Deadbat
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The Blades poor reason league run continued as they failed to take three points once again making it no wins in four. Despite leading to a Bob Harris strike United were pinned back and in the end were fortunate to escape with a point from another disappointing performance. Now the gap is widening at the top and United need to start putting in a run of convincing performances and results if they are serious about competing for the automatic promotion slots.
The Blades changed personnel and formation at Fleetwood as in came Chris O’Grady after injury to partner Michael Higdon with United playing with Kieran Wallace came in for his debut for the Blades with no Stefan Scougall or Louis Reed in the match day squad. It marked the first time after 707 consecutive first team fixture when a home-grown player has not featured in their squad. That is 4834 days which have passed since none were named in the party which travelled to Stockport County on 18 September 2001.
The Blades began with Baxter and Wallace in front of Doyle and Murphy playing at the front of a diamond in the midfield area trying to support the front two with no real wide men to speak of.
The game began in scrappy fashion with neither side being able to control the ball but it seemed the visitors had settled the better and resplendent in yellow they created the first chance but Murphy’s shot was pushed away by Maxwell. United were the better side and won a corner that came to nothing. However inside 10 minutes they took the lead. Baxter was involved and played it into HARRIS who came inside and with his right foot surprisingly hit a shot from around 22 yards that arrowed into the far corner. It was a decent strike and Harris’ second this season.
Fleetwood had their best spell after the goal and Proctor was not far away with an effort before Hughes nearly took advantage of McCarthy’s miscontrol. United still seemed in control though and Murphy had another effort saved that was straight at Maxwell. United had not been at their fluent best but had edged proceedings but as the second half started, the visitors seemed more determined to get a foothold in the game.
Evans forced Howard into a save and then Fleetwood won a series of corners. Just before the hour they were level. Morris was able to get away from Flynn and sent over an inviting cross which sawSARCEVIC drift off Harris and aim a looping header back in the direction it came and it nestled into the corner.
Pegged back United tried to respond at the other end O’Grady finally had an effort but was saved at the near post. Higdon nodded wide from a decent cross.
Fleetwood were now well in the game though and they created a series of half chances and appeals for a spot kick were waved away. Andrew had an effort saved and Proctor was just off target too.
Baxter was replaced by Basham who went to right back and soon after McNulty came on for Higdon as Untied tried to change things in a poor second half performance.
Murphy won a couple of free kicks with his strong running but Flynn was off target from a chance that came out of one of the awards. Fleetwood at the other end looked dangerous and Sarcevic was nearly in on goal again. The same man forced Howard into a save.
Wallace came inside and forced a save but he was to go off soon after as Cuvelier was the final change. They were chances at either end but Fleetwood probably looked the more likely as McEveley’s foul led to a free kick but it was blazed over. Howard then had to make a save from a corner before Haughton was narrowly off target. The additional time saw Cuvelier fire well over before Fleetwood were stopped from a breakaway before the final whistle went.
United – On the strength of it, a point at Fleetwood is not too bad away from home but when the top two win again and we have just tossed away three home games without a win; it is a poor result really. The performance was not great again and we look no closer to being a side I feel convinced can be a genuine top two threat or one that can go on a run of games and wins.
Clough changed his tactics and approach somewhat but it made little difference. Seemed a lot of changes but heard some were maybe not fully fit (Campbell Ryce, Basham, Scougall etc) but it was a different set up.
We had 2 up top and an odd formation behind with Baxter, Doyle and Wallace in midfield and Murphy sort of floating around? That is how it seemed but then for stretches Wallace was wide left and Baxter wide right or Murphy would go on one side (spent a long time on the left second half). In the first half even O’Grady spent spells wide. It was all a little confusing or maybe that was the beer I had consumed! We had in theory little width as Clough acknowledged relying on full backs to provide and emphasis was to control centre of midfield and get it up field earlier capitalising on height/strength of front two. In reality it never really happened and it was all a bit of a mish mash in terms of how we went about things. The game was incredibly scrappy and of few chances. First half we scored a decent goal and then I felt we could go on but it never
I felt we did not really threaten much with 2 quite experienced frontmen. Higdon and O’Grady were poor with the former better than the latter who had a really poor game. Baxter and Murphy drifted in and out of the game with Murphy able to at least able to finally run at men towards the end but it was too late. I thought the new lad Wallace was no better than what we have (reminded me in looks and play of Dimaio – in fact surely he deserved a chance before him after doing well last season?). That may seem harsh but other than one run and shot I felt he was never in the game really. I thought at the back McEveley was fine but McCarthy again was really poor and looked like a mistake waiting to happen. I would not bring him back when his loan expires next week.
