Ollessendro
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Sheffield United stumbled, and allowed their rivals to gain ground on them, losing away at MK Dons yesterday. The Blades went down 1-0 at Stadium MK. Few United fans could complain about the result, as the home team comprehensively outplayed SUFC and were worthy of 3 points.
There was a certain air of inevitability about the defeat yesterday. Getting the train from London, with a bunch of London Blades, was very subdued. When we arrived at the pub, there seemed to be less banter amongst Blades. There seemed to be less of a buzz than I normally would have expected. I guess it should be expected after the events on Friday. The news came as a shock to most and it seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the fans, as well as the players.
It was a really disappointing afternoon yesterday. Not just because the United lost, but also the manner in which we lost. It did not help that the area around Milton Keynes Dons stadium is a shithole, but this would have been fine if we had won. Yesterday United were nervous and clueless. We got outplayed by MK Dons and the result was fair. In fact, we were lucky it was not more. They hot the woodwork several times and created the better openings. It was more like a performance under Kevin Blackwell, than Danny Wilson. United hoofed it long at every opportunity and looked generally clueless. We barely strung more than 3 passes together all afternoon and did not make their keeper work at all.
The match
MK Dons started brightly and forced a corner early on. The corner came across and was headed back across goal and SMITH nodded home. It was a soft goal and it stunned the 6k travelling Blades. My mate just asked why we never have anyone on the front post at corners and a man there would have cleared it. Smith had a free header from a few yards out and gave Simmo no chance. The former Manchester United player and ex Leeds player and fan then unnecessarily goaded the United fans in his celebration. Celebrating in front of the United fans and deliberately winding us all up seemed way over the top. However, I guess that is what happens to former promising washed up never been’s that are languishing in the 3rd tier of English football.
I do not remember United creating anything of note in the first half. Porter shot wide when well placed, after he took down a high ball and turned to shoot. In a flat first half, Maguire’s header (straight down the keeper’s throat) was our only effort on target.
It was a dire first half and United wee way too direct. Everything got lumped up to Porter. Credit to MK Dons though. As well as getting the ball on the deck and playing, they worked very hard when they did not have the ball. They kept a high line and pressed us hard. They put pressure on our centre backs and left little space for McDonald and Doyle. United, on the other hand, played very deep and did little to press MK Dons. The home time were given too much time and space to play their attractive brand of football.
We were hoping that Wilson would have put a rocket up their arses at half time, but the home side came out of the blocks quicker once again. Wilson opted to change things around the hour mark and brought of the disappointing Hoskins and Quinn for O’Hallarhan and Flynn. They had barely been on the pitch when MK Dons struck the woodwork. From a free kick one of their big centre halves was left unmarked. His looping free header beat Simmonsen came back off the woodwork and was scrambled clear by again United. Moments later, Smith was left unmarked again at a corner and his header was cleared off the line by Doyle.
MK Dons were completely in charge, but then were suddenly down to 10 men. Powell, already on a yellow, cynical blocked Hill and was given his second yellow. Maguire fired over, after Porters header, when well placed. Simmonsen was forced into a save at the other end.
O’Hallarhan’s pace was causing problems and United finally started to come into the game. However the home side still looked dangerous and Simmonsen made a diving save low to his right to keep United in it. The Blades pressed forward and started to create chances. Lowton missed a glorious opportunity when he headed over from 10 yards when left completely unmarked. For all United’s huffing and puffing, their keeper had little to do.
Beattie was introduced as Wilson’s final roll of the dice.
With 10 minutes to go, United finally started to play. Simmonsen was rolling the ball out, K Mac and Doyle were getting on the ball and we started to play some decent stuff. The news that Carlisle had equalised again Wednesday came through and the 6k Blades fans urged their team on. We knocked the ball about well and started to show our man advantage. However the game was almost over when Maguire made a mistake and MK Dons fired a shot into the post. Doyle then wasted a good opportunity. He opted to side foot, when well-placed after a good move. The ball was crying out of his laces to be put through it, but the tame effort went straight into the keeper’s arms. The final opportunity was when Lowton did well down the right and whizzed the ball across the face of goal. His low cross was inviting to be knocked in, but somehow both Doyle and Beattie missed it. It was like Gazza’s effort in Euro 96 (semi-final against Germany) when he agonisingly missed Anderton’s cross. Beattie was inches away from knocking the ball into the empty net.
