Deadbat
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Podcast reaction and report below
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New year, same old United as 2021 did not begin any better than 2020 as it was yet another defeat for the Blades. The latest team who were glad to have United as an opponent, after recent struggles, were Crystal Palace. United set a new record in ineptitude, as they now have the worst start of any Premier League side ever. Today they trailed after three minutes with a goal from Schlupp and then on half time a superb individual goal from substitute Eze killed the contest dead. In truth United had never really been in it from the off. Palace coasted to an easy win as the Blades struggled to create anything all game with a half chance from Bogle and teenage striker Hackford all they could offer.
The Blades had been ravaged by injury, COVID-19 issues and suspension and had a total of 9 players out in total and could only name 6 subs with one of them young Antoine Hackford, a 16-year-old. In came John Fleck, Oliver Norwood and a first start for Jayden Bogle. Out went George Baldock who was dropped for the first time this season and Jack Robinson and Rhian Brewster.
Palace had a far more experienced Premier League squad available and featured the likes of Zaha, Townsend, Benteke. The fact they had Eze, Ayew, Batshuayi on the bench as striking options showed the difference in the two match day squads.
The match began with Palace more of the aggressor and it was only three minutes old when the home side took the lead. A long ball went up and Zaha’s pace took him away from Egan who had been favourite to get it. Zaha held it up and played it across and Norwood in his attempt to clear deflected it into the path of SCHLUPP whose shot guided into the corner took a slight nick off Ramsdale before nestling into the corner.
United instantly changed things round with Basham going into midfield for Ampadu although it is debatable if we actually started in this way such was the confusion in the Blades side! Palace had more of the ball early on in attacking areas whilst United did have a lot of the ball but did nothing with it at all. Palace then had another chance but Townsend had a shot that was straight at Ramsdale.
Slowly the Blades did start to move up the field but did not look confident to even get the ball into the final third. A moment summed up the season when Osborn and Stevens both mis controlled it under no pressure whatsoever. Soon after Basham fired it at the hand of Bogle. United looked a shambles.
Palace were not having to get out of second gear and were happy for United to have it. They knew the away side had no idea at all. Zaha then skinned Stevens and got a free kick for a clumsy foul and the free kick was headed back across from Tompkins but Norwood cleared. United finally had an attack on the half hour mark but McGoldrick had no support and the eventual cross saw Basham chest out meekly and the chance, if you can call it that, had gone.
Zaha skinned Ampadu easily and his cross hit Benteke and deflected wide as Palace looked the more likely to score again. United continued to have a lot of the ball but slow, pedestrian build up with no penetration saw them struggle to even get in the Palace half. Eze came on for the goal scorer Schlupp, although why it took him 5 minutes to get treatment (what happened to stretchers?) and the incoming player was allowed to slowly get dressed as we all watched. Sadly, this peep show was about as exciting as this dull game got. Norwood tried to switch play but often when the Blades got it in the last third it came straight back to our half.
United did create a chance when Ampadu got down the right flank and put in a clever ball behind the channel to Bogle and he hit a shot on the angle that Guaita parried away. It was not really close to scoring and the goalkeeper may have been surprised to actually touch the ball but it was an effort and save non the less.
The game opened up a bit but after Basham stumbled and miskicked, Palace broke and Zaha embarrassed Ampadu with great individual skill saw him away. Bogle had to chop him down and was rightly yellow carded.
The referee gave an additional five minutes stoppage time for the Schlupp injury and it had ticked over this when the second goal came. Norwood had an appeal for a foul in the build up but a lot ensued after this. EZE broke away and jinked past Norwood easily and then an apology of a tackle from Ampadu saw him carry on and on. As Egan failed to close him down and the midfielder curled a delightful effort away from Ramsdale into the corner. Critics may say the keeper was slow to get down but it was fantastic goal. Wilder waited for the officials to criticise the additional time but this act smacked of one of desperation. His side had bee awful again and created next to nothing against a very ordinary Palace side who barely had to even really do much to be leading comfortably.
Benteke was the next Palace player to go off early after a dead leg and Ayew came on in his place. The next stage of the game saw United do nothing at all to suggest they could find their way back into the game. Fleck gave away two fouls as he was too slow to react to the man nipping in. Palace were cruising with Kouyatte and Tompkins picking up loose pieces all over the field. Palace were strolling things. Fleck gave it away again trying a silly flick and Palace broke with Norwood chopping down Ayew and getting a booking.
Shortly after Zaha was lucky to at least not be yellow carded when he did not get a foul after Bogle’s challenge but pushed his hand into the United player’s face. Bogle stayed on his feet as once again not only are we not Premier League level in ability but are not like many others and too honest. If only we had a Video Assistant Replay facility then maybe they could have looked at things!
