Deadbat
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Report below….. no podcast – not there and watched on a stream but Andy (from occasionally Tufty Club podcasts) is there so he may record some thoughts later….
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Another week, another fantastic team performance and another win! The Blades juggernaut rolls on after their third successive victory. This time it was a strike from record signing Ollie McBurnie in the first half that was the difference. United had two goals ruled out for VAR decisions and David McGoldrick missed an absolute sitter and on chances the Blades should have made it even more comfortably than it was. In truth, Brighton rarely threatened with only a few regulation saves from Dean Henderson and the home side were well beaten despite having a lot more possession. Most of the work they did with the ball was ineffective and in front of the supremely organised Blades side. United move up to 5th place and are a point off champions league place and play bottom side Watford next at the Lane. It is now 11 months and 18 games the Blades are unbeaten away from home.
United made two changes. One was enforced with Freeman getting the nod instead of Besic in midfield, to replace the suspended Fleck. McBurnie started alongside McGoldrick with Mousset on the bench. There was a change of keeper in reserve with Michael Verrips chosen instead of Simon Moore. Brighton had former Blades’ targets Dan Burn and Neil Maupay in their line up.
The game began with United dominating possession and forcing the home side back which may have been a surprise after their performance at Selhurst Park on Monday. O’Connell and Basham were both well forward and two crosses came in from either side. Freeman then combined with Baldock and United won a corner on the 8th minute. The inswinger was horrible missed by keeper Ryan and Egan bundled home all alone. However, despite the Blades players celebrating – the VAR check showed it hit Egan’s chest and then his hand and was ruled out. This was the new handball rule in affect where it states if it hits an attackers hand it is ruled out no matter how intentional. Bizarre the rule has not been brought in from a defensive point.
Despite this disappointment, United still were dominating and Norwood was dictating play with the front two looking very lively. McGoldrick’s lovely dummy set United moving and then Lundstram hit the ball into the side netting. Brighton had not got going but had a chance to score with their first attack. A shot from Propper was palmed out to Montoya who crossed for Maupay to score but the flag had gone up against Montoya. A nervous wait for the Blades fans again but this time it went their way and was clearly offside.
Dunk fired a free kick well over the bar but United got back on the ball and were moving it about and deservedly took the lead on the 23rd minute. Henderson’s long ball was flicked on by MCBURNIE who turned and chased it and got in front of his man, before calmly talking his time and drilling in a precise finish in off the neat post. It had been coming.
The away side continued to look confident and the home fans began to get frustrated before manager Potter seemed to switch to a back three. They began to have a bit more possession but a lovely ball from McGoldrick nearly sent Lundstram clear but he fell to ground as he tried to go inside Webster who inadvertently got the block in.
Brighton’s best chance came when Henderson came charging out ill advisedly and took his own man out but fortunately Basham cleared at the same time on the edge of the box in the confusion. The game became a bit stop start with both Freeman and McBurnie going down. Brighton were having more of the ball but were doing little with it and a few overplayed passes brought more groans. Some nice one touch football saw United move it forward from the right-wing position and win territory up the field. They won a corner but O’Connell headed wide and was adjudged to have fouled his man.
There was one extra minute played but United saw out the half comfortably.
Murray and Connelly came on for the home side for Gross and Trossard and the home side clearly wanted to make big changes to the shape and urgency they showed. The match was now being played in driving rain but United held firm despite the home side having more possession this half.
United had a golden chance to double the advantage as McGoldrick robbed his man and was in on goal. He calmly took it round the keeper and seemed set to end his long goal drought but inexplicably in front of the travelling United fans, put it into the side netting with the goal gaping. It was an incredible miss and he looked to the ground as if it had taken a bobble. It had not.
Osborn came on for Freeman as United made their first change quite early. Soon after this, United had the ball in the net again. A free kick from Norwood was headed on by Egan and more poor keeping by Ryan saw the ball spill up and O’Connell bundled home. United’s players celebrated but there was definite uncertainty in how forward O’Connell had been on the original header and after the check it was rightly disallowed. Still to have two goals disallowed for VAR was a real hammer blow for United, especially after McGoldrick’s miss.
