United 2 Port Vale 1 - report

[Deadbat]

The magic of the cup sprinkled on Bramall Lane on Saturday as the home town favourites United were able to somehow turn around deficit and score two late goals to deny high flying League Two side Port Vale and go into the third round of the FA Cup. United had been poor in the first half and were undone by a mistake from the usually excellent Harry Maguire whose overplay at the back led to a smart finish by leading scorer Tom Pope. After the break United improved and had all of the play but missed chances aplenty with Shaun Miller and Nick Blackman squandering some guilt edged opportunities. It seemed as if the upset was on but right on time the ball came back off the keeper and Miller was there again to steer the ball home and send the home side through with almost the last kick of the game.



United had to make two chances with the suspended Kevin McDonald and injured Tony McMahon replaced by David McAllister and Daryl Westlake. The bench featured young players with Ironside, Philliskirk and McFadzean all waiting in the wings. Port Vale were of course managed by former Blades manager Micky Adams who returned to his home town. They also had former United junior Kingsley James in their starting eleven.



United began on top and had the first chance as Porter’s driven cross was hacked at his own keeper Neal by Clayton McDonald. Blackman and Flynn swapped wings in the opening stages and the former Blackburn man had a shot goal bound that was deflected wide before a weak Porter header was off target. Vale came back into the game and Pope was denied by a block from Maguire before Pope shot wide after indecision in the United midfield. Hill lost his header and the ball fell perfectly into the path of Williamson whose shot was saved by the advancing Long at point blank rage. It was the best chance of the game. The visitors were now well in the game and United were now becoming very wasteful in possession and struggling to make headway. Two give always by Flynn and then Doyle increased the crowds frustration and after Flynn had fired over, the visitors stunned the home side.



The normally reliable Maguire made an awful mistake gift the visitors leading scorer the opening goal. Maguire had been noted all season for his ability to play the ball out from the back but today it was one pass too many as his square ball did not find its intended target and Vale intercepted the ball and exchanged passes intelligently before the ball was calmly slotted into the corner from POPE. The scorer ran to celebrate with his manager knowing what it would mean after his less than successful spell and ultimate dismissal at the Lane.



United tried to get back into the game but Blackman’s free kick deflected wide and Porters calls for a spot kick were met on deaf ears from the referee who up this stage has been quite fussy in everything else he had done.



The half time whistle was greeted with loud cheers from the large travelling contingent and groans from the sparsely populated home stands. After the interval Collins came out but seemed to be ill and this was confirmed when after crouching over he jogged back into the dressing room. The fact that a groundsman has to apply water to the area where Collins had been seemed to suggest the defender had actually been sick after he came back out! Williams came on and Hill switched inside.



United had to do better and began on top with Williams providing early width down the left and getting in two early crosses. From a cross from the left the ball then came back across and Miller’s header was saved superbly from Neal whose reaction save touched the ball just wide. Miller turned smartly and fired just wide as United looked to ramp up the pressure. Vale were sitting further and further back and Blackman clearly had the beating of the full back. The winger had two chances with the keeper denying him once and then the ball being blocked as he had beat his man on the inside and the outside showing his range of skills and ball control.



The disappointing McAllister went off as Wilson put on Cofie with Flynn coming inside as United tried to add pace. The Manchester United youngster showed his pace and running as he attacked the right back early on and then linked with Miller before the ball was turned away for a corner. Maguire headed this set piece over and United were being frustrated as despite dominating the half they could not get the leveller. Andrews and Dodds came on for Myrie Williams and Williamson as Vale tried to get some fresh legs on in an effort to see out the contest but Cofie then had an effort from range before an almighty let off as Miller missed a header from right on the six yard box after Blackman’s inswinging cross. The striker somehow headed down and over when it seemed easier to score. Soon after Long had a rare save from a long range effort and turned defence into Attack as Blackman did everything right on an impressive solo run as he went past two men and came outside before his shot was into the side netting. It was a poor miss after he had done all the initial hard work.



The game was entering the final stages when Cresswell came on for Porter and after he had won an initial header, the ball came out to Flynn whose cross was right into the danger zone and flicked into the far corner by MILLER. As the game kicked off, the fourth official signalled four minutes of stoppage time and United were soon back on the attack as Vale were clearly now hanging on and just now hoping for a replay after leading for so long and seemingly going through. Miller and Blackman combined and the former’s cross was clutched gratefully by Neal and it seemed as if that would be the final chance but right at the death another came and was taken.



