05/11/2011 - Stevenage v. Sheffield United

[DuncDisorderly]

How do you reckon our budgets compare to the likes of, ooh, Stevenage Duncy?

I can fully accept your point about in this league on merit, but you can't isolate that fact by just not wanting to consider how we've ended up here. A more pertinent question might be "on the basis of their record of the last five years, how confident are we of the powers that be moving us forward 'when budgets allow'"?

The post I was quoting was taking the line that we shouldn't be losing to 'little teams' like Stevenage. Actually we are no better than a lot of the 'little teams'. The relative sizes of our budgets is largely irrelevant. Our revenue is several times that of Stevenage, and we have therefore had the ability to spend more on players, not that it guarantees you very much.

What I am sure of is that we have virtually the same team as last season which was terrible for making defensive mistakes, and we now seem surprised that we are still making defensive mistakes. There are three or four key positions that really need freshening up, and we don't have any options.

How we got here has been done to death now, and there isn't much point raking over the coals again and again just to try and prove some point that doesn't matter anymore. As for 'how confident?', well how do I know? Most of the people who made the decisions over the last five years aren't here anymore. The ones that are here now have a different set of parameters to work with. But I'm not going to sit here on endlessly going back over every error or mistake for the last five years, like a good wife would . Let it go, stay positive and move on...

 

[TopBoy]

It was odd today. Player for player there wasn't one in the Stevenage side that would get into our squad but they looked much more of a team. I guess that comes with familiarity and the manager being in a position where he's not expected to really win games at League 1 and League 2 level.
Oh and Williams was dire today.

UTB.

 

[Ollessendro]

a few thoughts on yesterday

If I have time later I will write a report, but here are a few thoughts.

We were really poor yesterday and deserved what we got. We were beatnn by a better organised, hungrier and harder working team. Once again we see an average 3rd tier team turn us over quite easily. We never really looked in the game and rearely threatened.

Stevenage are a big physical side, but we can't use this as an excuse. The officials did not let Stevenage bully us outside the laws of the game and I was impressed by the ref. He gave some strange decisions, but early on he set his stall out and penalised a few heavy challenges by the home team. We struggled against their phyicality, but unlike other games (Wednesday, Exeter, Huddersfield) we did not get illegally bullied. Stevenage simply played better than us.

Stevenage won the key battles yesterday. Their big central defenders coped easily with the diagonal balls, their nippy striker gave Maguire a hard time and most importantly their midfield dominated. I can see why Monty and Doyle were played, but it did not work. Wilson's aim to sure up the midfield backfired big time. Monty and Doyle were both poor and simply chased shadows. Stevenage won every 2nd ball. Time and time again they were first to the lose ball. They really dominated the centre of the park and controlled the game (and possession).

What happened to our crisp passing side of earlier in the season? What happened to the back four passing it around, us keeping possesion and looking like a football team. It has all but gone in recent weeks. More recently we've not passed the ball about well, but our counter attacking football has got us out of jail. Yesterday we could not string more than 3 or 4 passes together. There was one occasions first half where we strung 7 passes together (and Lowton shot wide) but other than that it was scrappy and we resorted to hoof on the few occassions we had the ball (Stevenage had over 60% possession first half). Funnily, when we were 2-1 down with a few minutes to go, rather than show urgency, we kept possession and passed it about!?

I have a real concern that teams hve worked out how to play against us. If you press us high up the pitch we struggle. Teams that have been well organised and pressed us really hard have had success. If we are given little time on the ball we really struggle. Stevenage did this well yesterday. It was also not helped by giving them a gift of a goal. Once behind we have struggled to break teams down. Yesterday was the same with a well organised team sitting back, but pressing us really hard and giving us nowt.

As well as a poor team performance, we had some terrible individual performances. Monty and Doyle were shcoking, but Quinn gave them a run for worst player on the pitch. He was awful. In fact he has been poor for a while and badly needs a rest. His touch was poor, his passing awful, he gets dragged out og position, runs around like a headless chicken and generally goes missing. Not only that but his annoying flicks have returned. He also dallied with the ball in key defensive areas and gave the ball away for their goal. This looks like the Quinn under Blackwell. He needs to get back to basics and I would start by dropping him. Lowton struggled defensively and Maguire had a poor game. He looked slow and off the pace and their nippy striker ran rings around him. Williams was dire (for the 2nd game running) and I would think about freeing his wage and sending him back to Reading. with JFL on the bench I don't see what Williams adds to the squad. Cresswell worked hard, but it did not come off for him. Philips was annonymous and also Clarke. Collins had a good game and was easily our best defender. He looked solid and won everything in the air. But, as in recent games, he was badly let down by his team mates. Simmo came back and played very well. He was fired up and had a good game. He made 3 or 4 routine catches and came out and mae a good punch (he came out with conviction for once and clattered about 3 or 4 players!). He also kept us in the game with a brilliant double save after Maguire had let his man get free.

