United 1 Burnley 4 - report

[Karaoke Blade]

Last season at home against Burnley we nullified their wingers with our 3-5-2 formation. We put Anel and McBurnie on Muric at set pieces and he was all over the place having to also deal with JLT's long throws. You ask the question whether we have improved under CW since PH. Today for me the confirms the answer is no. In fact we appear to be more tactically inept. 3-5-2 against 4-4-2 nullifies Burnleys strength, their wide men. Its significant the 2 star players you pick out were those players.

CW said after the game it wasn't the tactics that was the problem. I beg to differ. We never got to grips with their midfield four being constantly run and passed through. At times we only had 2 in the middle when we went forward seemingly into a 4-2-4 and one of them Souza may as well not have been there. Even after our good start it was obvious we were being out passed in the middle and a tactical change should have been made to at least go to 4-3-3 from 4-2-3-1 to give an extra body in midfield. Hamer dropping back from a 10 would have been the sensible option. Osborn for all his effort is not a full back as the second goal showed. Whilst Bogle was good going forward there were times when Burnley broke up our attack when we only had 2 at the back with both full backs upfield playing as wing backs.

We should have made the changes at half time. Its rumoured Holgate was carrying a knock but if he's on the bench then surely he's capable of 45 minutes otherwise its a waste of a substitute spot. We start well, get back into the game but the failings of the first half down our left have not been addressed and concede 2 further goals down that side. The fourth goal is compounded by the fact at 1-3 we further weaken the midfield by taking off Souza and replacing him with a forward.

Yes our goalkeeper was shaky and Anel went awol for the third but if you can't adjust tactics and formation during the game then you are failing in the basics. Holgate and Larouchi got plaudits for their performances last week. Neither started today. Its the constant changing and tinkering that raises concerns about the manager and his coaching staffs ability to turn this abysmal season round to at least get us into a position where we can challenge in the Championship. Two weeks ago after Chelsea CW said he was now confident he knew what type of performance he was going to get from his players. The last 2 games have shown that is a false dawn.

What was particularly galling was the first time our shortest player stood on Muric from a corner after an hour he flaps at the ball misses it and when the cross comes back in he weakly punches a ball away that he should have caught easily. Didn't any of the players or those in the dug out realise this was a weakness we should have exploited more?

It was CW's belligerence last time that there was nothing wrong with the system when all could see it was failing that led to his downfall. After today there are growing signs history is about to repeat itself. Hope I'm wrong.

Great Post. Playing that back 4 from the start was a mistake. To not change it at half time was criminal.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

Strange game that we were well in for an hour despite trying to self-destruct before fully succeeding in self-destructing for the last half hour.
Hamer, Bogle and Anel have all picked up recently, presumably in the hope of not being here next season, Benny's done Ok and Blaster's been a bright spot despite an underwhelming performance on Saturday.
Some of the others, the less said the better though special mention for Non-Stick. For a club with no money to spend a significant sum on him is laughable.

 

[Silent Blade]

Biggs Wednesdayite

Alan Biggs is a Chesterfield fan. I know this as his dad and brother worked at AGD where I worked

 

[UddersBlade]

Yep 100% he’s a Spireite. Although his son is a Wednesdayite, so I always get the impression that he slightly favours the dark side in his reporting.

 

[Gin&Juice]

Yep 100% he’s a Spireite. Although his son is a Wednesdayite, so I always get the impression that he slightly favours the dark side in his reporting.

Nah. He’s not bothered about either club.

 

[cahill]

Any slim hopes United had of staying in the fight for relegation went out of the window as for the second time this season, the next worst team, Burnley, put United to the absolute sword at Bramall Lane. The Blades should have led with good chances for McBurnie and Brereton Diaz before poor goalkeeping from Grbic, again, allowed a tame shot to escape his clutches. A second goal came before half time with awful defending and more indecision from the goalkeeper and suddenly, despite having the better chances, the Blades were 0-2 down. A renewed purpose in the second half saw a fantastic save from Muric deny McAtee but Hamer’s curling effort reduced the arrears but after Brereton Diaz nearly made it 2-2, Burnley went up the other end and Foster scored easily thanks to more atrocious defending. A fourth came from Gudmundsson with his first touch and after this, United completely fell apart and more goals nearly came from the visiting side. The home side looked a sorry state by full time with heads down all over the pitch and Burnley had renewed hope in their efforts to stay up. The Blades are now doomed and there are real concerns in the mentality and ability level of a good chunk of the current side. Surely a huge clear out must result in the summer to give United a realistic chance of being the top end of the division below? The current side and level of performance/fitness is nowhere near the level of the Premier League but also will struggle to yield a serious challenge even in the Championship. Chris Wilder has big decisions to make in the coming weeks and months as he looks to reshape a squad that can get the club going back in the right direction.