Bissouma came on for Montoya as Brighton made their final change with over half an hour left which showed how disappointing they had been. They should have been put out of the game but tried to find an opening buoyed from these let offs. Bissouma had a shot blocked and then Maupay was held up by O’Connell. United were funnelling Brighton wide and they were struggling to get the ball into dangerous areas.
McBurnie was replaced by Mousset and the striker nearly got in straight away but Brighton were now having most of the ball but were doing little with it. A corner was headed over by Dunk and then finally a chance came when Connolly worked a yard of space and hit a shot but Henderson flicked over with the shot straight at him.
Stevens booking was deserved for a cynical trip on Propper and United now were setting a solid defensive base. The visitors had not really attacked much but Mousset showed a defender a clean pair of heels before firing over after a great individual run.
Besic came on for Norwood with the whole ground giving him a round of applause remembering his efforts when he played for the home side in a promotion season.
Basham was given a yellow card for bringing down Connolly but Egan headed away as the game entered the final five minutes. United broke away and Osborn put a ball over the top and McGoldrick on the angle went for the lob but it landed on top of the net. It was a trickier effort but he will have been disappointed not to hit the target once again. The striker then got booked as he hacked his man down in frustration as he chased back.
Brighton had appeals for a penalty when Bissouma went down but the referee instantly saw it as a dive and he was then booked. VAR replays confirmed that Basham had never touched him.
Brighton were huffing and puffing but United got tackles in or slowed things down and some inside the Amex had seen enough and started to leave.
There was an additional five minutes of stoppage time accrued to be played and United kept it well although the home side won a corner which Webster headed well wide from a long way out. Brighton’s final chance came with a long kick from Ryan bounced around but the shot was blocked and the final whistle came soon after. United’s players and fans celebrated another huge victory and the incredible season and away record goes on!
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United – Deserved win where we started really well, took the game to them and after the disappointment of the VAR goal, we just kept playing our football and came again and then a really good goal from McBurnie. After this Brighton never really threatened, they had the one offside moment when it went in long after but we were deservedly in the lead and had controlled the game. 2nd half they had more of it and had a lot of ball but never really hurt us. We had the McGoldrick sitter and then the blow of the O’Connell one being again rightly chalked off but could have had an affect on us. Not this group of players. What a phenomenal group they are. They just kept going and defended solidly, broke when we could and saw it out with no fuss.
Out of possession we were outstanding. We were so organised. Disciplined, we shuffled across, closed the gaps, got tackles and interceptions in and just were superb. As Wilder said, we were a bit sloppy at times with it and with better passing and more composure we could have had more goals really. We certainly had the clear chances with another for McGoldrick and Mousset over. The two VAR goals also and other than the one shot the lad Connolly hit which was straight at Henderson, I cannot think of any moments they had in terms of clear chances or good attempts on goal. You are always nervous at 1-0 but we actually saw it out really well.
I don’t think any individuals were out of this world. It was a just a solid, organised team performance. McGoldrick was superb with everything he did apart from the miss/misses and led the line well. McBurnie was also good too and took his goal expertly. The midfield worked hard with Lundstram and Norwood just doing the right things. I was a bit disappointed with Freeman/Osborn and you see a drop off when the likes of those players come in and you saw it a bit with Besic too but at that stage we were just trying to get fresh legs on and see things out really. Which we did really and so it was job well done. I was gutted for McGoldrick but the crowd need to really keep with him more than ever and that seems to be the case from the chants again. The United fans know how important he is to us despite the nightmare spell in front of goal.
I wanted us to see if we could get a win, maybe a draw from three games on paper where there were points to be had and they have only gone all three. Incredible. We have a few suspensions looking with Norwood, Lunny, Baldock and Basham on 4 but Fleck is now back and its not the worst thing if we lose a few for the bonus type games. Although saying that, playing as we are, does anybody not think we will surprise one of City or Liverpool playing like this? Ideally, you would get a few of them doing a Michael Brown (Stoke was it?) when he kicked the ball away to see him out for an unimportant game in the season of the cup run. They could all miss the Fylde game then! Be hard to keep them all out of trouble for 2 more games but you never know.
I keep looking at the table and to hear Paul Merson and Jeff Stelling raving about us and what we are doing fills me and all us with such pride. It is the best time I have ever had watching Sheffield United. It might not last. Maybe it will. I am just going to enjoy every minute of it.