What a tin can of a stadium. Geez. And what a shithole Stevenage is. The stadium facilities were embarrassing and the 5k stadium reminded me of Stocksbridge Park Steels ground!? Thought the atmosphere was great first half. Their fans were maiking a lot of noise, particularly in the stand to our right. The Blades fans were up for it and made some noise until the goal. It went a bit flat after that. Right up until about 15:44 I really enjoyed it. It was a bit of a carnival atmosphere. We were really close to the pitch and the vast majority of Blades were stood. I enjoyed the banter, but started to get frustrated later on. I left the ground deflated and did not enjoy the journey home.

I think we need to get back to basics. We need to play our game. We enjoyed some success when controlling possession and passing the ball about. Wilson needs to try and bring that back in. Unfortunately some players that were playing well earlier in the season are out of form (Quinn, Lowton, Maguire). I can see more well organised, hard working teams turning us over quite easily.

---------- Post added at 01:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:28 PM ----------

Just watched the highlights. Their first is poor and it is Cresswell at fault. He makes a hash of the clearance and the ball bounces of his chest and falls invitingly for their player to shoot. Good finish. From where I was sat I thought he controlled it, but it turns out Cressy did the hard work for him! Good strike from Ched and better than what i thought. It seemed a soft goal, but it was a decent strike (though I feel their kepper would be disappointed). Third is exactly how I saw it at the time. Horrendous ball from Quinn that leaves JFL chasing their right back. Poor, clumsy challenge and a definite pen. As much of a long haird tosser he was, their right back was excellent yesterday. He reminded me of Lowton in his bombing forward, except he can defend!

 

[Micalijo]

Good summary Ollie. Impossible to pass the ball as a team when the central two can barely trap or kick a football with any degree of consistency, let alone receive it when under pressure and buy some time with a dummy or quick turn. I know you don't get mant giftd midfielders in this division but if you have 2 donkeys in they might as well be the size of Stevenage's donkeys. As you say, it is so easy to cut out the passing options for our defenders and they have to whack it long to the disgraceful Cresswell.

A few clappers will look on yesterday as an isolated blip, anyone can lose a game etc etc but I think vast majority who saw that yesterday see it as another sure huge drop in the overall fortunes of our beloved club, a drop which has a long way to go imo with McCabe at the helm.

 

[Ollessendro]

I don't have time to write a full report, so in addition to my breif summary above I will throw in a few of my regular features.

Crimes against football

Our regular feature Nick Montgomery heads up this catagory, with his partner in crime Michael Doyle. A central midfield that cannot pass a ball to another red and white shirt. They were truly awful yesterday. It was summed up when late in the second half Monty had time and space and hit a pass that looked like he had a sand iron for a foot. Up in the air it went a came down with snow on it somewhere in the corner where there was no stand (and some kind stood on a bues shelter watching the match!?). Stephen Quinn should be put in this catagory for a truly shocking performance, topped off with a hospital ball that gave Stevenage the winner. That performance would have fit in perfectly with his annonymous, headless chicken, silly flicks ones that he gave under Blackwell. In fact the majority of the team could be put on trial for crimes against football. Maguire's distribution was gash, Williams can bugger off on yesterdays evidence and I save my last award for crimes against football for Danny Wilson. Choosing Doyle and Monty in centre mid, refusing to bring on our only decent footballer (McDonald) and allowing his team to be dragged into a direct football show with Stevenage.

Crimes against hoof

None. It really was that bad. I started to count the passes after a bit to see how many we could string together (yes, I was the wanker shouting 1-2-3 ...) and the most we strung together was 7. 2nd half we were slightly better, but only when trailing and with Stevenage comfortably sitting back.

Worthy of the shirt

(a new feature). Only Collins and Simmonsen were worthy of the shirt yesterday. Neil Collins (man of the match in my opinion) was easily our best defender and looked solid. He won pretty much every header and generally defended well. Unfortunately he was let down by his fellow defenders and particularly his midfielders. So many times Collins headed out of danger, but Monty and Doyle were chasing shadows and the Stevenage midfield were first to it. Steve Simmonsen had a very good game yesterday too. For once he earned his wages, with an assured performance. Confident from the off he marshalled his defence and made several routine catches. He made a good confident punch second half. He kept United in the game when he dove at the feet of the Stevenage striker to foil him. It was a cracking save (which he should not really have got to) and not onlt that, but as the United defenders ran towards the line hoping for a gaolline clearance, he got up and got his hand to it again taking it off the boot of another Stevenage player. Has him being dropped given him a rocket up his arse? I remain sceptical, but I certainly hope so.