Once again Wilder made changes with Larouci and Holgate out and McAtee and Souza in. United started with four at the back and played Hamer behind McBurnie and Brereton Diaz/McAtee out wide. Burnley kept faith with Arijanet Muric in goal despite his recent errors and former Blade Sander Berge started in midfield. The Norwegian got a mixture of cheers and boos when his name was announced prior to kick off.



The game started with both teams coughing up possession too easily and it showed why they occupying the bottom two places of the table. Burnley were looking to move it around more than the home side who were trying to feed off McBurnie or find the channel ball down the flanks but neither side were particularly secure in their play. The first chance did come to United when McAtee sent in a whipped cross and McBurnie converged and seemed set to score but his finish was saved at point blank range by Muric. The striker really should have scored. Burnley responded and Cullen had an effort blocked before they nearly got in down the right-hand side. United then had the next significant effort when the ball was played into Brereton Diaz who got in but once again Muric smothered the ball and Souza took too long on the rebound. It had been an even game but United had created two good chances to open the scoring.



Vitinho then had a shot blocked before Grbic saved low down from Foster as United were caught ball watching somewhat as both teams started to open more. Vitinho headed narrowly wide from Larsen’s cross. Berge then fed Larsen who shot not far wide as Burnley started to look the more dangerous after United had created the good early opportunities. Foster had a header saved from Assignon’s cross and United started to drop deeper and struggle with the movement of some of the nimble Burnley forward players. However, United broke out and after good work from McBurnie initially to hold the ball up, he played it to Hamer who returned it to the Scottish striker who hit a powerful shot on the angle that was tipped over the bar.



Hamer then had an effort that was saved after more decent build up with Brereton Diaz involved but Burnley were able to quickly move it forward soon after this and Odobert had a shot blocked.



The opening goal came when Burnley were allowed to move through the midfield without so much of a challenge as Souza stood off and the ball was played forward. It dropped to LARSEN who hit a shot but it clipped a United player which seemed to take the pace off the ball. Somehow Grbic failed to react and the ball squirmed into the net with his dive seemingly inexcusably late.



Incredibly, 0-1 became 0-2 almost instantly. Burnley broke down the right and Brereton Diaz got beat too easily and with Osborn and Trusty not able to sense the danger, ASSIGNON got in too easily with no challenge incoming. His toe poke perhaps clipped Trusty but again Grbic was way too slow to react and his lame thrust of his foot merely diverted the ball into the net. The boos rang round the Lane as shocking defending and goalkeeping had combined to see the Blades with an almighty challenge to get anything from a game that they actually had created the better opportunities from so far.



More poor play from Grbic saw the ball not cleared properly and Foster was not far off target for the rampant away side who scented blood. The half time whistle was predictably met by lusty boos from much of the crowd inside the Lane, who rightly voiced their displeasure at the defensive capitulation they had witnessed.



The second half began, with surprisingly no chances from the Blades, but they did at least show some urgency and won an early corner. As the ball was not cleared, United moved it inside and McAtee hit an effort that seemed to be heading to the top corner but somehow Muric clawed it round the post. A fantastic save and the game quickly seemed to be a tale of two keepers, with one making several outstanding saves and another being calamitous in most things he did.



Assignon had a break and an effort saved from Grbic as Trusty once again was too far off his man but United broke quickly and were back in the game. McAtee was brought down but managed to keep going and fed HAMER. The midfielder jinked back inside, sat his man down on the floor and curled an absolute beauty into the far corner. It was game on as the Kop suddenly found their voice! Soon after Muric’s poor kick out fell to Brereton Diaz and his run and low shot was pushed round the post by the keeper who made amends for his mistake.



United seemed to have the momentum but were caught out by a sucker punch on 58 minutes as the away side broke and Assignon got on the ball and with Souza once again unable to react to the initial run, Trusty then inexplicably showed him inside and his low cross was swept home by FOSTER with more appalling marking right in the middle of the defence. Such a simple goal and as the inquest went on, Bogle and Souza had words for a long period after the goal.



Brownhill came on for Larsen before a rare positive moment from Souza, saw a run and shot but it was relatively comfortable for Muric who dived to make the save. Brereton Diaz then had an effort flicked away from Muric as United looked for a way back into the game.



