Morecambe 0 - 1 Blades highlights

[pommpey]

Looks like Collins was fired up for his goal.

Well done.

pommpey

 

[Large Mendonca]

Well they made that look fairly one-sided.......

 

[sheffielder]

Can people please have a look at Basham through these clips. Not showing enough for me and still think he should be at the back if anywhere

 

[Dkc]

Sammon's a beast

 

[metalblade]

I notice Howard missed another long range effort that hits the post and fumbles a second long range shot, we do need better between the sticks.

 

[Torrix1889]

Didnt look pretty but after Saturday a win is a win....lets push on from here.

 

[YES Blade]

Can people please have a look at Basham through these clips. Not showing enough for me and still think he should be at the back if anywhere

Bit unfair to judge him on a highlights video which contained less than 2 minutes football.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Very good quality on the youtube videos now, wish it was the same on BladesPlayer.

Was Freeman lucky not to get sent off at 0:30?

 

[pommpey]

Very good quality on the youtube videos now, wish it was the same on BladesPlayer.

Was Freeman lucky not to get sent off at 0:30?

I thought that. Quite why he is launching himself across the attacker whilst tracking him into the box is beyond me. Quite why the attacker didn't go sprawling to get the pen is another.

pommpey

 

[Trigger Blade]

I thought that. Quite why he is launching himself across the attacker whilst tracking him into the box is beyond me. Quite why the attacker didn't go sprawling to get the pen is another.

pommpey

It was a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut and he was fortunate. He only needed to get a toe end on the ball. I can only think the ref thought he had played the ball and in fairness, he didn't actually play the man, the attacker fell over his sliding body.

Short highlights, but they really don't reflect the game. It showed only one of Sammon's woeful wide attempts and missed most of our other high, wide and handsome efforts. One of their fans said they played us off the park, they didn't, it was fairly even. We knocked the ball about quite well up to the edge of their area, then knocked it about some more, because nobody would take responsibility for shooting. When they did, the results weren't pretty.

As for Collins, there was at least some groaning when he came on and he would have been aware that his reception wasn't warm. I imagine that contributed to his celebrations after scoring his second best bullet header of the season so far

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Certainly the first half looked as thought they walked through our midfield again - far too easy.
This is a team that also lost 2 nil to Hartlepool on Saturday.
I suppose a win is a win and can only add to confidence.
Considering how the stats had the percentage of play up to half time and how it altered dramatically after half time, it sounds like Adkins may have given some the hairdryer treatment.
Interesting that Adkins says he wants us to move the ball much much quicker....so what have we been doing in training up until now then?
You have an awful lot of work to do Mr Adkins.
UTB

 

[him behind you]

I notice Howard missed another long range effort that hits the post and fumbles a second long range shot, we do need better between the sticks.

In fairness, the one that hit the post was a hell of a strike and the "fumble" from where we were sat looked to move a mile in the air but my mate reckoned it took a deflection - either way it was a really good save.

 

[robbiez666]

I'd be more concerned about him flapping at crosses or not coming for them.

 

[him behind you]

Certainly the first half looked as thought they walked through our midfield again - far too easy.
This is a team that also lost 2 nil to Hartlepool on Saturday.
I suppose a win is a win and can only add to confidence.
Considering how the stats had the percentage of play up to half time and how it altered dramatically after half time, it sounds like Adkins may have given some the hairdryer treatment.
Interesting that Adkins says he wants us to move the ball much much quicker....so what have we been doing in training up until now then?
You have an awful lot of work to do Mr Adkins.
UTB

The main points I picked up from last night were.
- First half, our midfield didn't protect the back four enough. Too often we gave Morecambe too much time and space in the middle of the park and they did, in fact, get through too often. Second half we were much better and the highlights don't reflect that we were the much better team in the second half (they don't even show the chances we had in the first half - one particular move which ended in Freeman volleying wide was excellent).
- The back 4 looked solid enough and it was nice to see Edgar and JMac actually looking a bit more aggressive when trying to win headers, but I do worry that a better team allowed to get at them without the midfield protecting them may well have caused more problems.
- We certainly moved the ball about better (and quicker) than most league games last season and I think with more practice and training we will unlock defences regularly with the little passes and movement we're showing around their box. Unfortunately the majority of our moves last night came to nothing because (in the main) Freeman was absolutely horrendous with his last ball and decision making when attacking. We certainly need to improve that final ball.
- It was nice to hear Howard talking to his defence constantly.
- I like summer football .

Players who impressed me were the 2 Wallaces (James is a proper footballer and if we can get and keep him fully fit he will be a real star, and Kieran looked solid at left back). Edgar was nice and aggressive and talked a lot. McNulty played some really nice balls into the box but we needed him to be on the end of them. Scougall never stopped and played some really good stuff.

