Deadbat
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The honours were shared at Bramall Lane as the home side somehow threw away a two goal lead with less than 10 minutes to play to concede two unbelievably sloppy goals and leave the blue and white side of the city celebrating like they had won the game. Goals from Stephen Quinn and Ched Evans put United in control and although Wednesday had chances the home side seemed to have the game sewn up but a mixture of poor goalkeeping and arguably questionable refereeing saw the Owls get a point. Maybe a draw was a fair score line on reflection but having led for so long in the game; United will be desperately disappointed to have conceded so late. It was a game that featured little in the way of skill nor ability and was very scrappy and physical for much of the contest.
The Blades started with new loan signings Matt Phillips and Billy Clarke beginning on the bench. Wednesday who had won 4 straight were unchanged with former Blades loanee Danny Batth amongst their ranks and leading scorer Gary Madine up top.
The Blades began the game winning a corner and soon after they had genuine appeals for a penalty as Johnson seemed to push Williamson over but the referee waved away the home appeals. Wednesday had a few half chances from Marshall’s long throws but Maguire defended well under pressure and from the next meaningful attack from the Blades they took the lead. McDonald came forward and threaded a though ball into the path of Evans. The striker advanced and hit a low shot that was deflected onto the post from Jones but as the ball came out QUINN was able to smash it high into the net before celebrating wildly with his teammates.
Wednesday ought to have been level when Simonsen spilt an innocuous header from Madine but O’Grady somehow hit the post via the keeper on the rebound when it looked easier to score. United were to make them pay a minute later as they won a free kick out wide and from Williamson’s powerful and precise delivery; EVANS got in front of his man and nodded down and in at the Kop end. United fans went berserk as the formbook before the game was seemingly being thrown out of the window.
Cresswell had another effort straight at Bywater and then United had a let off when O’Connor headed over when well positioned. Marshall then had an effort that deflected onto the bar and over before the game threatened to boil over with a series of bookings with Montgomery, Buxton and Cresswell all going into the referees notebook. Wednesday had a half chance but Batth miskicked and then a good spell from United saw Lowton, Williamson and Evans combine before the ball was crowded to safety. Despite a fairly open first half United will have been delighted when the half time whistle went that saw them in command.
The second half saw Megson withdraw O’Connor in favour of a more attacking look with Jermaine Johnson coming on to play wide down the right. The half began in scrappy fashion with little chances of note or football on offer but Wednesday won two quick free kicks in succession after fouls from Maguire and Evans but neither effort troubled Simonsen with one in the wall and the other over the bar. Evans was booked for his challenge.
Madine headed over at the back post when Wednesday had a man over as United started to defend deeper and were struggling to keep possession. Wilson opted to make a change and brought on Phillips for his debut for Williamson but United continued to concede the ball and another half chance saw Madine blocked out by Maguire. It seemed as if United were seeing the game out and Simonsen had not had a save to make in the second half despite some chances coming for the visitors but they were given a lifeline with just under 10 minutes to play.
The ball came across and as Maguire headed away Jones won the second ball and sent it towards the United goal. The ball was flicked in off the bar by the alert O’GRADY as Simonsen dithered and Wednesday were back in the game. The United keeper was appealing for an offence but there were no appeals from any of his teammates.
It was now game on and Wednesday came straight back at United who were sitting deeper and deeper. Suddenly balls were going into the United box and from another high ball the visitors were suddenly level. It was another ball that should have been deal and it may have seem as if Johnson had impeded Simonsen as three Wednesday players converged on the high ball but MADINE won the header. The ball spans goalwards and hit the post and as McDonald tried to clear the ball bounced into the net. It was probably an own goal but Madine ran away claiming the goal. The United players appealed but many of the home fans were blaming their keeper as much as the young referee as Wednesday celebrated the unlikely escape.
It seemed as if Wednesday now felt they could win the game and actually had a chance at the death as the game moved into four minutes of stoppage time. A cross from the right saw Jones head goalwards but fortunately it was straight at Simonsen. The game ended not long after as United’s winless streak continued that sees them out of touch with not only the front two but also out of the playoff zone with a tough game to Preston to come.
