A day out in South East London: Ollessendro's Crystal Palace experience

[Ollessendro]

Not sure how long this report will be as: I am on our lass' computer (a French keyboard) and its a ball ache to type on, our lass will be up soon and be moaning at me, my grumbles will no doubt hae been said and I have wasted enough time on SUFC (for little return) this weekend. Still here is my match report/experience from yesterday.

Like many Blades experiences, it was great until 3pm. I started in London Bridge with some London Blades. I got myself some grub at Borough Market and made my way to the George on Borough High Street. 3 pints of nice real ale and some banter got us in the mood. None of us were optimistic, but it was good fun and I am always happy to talk with fellow Sheffielders about United. I managed a sneaky Fosters in the ground and then it was time for kick off .....

The match

Micky Adams and Sheffield United woes were compounded yesterday when they lost a crucial game to relegtion rivals Crystal Palace in South East London. Adams team slumped to another defeat that left them 5 poins adrift from safety and even with over a dozen gmes to go United look set for life in League One next year. In a dire affair at Selhurst Park the Eagles beat the blunt Blades by a solitary goal to put themselves well out of Uniteds reach.

Adams, the tikerman, made 5 changes with Lowry, Lowton, Nosworthy, Riise and Bodganovic coming into the team at the expense of Jordan, Ertl, Parrino, Yeates and Vokes. Cresswell lined up as captain, as the Blades took on the team 1 place and 2 points ahead of them in the table.

The crucial relegation 6 pointer was a scrappy affair from start to finish. United started the brighter of the 2 teams. Early on United had the better of the possession, though they did not look completely comfotable on the ball. Despite uniteds possession they lacked quality and did not really penetrate. I only remember Sperroni making a couple of routine catches and saving a tame shotsin the first half. Despite United looking the slightly better of the 2 teams the first real chance fell to Palace. Indecision in the Unired defence lead to Zaha shooting wide whe he shoud hve done better. Lowry and Collings failed to clear and the Palace striker dragged wide.

I had several beers before the game and I did not take notes, so my order of evets may be out. United did have chances in the first half, but they failed to work Sperroni. Collins headed over from a corner when he should have done better, Cresswell dove in bravely at the near post and the ball spun agonisingly wide (last season it was the type of chance that would have gone in) and Lowry missed a header from a corner. Simmnsens was the busier of the 2 keepers and saved shots from Ambrose and Dikgacoi.

The second half United started really brightly. Adams had obviousy put a rocket up their arse and they had a real sense of urgency. Still for all the huffing and puffng we created little. I and many were clling for a change as it clearly was not working. Adams had all his subs warming up, but had failed to make a change when disaster struck.

With 20 minutes to go a moment of brilliance won the game for the Eagles. A long hopeful punt forward was not dealt with and Amrose smased home a 25 yard thurderbolt. Danns won the initial header and Ambrose in acres of space was able to take a touch and send a rocket past Simmonsen into the back of the net. It was one of those strikes: as soon as he hit it I knew it was in!

Adams immediately made a double substitution taking of Doyle and Quinn for Bent and Evans. Bogdanovic and Creswell switched to the wings and Riise went inside. Minutes later Boggy was taken off (to the booes of the United fans) for Yeates. The fans showed their discontent by singing Danile Bogdanovic for 5 minutes after the substitution.

The Blades huffed and puffed for the last 20 minutes, but never really looked like scoring. Perhspas this is harsh and I am being despondent, but I thought if we were still playing now we would not have scored. Bent had a goal bound header cleared and Collins had a header cleared off the line. Our luck was a little down and these things are not coming off. Still at the final whistle I had little complaints as I thought we were beaten by the (slightly) better team!

Ollessendros thoughts

United: Thought we were really poor. Lacked quality and ideas throughtout. Many around me where sayng that is the worst United team they have seen in 20 years. I agree. We are very low on confidence and I just cannot see us picking up that first win. I feel even Sunthorpe may eat us and over take us.

Our midfield was poor and created little. Doyle was off the pace and has been a poor addition. He works hard, but is ot good enough. Quinn worked hard, but did nothing of note. Riise was very disappointing (until he switched iside) and did not really attack his man at all. Williamson was the one gem in the sack of shite, but he noone to work with. Up front Cresswell was poor and Bogdanovic could not really get int the game. The defence was solid enough with Lowry, Lowton and Collins doing the basics well. Nosworthy was arguably the best defender and dealt with danger, as well as got forward well. Distribution from the back was woeful. Lowry and Collins hoofs became embarrassing.