Eze was booked for a tackle on Ampadu but the game really was over as a contest as Palace won two corners and United one but nothing came of these chances with Townsend shooting wide and then Fleck having an effort deflected over. Stevens gave it away and Ayew was nearly in but the ball was overplayed. United won another corner but this was cleared easily.
Zaha skipped away from three challenges and then teed up Townsend whose shot was wide. This was maybe the best chance for either side in a second half that had very few openings with Palace happy to hold what they had.
Hackford came on for his debut – becoming one of the youngest United players to play for the club joining Louis Reed also both debuted at 16 years but was slightly younger. Bogle then had a run forward but it took too long for Norwood to make a decision and it was cleared.
Zaha then showed a clean pair of heels to Ampadu and his pull back was into the path of Townsend and Egan did well to get his block in leading to a corner. Ramsdale dropped the cross under no pressure at all and United had to clear. The keeper seems to make at least one bad error every game and often his handling causes issues but today the game was already up before his latest mistake. In truth he could not be blamed at all for his shambolic performance.
The game entered the final 5 minutes but United simply looked clueless. Fleck was booked for another desperate challenge. The United players looked like they were running in sludge as Palace in comparison had quicker, more nimble and skilled players. In truth they barely needed to show much to be better than an abject Blades side.
In stoppage time Bogle and Basham worked a half chance and Hackford took a shot but it lacked direction and was blocked. It was at least an effort on goal and maybe his first and only touch of the ball. The full time whistle went soon after and it was another easy day and comfortable win for the opponent of United, who just strolled to an easy three points. The Blades had barely had a shot on goal and rarely an attack of note all game in a desperate showing.
United – I am not sure we win a game all season. We simply are awful. Abject. Even the crapper teams like Palace are miles better. It is depressing to watch and the players look like they do not want to be there. I keep hearing they are lots of effort but not sure there is even much of that now. They look like a side who has no belief they can even do the basics and it is not just control, passing and movement on the ball but off it we don’t tackle, press or win 50/50’s. There is no conviction to anything we do. That second goal summed it up. Players with pride and effort do not allow that.
We look beaten before games start. When the first went in, we may aswell have shook hands and walked off. The game was done. We had one half effort from Bogle and that was it. The second goal was pathetic from a few players namely Norwood and Ampadu but no one else went to the ball either so it was not just them. The second half was a non-event. It was like a testimonial/a practice game. I keep hearing we are not as bad as our points and we are not as bad as that Derby side. I am not sure that argument is valid. Other bad teams had shots or looked like scoring. They may have had some batterings but had a go too some respect (Norwich last season). We are an insipid, pathetic bunch. Wilder said we have a team full of captains a few years ago but that statement looks daft now. None of the senior players are showing any leadership whatsoever. No-one is looking angry or getting hold of them. Most seem to be accepting their fate which is now to be the worst team ever. Not just in top flight history but probably ever and the sides of Loughborough Town and Doncaster Rovers at the turn of the 20th century with 8 points seem miles off us and they got 2 points for a win!
Maybe it is just that these players are simply not good enough. They had great runs and moved up the leagues but the likes of Stevens (League Two), Baldock, Fleck, Basham (League One), Egan, McGoldrick, Norwood, Bogle (Champ) have played most of their career at these lower levels. None of these are kids. Maybe we have to accept they are lower league players. If this had happened last season it would not be an argument but how we have gone from what we did last campaign to now is so odd. Maybe all these players as Wilder said just came together and had a magical spell and all played their best football of their lives and now whilst they are not probably as bad as this, they are simply not up to this level. That allied to not even winning races, tackles, challenges sees a team that has no belief in each other, the system or that they can even have a meaningful attack. I mean that. They do no t even think they can get near the goal with intent. What a dire thought but sadly true.
We have gone for unproven (at this level) talents and of course should have spent less on fees/more on wages and got more experienced PL players but this is easy in hindsight. Brewster, Ampadu, Ramsdale, Bogle, Lowe, Osborn, Robinson are just not ready (may never will be) for this level. Yet a good portion of these are playing week in, week out and add these to the aforementioned out of form/dropped off lads who did well last season and it’s a prefect storm.