Overall though regardless of the shape/formation etc this week, the play was often sloppy. We struggled to do even the basics (as did they for long spells too) and routine passing and control often went awry. It was poor stuff. Despite this we were able to lead but never went on and they gradually came back into it. Second half we barely kept the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes and it just sort of petered out. We seemed like we were happy with a point and at times they nearly got in to score again.
Disappointing to hear Clough’s interview after the game when he seems content with top 6 and was talking as if top 2 was unlikely (that is how it came across). There is a big gap now between us and the top 2 (who to be frank are better than us and more consistent and score goals) and also the top 4. We look likely to be scrapping around for 5th/6th as things stand and I am not even that confident we will get those spots the way we are playing. We look unlikely with current form and performances to go on a run like last season and foresee many more games like today unless some players up their game. Ironic he did change things today but that did not really work either but at least showed he is not totally stubborn. Inconsistent play allied to not creating chances and failing to keep clean sheets is making it hard to see we can be amongst the top 2 at the moment. We will need to bring in 2 or 3 quality players in January and hope he can show more positivity in his formations and just somehow hope something clicks like it did last season. At the moment I have to say I will be surprised unless things change if we escape this division once again.
Fleetwood – A poor side for long spells and should have been put to bed but they got back into it and then improved and as the game went on they looked more likely to be the winner. Heard Clough saying it was a good point but really if we are serious about going up we have to go to places like that and win and win well. Today was a real struggle to even get a point from the game.
Fleetwood were no great shakes. Their passing, control and basic play was poor (even worse than ours in the first half) but gradually as we failed to really drive out advantage home, they got back into the game. They scored a decent goal from their point of view (awful from ours) and then had 3 or 4 decent chances (better ones than we had) to win it. A draw was probably about a fair reflection but if anyone looked like winning it; then it was them. I had heard they were a big physical side who got into you but did not feel they were overly any more physical than any other sides we have faced. I felt they looked like they lacked pace at the back but we opted to go big v big.
Not sure it worked and I felt with Murphy or McNulty alongside one of big lads we may have had more joy. Remember Roberts from the Stevenage games and he is a solid no nonsense centre back but could get turned with pace. The keeper was quite small but we never really tested him at all.
The lad who scored the leveller (their best player last season) looked decent and the big lad Proctor up top was a handful. Worryingly they had more of the ball and controlled things for large spells in the second half and probably realised that we were not that good and there for the taking. A side that will probably finish around the mid table area I feel. Alexander and the club itself have done brilliantly to get them to where they are (although had spent a fair bit of money I believe – at least by League 2 standards to get out of the division)/.
The Blades changed personnel and formation at Fleetwood as in came Chris O’Grady after injury to partner Michael Higdon with United playing with Kieran Wallace came in for his debut for the Blades with no Stefan Scougall or Louis Reed in the match day squad. It marked the first time after 707 consecutive first team fixture when a home-grown player has not featured in their squad. That is 4834 days which have passed since none were named in the party which travelled to Stockport County on 18 September 2001.
The Blades began with Baxter and Wallace in front of Doyle and Murphy playing at the front of a diamond in the midfield area trying to support the front two with no real wide men to speak of.
The game began in scrappy fashion with neither side being able to control the ball but it seemed the visitors had settled the better and resplendent in yellow they created the first chance but Murphy’s shot was pushed away by Maxwell. United were the better side and won a corner that came to nothing. However inside 10 minutes they took the lead. Baxter was involved and played it into HARRIS who came inside and with his right foot surprisingly hit a shot from around 22 yards that arrowed into the far corner. It was a decent strike and Harris’ second this season.
Fleetwood had their best spell after the goal and Proctor was not far away with an effort before Hughes nearly took advantage of McCarthy’s miscontrol. United still seemed in control though and Murphy had another effort saved that was straight at Maxwell. United had not been at their fluent best but had edged proceedings but as the second half started, the visitors seemed more determined to get a foothold in the game.
Evans forced Howard into a save and then Fleetwood won a series of corners. Just before the hour they were level. Morris was able to get away from Flynn and sent over an inviting cross which sawSARCEVIC drift off Harris and aim a looping header back in the direction it came and it nestled into the corner.
Pegged back United tried to respond at the other end O’Grady finally had an effort but was saved at the near post. Higdon nodded wide from a decent cross.
Fleetwood were now well in the game though and they created a series of half chances and appeals for a spot kick were waved away. Andrew had an effort saved and Proctor was just off target too.
Baxter was replaced by Basham who went to right back and soon after McNulty came on for Higdon as Untied tried to change things in a poor second half performance.
Murphy won a couple of free kicks with his strong running but Flynn was off target from a chance that came out of one of the awards. Fleetwood at the other end looked dangerous and Sarcevic was nearly in on goal again. The same man forced Howard into a save.