Player ratings

SS 7/10: see above

Lowton 4/10: usual story, except he was not as good going forward. Gives his man way too much space and was easily beaten on a few occassions. I'd play him somewhere else.

Williams 3/10: awful for the 2nd game in a row. Send him back. JFL is better. Free up the wage.

Collins 6.5/10: solid game. Won everything arially. Looks a little slow and can get turned by smaller, quicker players. However, he is easily our best defender on current form and I feel the need to say so. He is far from spectacular, but for all the criticism he takes, he's been our best defender this season. If only his team mates could step up to it.

Maguire 4/10: poor game from Maguire. Initially he looked solid and sowed some good skill. However he sooned resorted to those diagonal balls. As the game wore on he looked off the pace and slow. He lost his man on a few occassions and one almost resulted in a goal.

Philips 3.5/10: poor game in which he was annonymous for the most part and did little when he had the ball.

Motgomery 2.5/10: A truly shocking game. Second to everything, completely lost the midfield battle and wasteful in possession. His distribution was terrible and he chased shadows on a torrid afternoon. Not a captain either and after 2 shocking performances I would drop him. Surely McAllister deserves a chance ahead of Doyle and Monty?

Doyle 3/10: An awful performance where he was only marginally better than his central partner. Chasing shadows for the most part, nowhere near the ball and no presence whatsoever in centre mid. His distribution was slightly better than Monty's. Not the option and I would play McAllister or even young Harriot ahead of him.

Quinn 2.5/10: awful and he cost us the game with his apathetic pass. Thinks he is better than he is? working too hard? His form has been poor for a while and yesterday he was truly terrible. See my comments above on why I think he was so bad.

Clarke 3.5/10: didn't really offer much yesterday. He tried to come deep and showed some good movement, but was always up against it due to United's tactics (hoof) and their defenders (monsters).

Cresswell 3.5/10: put in a lot of effort, but seems out of sorts. Things are not coming off, but he is not clinical enough. He had a good chance second half where he got away from his man, but could only direct his effort straight at their keeper. He should be burying chances like that. Due to his lack of height, pace or skill he only seems to get in a position to score once a game. However he always gets a chance. Before he was burying these. At the moment he is not. A striker well and truly out of form.

Evans looked good when he came on and should start. He scored a well taken free kick and offered more in 25 mins than Cresswell did in 90 mins. JFL did not have a lot to do but still gave away a pen (though Quinn sold him short). It was clumsy challenge and no complains about it being a pen. Porter was his usual inneffective self.

Other stuff: See my comments in previous post on atmosphere, ground and Stevenage. Also thought we saw a rare decent refereeing performance.

Ollessendro's final thoughts

Beaten by the better side. A hungrier, better organised, fitter, stronger and quicker team beat us yesterday. We need to go back to basics and get the tactics right. Play our strongest 11 and pass the ball. Players should be picked on merit and dropped when they are underperforming. It is not time to panic, but we are not good enough to get promoted. I'd like to see a few younger faces actually. I can't see why McAllister, Harriot, Philiskirk and Tonne would not add value to the team/squad. Let's get back to basics. Solid up the defence and stop gifting teams goals. We need more leadership on the pitch too. Wilson needs to address the tactics and get us playing a passing game again. Yesterday we looked confused and did not know whether to pass or go long. On that form we are not forced to beat Bradford. That said, we have a great opportunity to bounce back. Throw a few of the fringe players in, get us passing the ball and let's attack Bradford on Tue. I would love to see a professional performance, a comfortable victory and a clean sheet!

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Agreed olli, simmo despite all the recent bolloxs he's dropped and collins were the only ones that deserved the shirt.
Williams -what the smeg were you playing at kid? Get thee sen off.
Quinn - what a disaster of a pass that subsequently led to the penalty- regularly quinn loses possesion or finds an opponent but yesterday, what a bollock.
Monty-Pretty much shit all game. Stealing a wage.
Chedwin did stand out when he came on.
Shit ground, mickey mouse fans. Pies were crap (only chicken and mushroom were left)
Blades fans fighting each other - not good.
Rant rant rant and fecking rant.

 

[Foxy]

I'd agree with most of that, other than your assessment of Cresswell. I thought he was very isolated, he was continuously winning the ball only to find himself with no team-mate within 40 yards.

 

[Pinchy]

McDonald to be joined in CM by Willo. If the latter not yet fit, let's have a pair of Macs.