He keeps changing the team but of course will when we keep losing and today I thought he was right to at least hang our hat on Fleck/Norwood/McGoldrick/Mousset/Basham/Egan down the spine -players who were such a crucial part of last season but it did not work. We had a lot of the ball but had no penetration, running from deep and no movement. It was static and predictable. The forwards were slow and ineffective (constantly offside) and we got nothing from wide. It was dire. Only Bogle offered a bit and McGoldrick as well maybe. The rest were appalling. The fact he took Baldock out – been off last few weeks – to give Bogle a go showed he knows we are down and is starting to plan for next season. Brewster is now out of the team again and we have a 16-year-old school lad given a chance. It is all a bit desperate. We have no plan in team selection or how we play. He is trying different things but we look no nearer to improving. I am shocked he has not changed the formation though. I do not think we will do much better despite people thinking this will change things. Players who do not pass, run off the ball, show bravery and quality then it matters whether it is a 5-3-2 or 4-4-2 or whatever but surely, he has to change things as the players are not going to be any different? He is just doing the same thing with different players but we are actually getting worse.
Worryingly we have played some awful sides recently and they have beaten us easily. After Newcastle we play some of the better sides so will get worse before it gets better. As I say we are not going to get more than 3 or 4 points all season and that will be a stretch. Maybe we might draw with West Brom or a Brighton/Burnley at home at a push but not sure I can see a win coming anytime soon. We are not even close and it is an easy win. We are stinking up the league. The commentators keep throwing out how hard it will be and how difficult it will be. Have this for nothing Alan Smith or whoever, we are down. It is surely, done. No point wasting your breath or throwing up stats each showing our level of ineptitude. We are down and finished and were a long time ago. At least the cup is something different but the way we are playing and the lack of confidence I would not be confident we will even win there. Bristol Rovers will get stuck into our pathetic set of losers and it would not be a shock if we go out. It is an extremely depressing time to be a Blade and we are a laughing stock of world football.
We sadly have to play the games – I think if Wilder and his team had the choice – they would forfeit the season now. We have to turn up each week and keep losing. I am not sure I see any light at all other than the season is done in mid-May and we can start again. With the way COVID-19 is going we may not be back anytime soon but maybe that might not be the worst thing. I do wonder if say April-May we are allowed a few thousand who would want to go to watch dead rubbers at the Lane? Hopefully next season we all may get to see some games but it will be a long time before any of us are regulars again – maybe 2 or 3 seasons with capacity limits.
At the moment games are awful to watch. We are boring and our games are boring. It is awful and we are getting even worse. I never thought I’d see a team as good as the one last season but now within 12 months we are going to have the worst record probably a United team has ever had in history. Only Sheffield United could do this.
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New year, same old United as 2021 did not begin any better than 2020 as it was yet another defeat for the Blades. The latest team who were glad to have United as an opponent, after recent struggles, were Crystal Palace. United set a new record in ineptitude, as they now have the worst start of any Premier League side ever. Today they trailed after three minutes with a goal from Schlupp and then on half time a superb individual goal from substitute Eze killed the contest dead. In truth United had never really been in it from the off. Palace coasted to an easy win as the Blades struggled to create anything all game with a half chance from Bogle and teenage striker Hackford all they could offer.
The Blades had been ravaged by injury, COVID-19 issues and suspension and had a total of 9 players out in total and could only name 6 subs with one of them young Antoine Hackford, a 16-year-old. In came John Fleck, Oliver Norwood and a first start for Jayden Bogle. Out went George Baldock who was dropped for the first time this season and Jack Robinson and Rhian Brewster.
Palace had a far more experienced Premier League squad available and featured the likes of Zaha, Townsend, Benteke. The fact they had Eze, Ayew, Batshuayi on the bench as striking options showed the difference in the two match day squads.
The match began with Palace more of the aggressor and it was only three minutes old when the home side took the lead. A long ball went up and Zaha’s pace took him away from Egan who had been favourite to get it. Zaha held it up and played it across and Norwood in his attempt to clear deflected it into the path of SCHLUPP whose shot guided into the corner took a slight nick off Ramsdale before nestling into the corner.
United instantly changed things round with Basham going into midfield for Ampadu although it is debatable if we actually started in this way such was the confusion in the Blades side! Palace had more of the ball early on in attacking areas whilst United did have a lot of the ball but did nothing with it at all. Palace then had another chance but Townsend had a shot that was straight at Ramsdale.
Slowly the Blades did start to move up the field but did not look confident to even get the ball into the final third. A moment summed up the season when Osborn and Stevens both mis controlled it under no pressure whatsoever. Soon after Basham fired it at the hand of Bogle. United looked a shambles.
Palace were not having to get out of second gear and were happy for United to have it. They knew the away side had no idea at all. Zaha then skinned Stevens and got a free kick for a clumsy foul and the free kick was headed back across from Tompkins but Norwood cleared. United finally had an attack on the half hour mark but McGoldrick had no support and the eventual cross saw Basham chest out meekly and the chance, if you can call it that, had gone.