Players I was less happy with were Sammon and Woolford who both looked "rusty" and as if they hadn't had a pre-season or were coming back from a long lay-off. Sammon clearly has something but didn't win enough headers or look quite strong enough at the moment (in fact Collins won more headers in their box in 4 minutes than he did), and Woolford just looked off the pace. Basham had a night where he just really seemed to struggle and very little came off for him - almost like his first few games last season.

All in all. Still a long way to go if we are to win the Division but that was much, much better than Saturday and was a good reaction.

 

[him behind you]

I'd be more concerned about him flapping at crosses or not coming for them.

Didn't think he was too bad last night - but that might be because I was comparing it to the Gillingham nightmare

 

[pommpey]

It was a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut and he was fortunate. He only needed to get a toe end on the ball. I can only think the ref thought he had played the ball and in fairness, he didn't actually play the man, the attacker fell over his sliding body.

Short highlights, but they really don't reflect the game. It showed only one of Sammon's woeful wide attempts and missed most of our other high, wide and handsome efforts. One of their fans said they played us off the park, they didn't, it was fairly even. We knocked the ball about quite well up to the edge of their area, then knocked it about some more, because nobody would take responsibility for shooting. When they did, the results weren't pretty.

As for Collins, there was at least some groaning when he came on and he would have been aware that his reception wasn't warm. I imagine that contributed to his celebrations after scoring his second best bullet header of the season so far

Aside from all the brickbats (which, as a pretty hefty Jock, I imagine he has taken like a man) I am pleased he scored, especially if Adkins handed him the opportunity to thumb his nose at cunts like me who reckon he is bobbins.

He has got every opportunity now to corral the likely Centre Backs we have now to start playing like Championship Centre Backs and commit Saturday to the nightmare bin.

pommpey

 

[Pinchy]

I'd be more concerned about him flapping at crosses or not coming for them.

Calamity George is your man for that...

 

[Pinchy]

I didn't go, but the BBC stats show us having far more shots with twice as many on target and twice as many corners. That does not suggest an "even game".

I listened on the radio. It seemed to be one-way traffic second-half.

No great achievement of course but let's build on a small step....

 

[Bergen Blade]

The main points I picked up from last night were.
- First half, our midfield didn't protect the back four enough. Too often we gave Morecambe too much time and space in the middle of the park and they did, in fact, get through too often. Second half we were much better and the highlights don't reflect that we were the much better team in the second half (they don't even show the chances we had in the first half - one particular move which ended in Freeman volleying wide was excellent).
- The back 4 looked solid enough and it was nice to see Edgar and JMac actually looking a bit more aggressive when trying to win headers, but I do worry that a better team allowed to get at them without the midfield protecting them may well have caused more problems.
- We certainly moved the ball about better (and quicker) than most league games last season and I think with more practice and training we will unlock defences regularly with the little passes and movement we're showing around their box. Unfortunately the majority of our moves last night came to nothing because (in the main) Freeman was absolutely horrendous with his last ball and decision making when attacking. We certainly need to improve that final ball.
- It was nice to hear Howard talking to his defence constantly.
- I like summer football .

Players who impressed me were the 2 Wallaces (James is a proper footballer and if we can get and keep him fully fit he will be a real star, and Kieran looked solid at left back). Edgar was nice and aggressive and talked a lot. McNulty played some really nice balls into the box but we needed him to be on the end of them. Scougall never stopped and played some really good stuff.

Players I was less happy with were Sammon and Woolford who both looked "rusty" and as if they hadn't had a pre-season or were coming back from a long lay-off. Sammon clearly has something but didn't win enough headers or look quite strong enough at the moment (in fact Collins won more headers in their box in 4 minutes than he did), and Woolford just looked off the pace. Basham had a night where he just really seemed to struggle and very little came off for him - almost like his first few games last season.

All in all. Still a long way to go if we are to win the Division but that was much, much better than Saturday and was a good reaction.

Regarding Sammon's heading ability I think a lot of fans will be frustrated if they expect him to win a lot of flick ons. Higdon was disappointing at that last season as well, but is technically a much better header of the ball from crosses.

The highlights did show them finding space between our midfield and defence, as you point out. It may take a bit of getting used to for the team not having a Doyle-type player sweeping up. In a 4-4-2 it can be very demanding for the central midfield duo to cover enough space, especially if they are going to get forward as well. Hopefully we'll make it work.

 

[pommpey]

Regarding Sammon's heading ability I think a lot of fans will be frustrated if they expect him to win a lot of flick ons. Higdon was disappointing at that last season as well, but is technically a much better header of the ball from crosses.