After patient build up the ball was switched from right to left and back again and the ball was eventually set up for a shot from Flynn that was parried by Neal. Cresswell converged on it and seemed to get a touch to knock it into the path of MILLER who fired home. The Vale defenders appealed for offside in vain as the United scorer wheeled away throwing off his shirt in jubilation. After a melee in the United half before Vale had re-started the game; the referee had to calm both teams down before not long after the ball had been kicked forward, Maguire headed away and the final whistle came. An unlikely end to what had been a relatively poor contest overall but had ended in high drama with the home side staging a remarkable ending to deny Vale the upset.

 

[Deadbat]

United – It was another scruffy performance which for the most part lacked cohesion, assertiveness and drive. Our passing was poor; we did not have much creativity and outside of Nick Blackman struggled to break down a really poor opponent. We looked really pedestrian in a pretty even first half but our passing was inaccurate and our crossing even worse. We created few chances and were slow to get it forward with players often taking too long to make decisions. Vale offered little going the other way but had a few chances (more than us who only really had a Blackman deflected shot) and then after a shocking mistake went ahead. You feared for us after this as we had lacked determination and seemed to be just going through the motions in a pretty shocking game. Vale had some real alehouse defenders but for a team with much lesser resources had more than matched us and took advantage of a poor mistake.



We changed from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 for a spell as Blackman moved from wide right to wide left to striker as we searched for answers but looked turgid for the most part; lacking ideas and any real urgency to make things happen.



You felt it could not get any worse and it did improve but not massively. Williams coming on helped as we had more width and Vale started to sit back. We did have chances with Blackman proving a real handful and even though he was incredibly selfish he still had them on the back foot throughout the second half. We still did not have many passages of really fluent play and outside of Blackwell’s threat struggled to really dominate completely in terms of possession. However the general sway of the game was firmly in our favour and even if it was just mainly percentage stuff more chances came and most of the play seemed to be in their half. Still the keeper made a good save from a Miller header and a few more poor Blackman finishes (after excellent runs) and it seemed time was running out. The miss from Miller from his head from right in front of goal seemed to suggest Vale would have their day but then another header (a more difficult one) was flicked on and they seemed out on their feet. You always felt if we got one we would get another and so it proved. It was a scrappy winner but by this stage Vale were all over the place and clinging on for anything they could get.



Overall United were poor and it was pretty dire to watch with no real urgency, aggression or shape/pattern to the side. They miss the subtlety of McDonald and Kitson and lacked pace all through the team against even slower opponents. We took too long to get the ball forward and often came back inside allowing them to get men behind the ball. They looked slow and poor at the back but outside of Blackman you still felt we would struggle to break them down and that is worrying. Too many did not do enough as the front two; Flynn and the midfield pairing were sloppy in possession or played too many square balls or balls behind their teammates. It was incredibly frustrating to watch as a relatively poor opponent seemed to have done enough. Despite this criticism we did miss quite a few chances and if we had got level earlier then maybe we could have gone on and got even more goals but the longer it went on; the more desperate we became.



Too many players have been off their game in recent games and it concerns me so many of those mentioned due to lack of squad options and injuries know their place are not in doubt so can continued being very average. The likes of Flynn, Doyle and McAllister have been 4 and 5/10 at best for quite a few games but will still be picked as we have no one else.



The credit I will give United is at least they did have chances and keep going in the second half but it would have concerned me if we could not beat a pretty abject side like Vale. They got the leveller and refreshingly went for the jugular and you always sensed they might get another. Miller had not had the best of days but took his chances well.



Overall I suppose it is just important to be in the hat and we could get a money spinning or attractive draw but we do have to improve massively from performances in recent weeks. I feel the side is crying out for 2 new midfielders (one central and one wide) at least and if we don’t get such players in when we get into January it is going to be a struggle to keep in touch with the top two places as we lack quality and depth I feel. It is a big game next week at Carlisle as our away results recently have dipped. We need to stop the rot before the big home game with Tranmere the week after and then another tough trip to Crawley.



Port Vale – They will be gutted to have lost and gave everything but in truth despite them having a good chance at 0-0 and taking a good goal after a mistake, they would have been incredibly fortunate to have won the game. In the first half they played well and some decent football was offered and they actually got in and round us a few times without having many chances. They limited us at the other end and actually gradually got on top in the centre of the field. With the goal and the way they had protected the keeper they would have been delighted to have gone in at half time in front and with a good showing.