United – A game that we basically threw away. We maybe were not dominant and Wednesday had their chances even in the first half but to be 2-0 up with less than 10 minutes to go and chuck away two goals that would not have looked out of place in the Sunday league was really poor. However, just as against Huddersfield and Charlton the high ball is continuing to cause way more problems than it should and leading to goals going in. Simonsen is simply a liability and whilst some refs may have given a foul for the second he still has to be stronger and there is countless other times when he has come and not got fouled. Every time teams knock it into the six yard box you worry. Surely Wilson can see this and we have to replace him? How many more goals are we going to concede that are his fault? He got lucky on another one in the first half and they nearly scored a winner when he was rooted to his line at the end again.
For the first half we actually started well and scored one well taken goal from a scramble after it got deflected onto the post and then an excellent second goal and we seemed ok despite them having a few chances. The second half seemed to be going well in terms of Wednesday having few chances and despite us sitting back and not really keeping the ball enough they did not look like coming back but you felt as soon as they scored they would get at least a draw and so it proved. If we had hung on for another 2 or 3 minutes we would probably have seen the game out but we keep chucking away daft goals. The number of times I see Simonsen running out with his arm up appealing for a foul now....well they cannot all be fouls. He is not strong enough and not commanding at all. Why did he not just run into the Wednesday man and take him out? Why did he not flatten him? Why did he not stay on his line if he was not going to get there? Only he knows and Wilson must know he is costing us goals every week. Today of all days I wanted him to prove me wrong but sadly he could not do that and did exactly what I thought he would and let us down.
Maybe I am being way too harsh laying all the blame at him and we should have defended higher up, kept the ball more, maybe gone for the jugular more but the only way Wednesday looked like scoring was from high balls or set plays?
United do look a little power puff at times and you felt if the game had gone on another 5 minutes we may have lost. The belief and confidence went completely when it went 2-1 and you felt there was no belief we could hang on. United were time wasting ridiculously from 2-0 in the first half and some ways got exactly what they deserved. Instead of passing the ball and trying to get at a poor Wednesday defence and very slow side (as slow as us and that is saying something!) we sat back and started going long ourselves. I felt Wilson changed it too soon unless Williamson was injured and the Evans withdrawal was also mystifying. I would have put Williamson inside and took off Cresswell for Phillips and tightened up the middle. I also would have given the lad Clarke a run if we were changing the striker as Porter offered us nothing different.
United look a side destined for mid to lower mid table side at worst; around 8th-10th at best. I find it hard to see how we will be around the top 6 going on current performances/issues defensively. We cannot defend simple balls into the box, struggle to create and whilst at times we play nice tip tap football look essentially powder puff. There is little in the current personnel to change any of that and Wilson does seem quite stubborn in his approach to things which sadly whilst has seen us play more football will matter nothing if we cannot keep goals out or score goals. I felt we could have been 3-0 up with 10 minutes left and still not been comfortable with the keeper and lack of confidence the backline had. Another game without a win (that is now 1 win in 6 is it?) and with tough games to come against Preston and MK Dons; I fear it could get worse before it gets better. Hopefully the new loan signings will make a difference but they will go back if they do well and it is more short term-ism. I fear it could be a few years before we can properly plan for the future and high earners/dead wood like Simonsen, Collins, Cresswell, Doyle, Evans are off our books. Worryingly the players brought in on 2 year deals such as Porter and Flynn look even worse! I would be tempted to look at tome more youngsters such as Harriott, Philliskirk and Tonne as we need some pace, hunger and enthusiasm and some of the players above need to realise if they play poorly they won’t play the next week. Sadly the likes of Simonsen and Cresswell keep getting picked most weeks as they know those behind them are not good enough or too inexperienced.
Wednesday – They deserved a point for chances and for what they had in the game but they really ought to have gone away with nothing. Megson is factually wrong saying they had more possession (stats show us having more) but he is right that they had more chances and efforts on goal. However, to say they were the better side for most of the game is also wrong in my opinion. They actually looked out of the game for long periods of the second half and only got back into it but lumping it into the box.