Palace: A poor, but slightly better team. A bit of quality won them the game. That was the difference and something we lack. Abrose was poor for the most part, but scored a belter. They had a black midfielder who looked comfortable on the ball and they were solid at the back. The big white centre half was rock solid and gave our forwards nothing. On the whole I thought they were more confident tha us and just more comfortable on the ball than us. They looked more sure of themselves and less nervous.

Palaces home form will leep them up. I was talking to a Palace fans after in the pub and he said the had just set a record for best home form ever. Not conceded in he last 9(?) and are undefeated in all those.

Adams: the Blades boss is beggining to look like a bit of a joke. He is looking much more like a rabbit in the headlights than Speed did. He has been dealt a poor hand, but his record is shocking. He looks clueless and it is really showing. Carver managed to win a game with the same team and Speed with a similar one. His signings have been poor and offered nothing.

Yesterday Adams chopped and changed and it dd not work. Apparently we were poor against Reading, but did he really need to make 5 changes? We are loking for some consistency and he keeps chopping and changes the team. Three changes to the back 4, yet he persists with Cresswell who has been exceptionally poor. The substitutions smacked of desperation and then he dragged our best striker Bogdanovic (who he was playing on the wing).

Adams has a very poor team, but he has to shoulder some of the burden. The team is poor, but he cannot seem to get much out of the players. No win in 10 is simply not good enough. I remain completely unconvinced by him. His team selections have been poor, his tactics the same and his substitutions too late. I do not know what to suggest, but he does not seem like the right man for the job. It looks pretty much over now and it would seem like miracle if we are not playing in League One next year.

Atmosphere/support

Good atmosphere, with the home fans making most of the run in. There were a 1000 or so United fans, but we never really got going. We tried to get behind the team and had snippets of making a lot of noise. However the home support was good and constant. They outsang us and got the better like their team did on the pitch. Their support up at the top, close to the Blades fans, and behind the goal and to the left (on the Blades fans left) was particularly noist and they were very good throughout. They made a lot of noise credit to them for lifting their team. I was pleasently surprised by the home support. Mind you, their home form has given them something to sing about!

Positives?

Cannot really think of any, other than .....

Bookies: I oput a fiver on Palace winning 1 nil. As I said to the fellow Blade in the queue to the bookies, I new there would not be many goals and wanted to hedge my bets. If we drew 0-0, or won 1 nil then I would have been happy. The 40 quid I won offered little solice to be honest.

After thoughts

Memory lane: After four beers with a Palace season ticket holder who is a mate of mine, I trundled back through Thorton Heef. I walked up the high street and it brough back memories of only 20 months ago when 7000 United fans took over the street. It was a beautfiul May day on the last game of the season and if we won and Birmingham did not then we would have gone up automatic. It was not to be, but I remember the sea of red and white on Thorton Heef hight street nd the carnival atmospere. Walking around the corer I passed the Weaterspoons were Dane Whitehouse was drinking outside and the Blades fans battered a stuffed pig with a Wednesday shirt on. It is amazing that only 20 months ago we were so close to the Premiership and now life in the 3rd tier next looks inevitable. Sad times

 

[bladesadviser]

Excellent report. The match sounds a replica of 2 weeks ago in Ipswich, never looking like scoring

 

[super_pig]

great report olle.. all of the opinions i've had/read/texted etc are completely different to edwards RS match commentary.. i was surprised he left ertl out.. most players tend to have a blinder against their old team, plus he'd have expected to play i would have thought.. poor man management IMO but hey

 

[Baildon Blade]

Pretty much spot on and a very similar day to myself. I thought it was pretty amusing (the only time yesterday) when the 4th official held up 5 minutes added time and a big roar went up from the blades contingent. It could have been 5 hours and we still wouldn't have scored.
I thought the back 4 looked pretty solid and to be honest palace were restricted to about four shots from 20yards+. Also thought individually the midfield did ok - Quinn made an effort, Doyle broke up the play in front of the back four, Willo looked comfortable on the ball and Riise (after a poor start) got into some good areas and used the ball well. The biggest problem is where is the creativity? We look solid but never look like scoring.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Nice report mate, good points well made.