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Another week, another fantastic team performance and another win! The Blades juggernaut rolls on after their third successive victory. This time it was a strike from record signing Ollie McBurnie in the first half that was the difference. United had two goals ruled out for VAR decisions and David McGoldrick missed an absolute sitter and on chances the Blades should have made it even more comfortably than it was. In truth, Brighton rarely threatened with only a few regulation saves from Dean Henderson and the home side were well beaten despite having a lot more possession. Most of the work they did with the ball was ineffective and in front of the supremely organised Blades side. United move up to 5th place and are a point off champions league place and play bottom side Watford next at the Lane. It is now 11 months and 18 games the Blades are unbeaten away from home.
United made two changes. One was enforced with Freeman getting the nod instead of Besic in midfield, to replace the suspended Fleck. McBurnie started alongside McGoldrick with Mousset on the bench. There was a change of keeper in reserve with Michael Verrips chosen instead of Simon Moore. Brighton had former Blades’ targets Dan Burn and Neil Maupay in their line up.
The game began with United dominating possession and forcing the home side back which may have been a surprise after their performance at Selhurst Park on Monday. O’Connell and Basham were both well forward and two crosses came in from either side. Freeman then combined with Baldock and United won a corner on the 8th minute. The inswinger was horrible missed by keeper Ryan and Egan bundled home all alone. However, despite the Blades players celebrating – the VAR check showed it hit Egan’s chest and then his hand and was ruled out. This was the new handball rule in affect where it states if it hits an attackers hand it is ruled out no matter how intentional. Bizarre the rule has not been brought in from a defensive point.
Despite this disappointment, United still were dominating and Norwood was dictating play with the front two looking very lively. McGoldrick’s lovely dummy set United moving and then Lundstram hit the ball into the side netting. Brighton had not got going but had a chance to score with their first attack. A shot from Propper was palmed out to Montoya who crossed for Maupay to score but the flag had gone up against Montoya. A nervous wait for the Blades fans again but this time it went their way and was clearly offside.
Dunk fired a free kick well over the bar but United got back on the ball and were moving it about and deservedly took the lead on the 23rd minute. Henderson’s long ball was flicked on by MCBURNIE who turned and chased it and got in front of his man, before calmly talking his time and drilling in a precise finish in off the neat post. It had been coming.
The away side continued to look confident and the home fans began to get frustrated before manager Potter seemed to switch to a back three. They began to have a bit more possession but a lovely ball from McGoldrick nearly sent Lundstram clear but he fell to ground as he tried to go inside Webster who inadvertently got the block in.
Brighton’s best chance came when Henderson came charging out ill advisedly and took his own man out but fortunately Basham cleared at the same time on the edge of the box in the confusion. The game became a bit stop start with both Freeman and McBurnie going down. Brighton were having more of the ball but were doing little with it and a few overplayed passes brought more groans. Some nice one touch football saw United move it forward from the right-wing position and win territory up the field. They won a corner but O’Connell headed wide and was adjudged to have fouled his man.
There was one extra minute played but United saw out the half comfortably.
Murray and Connelly came on for the home side for Gross and Trossard and the home side clearly wanted to make big changes to the shape and urgency they showed. The match was now being played in driving rain but United held firm despite the home side having more possession this half.
United had a golden chance to double the advantage as McGoldrick robbed his man and was in on goal. He calmly took it round the keeper and seemed set to end his long goal drought but inexplicably in front of the travelling United fans, put it into the side netting with the goal gaping. It was an incredible miss and he looked to the ground as if it had taken a bobble. It had not.
Osborn came on for Freeman as United made their first change quite early. Soon after this, United had the ball in the net again. A free kick from Norwood was headed on by Egan and more poor keeping by Ryan saw the ball spill up and O’Connell bundled home. United’s players celebrated but there was definite uncertainty in how forward O’Connell had been on the original header and after the check it was rightly disallowed. Still to have two goals disallowed for VAR was a real hammer blow for United, especially after McGoldrick’s miss.