Zaha skinned Ampadu easily and his cross hit Benteke and deflected wide as Palace looked the more likely to score again. United continued to have a lot of the ball but slow, pedestrian build up with no penetration saw them struggle to even get in the Palace half. Eze came on for the goal scorer Schlupp, although why it took him 5 minutes to get treatment (what happened to stretchers?) and the incoming player was allowed to slowly get dressed as we all watched. Sadly, this peep show was about as exciting as this dull game got. Norwood tried to switch play but often when the Blades got it in the last third it came straight back to our half.
United did create a chance when Ampadu got down the right flank and put in a clever ball behind the channel to Bogle and he hit a shot on the angle that Guaita parried away. It was not really close to scoring and the goalkeeper may have been surprised to actually touch the ball but it was an effort and save non the less.
The game opened up a bit but after Basham stumbled and miskicked, Palace broke and Zaha embarrassed Ampadu with great individual skill saw him away. Bogle had to chop him down and was rightly yellow carded.
The referee gave an additional five minutes stoppage time for the Schlupp injury and it had ticked over this when the second goal came. Norwood had an appeal for a foul in the build up but a lot ensued after this. EZE broke away and jinked past Norwood easily and then an apology of a tackle from Ampadu saw him carry on and on. As Egan failed to close him down and the midfielder curled a delightful effort away from Ramsdale into the corner. Critics may say the keeper was slow to get down but it was fantastic goal. Wilder waited for the officials to criticise the additional time but this act smacked of one of desperation. His side had bee awful again and created next to nothing against a very ordinary Palace side who barely had to even really do much to be leading comfortably.
Benteke was the next Palace player to go off early after a dead leg and Ayew came on in his place. The next stage of the game saw United do nothing at all to suggest they could find their way back into the game. Fleck gave away two fouls as he was too slow to react to the man nipping in. Palace were cruising with Kouyatte and Tompkins picking up loose pieces all over the field. Palace were strolling things. Fleck gave it away again trying a silly flick and Palace broke with Norwood chopping down Ayew and getting a booking.
Shortly after Zaha was lucky to at least not be yellow carded when he did not get a foul after Bogle’s challenge but pushed his hand into the United player’s face. Bogle stayed on his feet as once again not only are we not Premier League level in ability but are not like many others and too honest. If only we had a Video Assistant Replay facility then maybe they could have looked at things!
Eze was booked for a tackle on Ampadu but the game really was over as a contest as Palace won two corners and United one but nothing came of these chances with Townsend shooting wide and then Fleck having an effort deflected over. Stevens gave it away and Ayew was nearly in but the ball was overplayed. United won another corner but this was cleared easily.
Zaha skipped away from three challenges and then teed up Townsend whose shot was wide. This was maybe the best chance for either side in a second half that had very few openings with Palace happy to hold what they had.
Hackford came on for his debut – becoming one of the youngest United players to play for the club joining Louis Reed also both debuted at 16 years but was slightly younger. Bogle then had a run forward but it took too long for Norwood to make a decision and it was cleared.
Zaha then showed a clean pair of heels to Ampadu and his pull back was into the path of Townsend and Egan did well to get his block in leading to a corner. Ramsdale dropped the cross under no pressure at all and United had to clear. The keeper seems to make at least one bad error every game and often his handling causes issues but today the game was already up before his latest mistake. In truth he could not be blamed at all for his shambolic performance.
The game entered the final 5 minutes but United simply looked clueless. Fleck was booked for another desperate challenge. The United players looked like they were running in sludge as Palace in comparison had quicker, more nimble and skilled players. In truth they barely needed to show much to be better than an abject Blades side.
In stoppage time Bogle and Basham worked a half chance and Hackford took a shot but it lacked direction and was blocked. It was at least an effort on goal and maybe his first and only touch of the ball. The full time whistle went soon after and it was another easy day and comfortable win for the opponent of United, who just strolled to an easy three points. The Blades had barely had a shot on goal and rarely an attack of note all game in a desperate showing.
United – I am not sure we win a game all season. We simply are awful. Abject. Even the crapper teams like Palace are miles better. It is depressing to watch and the players look like they do not want to be there. I keep hearing they are lots of effort but not sure there is even much of that now. They look like a side who has no belief they can even do the basics and it is not just control, passing and movement on the ball but off it we don’t tackle, press or win 50/50’s. There is no conviction to anything we do. That second goal summed it up. Players with pride and effort do not allow that.