My thoughts on Adams is that he is probably the right manager appointed at the wrong time. This season we've gone from a 'negative' long ball team (under Blackwell), to a passing team (under Speed), then back to a long ball team with Adams'; the players probably don't know whether they're coming or going. The vaste majority of the squad aren't Adams, so personally I wouldn't lay to much blame at the current manager's door.

The board have made some shocking managerial decisions since relegation from the Prem. On a par with appointing Robson was the sacking of Blackwell two games in (he should have gone at the end of last season, to at least allow Speed a fair go at his first managerial job). If it's correct that O'Driscoll was a shoe-in for the job until McCabe stepped in, then that probably tops the lot (is it any coincidence that since he didn't get the job Donny have gone down the pan - is his heart in the job?)

For me, the big question now is can Adams take us straight back up and do a Bassett of 88-90, or will we have years in the wilderness aka 79-84. If we sink like a stone this season, with Adams winning next no games then he'll struggle to put it right next season. I hope he can do a Bassett.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Blades boss Adams said afterwards: "In terms of performance, we were spot on"

Spot on?! FFS we only had 2 attempts on target in 90 minutes. The guy is starting to sound as bonkers as McCabe.

 

[Ollessendro]

Player ratings

SS 6/10 - made some fairly standard saves, but his distribution was awful. Opted for big, high clearances wth no aim rather than use his full backs. Many of his free kicks did not even reach the strikers and fell straight to Palace players. One noticable one (which summed up him) was in injury time. He tok a free kick outside his area and it did not rach the strikers. It simply dropped to a Palace player inbetween our midfielders and attackers. Nos constantly gave him a short option, but time ane time again he opted to waste possession with aimless punts that came down with sno on them. Coul not have done anything about the goal.

NOSWORTHY 7/10 - our best player. Did the basics right and got forward well.

Lowton 5.5/10 - not bad, but struggled a little at left back and did not get forward very well. He was playing out of position, so this may be unfair, but he did not seem like a wonder kid.

Collins 6/10 - a fairly solid performance. He lead the defence fairly well and is no nonsense. However he is very limited and him and Lowry did notalways work well together. Does not look comfortable on the ball and his distribution was poor.

Lowry 5/10 - thought he was very average yesterday. He won a few headers, but his distibution was woeful and he look indecisive. His clearances were embarrassing with one going straight up in the air and one going straight into the stand. Both when he had time to take a touch and there was noone around him.

Doyle 4.5/10 - a second rate Monty. Offers little going forward, looks uncortable on the ball and was off the pace. He works hard, but looked out of his depth.

Williamson 6/10 - our best midfilder. Looks good on the bqll, but had little options in front, or even around him.

Quinn 5/10 - worked very hard, but ofered little. He deserves some credit for his hassling and harying, but he did little meaningfu with the bal at his feet (which you expect from a wide man)

Riise 5.5/10 - Thought he was really poor for 70 mins, but then looked like a good player in centre mid. I was really disappointed with him first half, as he just dd not attack his man. He opted for side wys passes, lost the ball and did little attacing minded. When Yeates came on he went inside and he looked good. Maybe he is an option as a centre mid (though he was not bought for that)

Cresswell 4.5/10 - Offered little or nothing. Not good enough. Des not win headers, is not strong enough and has lost his eye for goal. Should not be in the team, never mind captain.

Boggy 5.5/10 - was not really in the game. He showed some good touches and lined up well, but was given very poor service. I was disappointed to see him be taken of though.

Subs

Yeates - offered little and did not get involved. However he was wide open 2 or 3 times and his team lates chose the wrong option.

Bent - though he was poor, but he did have the header that was goal bound and was blocked by a Palace defender.

Evans - tried hard but did not realy get into the game. He had one haf chnce where he got a lucky break, but opted to cross when he got into the area. He has a good shot and should have tested the keeper. It was a good block; but you would expect a striker to be shooting in that position.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

Good report Olle, sorry i couldn't meet up for more beers afterwards.

Can't report much on the match itself as i was bored to tears with most of it. As ever the company was far greater than the entertainment on offer.

Edit:

Just seen your second post: Nosworthy our best player?

