Deadbat
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It is now just 3 wins in 11 for United as they were held by bottom placed Ipswich Town at Portman Road. Once again, the Blades dominated possession but they gave away another ridiculously sloppy goal against the run of play before ace marksman Billy Sharp got them level early in the second half. After this United did not do enough to win the game and it was telling that for all the control of the game; keeper Dean Gerken only had one real save to make and that was in the first minute. United passed and passed and passed again but too often nothing came into the box or when it did; it lacked the real quality to hurt the home side. In the end Ipswich looked as likely to grab a winner as the visitors.
Wilder kept an unchanged team from the defeat to West Brom but Leon Clarke was back on the bench for the United. Ipswich were back on home turf after a rare win last week against Wigan under new manager Paul Lambert.
The Blades came out of the traps quickly and had a chance in the opening minute as McGoldrick played in Sharp who hit an early shot on the angle that should have been routine for Gerken but he somehow scooped it up and over the bar. From the resultant corner Egan had a header blocked and then a floated ball from the right from Duffy just was too far ahead of Sharp.
United were in control of the ball and territory with everything coming through Norwood at the base and Duffy further forward. One neat move saw Stevens played in and he was almost rugby tackled to the floor as he looked to come into the box down the left. Incredibly Spence was not booked. The free kick came to nothing and then Ipswich had a rare break but Egan nipped in to cover. United were back on the ball and Fleck nearly got Sharp in but hit the Ipswich man. The midfielder then carelessly gave it away leading to a break but once again Egan made a good interception.
Duffy had a weak shot saved easily from Gerken after good link up from Stevens and then Sharp. Harrison had a header after a cross came in to give Henderson his first work of the afternoon but then at the other end Sharp screwed badly wide after a cross came in after patient build up play. Duffy then looked to probe again but McGoldrick was slow to react. Stevens and O’Connell were building well down the left but too often there was either a poor final ball or more often than not, no final ball and United got crowded out.
Knudsen’s long throws helped Ipswich have a spell out of their half but it was very much the away team on top so it came as a real shock when Town scored. Norwood gave the ball away initially but United recovered possession but Basham played a horrible back pass that was short for Henderson but the keeper just got there to kick away. Inexplicably Basham tried to spin round onto his right foot on the right touchline after it came to him via the keeper and lost it. The ball was played forward by Sears and it fell for HARRISON who hit a powerful shot that may have nicked a defender but nestled into the top corner. It was a great shot but horrific defending. The home side could not believe their luck after never being in the game at all.
Duffy was fouled twice in quick succession and Chalobah got booked for a very late one on the midfielder. The next half chance came for Nolan but his shot was well off target as United tried to recover from the shock of the goal.
There were no changes but United got back into the game almost immediately. Norwood had one shot blocked but then as the ball was switched to the right; the midfielder curled a beautiful cross over that was met by the head of the unmarked SHARP who headed high into the goal to give the Blades a deserved leveller.
After this United tried to exert their control but it became a bit scrappy for a spell with a few fouls frustrating both sets of players. Patient passing nearly saw the ball played in for Sharp but then Baldock took too long and was robbed. Ipswich went down the other end and won a corner as Stevens dithered to clear. From it they nearly went back in front as Sears shot was blocked from O’Connell from close range. Chambers then looped a header over soon after as Ipswich had a good spell now probably for the first time in the game.
Sharp has a wild shot high and wide after decent build up and then United looked to move it side to side but too long they did not produce a cross or a shot and Ipswich actually nearly broke to threaten on two occasions after United overplayed. One decent move saw a ball come in from Duffy and just miss Sharp at the back post. Baldock had a shot blocked but United were not really having any clear chances. Clarke came on for the quiet McGoldrick and Ward for Dozzell.
Basham had not quite been at his best and he was booked for a pull down 30 yards from goal but Sears effort drifted wide. United then won a few corners the other way but Egan headed wide and then another effort failed to beat the first man. Stevens had a really good hit from 25 yards but it was blocked by an Ipswich man. This may have been the best effort for United since they scored.