Souza gave way for Archer and then McBurnie poked wide after good work from the substitute. GUDMUNDSSON replaced Vitinho and his impact was instant. The ball was switched across and the Icelandic midfielder was presented with it and came inside and sent a fantastic effort beyond Grbic right into the corner. That was game, set and match. The Burnley fans mocked the Blades fans, although a significant number had already started to depart the terraces.



Grbic’s disastrous performance continued when he kicked it straight to Brownhill, whose attempted long-range return was wide before Gudmundsson then crashed an effort off the post. United looked a sorry state at the point. Norwood and Brooks came on for McBurnie and Hamer before Fofani and Amdouni took the place of Odobert and Foster.



Burnley were now keeping possession to cheers from the visiting crowd who were imploring former hero Berge to add the final nail in the coffin but at this stage, Burnley were in cruise control whilst in contrast, many of the home team looked like they simply did not want to be there. Bogle had a late run and effort saved but the final eight minutes of stoppage time was played with neither side able to impact the scoring and by the end, the Clarets had coasted to an easy win in what had been a relatively close game for long periods. The Blades fans who remained made their feelings known, as they proved once again that they are by a long distance, the worst side in the league and one of the poorest ever seen at this level.

« one of the poorest », some optimism then!

 

[cahill]

All the criticisms and observations of players weaknesses , limitations and piss poor attitudes surely has to be down to the training and coaching staff and Wilder. If Trusty can’t tackle or position himself surely that’s down to the coaches to work on with the player, same applies across the pitch. If Sousa and McAtee have downed tools surely that’s the managers responsibility

 

[Bell4]

Souza 2/10 – Feels like I am singling Grbic, Trusty and Souza out but they were by some distance the worst players for United. I watched him carefully today. He is an absolute phony of a footballer. He does not get out of a light job, hides from the ball and then seems to almost stand in areas where he knows he will not have to influence the game (in and out of possession). How teams have seen a player in him before I do not know? Another that looks a big unit but offers zilch. Berge two or three times just sauntered past him and he did not even try and attempts to get back. He kept on pointing or blaming others but his act seems to have worn thin on most (Robinson at Wolves, Bogle today who have had enough of him). He never seems to get on the ball (one run and shot and decent tackle are the only two decent things I can recall him doing all game?). Off the ball he is laughable. Teams have the run of midfield and today they had so many chances where he was nowhere near pressing the ball or marking. The third goal he just wanders over and lets his man run off. His sub got cheers and that says it all. Another we need to get rid of. A loser in his attitude and his results (his teams keep getting relegated). I’ve got as much chance playing for Brazil as him.


this - just this

 

[Bell4]

Great report as usual.
I have never been a fan of Wilder so none of this has surprised me. Tactically poor ,selection and match management poor , transfer record poor , player development poor . The club should be brave and get rid asap , there are loads of good young Managers around that they could take a chance on.

You have NEVER been a fan of Wilder ?

Even when he took us from Div 1 to 9th in the Premiership and had tacticians salivating about his overlapping centre half and attacking wing back approach - and i include Pep in this .

The bloke who brought in Fleck , Egan , O`Connell , Baldock , Enda , McGoldrick, Duffy and reinvented Bash ?

I am not advocating that he is the future and beyond criticism - but to say you have NEVER been a fan , come on ....?

 

[Chilttheblade]

You have NEVER been a fan of Wilder ?

Even when he took us from Div 1 to 9th in the Premiership and had tacticians salivating about his overlapping centre half and attacking wing back approach - and i include Pep in this .

The bloke who brought in Fleck , Egan , O`Connell , Baldock , Enda , McGoldrick, Duffy and reinvented Bash ?

I am not advocating that he is the future and beyond criticism - but to say you have NEVER been a fan , come on ....?