Do me a favour mate, he was average at best, and did little to support his winger.

Although the rest of the team were crap too, so i guess on that front maybe he was our best player...

 

[Ollessendro]

Good report Olle, sorry i couldn't meet up for more beers afterwards.
Just seen your second post: Nosworthy our best player?

Do me a favour mate, he was average at best, and did little to support his winger.

Although the rest of the team were crap too, so i guess on that front maybe he was our best player...

No worries about the beers mucker. I sank a few with some Palace mate of mine afterwards. I would not have minded going to that real ale boozer in Charing Cross, but tbh I drank enough!

Who would you have a MoM? Nos was our best defender (he was solid, composed, strong and at least tried to get forward) and the only other candidate was Willo. But for all him looking better than the rest, decent touchs and good passing it did not do us any good. He was surrounding by poor players and that dragged him down a touch. Would not argue that he was not MoM too strongly.

 

[Deadbat]

Edwards v rest of media

Heard Edwards and you would think we were the miles better side and controlled the game but just got undone by a wonder goal and could not put the ball in the net?

Sadly it seems the more balanced reports on here and from the general media suggests it was a dour game but that Palace actually had the better chances and generally more control of the game.

As you say to state a performance is 'spot on' when you have barely had a shot on goal and been beaten by your main rivals for the drop in what was a 6 pointer no matter what he says sums it up. He was saying that we will keep going till we are mathermatically down smacks of someone who knows we are pretty much gone. He should not even be saying this at this stage but such a comment smacks of desperation. He is now saying Scunthorpe is just another game and whislt a big one our season won't be decided; same with Derby? Eh?!!

Well to be frank Adams if we fail to get at least 1 win from the next 2 games, then we are effectively down. For me 4 points is a must from the next 2 but I cant see us getting more than maybe a single point.

Be interesting to see the fans reaction if we lose Tuesday and then go behind next Saturday? Do they shout for the board/McCabe to leave? Do they shout for the manager to leave? Or do they just sit in stunned silence numb at the whole experience knowing we are stuffed and there is nothing we can do. I vote for the latter!!!

 

[Foxy]

Sadly it seems the more balanced reports on here and from the general media suggests it was a dour game but that Palace actually had the better chances and generally more control of the game.

We seemed to have more possession but just used it very, very poorly. The ball was like a hot potato, they just wanted to shift it on as quickly as possible into an area, rather than taking a bit of time and finding a man. This resulted in a lot of aimless balls the strikers had to chase down or the ball simply being helped out of play.

They were piss poor, I'd say as bad if not worse than us for the most part, it's just they had a player that could change the game... you know, that one we stood and watched bang the ball in the net.

 

[JJ Sefton]

No worries about the beers mucker. I sank a few with some Palace mate of mine afterwards. I would not have minded going to that real ale boozer in Charing Cross, but tbh I drank enough!

Who would you have a MoM? Nos was our best defender (he was solid, composed, strong and at least tried to get forward) and the only other candidate was Willo. But for all him looking better than the rest, decent touchs and good passing it did not do us any good. He was surrounding by poor players and that dragged him down a touch. Would not argue that he was not MoM too strongly.

I thought Nosworthy did well enough defensively but, as HB says, there were times when Riise got down the wing and was looking for an option outside and Nos was stationary back on the half way. A defender closes off the inside pass and were up a dead end. My MOM would be Bogdanovic, he held the ball and linked well. Cresswell was a waste of space and how he stayed on while Boggy went off is a mystery.

PS Whenever Neil Danns got motoring I thought of this...

[video=youtube;wjdEWJY6KyI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjdEWJY6KyI[/video]

 

[Foxy]

It'd definately be a toss up between Willo and Bogdanovic for me, and neither particularly pulled up any trees.

 

[JohnDenver]

H
Be interesting to see the fans reaction if we lose Tuesday and then go behind next Saturday? Do they shout for the board/McCabe to leave? Do they shout for the manager to leave? Or do they just sit in stunned silence numb at the whole experience knowing we are stuffed and there is nothing we can do. I vote for the latter!!!

So do I. I see the risks of hounding McCabe as greater than the risk of leaving him to find his own way out.

I've no issue with him running the club at cost. None whatsoever. The problem is how that transition has been managed by him, but Birch and Blackwell in particular. If we do go down, I expect Birch to resign or to do a very humble mea culpa.

