looked more like scoring more goals. However, with Vaulks throws, the ball into the box from wide and you were worried they may always have a route back into it, even with a man less. So, it proved as Moore could have scored two before they got the late header. I was really worried after this and they had a few more balls go in our box. We simply could not deal with the high balls and crosses. We looked as susceptible as we did earlier in the season and you were just thankful Moore/Flint had not played from the start and that time ran out also.
As I have said, attacking wide and with the ball for 20-25 minutes to start the game we were good and then for 20 minutes in the 2nd half we again looked superb cutting through then. We scored 3 but could have had that many to start the game. Sadly, we have these mad spells where teams just put it into the box and we cannot deal with it – the 10-minute spell punctuated when they scored first half and then the last 10 minutes. They had 15-20 minutes of a 90-minute game. We had the rest and looked technically better with more skilled players who looked like they could open the opposition up. Sadly, all that counts for nothing if we cannot head it and clear balls into the box and set plays continue to be an issue. For all our own chances, Foderingham made 3 great saves and they did have a lot of moments themselves. It was a weird game really as both teams had good chances but United had more possession, more chances and more quality. Overall, the best team won and the score if anything flattered Cardiff a bit on the reflection of the whole game.
We still have to work on our defensive side as if we continue to defend like that then we won’t be near the top 6. All the good attacking stuff is effectively wasted if we cannot deal with a simple cross or throw in. Still, it is a win and one we merited. Gibbs White was superb – McGoldrick good too and I felt Bogle, Norwood and Foderingham did well too. A few (Stevens, Davies and Hourihane) still need to do more as it is rare, we have 8 or 9 players at it and are relying on MGW and Didz play on the ball to create goals and win games.
We are up to 10th and definitely now can sense we seem to be going in the right direction. We have some tougher games to come but then after Xmas, I also feel there are some games we can win too. We need to ensure we are in around those top 6 places. It is certainly building up nicely to the return of Mr Wilder in 3 or 4 games with their upward resurgence too.
It is positive we have McBurnie, Mousset, Berge back too so if players standards drop then they should lose minutes. I do feel we need to try and find a powerful and physically dominant centre back in January though.