Bissouma came on for Montoya as Brighton made their final change with over half an hour left which showed how disappointing they had been. They should have been put out of the game but tried to find an opening buoyed from these let offs. Bissouma had a shot blocked and then Maupay was held up by O’Connell. United were funnelling Brighton wide and they were struggling to get the ball into dangerous areas.
McBurnie was replaced by Mousset and the striker nearly got in straight away but Brighton were now having most of the ball but were doing little with it. A corner was headed over by Dunk and then finally a chance came when Connolly worked a yard of space and hit a shot but Henderson flicked over with the shot straight at him.
Stevens booking was deserved for a cynical trip on Propper and United now were setting a solid defensive base. The visitors had not really attacked much but Mousset showed a defender a clean pair of heels before firing over after a great individual run.
Besic came on for Norwood with the whole ground giving him a round of applause remembering his efforts when he played for the home side in a promotion season.
Basham was given a yellow card for bringing down Connolly but Egan headed away as the game entered the final five minutes. United broke away and Osborn put a ball over the top and McGoldrick on the angle went for the lob but it landed on top of the net. It was a trickier effort but he will have been disappointed not to hit the target once again. The striker then got booked as he hacked his man down in frustration as he chased back.
Brighton had appeals for a penalty when Bissouma went down but the referee instantly saw it as a dive and he was then booked. VAR replays confirmed that Basham had never touched him.
Brighton were huffing and puffing but United got tackles in or slowed things down and some inside the Amex had seen enough and started to leave.
There was an additional five minutes of stoppage time accrued to be played and United kept it well although the home side won a corner which Webster headed well wide from a long way out. Brighton’s final chance came with a long kick from Ryan bounced around but the shot was blocked and the final whistle came soon after. United’s players and fans celebrated another huge victory and the incredible season and away record goes on!
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United – Deserved win where we started really well, took the game to them and after the disappointment of the VAR goal, we just kept playing our football and came again and then a really good goal from McBurnie. After this Brighton never really threatened, they had the one offside moment when it went in long after but we were deservedly in the lead and had controlled the game. 2nd half they had more of it and had a lot of ball but never really hurt us. We had the McGoldrick sitter and then the blow of the O’Connell one being again rightly chalked off but could have had an affect on us. Not this group of players. What a phenomenal group they are. They just kept going and defended solidly, broke when we could and saw it out with no fuss.
Out of possession we were outstanding. We were so organised. Disciplined, we shuffled across, closed the gaps, got tackles and interceptions in and just were superb. As Wilder said, we were a bit sloppy at times with it and with better passing and more composure we could have had more goals really. We certainly had the clear chances with another for McGoldrick and Mousset over. The two VAR goals also and other than the one shot the lad Connolly hit which was straight at Henderson, I cannot think of any moments they had in terms of clear chances or good attempts on goal. You are always nervous at 1-0 but we actually saw it out really well.
I don’t think any individuals were out of this world. It was a just a solid, organised team performance. McGoldrick was superb with everything he did apart from the miss/misses and led the line well. McBurnie was also good too and took his goal expertly. The midfield worked hard with Lundstram and Norwood just doing the right things. I was a bit disappointed with Freeman/Osborn and you see a drop off when the likes of those players come in and you saw it a bit with Besic too but at that stage we were just trying to get fresh legs on and see things out really. Which we did really and so it was job well done. I was gutted for McGoldrick but the crowd need to really keep with him more than ever and that seems to be the case from the chants again. The United fans know how important he is to us despite the nightmare spell in front of goal.
I wanted us to see if we could get a win, maybe a draw from three games on paper where there were points to be had and they have only gone all three. Incredible. We have a few suspensions looking with Norwood, Lunny, Baldock and Basham on 4 but Fleck is now back and its not the worst thing if we lose a few for the bonus type games. Although saying that, playing as we are, does anybody not think we will surprise one of City or Liverpool playing like this? Ideally, you would get a few of them doing a Michael Brown (Stoke was it?) when he kicked the ball away to see him out for an unimportant game in the season of the cup run. They could all miss the Fylde game then! Be hard to keep them all out of trouble for 2 more games but you never know.
I keep looking at the table and to hear Paul Merson and Jeff Stelling raving about us and what we are doing fills me and all us with such pride. It is the best time I have ever had watching Sheffield United. It might not last. Maybe it will. I am just going to enjoy every minute of it.