United failed to create anything in the 4 minutes of injury time and MK Dons celebrated a good home win and cementing a place in the play offs. New that Wednesday had scored a late winner compounded United’s misery and suggested that things will go down to the wire.
Wilson/tactics
I thought his team selection was the right one. With Cresswell not quite fit and Ched not available, it made sense to start Porter and Hoskins. I also thought he made the substitutions with adequate time, though perhaps Beattie came on a little late. I think the circumstances were difficult yesterday, but it is Wilson’s job to raise the players and get them motivated. They were not yesterday. They looked lethargic and nervous. Some of the belief seemed to have drained out of them.
I also thought that we got it wrong tactically. We played way too deep and did not pressure them enough. We invited pressure and allowed them to play their attractive football. Part of this was down to the first line of attack. Evans and Cressy both put shots in and do a good job of hassling and harrying defenders. Porter and Hoskins did not do that. They allowed them too much time on the ball and let them build from the back. The defence and midfield sat way too deep also.
On the ball we were awful. We treated it like a hot potato for most of the match. They closed down our midfield, packed the centre out and gave no time or space for K Mac and Doyle. There was little movement up front and out wide (we’re too narrow with Quinn and Willo playing out wide) and so it was just aimless punts to Porter. Porter played well and held the ball up, but no one supported him. It was like kick and rush, but without the rush. Hoof. It was like watching Kevin Blackwell’s SUFC.
Wilson should have spotted the above things and tried to address them. However he did not. But perhaps he was let down by the players. I think the bomb being dropped yesterday at 5pm may have made things very difficult. Credit to MK Dons too. They play decent stuff and made life very difficult for us. They work very hard off the ball. Their coach had clearly done his homework. They identified K Mac as the main threat and gave him no time or space.
After the man got sent off, we stepped it up. But it was too little too late. And the main point is we did not make their keeper work. They hit the post twice, Simmo made a very good save and had a goal bound shot cleared off the line. We missed a few good chances, but none of them were massive chances. O’Hallaran actually looked lively and gave us something different when he came on. I would start him and Cressy next week.
There was a certain air of inevitability about the defeat yesterday. Getting the train from London, with a bunch of London Blades, was very subdued. When we arrived at the pub, there seemed to be less banter amongst Blades. There seemed to be less of a buzz than I normally would have expected. I guess it should be expected after the events on Friday. The news came as a shock to most and it seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the fans, as well as the players.
It was a really disappointing afternoon yesterday. Not just because the United lost, but also the manner in which we lost. It did not help that the area around Milton Keynes Dons stadium is a shithole, but this would have been fine if we had won. Yesterday United were nervous and clueless. We got outplayed by MK Dons and the result was fair. In fact, we were lucky it was not more. They hot the woodwork several times and created the better openings. It was more like a performance under Kevin Blackwell, than Danny Wilson. United hoofed it long at every opportunity and looked generally clueless. We barely strung more than 3 passes together all afternoon and did not make their keeper work at all.
The match
MK Dons started brightly and forced a corner early on. The corner came across and was headed back across goal and SMITH nodded home. It was a soft goal and it stunned the 6k travelling Blades. My mate just asked why we never have anyone on the front post at corners and a man there would have cleared it. Smith had a free header from a few yards out and gave Simmo no chance. The former Manchester United player and ex Leeds player and fan then unnecessarily goaded the United fans in his celebration. Celebrating in front of the United fans and deliberately winding us all up seemed way over the top. However, I guess that is what happens to former promising washed up never been’s that are languishing in the 3rd tier of English football.
I do not remember United creating anything of note in the first half. Porter shot wide when well placed, after he took down a high ball and turned to shoot. In a flat first half, Maguire’s header (straight down the keeper’s throat) was our only effort on target.
It was a dire first half and United wee way too direct. Everything got lumped up to Porter. Credit to MK Dons though. As well as getting the ball on the deck and playing, they worked very hard when they did not have the ball. They kept a high line and pressed us hard. They put pressure on our centre backs and left little space for McDonald and Doyle. United, on the other hand, played very deep and did little to press MK Dons. The home time were given too much time and space to play their attractive brand of football.