We look beaten before games start. When the first went in, we may aswell have shook hands and walked off. The game was done. We had one half effort from Bogle and that was it. The second goal was pathetic from a few players namely Norwood and Ampadu but no one else went to the ball either so it was not just them. The second half was a non-event. It was like a testimonial/a practice game. I keep hearing we are not as bad as our points and we are not as bad as that Derby side. I am not sure that argument is valid. Other bad teams had shots or looked like scoring. They may have had some batterings but had a go too some respect (Norwich last season). We are an insipid, pathetic bunch. Wilder said we have a team full of captains a few years ago but that statement looks daft now. None of the senior players are showing any leadership whatsoever. No-one is looking angry or getting hold of them. Most seem to be accepting their fate which is now to be the worst team ever. Not just in top flight history but probably ever and the sides of Loughborough Town and Doncaster Rovers at the turn of the 20th century with 8 points seem miles off us and they got 2 points for a win!
Maybe it is just that these players are simply not good enough. They had great runs and moved up the leagues but the likes of Stevens (League Two), Baldock, Fleck, Basham (League One), Egan, McGoldrick, Norwood, Bogle (Champ) have played most of their career at these lower levels. None of these are kids. Maybe we have to accept they are lower league players. If this had happened last season it would not be an argument but how we have gone from what we did last campaign to now is so odd. Maybe all these players as Wilder said just came together and had a magical spell and all played their best football of their lives and now whilst they are not probably as bad as this, they are simply not up to this level. That allied to not even winning races, tackles, challenges sees a team that has no belief in each other, the system or that they can even have a meaningful attack. I mean that. They do no t even think they can get near the goal with intent. What a dire thought but sadly true.
We have gone for unproven (at this level) talents and of course should have spent less on fees/more on wages and got more experienced PL players but this is easy in hindsight. Brewster, Ampadu, Ramsdale, Bogle, Lowe, Osborn, Robinson are just not ready (may never will be) for this level. Yet a good portion of these are playing week in, week out and add these to the aforementioned out of form/dropped off lads who did well last season and it’s a prefect storm.
He keeps changing the team but of course will when we keep losing and today I thought he was right to at least hang our hat on Fleck/Norwood/McGoldrick/Mousset/Basham/Egan down the spine -players who were such a crucial part of last season but it did not work. We had a lot of the ball but had no penetration, running from deep and no movement. It was static and predictable. The forwards were slow and ineffective (constantly offside) and we got nothing from wide. It was dire. Only Bogle offered a bit and McGoldrick as well maybe. The rest were appalling. The fact he took Baldock out – been off last few weeks – to give Bogle a go showed he knows we are down and is starting to plan for next season. Brewster is now out of the team again and we have a 16-year-old school lad given a chance. It is all a bit desperate. We have no plan in team selection or how we play. He is trying different things but we look no nearer to improving. I am shocked he has not changed the formation though. I do not think we will do much better despite people thinking this will change things. Players who do not pass, run off the ball, show bravery and quality then it matters whether it is a 5-3-2 or 4-4-2 or whatever but surely, he has to change things as the players are not going to be any different? He is just doing the same thing with different players but we are actually getting worse.
Worryingly we have played some awful sides recently and they have beaten us easily. After Newcastle we play some of the better sides so will get worse before it gets better. As I say we are not going to get more than 3 or 4 points all season and that will be a stretch. Maybe we might draw with West Brom or a Brighton/Burnley at home at a push but not sure I can see a win coming anytime soon. We are not even close and it is an easy win. We are stinking up the league. The commentators keep throwing out how hard it will be and how difficult it will be. Have this for nothing Alan Smith or whoever, we are down. It is surely, done. No point wasting your breath or throwing up stats each showing our level of ineptitude. We are down and finished and were a long time ago. At least the cup is something different but the way we are playing and the lack of confidence I would not be confident we will even win there. Bristol Rovers will get stuck into our pathetic set of losers and it would not be a shock if we go out. It is an extremely depressing time to be a Blade and we are a laughing stock of world football.
We sadly have to play the games – I think if Wilder and his team had the choice – they would forfeit the season now. We have to turn up each week and keep losing. I am not sure I see any light at all other than the season is done in mid-May and we can start again. With the way COVID-19 is going we may not be back anytime soon but maybe that might not be the worst thing. I do wonder if say April-May we are allowed a few thousand who would want to go to watch dead rubbers at the Lane? Hopefully next season we all may get to see some games but it will be a long time before any of us are regulars again – maybe 2 or 3 seasons with capacity limits.
At the moment games are awful to watch. We are boring and our games are boring. It is awful and we are getting even worse. I never thought I’d see a team as good as the one last season but now within 12 months we are going to have the worst record probably a United team has ever had in history. Only Sheffield United could do this.