After the break, they put bodies in the way and the keeper made good saves but for the whole second half they were under the cosh. It looked like they had done enough as we wasted chances but we hardly pulled them apart with scintillating football and it was more their natural inclination to sit back on a lead that perhaps led to pressure than great football from us. They broke a few times near the end and could have put the game away (when the sub ran clear) but then the ball came back at them after the lost the ball in the corner and actually led to the leveller. They will have been devastated at the end as they lost the game and also a chance at more funds either from a replay or a favourable 3rd round draw.



They battled hard and were hard working but like the Adams side at the Lane did lack fitness and I felt the longer the game went on they struggled more and more (most of this season I have said the opposite for United against teams) and looked leg weary.



As for players, the striker Pope looked lively and took his goal well and the rest of the team put a real shift in. The two centre backs (and the right back) looked more like rugby league players in build and it is fair to say quite a few of their players were carrying a bit of timber aswell as their tall frames! They did battle really hard and played a few pieces of neat football but they in truth looked no better than some of the sides we had seen last season in the cup (Oxford, Torquay etc) but they got in front and we obviously don’t have the penetration and quality we had last season. They defended set plays well and outside of Blackman running at them to create chances for himself and others, limited us fairly well. However the United winger did miss a number of chances and it seemed the visitors would be going through. After the goal came, they sort of fell apart and gave the kick off straight back and all furiously back pedalled back expecting further attacks. We had 3 or 4 more attacks in stoppage time even before the goal and even though there was a touch of fortune about the goal; they did not react twice to shots blocked and saved.



They are flying high in the league and have a number of players who physically can impose themselves and you can see why at that level they have won a lot of games; as if you have a solid-ish backline, some hungry midfielders and a striker who scores you can do well at such a level. They may go up but if they do they would have to give their side more mobility, athleticism and ability to compete but it is such a poor division League One, that one or two additions and they could finish mid way. Despite us having most of the second half and missing chances for long spells of the match there were not that much in it and you would struggle to say we looked higher in the pyramid. It was just slightly better ball retention and urgency from us after the break and a few flashes from Blackman that seemed to separate the sides at times.

 

[Deadbat]

Long 7/10 – Made a smart save rushing out at the strikers feet in the first half and had little chance with the goal. After this he had little to do with a few standard saves; kicks and takes. Indeed outside of a few chances the visitors really did not have many opportunities.



Westlake 7/10 – I was pleased he was restored the side at the expense of McMahon who presumably was injured. He did ok I thought and although he had a few misplaced passes I felt he improved as the game went on and gives us more athleticism/pace and flexibility in this position. Decent touch and control and does try and play football. I would keep him in the team.



Hill 6/10 – Defensively I felt he was a bit hesitant at times today and early on lost two balls that led to chances (including the one Long saved). He was much better in the second half as he moved inside to centre back. Indeed I do feel his best position is in the centre of defence where he sees to do the basics a lot more and not try and be clever or overplay.



Maguire 6/10 – Gave away the goal with a shocking mistake as his square ball across the goal led to an interception and an eventual goal. Outside of this he was alright with a few good tackles and blocks and tried to bring it out of the back when he could.



Collins 6.5/10 – Thought he was better than Maguire in the first half and did at least step out and try and create the play aswell as being the more sure footed of the two in basic defending. When he came out after the break he clearly did not right and crouched over seemed to empty his breakfast/lunch onto the pitch! X rated stuff and quickly he went down the tunnel and was replaced by Williams.



Flynn 4/10 – Thought he was wretched for most of the game with his complete inability to go down the flank or go on the outside or even try and use his other foot. His annoying penchant for coming inside continued as he often even waits for the full back before he comes back inside (I do wonder what he would do if the full back did not come back). Most of his crossing today was appalling. He either never beat the first man or floated them into the keepers’ hands. Then to be fair he did make the goal with a decent cross (maybe his first of the game). He has been really poor in recent games though and needs to improve his all-around determination and crossing.



Doyle 4.5/10 – he started the game well with some good energy and enthusiasm but slowly his passing degenerated and he got really sloppy with the ball. He also got bypassed a few times by the opposition and at times seemed to have to cover for his partner who was simply anonymous. In the second half he spent more time arguing with the referee rather than trying to get his team going and back into the game. He has looked really leggy and tired in recent games and I would rest him in the week at Coventry.