They are a percentage team and remind me so much of the side we had under Bassett in that they basically get the ball from back to front very quickly and then get on the loose balls that the big strikers win/knock down. They have little in the way of technical ability (aside from the winger Marshall) and their best tactics are often get the ball in the last third as quick as they can and then win knock downs or win throws or corners. From these they pile more giants into the box and create chances. It is absolutely horrible to watch but it is effective and will see them beat most teams at this level. I don’t think they have played much football to get up the league but does it matter? I would rather be where they are. They are clearly a very physical team and only a few of their players are under 6 foot.
It is ironic that Wednesday fans always laud this superb football they played under Ron Atkinson and also Francis but their most effective sustained long period of top flight football in recent years where they were successful and near the top for a number of years was under Howard Wilkinson and a very direct style. It is this type of football that many United fans have been sick of watching but it is the same style that will get their rivals up going by current form and results.
Unfortunately as Radio Sheffield’s summarisers said, they do look more equipped for promotion than us despite the style being uneasy on the eye. They have a bigger and better squad and will win more battles than United. They will batter some teams with their approach and much worse teams than us will get bullied into submission.
They have much more strength in depth than us with 4 strikers in Madine, O’Grady, McGoldrick and also Lowe. These would arguable start for most teams in the division. Madine and O’Grady were a handful as much for their size and physique although the latter did try and play football at times. The former was not that impressive but has obviously been scoring goals so must be doing something right.
I do think the likes of Batth and Jones are lower league players who will probably be enough to get them out of this league (heading and kicking away) but that at a higher level they would really struggle. I found it funny to hear Wednesday players praising Jones after the game when I felt he looked like a pub player. He was so clumsy and slow but sadly at this level if you are big and strong often that is enough. Johnson at left back also looks woefully immobile and clumsy too but to be fair the lad in midfield Semedo looks decent and Marshall is impressive on the ball (only real footballer they had who wanted to get on the ball and pass it – not just lump it).
However, if they get up they can then replace them with new players. Megson and Mandaric has definitely gone for short termish with signing like Jones and Lowe (lower league players and not exactly young) to try and get them up. If it works then it will have been a good move. If they don’t get up they have ageing players with little sell on value. They certainly don’t have much youth in their team (outside of loan players they have brought in and maybe Palmer) and will have to rely on Mr Mandaric pulling the purse strings. Their strategy is risky in that when Milan decides to walk will they have any foundation in place to keep going and trying to get up the leagues (very poor academy and little in the way of development of players of their own).
The Blades started with new loan signings Matt Phillips and Billy Clarke beginning on the bench. Wednesday who had won 4 straight were unchanged with former Blades loanee Danny Batth amongst their ranks and leading scorer Gary Madine up top.
The Blades began the game winning a corner and soon after they had genuine appeals for a penalty as Johnson seemed to push Williamson over but the referee waved away the home appeals. Wednesday had a few half chances from Marshall’s long throws but Maguire defended well under pressure and from the next meaningful attack from the Blades they took the lead. McDonald came forward and threaded a though ball into the path of Evans. The striker advanced and hit a low shot that was deflected onto the post from Jones but as the ball came out QUINN was able to smash it high into the net before celebrating wildly with his teammates.
Wednesday ought to have been level when Simonsen spilt an innocuous header from Madine but O’Grady somehow hit the post via the keeper on the rebound when it looked easier to score. United were to make them pay a minute later as they won a free kick out wide and from Williamson’s powerful and precise delivery; EVANS got in front of his man and nodded down and in at the Kop end. United fans went berserk as the formbook before the game was seemingly being thrown out of the window.
Cresswell had another effort straight at Bywater and then United had a let off when O’Connor headed over when well positioned. Marshall then had an effort that deflected onto the bar and over before the game threatened to boil over with a series of bookings with Montgomery, Buxton and Cresswell all going into the referees notebook. Wednesday had a half chance but Batth miskicked and then a good spell from United saw Lowton, Williamson and Evans combine before the ball was crowded to safety. Despite a fairly open first half United will have been delighted when the half time whistle went that saw them in command.