The highlights did show them finding space between our midfield and defence, as you point out. It may take a bit of getting used to for the team not having a Doyle-type player sweeping up. In a 4-4-2 it can be very demanding for the central midfield duo to cover enough space, especially if they are going to get forward as well. Hopefully we'll make it work.

I do think with the players we have, it is better set up with 4-1-3-2 or 4-1-4-1 with Basham as the 'quarterback', Nicky Butt-style playbreaker just in front of the back four.

pommpey

 

[him behind you]

Regarding Sammon's heading ability I think a lot of fans will be frustrated if they expect him to win a lot of flick ons. Higdon was disappointing at that last season as well, but is technically a much better header of the ball from crosses.

The highlights did show them finding space between our midfield and defence, as you point out. It may take a bit of getting used to for the team not having a Doyle-type player sweeping up. In a 4-4-2 it can be very demanding for the central midfield duo to cover enough space, especially if they are going to get forward as well. Hopefully we'll make it work.

Fingers crossed that we do. As you say, it's something new to them but they do need to all take responsible to defend rather than leave it to Doyle.

 

[Mad Mick]

I can't get the video to play, it says its private.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

I can't get the video to play, it says its private.

Likewise.

 

[s4-blade]

I can't get the video to play, it says its private.

Likewise.

Same ere

 

[robbiez666]

Didn't think he was too bad last night - but that might be because I was comparing it to the Gillingham nightmare

'From the commentary' he flapped at and hissed a cross from a corner and then stayed rooted on his line following that. He then snapped out of it and carried on as normal, but it's a worry. It's odd to have two keepers that suffer from issues regarding crosses. I'd spend a week drilling all of them to come and gather.

 

[him behind you]

'From the commentary' he flapped at and hissed a cross from a corner and then stayed rooted on his line following that. He then snapped out of it and carried on as normal, but it's a worry. It's odd to have two keepers that suffer from issues regarding crosses. I'd spend a week drilling all of them to come and gather.

Got to wonder about our goalkeeping coach if they're all at it.

 

[Grey Blade]

I can't get the video to play, it says its private.

I managed to watch it earlier on but tried unsuccessfully just now. It did seem highly biased to Morecambe in terms of chances created so maybe it's being re-edited? They didn't show Basham's 1st half miss from a very similar position from which Collins scored and many of the off target shots should have been on in my opinion. They always seem to aim for the corner of the net and usually miss.

Him behind you gave a good analysis of the game as I saw it

 

[him behind you]

I do think with the players we have, it is better set up with 4-1-3-2 or 4-1-4-1 with Basham as the 'quarterback', Nicky Butt-style playbreaker just in front of the back four.

pommpey

Tell you what Pompey, I think you've hit the nail on the head with the 4-1-3-2. The fullbacks would need to overlap which is no bad thing and the 3 in the middle (last night 2nd half of Wallace, Scougs and Adams was OK but throw in Murphy and even Flynn) being able to interchange with each other could be really good.

 

[Czech Blade]

'From the commentary' he flapped at and hissed a cross from a corner and then stayed rooted on his line following that. He then snapped out of it and carried on as normal, but it's a worry. It's odd to have two keepers that suffer from issues regarding crosses. I'd spend a week drilling all of them to come and gather.

That was exactly what happened. He got away with the first one, which he completely missed, because there were several players in and around the box preventing Morecambe from getting a shot in. He then remained on his line for one which he should have come for. We were at the opposite end of the ground, but I think there was another mistake during the second half given the response of the Morecambe fans to a situation on his left hand post which ended up going for a corner.

 

[Trigger Blade]

I managed to watch it earlier on but tried unsuccessfully just now. It did seem highly biased to Morecambe in terms of chances created so maybe it's being re-edited? They didn't show Basham's 1st half miss from a very similar position from which Collins scored and many of the off target shots should have been on in my opinion. They always seem to aim for the corner of the net and usually miss.

Him behind you gave a good analysis of the game as I saw it

I agree, Him behind you saw it as I did too. I'd forgotten about Basham's header, which was disappointing because he headed it well over the bar, even though he got enough height to direct it down.

I didn't go, but the BBC stats show us having far more shots with twice as many on target and twice as many corners. That does not suggest an "even game".

I listened on the radio. It seemed to be one-way traffic second-half.

No great achievement of course but let's build on a small step....

It was me that said it was an even game. If we'd lost 1-0, I don't think we could have complained. They were better than us first half, we were better than them second half, which is how I got to an even game. The stats say we had 21 shots, but most were nowhere near on target.