McAllister 3/10 – Really poor and never in the game. Against a team even lower down the league he barely got into the game and when he did he gave the ball away with some terrible hospital balls. I watched him carefully and I think he touched the ball about 4 or 5 times the entire first half. He did have a shot that was saved but after the referee’s whistle. He was taken off and Flynn moved inside (that says it all about McAllister). A player who sadly is not good enough; surely we have some youngsters who can do better?



Blackman 7.5/10 – Once again for probably about the third or fourth straight game; he was out best player. Yes he was wasteful with his finishing and yes he is very selfish but is the only one who often looks like he is a threat and can get the crowd out of their seats. He has lovely quick feet, super close control and can hit a great shot. Sadly his final product in terms of shots often was wayward today and he ought to have had 3 or 4 goals. Put some super balls in again and some of these should have led to goals.



Miller 7/10 – Up to frenetic finish; he had not had that great of a game really and had not really linked much with others; had been loose in his control and his first touch had not always stuck but still looked a threat in terms of chances. He had one decent shot just wide but then missed an absolute sitter as he somehow headed down and over from around 3 r 4 yards right in front of goal. One of the misses of the season no doubt. Undeterred he then flicked in a neat header from the cross to level it. He then nearly scored a winner from a cross before he did get on the end of the keepers save to turn home right at the death. He does look like a goalscorer and a proper poacher which we have missed in recent times.



Porter 4/10 – Thought he was not really in it for the most part today. Playing two very lumbering and overweight centre backs he struggled to have any real impact and actually did not win that many headers today. He looked sluggish and I felt he had little impact on the game as his touch and hold up was not what it has been (recent weeks been decent). It is the first time he has played a stretch of games without losing his place or getting injured. I would like Kitson back alongside Miller next week (if Kitson is fit) as then we won’t just lump it or you would hope no.





Subs



Cofie – To be fair to him he actually showed some life and effort today when he came on. He had a few runs at the defence and a few crosses/shots and actually gave us a bit of energy down the left hand side. He still makes poor decisions with the ball (shoots when he should pass and vice versa) but in a game like today he is someone who can lift our one paced side and so it proved.



Williams 6.5/10 – He made a difference in the second half as he knew they would not go forward much and he actually got down the left hand side well with a few galloping runs. His crosses were mixed with some good ones mixed with some floaters into keepers’ hands. He did at least offer us some width and something different and even though his actual play with the ball is mixed he does get up and down and stretch the defence.



Cresswell – Brought on for Porter as we trailed. He won a header and then was involved in the second goal as his shot was saved before the rebound was put in. Nice to see him actually have a positive impact when he came on as that has not been the case in recent weeks.



Officials – Petty is the word I would use to describe him. I lost count of the number of times he made teams retake free kicks or penalised teams for gaining yards on throw ins or free kicks or would stop the game for moving balls. He would often stop the game also to talk to players but then would not do anything and then suddenly a flurry of yellow cards for nothing offence followed by him ignoring some quite cynical fouls. The goalkeeper was talking way too long over goal kicks but he did nothing about this either. He was not helped by either linesman with neither making any kind of decisions and often shrugging their shoulders when they were nearest to incidents! The goal we scored right at the end did seem to be onside as the Vale defenders just stood about – I might be wrong but Miller did seem to just react quicker.



Crowd – Poor turn out from United fans despite a very reasonable price structure for the game. It seems the Cup games in the early rounds does not interest many Blades fans as I think they could virtually give the tickets away and still not many would come. We only had around 7,000 of the 10,000 crowd in the ground. The Kop was barely a quarter full and ditto for the John Street Stand with most home fans sat in the South Stand. The Vale contingent was plentiful and loud with around 3,000 filling the upper and lower tier of the Bramall Lane ground. They sang about Micky Adams for much of the game as most United fans barely even made a sound or even react to such a chant such was their apathy for the tie and probably for Adams. The former Blades manager turned and waved to his family at the start but barely got any kind of reaction (for or against) from the home fans. The Vale fans seemed ready to celebrate a giant killing but were stunned by the leveller but at least could reflect they had got a draw. Alas the unthinkable happened and we scored again. The wall of utter silence and disbelief at the away end was palatable as they trudged away somehow being out of the cup when moments earlier they had been through!