Good question but yes NEVER , been a fan.
I didn’t like the fact he was reluctant to play young players,in fact he sold our best ones cheaply -Ramsdale,DCL,Che Adams,Whiteman, Brookes Etc . Bought a load of average players who by a miracle or luck ,some of them gelled and we got some promotions.
But like Wile E Cayote ,Wilder looked down after the first season in the Premiership and had no answers, like he has no answers now ,his luck just ran out.
I joined the forum specifically to vent my spleen, irrational maybe but consistent.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Cheers DB , didn’t watch ( on Peacock )
At least I have that option now no longer living in Sheffield ( I’d go regardless as I’ve seen us shit before ) but choose the sunny garden and Noah & Chad instead
But I always enjoy reading , and listening to your pods , when you eventually start talking about game about an hour in
But admire your resolve or beer googles to watch em as your thoughts would be similar but not as caustic as my own
I went into work yesterday, and a manure fan turned to me and said how did you lose that game , he’d watched it and said we should have been out of site but for poor finishing and woeful goalkeeping
Welcome to my world I said
Thanks DB , back to getting drunk at Stoke again next season then so
UTB

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Good question but yes NEVER , been a fan.
I didn’t like the fact he was reluctant to play young players,in fact he sold our best ones cheaply -Ramsdale,DCL,Che Adams,Whiteman, Brookes Etc . Bought a load of average players who by a miracle or luck ,some of them gelled and we got some promotions.
But like Wile E Cayote ,Wilder looked down after the first season in the Premiership and had no answers, like he has no answers now ,his luck just ran out.
I joined the forum specifically to vent my spleen, irrational maybe but consistent.

He sold our best players and then what , bought in other players that got us promoted from league 1 then championship , Madine -Hogan
Something similar to what we’re trying to do now by buying “ cheaper “ players abroad and selling for a profit , or do you think Con man Chan was right when he said Brentford lacked ambition by selling there players half a billion ponds later how’s that working for em
Miracle or luck disagree totally with that statement
But I agree with the last bit , instead of solidifying us he and the club fucked JOC , that’s where we should have spent and I said it way back then , the 2 players we should have got was Deeney & Watfords keeper , a dirty bastard up top ( to help develop our young strikers at the time and knew what it took )
My Liverpool supporting BIL and work colleagues were gutted we bought Brewster and not Origi at the time as they all rated him ( Brewster ) how’s that working for us ehh
Some good - bad points made , and no/ yes which ever way it would be phrased Wilder wasn’t my choice to come back either
But he has , he is and I follow Dem Blades , just so happens Wilders in charge

 

[Chilttheblade]

He sold our best players and then what , bought in other players that got us promoted from league 1 then championship , Madine -Hogan
Something similar to what we’re trying to do now by buying “ cheaper “ players abroad and selling for a profit , or do you think Con man Chan was right when he said Brentford lacked ambition by selling there players half a billion ponds later how’s that working for em
Miracle or luck disagree totally with that statement
But I agree with the last bit , instead of solidifying us he and the club fucked JOC , that’s where we should have spent and I said it way back then , the 2 players we should have got was Deeney & Watfords keeper , a dirty bastard up top ( to help develop our young strikers at the time and knew what it took )
My Liverpool supporting BIL and work colleagues were gutted we bought Brewster and not Origi at the time as they all rated him ( Brewster ) how’s that working for us ehh
Some good - bad points made , and no/ yes which ever way it would be phrased Wilder wasn’t my choice to come back either
But he has , he is and I follow Dem Blades , just so happens Wilders in charge

Maybe I feel brutalised from these EPL experiences but I’m not going to change my mind anytime soon. Wilder has done well for himself from his recent career , can’t blame him for that. Of course it’s the owners who have put him there so I suppose my gripe should be with them . They either sanctioned his transfer moves or did not put a structure in place to manage him or to assist him .
Because on his own ,he is way out of his depth on so many levels.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Maybe I feel brutalised from these EPL experiences but I’m not going to change my mind anytime soon. Wilder has done well for himself from his recent career , can’t blame him for that. Of course it’s the owners who have put him there so I suppose my gripe should be with them . They either sanctioned his transfer moves or did not put a structure in place to manage him or to assist him .
Because on his own ,he is way out of his depth on so many levels.

I actually agree with most of that , I think he works better on a tight budget , and after wasting so much on shite that’s how I’d have it
He can be very stubborn , my favourite gripe , Lundstram in his last season ( after 6 good months in 4 years ) continues to get played even though he couldn’t kick snow off a rope
Let’s hope he swallows some pride and drops that keeper , who after Nicky Johns ( ask ya da ) is the worst keeper I’ve seen in a Blades shirt
Like I said he wasn’t my first choice , guy from Ipswich or Hull would have been my choice’s ( last season ) but when Slav came in I thought yeah he’s a good choice , I mean it’s not like Watford managers are shite 1 for us 1 for them and now a return for Chris
I’ll see what happens over summer & give him till Xmas at the earliest
I can understand your reticence over Wilder he’s got a lot to re prove ( if that’s a word ? )