The second half saw Megson withdraw O’Connor in favour of a more attacking look with Jermaine Johnson coming on to play wide down the right. The half began in scrappy fashion with little chances of note or football on offer but Wednesday won two quick free kicks in succession after fouls from Maguire and Evans but neither effort troubled Simonsen with one in the wall and the other over the bar. Evans was booked for his challenge.
Madine headed over at the back post when Wednesday had a man over as United started to defend deeper and were struggling to keep possession. Wilson opted to make a change and brought on Phillips for his debut for Williamson but United continued to concede the ball and another half chance saw Madine blocked out by Maguire. It seemed as if United were seeing the game out and Simonsen had not had a save to make in the second half despite some chances coming for the visitors but they were given a lifeline with just under 10 minutes to play.
The ball came across and as Maguire headed away Jones won the second ball and sent it towards the United goal. The ball was flicked in off the bar by the alert O’GRADY as Simonsen dithered and Wednesday were back in the game. The United keeper was appealing for an offence but there were no appeals from any of his teammates.
It was now game on and Wednesday came straight back at United who were sitting deeper and deeper. Suddenly balls were going into the United box and from another high ball the visitors were suddenly level. It was another ball that should have been deal and it may have seem as if Johnson had impeded Simonsen as three Wednesday players converged on the high ball but MADINE won the header. The ball spans goalwards and hit the post and as McDonald tried to clear the ball bounced into the net. It was probably an own goal but Madine ran away claiming the goal. The United players appealed but many of the home fans were blaming their keeper as much as the young referee as Wednesday celebrated the unlikely escape.
It seemed as if Wednesday now felt they could win the game and actually had a chance at the death as the game moved into four minutes of stoppage time. A cross from the right saw Jones head goalwards but fortunately it was straight at Simonsen. The game ended not long after as United’s winless streak continued that sees them out of touch with not only the front two but also out of the playoff zone with a tough game to Preston to come.
United – A game that we basically threw away. We maybe were not dominant and Wednesday had their chances even in the first half but to be 2-0 up with less than 10 minutes to go and chuck away two goals that would not have looked out of place in the Sunday league was really poor. However, just as against Huddersfield and Charlton the high ball is continuing to cause way more problems than it should and leading to goals going in. Simonsen is simply a liability and whilst some refs may have given a foul for the second he still has to be stronger and there is countless other times when he has come and not got fouled. Every time teams knock it into the six yard box you worry. Surely Wilson can see this and we have to replace him? How many more goals are we going to concede that are his fault? He got lucky on another one in the first half and they nearly scored a winner when he was rooted to his line at the end again.
For the first half we actually started well and scored one well taken goal from a scramble after it got deflected onto the post and then an excellent second goal and we seemed ok despite them having a few chances. The second half seemed to be going well in terms of Wednesday having few chances and despite us sitting back and not really keeping the ball enough they did not look like coming back but you felt as soon as they scored they would get at least a draw and so it proved. If we had hung on for another 2 or 3 minutes we would probably have seen the game out but we keep chucking away daft goals. The number of times I see Simonsen running out with his arm up appealing for a foul now....well they cannot all be fouls. He is not strong enough and not commanding at all. Why did he not just run into the Wednesday man and take him out? Why did he not flatten him? Why did he not stay on his line if he was not going to get there? Only he knows and Wilson must know he is costing us goals every week. Today of all days I wanted him to prove me wrong but sadly he could not do that and did exactly what I thought he would and let us down.
Maybe I am being way too harsh laying all the blame at him and we should have defended higher up, kept the ball more, maybe gone for the jugular more but the only way Wednesday looked like scoring was from high balls or set plays?
United do look a little power puff at times and you felt if the game had gone on another 5 minutes we may have lost. The belief and confidence went completely when it went 2-1 and you felt there was no belief we could hang on. United were time wasting ridiculously from 2-0 in the first half and some ways got exactly what they deserved. Instead of passing the ball and trying to get at a poor Wednesday defence and very slow side (as slow as us and that is saying something!) we sat back and started going long ourselves. I felt Wilson changed it too soon unless Williamson was injured and the Evans withdrawal was also mystifying. I would have put Williamson inside and took off Cresswell for Phillips and tightened up the middle. I also would have given the lad Clarke a run if we were changing the striker as Porter offered us nothing different.