Roberts came on for the goal scorer Harrison as the game entered the final 10 minutes but Ipswich had another late spell without seriously threatening but United were now sloppy on and off the ball. Clarke had a headed chance from Stevens cross but it was over the bar but United were not really looking like scoring and indeed Sears had a low shot saved from Henderson and Ipswich had a long throw and a corner. Norwood became frustrated after not winning a free kick and ran into the back of his man in a petulant act and was rightly carded. The final few minutes of normal time saw Ipswich have more of the territory but did not create anything.
Three minutes of additional time were played and with just a minute left Sharp rolled his man Spence who was booked. Another free kick off the training field saw the ball played to O’Connell on the edge of the box but once again as he did in the first half, he wildly sliced the ball and it looked like the chance had gone. Egan did pick it up and blaze someway off target from long range on the volley. The final whistle came not long after that. Ipswich’s players reactions in comparison to those from United showed who was far happier with the result.
United – Frustrating. Same as last week and many more in those poor runs of form in terms of results. We were the better side. Played better football and looked aesthetically far better. However, we did not much of anything of note in the final third, failed to penetrate where it mattered and the keeper had one …maybe two routine saves to make all game. United passed and passed and passed and passed and passed. It went nowhere. Then we would lose it and they would break. They never really looked like scoring of course but then we make 2 or 3 howlers (Norwood and then Bash twice) and its in our net. It’s the same old story.
We dominate teams and are good to watch for most of the game but we don’t look like creating or scoring much and then make stupid mistakes. It happens too much and the theme over the last couple of months means it is past frustrating. It is just how it is. A few maybe could do better (Fleck for one) but overall the players are for the most part doing their best. None have played at this level before or higher and we are still overachieving. It is just frustrating we completely control teams and pass them off the park for long spells but at the two ends do not do enough. In other games we have been guilty of missed chances but not today.
We rarely had any clear chances at all. I love the way we play but we have to move it quicker and occasionally have to put crosses in earlier before defences are set – look what happened when we did it - we scored. Mix it up a bit now and again maybe? We did not do this after we scored. After we conceded despite controlling the first half, we reacted well second half but then after this we did not kick on. They had as much of the second half as us and even though they only had one real chance from the corner will say we did not hurt them at all and are right. All the stats and possession are useless if we do nothing with it. I am not being critical of the players or the manager. As I say for the most part, they are doing their best and we are punching even to be 6th at this stage but you can feel us slipping away and slowly down the league – just like last season. I hear pundits saying we have a deeper squad but I do not see it. We had Brooks last year and have nothing like that off the bench with a lot of clubman/journeyman types and a less than 100% Coutts and back to the inconsistent form of most of his career sadly in Clarke. We do need 2 or 3 players in January but even with those this team (doing its best as I say) has shown it is not quite good enough to sustain a top 6 finish. Too many players have good games one week and poor ones the next and rarely do we have 8 or 9 bangs at it. It is like a couple play well, 6 or 7 average and then a few really poor ones punctuated by an error or more most weeks (Bash today) (Norwood and Egan last week) (Johnson, Stevens, Norwood v Rotherham, Henderson Leeds). This means we need to also score more than one goal to get a win. At the moment only creating one or two chances a game means this is tricky.
As I say I still enjoy watching us play and we are a far better side than Ipswich (table shows that) but we do even with the deficiencies I have outlined; have to put these teams away. With our really poor form against the good teams and struggling at home (lost 2 and drew 1 of last 3) it puts pressure for us to see off teams like Reading and Ipswich. We got away with a patchy show at Reading but today did not as for all the control did, we do enough to score more than one goal in terms of creating.