Wallace came inside and forced a save but he was to go off soon after as Cuvelier was the final change. They were chances at either end but Fleetwood probably looked the more likely as McEveley’s foul led to a free kick but it was blazed over. Howard then had to make a save from a corner before Haughton was narrowly off target. The additional time saw Cuvelier fire well over before Fleetwood were stopped from a breakaway before the final whistle went.
United – On the strength of it, a point at Fleetwood is not too bad away from home but when the top two win again and we have just tossed away three home games without a win; it is a poor result really. The performance was not great again and we look no closer to being a side I feel convinced can be a genuine top two threat or one that can go on a run of games and wins.
Clough changed his tactics and approach somewhat but it made little difference. Seemed a lot of changes but heard some were maybe not fully fit (Campbell Ryce, Basham, Scougall etc) but it was a different set up.
We had 2 up top and an odd formation behind with Baxter, Doyle and Wallace in midfield and Murphy sort of floating around? That is how it seemed but then for stretches Wallace was wide left and Baxter wide right or Murphy would go on one side (spent a long time on the left second half). In the first half even O’Grady spent spells wide. It was all a little confusing or maybe that was the beer I had consumed! We had in theory little width as Clough acknowledged relying on full backs to provide and emphasis was to control centre of midfield and get it up field earlier capitalising on height/strength of front two. In reality it never really happened and it was all a bit of a mish mash in terms of how we went about things. The game was incredibly scrappy and of few chances. First half we scored a decent goal and then I felt we could go on but it never
I felt we did not really threaten much with 2 quite experienced frontmen. Higdon and O’Grady were poor with the former better than the latter who had a really poor game. Baxter and Murphy drifted in and out of the game with Murphy able to at least able to finally run at men towards the end but it was too late. I thought the new lad Wallace was no better than what we have (reminded me in looks and play of Dimaio – in fact surely he deserved a chance before him after doing well last season?). That may seem harsh but other than one run and shot I felt he was never in the game really. I thought at the back McEveley was fine but McCarthy again was really poor and looked like a mistake waiting to happen. I would not bring him back when his loan expires next week.
Overall though regardless of the shape/formation etc this week, the play was often sloppy. We struggled to do even the basics (as did they for long spells too) and routine passing and control often went awry. It was poor stuff. Despite this we were able to lead but never went on and they gradually came back into it. Second half we barely kept the ball for more than 2 or 3 passes and it just sort of petered out. We seemed like we were happy with a point and at times they nearly got in to score again.
Disappointing to hear Clough’s interview after the game when he seems content with top 6 and was talking as if top 2 was unlikely (that is how it came across). There is a big gap now between us and the top 2 (who to be frank are better than us and more consistent and score goals) and also the top 4. We look likely to be scrapping around for 5th/6th as things stand and I am not even that confident we will get those spots the way we are playing. We look unlikely with current form and performances to go on a run like last season and foresee many more games like today unless some players up their game. Ironic he did change things today but that did not really work either but at least showed he is not totally stubborn. Inconsistent play allied to not creating chances and failing to keep clean sheets is making it hard to see we can be amongst the top 2 at the moment. We will need to bring in 2 or 3 quality players in January and hope he can show more positivity in his formations and just somehow hope something clicks like it did last season. At the moment I have to say I will be surprised unless things change if we escape this division once again.
Fleetwood – A poor side for long spells and should have been put to bed but they got back into it and then improved and as the game went on they looked more likely to be the winner. Heard Clough saying it was a good point but really if we are serious about going up we have to go to places like that and win and win well. Today was a real struggle to even get a point from the game.
Fleetwood were no great shakes. Their passing, control and basic play was poor (even worse than ours in the first half) but gradually as we failed to really drive out advantage home, they got back into the game. They scored a decent goal from their point of view (awful from ours) and then had 3 or 4 decent chances (better ones than we had) to win it. A draw was probably about a fair reflection but if anyone looked like winning it; then it was them. I had heard they were a big physical side who got into you but did not feel they were overly any more physical than any other sides we have faced. I felt they looked like they lacked pace at the back but we opted to go big v big.
Not sure it worked and I felt with Murphy or McNulty alongside one of big lads we may have had more joy. Remember Roberts from the Stevenage games and he is a solid no nonsense centre back but could get turned with pace. The keeper was quite small but we never really tested him at all.
The lad who scored the leveller (their best player last season) looked decent and the big lad Proctor up top was a handful. Worryingly they had more of the ball and controlled things for large spells in the second half and probably realised that we were not that good and there for the taking. A side that will probably finish around the mid table area I feel. Alexander and the club itself have done brilliantly to get them to where they are (although had spent a fair bit of money I believe – at least by League 2 standards to get out of the division)/.