We were hoping that Wilson would have put a rocket up their arses at half time, but the home side came out of the blocks quicker once again. Wilson opted to change things around the hour mark and brought of the disappointing Hoskins and Quinn for O’Hallarhan and Flynn. They had barely been on the pitch when MK Dons struck the woodwork. From a free kick one of their big centre halves was left unmarked. His looping free header beat Simmonsen came back off the woodwork and was scrambled clear by again United. Moments later, Smith was left unmarked again at a corner and his header was cleared off the line by Doyle.
MK Dons were completely in charge, but then were suddenly down to 10 men. Powell, already on a yellow, cynical blocked Hill and was given his second yellow. Maguire fired over, after Porters header, when well placed. Simmonsen was forced into a save at the other end.
O’Hallarhan’s pace was causing problems and United finally started to come into the game. However the home side still looked dangerous and Simmonsen made a diving save low to his right to keep United in it. The Blades pressed forward and started to create chances. Lowton missed a glorious opportunity when he headed over from 10 yards when left completely unmarked. For all United’s huffing and puffing, their keeper had little to do.
Beattie was introduced as Wilson’s final roll of the dice.
With 10 minutes to go, United finally started to play. Simmonsen was rolling the ball out, K Mac and Doyle were getting on the ball and we started to play some decent stuff. The news that Carlisle had equalised again Wednesday came through and the 6k Blades fans urged their team on. We knocked the ball about well and started to show our man advantage. However the game was almost over when Maguire made a mistake and MK Dons fired a shot into the post. Doyle then wasted a good opportunity. He opted to side foot, when well-placed after a good move. The ball was crying out of his laces to be put through it, but the tame effort went straight into the keeper’s arms. The final opportunity was when Lowton did well down the right and whizzed the ball across the face of goal. His low cross was inviting to be knocked in, but somehow both Doyle and Beattie missed it. It was like Gazza’s effort in Euro 96 (semi-final against Germany) when he agonisingly missed Anderton’s cross. Beattie was inches away from knocking the ball into the empty net.
United failed to create anything in the 4 minutes of injury time and MK Dons celebrated a good home win and cementing a place in the play offs. New that Wednesday had scored a late winner compounded United’s misery and suggested that things will go down to the wire.
Wilson/tactics
I thought his team selection was the right one. With Cresswell not quite fit and Ched not available, it made sense to start Porter and Hoskins. I also thought he made the substitutions with adequate time, though perhaps Beattie came on a little late. I think the circumstances were difficult yesterday, but it is Wilson’s job to raise the players and get them motivated. They were not yesterday. They looked lethargic and nervous. Some of the belief seemed to have drained out of them.
I also thought that we got it wrong tactically. We played way too deep and did not pressure them enough. We invited pressure and allowed them to play their attractive football. Part of this was down to the first line of attack. Evans and Cressy both put shots in and do a good job of hassling and harrying defenders. Porter and Hoskins did not do that. They allowed them too much time on the ball and let them build from the back. The defence and midfield sat way too deep also.
On the ball we were awful. We treated it like a hot potato for most of the match. They closed down our midfield, packed the centre out and gave no time or space for K Mac and Doyle. There was little movement up front and out wide (we’re too narrow with Quinn and Willo playing out wide) and so it was just aimless punts to Porter. Porter played well and held the ball up, but no one supported him. It was like kick and rush, but without the rush. Hoof. It was like watching Kevin Blackwell’s SUFC.
Wilson should have spotted the above things and tried to address them. However he did not. But perhaps he was let down by the players. I think the bomb being dropped yesterday at 5pm may have made things very difficult. Credit to MK Dons too. They play decent stuff and made life very difficult for us. They work very hard off the ball. Their coach had clearly done his homework. They identified K Mac as the main threat and gave him no time or space.
After the man got sent off, we stepped it up. But it was too little too late. And the main point is we did not make their keeper work. They hit the post twice, Simmo made a very good save and had a goal bound shot cleared off the line. We missed a few good chances, but none of them were massive chances. O’Hallaran actually looked lively and gave us something different when he came on. I would start him and Cressy next week.
Be happy to miss the game then and less chance of me getting smacked by the home fans I am sitting next to!? 