Norwich, Boro won although Derby and Forest drew and lost respectively. I do feel that we will do very well to keep in the top 6 and in a month, we could be around the middle of the league as other teams at the top will invest more than us. Some of them are already going the other way in terms of results to us and with Stoke, Villa and Brum coming on strong; you fear we may get caught by some of those if our form continues. We seem incapably of putting in 2 or 3 consistently good performances/results. As I say that is not a criticism of the team. It is just who we are and what these players are. Still we have a few games at the Lane, are due a few good results down there and the Xmas games always see some big crowds so I should not be too down. It is just frustrating to see us drop off again and it is exactly the game as last season how we are falling away. People may say it is not but the graphs in terms of points and position is almost identical. We have done a bit better in December but then we did a bit better last year in November. We are still good to watch but is so tantalising that we are so close to being very good but so often I find myself shaking my first as the final ball or final bit goes awry. Maybe it would be easier if we did not get to those positions or chances to win games and not quite get what they should and maybe this makes it more frustrating!
Wilder kept an unchanged team from the defeat to West Brom but Leon Clarke was back on the bench for the United. Ipswich were back on home turf after a rare win last week against Wigan under new manager Paul Lambert.
The Blades came out of the traps quickly and had a chance in the opening minute as McGoldrick played in Sharp who hit an early shot on the angle that should have been routine for Gerken but he somehow scooped it up and over the bar. From the resultant corner Egan had a header blocked and then a floated ball from the right from Duffy just was too far ahead of Sharp.
United were in control of the ball and territory with everything coming through Norwood at the base and Duffy further forward. One neat move saw Stevens played in and he was almost rugby tackled to the floor as he looked to come into the box down the left. Incredibly Spence was not booked. The free kick came to nothing and then Ipswich had a rare break but Egan nipped in to cover. United were back on the ball and Fleck nearly got Sharp in but hit the Ipswich man. The midfielder then carelessly gave it away leading to a break but once again Egan made a good interception.
Duffy had a weak shot saved easily from Gerken after good link up from Stevens and then Sharp. Harrison had a header after a cross came in to give Henderson his first work of the afternoon but then at the other end Sharp screwed badly wide after a cross came in after patient build up play. Duffy then looked to probe again but McGoldrick was slow to react. Stevens and O’Connell were building well down the left but too often there was either a poor final ball or more often than not, no final ball and United got crowded out.
Knudsen’s long throws helped Ipswich have a spell out of their half but it was very much the away team on top so it came as a real shock when Town scored. Norwood gave the ball away initially but United recovered possession but Basham played a horrible back pass that was short for Henderson but the keeper just got there to kick away. Inexplicably Basham tried to spin round onto his right foot on the right touchline after it came to him via the keeper and lost it. The ball was played forward by Sears and it fell for HARRISON who hit a powerful shot that may have nicked a defender but nestled into the top corner. It was a great shot but horrific defending. The home side could not believe their luck after never being in the game at all.
Duffy was fouled twice in quick succession and Chalobah got booked for a very late one on the midfielder. The next half chance came for Nolan but his shot was well off target as United tried to recover from the shock of the goal.
There were no changes but United got back into the game almost immediately. Norwood had one shot blocked but then as the ball was switched to the right; the midfielder curled a beautiful cross over that was met by the head of the unmarked SHARP who headed high into the goal to give the Blades a deserved leveller.
After this United tried to exert their control but it became a bit scrappy for a spell with a few fouls frustrating both sets of players. Patient passing nearly saw the ball played in for Sharp but then Baldock took too long and was robbed. Ipswich went down the other end and won a corner as Stevens dithered to clear. From it they nearly went back in front as Sears shot was blocked from O’Connell from close range. Chambers then looped a header over soon after as Ipswich had a good spell now probably for the first time in the game.
Sharp has a wild shot high and wide after decent build up and then United looked to move it side to side but too long they did not produce a cross or a shot and Ipswich actually nearly broke to threaten on two occasions after United overplayed. One decent move saw a ball come in from Duffy and just miss Sharp at the back post. Baldock had a shot blocked but United were not really having any clear chances. Clarke came on for the quiet McGoldrick and Ward for Dozzell.
Basham had not quite been at his best and he was booked for a pull down 30 yards from goal but Sears effort drifted wide. United then won a few corners the other way but Egan headed wide and then another effort failed to beat the first man. Stevens had a really good hit from 25 yards but it was blocked by an Ipswich man. This may have been the best effort for United since they scored.