 

[Ollessendro]

We seemed to have more possession but just used it very, very poorly. The ball was like a hot potato, they just wanted to shift it on as quickly as possible into an area, rather than taking a bit of time and finding a man. This resulted in a lot of aimless balls the strikers had to chase down or the ball simply being helped out of play.

They were piss poor, I'd say as bad if not worse than us for the most part, it's just they had a player that could change the game... you know, that one we stood and watched bang the ball in the net.

I think you are being a little harsh on Palace and letting your heart rule your judgement. They were poor, but they were better than us. There defenders looked comfortable on the ball (much more than ours), they defendedvery soundly and limited us to efforts from long range and corners, they looked ok in possession, they created some clear cut chances (missed a sitter in the first half) and they won. They were poor, but they had just that little bit of quality we lacked. No comlaints with the result from me. To say that it was even is (in my view innacurate). Well done to Palace for seeing us off (and oh so easily).

 

[Foxy]

I think you are being a little harsh on Palace and letting your heart rule your judgement. They were poor, but they were better than us. There defenders looked comfortable on the ball (much more than ours), they defendedvery soundly and limited us to efforts from long range and corners, they looked ok in possession, they created some clear cut chances (missed a sitter in the first half) and they won. They were poor, but they had just that little bit of quality we lacked. No comlaints with the result from me. To say that it was even is (in my view innacurate). Well done to Palace for seeing us off (and oh so easily).

They were ultimately better than us, as they won.

I'd hardly say the defenders were comfortable on the ball though, they kept emulating us and just passing the ball to our midfield, how many times did their fullbacks and centre backs pick out Willo?!

We also had a decent chance in the first half in the box and I'd say it was more us pissing the ball away than them defending soundly. They even brought on crazy legs to ping the ball back across the back four, though he actually began clearing the ball pretty well towards the end.

I've no complaints whatsoever about the result, they did enough to win, they had the odd breakaway that was far better than we did all game, but for me it was a game between two poor sides who used the ball very poorly and created very little. I'd say it's probably the worst Palace team i've seen at Selhurst for years. First half it was us using the ball poorly and them giving it us back for another go at tossing it away.

 

[maxtheblade]

Like many Blades experiences, it was great until 3pm.

This struck more of a chord with me than anything I have ever read on this forum!

 

[Balham]

That was one of the worst games of professional football I've ever seen. Neither side showed any real quality, except for Ambrose's wonderstrike.

What really got me was a couple of things: we didn't challenge for the first or second ball in the middle of the park. The perfect example was Gardner winning the first header unchallenged, Danns flicking it on unchallenged and then Ambrose scoring.

Secondly, someone needs to have a word with Simonsen about his kicking - he gets loads of height on clearances but can only just beat the halfway line.

Finally, how Cresswell stayed on the pitch for the full 90 is beyond me.

Ratings:

Simonsen: 6 - good shot stopping, hesitant on crosses and mixed distribution

Nosworthy: 6 - solid defensively but seems unsure of how to support his winger going forward. Booked for bringing their left back down when we were caught out by a quick counter
Lowry: 6 - again, solid defensively. Perhaps should have scored.
Collins: 6 - ditto without the scoring chance. Struggled a bit against Vaughan's pace.
Lowton: 7 - some good moments, looks composed on the ball but again, occasionally got caught by Zaha's pace but got back to put pressure on.

Riise: 7 - probably our best player. Composed on the ball and looked to pick out a man. Reduced to aiming hopeful crosses into the box by a lack of movement in front of him.
Doyle: 4 - not sure what he brings to be honest. He's there to break up the play and granted, he was smaller than the Palace midfielders but there was a complete lack of challenge for anything in the air.
Williamson: 7 - got his foot on the ball and looked to make things happen. He and Riise linked up quite well.
Quinn: 6 - didn't really ever get into the game but did enough defensively.

Bogdanovic: 7 - like Williamson, got his foot on the ball and looked to make things happen. Given no help whatsoever by Cresswell.
Cresswell: 3 - I'm torn between pity and despair. He was woeful. Couldn't find a man in a red and white shirt, couldn't win headers, muscled off the ball to easily. Might have scored given a little more luck but on balance, perhaps that summed up his day (and his season!).