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Twitter –

@Deadbat_DB

 

[sitwell]

Good report ,very accurate as i saw it.
What was that Blade doing who ran on to celebrate the equaliser ??

 

[Jon Bon]

Good report ,very accurate as i saw it.
What was that Blade doing who ran on to celebrate the equaliser ??

I wasn't there but I was told he ran on to celebrate the equaliser....

Apparently he'd just found out they're showing the complete four seasons back to back on Dave from Monday....

 

[Knackered Blade]

Excellent report as always Deadbat.

However I do think you are being overly harsh on Doyle. In my opinion he held the United midfield together in both halves. Your mark of 3/10 for McAllister just shows how much work Doyle had to do to cover and at least give United a chance in the match. I lost count of the number of interceptions and covering for McAllister he did. His pass rate percentage would, I suspect, be quite good also. I can only remember two misplaced passes in the match. I would go as far as to say that if Doyle hadn't been playing, United would have lost.

My rating would be at least 6.5/10 if not more.

 

[silverfox]

7.5 for our top player and Maguire getting a 6????

I thought he was very poor today.....he seemed very scared of his man and was poor throughout the game as well as his mistake.

I rate him and was saying before the match how consistant he has been but today he was poor.

I'd mark him a 4.5 ....and there were players worse than him!

 

[dingledog]

Good report, more objective than my view of complete and utter shite. Mcallister is an embarrassment to football and flyn just doesn't do it. It was a bloomin freezing afternoon, I'd raced b
To the lane after work and I feel robbed of my £10, rubbish, awful.

 

[silverfox]

I would go as far as to say that if Doyle hadn't been playing, United would have lost.

I think I must have been at a different match.

Just goes to show how we all see it different!

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

i was about to say you put the score up wrong...

think youre right about the pricing. i had a ticket, but didnt go cos i had family stuff on. if i'm honest i don't really care about the cup anymore. its not like we have any chance of winning it with the current team. i had final score on from about 4:40 and saw the equaliser pop up, until i just read this i thought we drew 1-1.

the ratings dont sound good, was mcallister really a 3?

 

[silverfox]

the ratings dont sound good, was mcallister really a 3?

He was very poor in my opinion.

 

[Micalijo]

Good report ,very accurate as i saw it.
What was that Blade doing who ran on to celebrate the equaliser ??

Hey what? You still with us?

Seriously, Sitwell - apologies for other day. Deserved it. Ward - Yeates, scumbags at Lane.

Great to see a SUFC 11 battle and fight for the win today.

 

[Northyorksblade]

i was about to say you put the score up wrong...

think youre right about the pricing. i had a ticket, but didnt go cos i had family stuff on. if i'm honest i don't really care about the cup anymore. its not like we have any chance of winning it with the current team. i had final score on from about 4:40 and saw the equaliser pop up, until i just read this i thought we drew 1-1.

the ratings dont sound good, was mcallister really a 3?

I know you had family things on and can't be bothered with the cup etc etc, but it does seem a bit strange that it took until three hours after the game to find out we'd won. Now THAT is apathetic.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Hey what? You still with us?

Seriously, Sitwell - apologies for other day. Deserved it. Ward - Yeates, scumbags at Lane.

Great to see a SUFC 11 battle and fight for the win today.

Some people deserve a bollocking sometimes

 

[Russ]

Well I was at home I admit, but that was due to everyone including me having the lurgy.


The version of events that the BBC final score programme showed went like this:

Scores showing on the top of the screen, for Premier League, then Championship, then first page of Cup Games up to about letter M, then second page came on screen and showed it as 1-1. (about 4.50pm)

Then it said 1-1 at the bottom (goalscorer Cresswell)
Then a few seconds later it said CORR (goalscorer Miller)

And then, as usual our match was last to finish, so they went to show the final results.

Then when it got to the second page of the cup matches, it said 2-1 to United final score. (just before 5 o clock.)

Cue YEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS in a croaky voice......

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

I know you had family things on and can't be bothered with the cup etc etc, but it does seem a bit strange that it took until three hours after the game to find out we'd won. Now THAT is apathetic.

i know. well, the live scores went off and i suppose i presumed it ended 1-1. or it said 1-1 full time. not sure. hey, its better than the people at the game who get up to leave when the game hasnt finished yet!