 

[Micalijo]

I'd agree with most of that, other than your assessment of Cresswell. I thought he was very isolated, he was continuously winning the ball only to find himself with no team-mate within 40 yards.

Agree that Clarke and Phillips were awful and no help at all but you must have a good drink to suggest that the pathetic Cresswel was continually winning the ball.

 

[stannyblade]

Our hands are tied really. Yes we have a high wage bill but it is on players that most on here dont even want - Simmo Monty etc.

Once these have gone then the rebuilding can begin. I was against Wilson to start with but we are starting to look a football side. Rome wasnt built in a day and all that

 

[Ollessendro]

The worrying part for me is that the football we were playing earlier in the season has disappeared and we don't seem to have an answer to well organised teams that give us little time on the ball. Another worrying factor is that Wilson's permanent singings have had little impact and his persistance with dross. Sure they are on big contracts, but why not put a rocket up their arses and drop them for younger, hungrier players? It seemed to work with Simmo. You cannot tell me that Harriot or McAllister would play worse than Monty has done in the last 2 games. Again, I am positive that Tonne would offer more than Quinn is doing at the moment. I'd even gamble that Philiskirk would offer more than Porter. Give some of the fringe players a chance in the next few games Danny boy ....

 

[ghandi]

The worrying part for me is that the football we were playing earlier in the season has disappeared and we don't seem to have an answer to well organised teams that give us little time on the ball. Another worrying factor is that Wilson's permanent singings have had little impact and his persistance with dross. Sure they are on big contracts, but why not put a rocket up their arses and drop them for younger, hungrier players? It seemed to work with Simmo. You cannot tell me that Harriot or McAllister would play worse than Monty has done in the last 2 games. Again, I am positive that Tonne would offer more than Quinn is doing at the moment. I'd even gamble that Philiskirk would offer more than Porter. Give some of the fringe players a chance in the next few games Danny boy ....

I think we should use the players from last seasons development squad. The manager must have thought I'll give the players from last season's first team a chance to redeem themselves. Which to their credit in the 1st to 2 months they did but they are now stinking the place out just like they did last year. I would have no difficulty in this being a season of transition like we expected as long as we are seeing the new faces getting regular games with a new style of football with a view to a promotion push next year when the high earners will no longer be here. I think many like me would be more tolerant of poor results with a real work in progress team instead of one full of last years rotten fish supplemented by loanees.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Quinns apathetic pass hardly cost us the game. LJF had plenty of time to deal with it before he brought him down.

 

[Wapping Blade]

Quinns apathetic pass hardly cost us the game. LJF had plenty of time to deal with it before he brought him down.

I was listening to RS and from the commentary thought that Quinn had played a hospital pass to LJF in the box who'd reached for it and brought their player down.

Watching the highlights it was nothing like that and as Highbury says, LJF ran a long way with their player and was stupid enough to wait until he was in the box to foul him - really brainless play from LJF.

 

[Ollessendro]

Come off it you two. Quinn's fancy flick in the wrong area of the pitch was dreadful and left JFL on the wrong side of his man and chasing him. I actually agree that it was a bad tackle though. Mainly because it was unneccessary, as Collins and another defender (Maguire) were covering and I doubt their player would havee got the shot away. There was no way JFL was going to get onto Quinn's hospital pass/flick and catch their man, though he was stupid to make the clumsy challenge.

There we go again again, defending the indefensible. Accepting mediocrity. Quinn has been awful for weeks, yet people defend him. He gives the ball away, completely uneccessarily in a dangerous area with a stupid flick and it is JFL's fault. Quinn persistantly coming inside and offering no width and it is 'Messi comes inisde'. I despair at some United-ites. There's no wonder we are were are.

 

[Wapping Blade]

I wan't defending Quinn (wasn't there so could hardly do that anyway), just commenting on how different the highlights were to the radio commentary and how poor LJF's decision was to make that challenge in the box. This comes to the point I was making about individual errors, Quinn made an error but instead of covering for it, LJF compounded it.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I was listening to RS and from the commentary thought that Quinn had played a hospital pass to LJF in the box who'd reached for it and brought their player down.

Watching the highlights it was nothing like that and as Highbury says, LJF ran a long way with their player and was stupid enough to wait until he was in the box to foul him - really brainless play from LJF.

Agree. It was a poor pass by Quinn but it should never have led to a goal. Their attacker was going nowhere - with 2 other defenders in front of him - & JFL's tackle was f'kin brainless. How many times this season have we lost points to stupid decision making?

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Quinn has been awful for weeks, yet people defend him.

No he hasn't. He's been awful for years yet people defend him.