Subs:
Evans: on for Quinn. We were chasing the game and he got no service.
Yeates: on for Bogdanovic. Did nothing but up against Palace's massed defence.
Bent: on for Doyle. Had a header cleared off the line but apart from that didn't do a huge amount.

 

[shreds1975]

We seemed to have more possession but just used it very, very poorly. The ball was like a hot potato, they just wanted to shift it on as quickly as possible into an area, rather than taking a bit of time and finding a man. This resulted in a lot of aimless balls the strikers had to chase down or the ball simply being helped out of play.

They were piss poor, I'd say as bad if not worse than us for the most part, it's just they had a player that could change the game... you know, that one we stood and watched bang the ball in the net.

The last line is exactly what I tweeted post match yesterday.

I got fed up of Giddings and Edwards telling me how well we were playing. At h-t on the BBC website we were 5/6% ahead on possession, but they had 2 attempts on target to our 1. Therein lies the problem.

Workrate, effort, solid performances don't win games. Goals win games and when you are working hard but not breaking a team down you need a touch of quality in your team, a player who can create/score a goal out of nothing. Doesn't have to be a skillful player, maybe just a bit of pace. We don't have either of those. We did briefly, in terms of skill we had Andy Reid, but we don't have one quality midfielder or striker that we actually own. Palace have Ambrose, Reading midweek had Kebe.

We have no pace in the team, very few, if any, skillful players, oh and we don't own half of them. I am usually an optimist, but things are bleak. Keith Edwards was my hero and sometimes in the past I have agreed with his opinions, however no matter what Edwards or Giddings choose to tell me, I cannot believe it.

---------- Post added at 04:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 PM ----------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/paulfletcher/2011/02/sheffield_united_on_the_slide.html#284156

This is quite a good piece from the BBC website, sums up our plight

 

[Kentblade]

I totally agree with virtually everything posted on this topic.
This is probably the worst Blades side I have seen in all the years I have been going.No pace and cannot even do the basics right.10 corners and how masny were delivered to cause problems.
To keep changing the side does not help.We lost because we cannot score, the league table does not lie.
A totally frustrating visit to Palace to watch two very poor teams.
Unfortunately we were the worst of the two.
Micky Adams inherited a very poor squad and imho has not added anything to it.
Is showing no dsign of getting the team to improve and the last few years has bben a total disaster.
Mark my words if we drop it will take years to get promotion again, unless we get some investment in.
Very sad and worrying times to be a Blade.
The fan always give total backing but they deserve far better.
What ever happens at the end of the season time for a clear out and to start again.
UTB

 

[essex blade]

.

AHH the memorys


.....

Memory lane: After four beers with a Palace season ticket holder who is a mate of mine, I trundled back through Thorton Heef. I walked up the high street and it brough back memories of only 20 months ago when 7000 United fans took over the street. It was a beautfiul May day on the last game of the season and if we won and Birmingham did not then we would have gone up automatic. It was not to be, but I remember the sea of red and white on Thorton Heef hight street nd the carnival atmospere. Walking around the corer I passed the Weaterspoons were Dane Whitehouse was drinking outside and the Blades fans battered a stuffed pig with a Wednesday shirt on. It is amazing that only 20 months ago we were so close to the Premiership and now life in the 3rd tier next looks inevitable. Sad times [/QUOTE]

 

[bladeinlondon]

It was wet it was clold and only the company of the London Blades made it worth the trip. Yes we did have loads of possession but we were so frgggin slow that by the time we got into the final third the box was packed with Crystal Palace defenders. I dont think they were the better team - they were therre for the taking but we never looked like scoring. We dont shoot we faff around and have a hopeful weak shot straight into the goalie's arms and a keeper like Speroni isnt going to fumble it. Ambrose had the balls to shoot unlike our lot. Cresswell is woeful and to take Boggy off and leave him on defies belief. To add insult to injury SUFC had forgotten to send the pre paid tickets down and many like me had to pay twice. Thanks SUFC my loyalty is being sorely tested.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

To add insult to injury SUFC had forgotten to send the pre paid tickets down and many like me had to pay twice. Thanks SUFC my loyalty is being sorely tested.

That's happened to me before. I missed 20 minutes of a game against Watford because the blades ticket office had not put enough tickets in my envelope.