 

[cooperblade]

We changed from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 for a spell as Blackman moved from wide right to wide left to striker as we searched for answers but looked turgid for the most part; lacking ideas and any real urgency to make things happen.

I thought the starting formation was more of a 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-3 with Westlake and Flynn wide and Blackman in the hole or in a fairly free role.

 

[Deadbat]

Whatever it was I dont think the players knew! It was odd. We had a 4-4-2 to start it seemed then Blackman swapped with Flynn and then went up top and then Flynn dropped back to a kind of left wing back position and as you say more of a 3-4-3. Not quite sure what was happpening and when we got to a proper formaiton and started to turn them and run at them things began to happen. Blackman was excellent again. He can be frustrating but that boy has some real talent and can play much higher up if he retains the constiency of recent weeks.

We badly need another winger though as Flynn is sadly not good enough and I think a good mobile, midfielder too put real pressure on Doyle and McDonald.

 

[Foxy]

I thought the starting formation was more of a 3-4-1-2 or 3-4-3 with Westlake and Flynn wide and Blackman in the hole or in a fairly free role.

It was effectively a 3-4-1-2 with Westlake covering the entire right hand side on his own.

 

[Large Mendonca]

That's how i saw it Coops, a strange formation ! Westlake & Flynn as wingbacks and sometimes it looked like Miller, Porter and Blackman in the hole and no one up front

Second half it looked like 4-4-2

 

[Northyorksblade]

i know. well, the live scores went off and i suppose i presumed it ended 1-1. or it said 1-1 full time. not sure. hey, its better than the people at the game who get up to leave when the game hasnt finished yet!

And there were quite a few of those today! My daughter left at 4.50 to catch the earlier train home to Bolton as she didn't fancy being at the station with all the gloating Port Vale fans and we were still losing 1-0!

 

[cooperblade]

Even Bergen wouldn't have been able to pick our formation in the last few minutes!

 

[cooperblade]

It was effectively a 3-4-1-2 with Westlake covering the entire right hand side on his own.

The big problem for me was that it quite often became a 5-3-2 when Port Vale's wingers dragged Westlake and Flynn back. Would be interested to see it at home against a team with zero attacking ambition (e.g. Donny).

 

[Samantha]

Collins was projectile vomiting from the description my dad, kindly, gave me. "Never seen a bloke be sick like that in all my life".

Nice.

 

[Bergen Blade]

It was effectively a 3-4-1-2 with Westlake covering the entire right hand side on his own.

A formation is usually determined by how a team lines up when they're defending with everybody behind the ball. Then it's not unusual to let players have freedom to roam around, and sometimes they are told to move into specific areas to find space or exploit oppositions' weaknesses.

I think we all saw the same, but I'd still say it was 4-4-2 with Blackman instructed to try find space centrally behind the opposition's midfield and defence (and run at them from there), while Westlake was given the responsibility to bomb forward and provide width on the right. Flynn was just doing what he always does, tracking back and helping out his full back.

 

[Cool Clint]

7.5 for our top player and Maguire getting a 6????

I thought he was very poor today.....he seemed very scared of his man and was poor throughout the game as well as his mistake.

I rate him and was saying before the match how consistant he has been but today he was poor.

I'd mark him a 4.5 ....and there were players worse than him!

I'd agree with that and how can George Long get 7 on the little he had to do and Blackman only 7.5 with the masses that he did? Yes I'd agree he was wayward but he created more opportunities than anyone both for himself and others who seemed to not be on his wavelength. At least he took the responsibility to influence the game.

 

[moDtheGod]

Then to be fair he did make the goal with a decent cross (maybe his first of the game).

Sounds like he made both goals, from reading your report.

 

[Foxy]

A formation is usually determined by how a team lines up when they're defending with everybody behind the ball. Then it's not unusual to let players have freedom to roam around, and sometimes they are told to move into specific areas to find space or exploit oppositions' weaknesses.

I'm aware of that, hence my comment about Westlake being left to deal with the entire right hand side, he got very little help and spent a lot of time effectively covering two positions from a position further forward than his normal right back position. It was even a bit high for a wing back.

 

[cahill]

"the kop was barely a quarter full" !!! Maths not your strong point, try a 1/10 full

 

[silverfox]

"the kop was barely a quarter full" !!! Maths not your strong point, try a 1/10 full

Where were all the "Blades"?

A very poor turn out.