United look a side destined for mid to lower mid table side at worst; around 8th-10th at best. I find it hard to see how we will be around the top 6 going on current performances/issues defensively. We cannot defend simple balls into the box, struggle to create and whilst at times we play nice tip tap football look essentially powder puff. There is little in the current personnel to change any of that and Wilson does seem quite stubborn in his approach to things which sadly whilst has seen us play more football will matter nothing if we cannot keep goals out or score goals. I felt we could have been 3-0 up with 10 minutes left and still not been comfortable with the keeper and lack of confidence the backline had. Another game without a win (that is now 1 win in 6 is it?) and with tough games to come against Preston and MK Dons; I fear it could get worse before it gets better. Hopefully the new loan signings will make a difference but they will go back if they do well and it is more short term-ism. I fear it could be a few years before we can properly plan for the future and high earners/dead wood like Simonsen, Collins, Cresswell, Doyle, Evans are off our books. Worryingly the players brought in on 2 year deals such as Porter and Flynn look even worse! I would be tempted to look at tome more youngsters such as Harriott, Philliskirk and Tonne as we need some pace, hunger and enthusiasm and some of the players above need to realise if they play poorly they won’t play the next week. Sadly the likes of Simonsen and Cresswell keep getting picked most weeks as they know those behind them are not good enough or too inexperienced.
Wednesday – They deserved a point for chances and for what they had in the game but they really ought to have gone away with nothing. Megson is factually wrong saying they had more possession (stats show us having more) but he is right that they had more chances and efforts on goal. However, to say they were the better side for most of the game is also wrong in my opinion. They actually looked out of the game for long periods of the second half and only got back into it but lumping it into the box.
They are a percentage team and remind me so much of the side we had under Bassett in that they basically get the ball from back to front very quickly and then get on the loose balls that the big strikers win/knock down. They have little in the way of technical ability (aside from the winger Marshall) and their best tactics are often get the ball in the last third as quick as they can and then win knock downs or win throws or corners. From these they pile more giants into the box and create chances. It is absolutely horrible to watch but it is effective and will see them beat most teams at this level. I don’t think they have played much football to get up the league but does it matter? I would rather be where they are. They are clearly a very physical team and only a few of their players are under 6 foot.
It is ironic that Wednesday fans always laud this superb football they played under Ron Atkinson and also Francis but their most effective sustained long period of top flight football in recent years where they were successful and near the top for a number of years was under Howard Wilkinson and a very direct style. It is this type of football that many United fans have been sick of watching but it is the same style that will get their rivals up going by current form and results.
Unfortunately as Radio Sheffield’s summarisers said, they do look more equipped for promotion than us despite the style being uneasy on the eye. They have a bigger and better squad and will win more battles than United. They will batter some teams with their approach and much worse teams than us will get bullied into submission.
They have much more strength in depth than us with 4 strikers in Madine, O’Grady, McGoldrick and also Lowe. These would arguable start for most teams in the division. Madine and O’Grady were a handful as much for their size and physique although the latter did try and play football at times. The former was not that impressive but has obviously been scoring goals so must be doing something right.
I do think the likes of Batth and Jones are lower league players who will probably be enough to get them out of this league (heading and kicking away) but that at a higher level they would really struggle. I found it funny to hear Wednesday players praising Jones after the game when I felt he looked like a pub player. He was so clumsy and slow but sadly at this level if you are big and strong often that is enough. Johnson at left back also looks woefully immobile and clumsy too but to be fair the lad in midfield Semedo looks decent and Marshall is impressive on the ball (only real footballer they had who wanted to get on the ball and pass it – not just lump it).
However, if they get up they can then replace them with new players. Megson and Mandaric has definitely gone for short termish with signing like Jones and Lowe (lower league players and not exactly young) to try and get them up. If it works then it will have been a good move. If they don’t get up they have ageing players with little sell on value. They certainly don’t have much youth in their team (outside of loan players they have brought in and maybe Palmer) and will have to rely on Mr Mandaric pulling the purse strings. Their strategy is risky in that when Milan decides to walk will they have any foundation in place to keep going and trying to get up the leagues (very poor academy and little in the way of development of players of their own).