I had to pay again for another ticket, and they wouldn't sell me a ticket for the away end, nor would they give me the student concession that i had originally paid for.

It was only when i pleaded my case with a friendly looking steward (a rare breed) that they let me into the away end.

When i phoned up the sufc ticket office they had put my ticket in somebody else's envelope. They gave me a refund, but would only give me the refund for my student concession, so i ended up paying an extra tenner due to their cockup.

I order my tickets well in advance now.

 

[Ollessendro]

What really got me was a couple of things: we didn't challenge for the first or second ball in the middle of the park. The perfect example was Gardner winning the first header unchallenged, Danns flicking it on unchallenged and then Ambrose scoring.

You are right Balham. We lost the gqme here and it was obvious for their goal. Time and time again we were second to balls in midfileld and this really cost us.

Secondly, someone needs to have a word with Simonsen about his kicking - he gets loads of height on clearances but can only just beat the halfway line.

His distribution was some of the worst I have seen. Sending them high up in the air but with no distance like a sand iron. His kicks were coming down with snow on them, but barely clearly the half way line (even out of his hands). A few times Nos and Lowton came short, but he waved them away and hoofed it up field. We won very little in the midfield and up front, so you can probably guess that this was just a waste and invited pressure straight back onto us!

Finally, how Cresswell stayed on the pitch for the full 90 is beyond me.

Yep. As someone else posted the other day, how he gets in the team and stays on the pitch is beyond me. 4 managers have persisted zith him despite him offering nothing.

Ratings:
........ Riise: 7 - probably our best player. Composed on the ball and looked to pick out a man. Reduced to aiming hopeful crosses into the box by a lack of movement in front of him.

I disagree strongly with this one (though I agree with the rest). I thought he was massively disappointing, until the last 20 minutes. He barely ran at the defence and never tried to take his man on. Evenentually, after an hour he ran at the defender and got a corner. From that Quinn put in a beauty, Sperroni flapped and it could have gone anywhere. Riise looked good in the last 15 minutes when he came inside, but (for me) was really disappointing. A moment in the first half summed it up for me: Williamson played a clever ball to Riise in space. He was 10 yeards away from the area and had no defenders around him. I remember thinking 'go on then, attack em, run at em, put the defender under pressure'. He put in a duff cross aimed at Cresswell which was easily cleared.

I thought he was brought in as an attacking, quick winger that could make things happen. Yesterday we may have had me out there for the first 70 minutes.

 

[super_pig]

>a second rate Monty
mathematically impossible.. it's undefined
i've said before this team reminds me of the shocking bourne, butlin, busby fiasco outift we had years ago

 

[bladeinlondon]

That's happened to me before. I missed 20 minutes of a game against Watford because the blades ticket office had not put enough tickets in my envelope.

I had to pay again for another ticket, and they wouldn't sell me a ticket for the away end, nor would they give me the student concession that i had originally paid for.

It was only when i pleaded my case with a friendly looking steward (a rare breed) that they let me into the away end.
Got my money back today. SUFC claim teh tix were thre all the time and it was palace's cock up. Could be true the ticket offices seemd completely disorganised with hundreds queing at 2-55pm

When i phoned up the sufc ticket office they had put my ticket in somebody else's envelope. They gave me a refund, but would only give me the refund for my student concession, so i ended up paying an extra tenner due to their cockup.

I order my tickets well in advance now.

Got my money back today.SUFC claimed the tickets were there all along and it was Palace's cock up. Could be true - the ticket office was really badly orgnaised with hundreds of their own fans still queuing at 5 to 3

 

[Ollessendro]

>a second rate Monty
mathematically impossible.. it's undefined
i've said before this team reminds me of the shocking bourne, butlin, busby fiasco outift we had years ago

we actually missed Monty on Sat-di sp That's how bad it was. We were second to everything and they just ran over the top of us. Williamson got a foot in a few times, as did elpiton, but we just won the battle. Second to every challenge and often 2 or 3 Palaces players had possession without us putting a challenge in. Unfortuantely we have little options, so it looks like Cheap as Chips mark 3 (or Hoofy mark 2 -depending on how you like to call him) will have to go with the second rate Monty again

 

[super_pig]

>we actually missed Monty on Sat-di sp That's how bad it was
bloody hell.. i'm speechless