Today was an interesting game. As said above, Barnsley defended well and were one of the more disciplined and effective defences we've come up against since dropping to League 1. Barnsley defended narrowly and forced us to play a central game. We should have been using the wide channels, Done was in acres of space most of the game and hardly got any service. Now to be fair, every time he did get a yard on the wing he fluffed it, but maybe that means he needed more service? Blades played into their hands, far too narrow, weak passing and no pace down the middle, which was easily mopped up by a solid Barnsley defence.
Funnily enough, how often the past few years have we complained about sideways passing? And now this game, where we desperately needed balls out to the wings, to stretch their defence, to give us a bit of space? Didn't happen nearly enough. Adams and Sharp were snuffed out by effective physical defensive players who hardly put a foot wrong all day.
All our forward players - Sharp, Done, Adams, Flynn and later on Woolford and Sammon - None of them impacted the game and most had a bad day at the office. First touch was always too heavy, they were always a yard in front of the ball across the 6 yard line, they always got the ball lost in their feet. It just wasn't their day.
We were decent at the back, with some notable exceptions. Their disallowed goal was due to our defence faffing about too much in the box. Why try to flick and pass the ball out of danger when you can just hoof it? Would you rather concede a goal or a corner?
Barnsley came to settle for a draw and nick a 1-0 if the opportunity arose. I had figured that out on 55 minutes. Adkins never seemed to twig that, sticking with the same failing slow build up pass and (barely) move strategy for the full 90. He subbed McEveley off on 88 minutes for Sammon. That is nowhere near adequate to win a game that essentially had our entire season hinging on it. Why wait so long?
0-0 was completely fair, neither team did enough to win or even score, but this game will go down as yet another opportunity to nick a win and get us nearer to the top 6. Our season in a nutshell.
On a more positive note - Basham had a solid game out on the right. I was surprised when I saw him there, but he played out of his boots all game. McEveley was also really good. Baptiste, as always was effective and bossed the defence. If we can keep hold of him next season that would be huge. I don't care how much he costs. Sign him up. League 1 is a sandpit to him. Hammond nearly got himself sent off. Remember that tackle he did that got a yellow? That was fucking awful. He's a liability, and frankly adds nothing to the team. Get rid.
Sorry for the long rant. A bit pissed on the train home and staring season #6 in the third tier.