Roberts came on for the goal scorer Harrison as the game entered the final 10 minutes but Ipswich had another late spell without seriously threatening but United were now sloppy on and off the ball. Clarke had a headed chance from Stevens cross but it was over the bar but United were not really looking like scoring and indeed Sears had a low shot saved from Henderson and Ipswich had a long throw and a corner. Norwood became frustrated after not winning a free kick and ran into the back of his man in a petulant act and was rightly carded. The final few minutes of normal time saw Ipswich have more of the territory but did not create anything.
Three minutes of additional time were played and with just a minute left Sharp rolled his man Spence who was booked. Another free kick off the training field saw the ball played to O’Connell on the edge of the box but once again as he did in the first half, he wildly sliced the ball and it looked like the chance had gone. Egan did pick it up and blaze someway off target from long range on the volley. The final whistle came not long after that. Ipswich’s players reactions in comparison to those from United showed who was far happier with the result.
United – Frustrating. Same as last week and many more in those poor runs of form in terms of results. We were the better side. Played better football and looked aesthetically far better. However, we did not much of anything of note in the final third, failed to penetrate where it mattered and the keeper had one …maybe two routine saves to make all game. United passed and passed and passed and passed and passed. It went nowhere. Then we would lose it and they would break. They never really looked like scoring of course but then we make 2 or 3 howlers (Norwood and then Bash twice) and its in our net. It’s the same old story.
We dominate teams and are good to watch for most of the game but we don’t look like creating or scoring much and then make stupid mistakes. It happens too much and the theme over the last couple of months means it is past frustrating. It is just how it is. A few maybe could do better (Fleck for one) but overall the players are for the most part doing their best. None have played at this level before or higher and we are still overachieving. It is just frustrating we completely control teams and pass them off the park for long spells but at the two ends do not do enough. In other games we have been guilty of missed chances but not today.
We rarely had any clear chances at all. I love the way we play but we have to move it quicker and occasionally have to put crosses in earlier before defences are set – look what happened when we did it - we scored. Mix it up a bit now and again maybe? We did not do this after we scored. After we conceded despite controlling the first half, we reacted well second half but then after this we did not kick on. They had as much of the second half as us and even though they only had one real chance from the corner will say we did not hurt them at all and are right. All the stats and possession are useless if we do nothing with it. I am not being critical of the players or the manager. As I say for the most part, they are doing their best and we are punching even to be 6th at this stage but you can feel us slipping away and slowly down the league – just like last season. I hear pundits saying we have a deeper squad but I do not see it. We had Brooks last year and have nothing like that off the bench with a lot of clubman/journeyman types and a less than 100% Coutts and back to the inconsistent form of most of his career sadly in Clarke. We do need 2 or 3 players in January but even with those this team (doing its best as I say) has shown it is not quite good enough to sustain a top 6 finish. Too many players have good games one week and poor ones the next and rarely do we have 8 or 9 bangs at it. It is like a couple play well, 6 or 7 average and then a few really poor ones punctuated by an error or more most weeks (Bash today) (Norwood and Egan last week) (Johnson, Stevens, Norwood v Rotherham, Henderson Leeds). This means we need to also score more than one goal to get a win. At the moment only creating one or two chances a game means this is tricky.
As I say I still enjoy watching us play and we are a far better side than Ipswich (table shows that) but we do even with the deficiencies I have outlined; have to put these teams away. With our really poor form against the good teams and struggling at home (lost 2 and drew 1 of last 3) it puts pressure for us to see off teams like Reading and Ipswich. We got away with a patchy show at Reading but today did not as for all the control did, we do enough to score more than one goal in terms of creating.
Norwich, Boro won although Derby and Forest drew and lost respectively. I do feel that we will do very well to keep in the top 6 and in a month, we could be around the middle of the league as other teams at the top will invest more than us. Some of them are already going the other way in terms of results to us and with Stoke, Villa and Brum coming on strong; you fear we may get caught by some of those if our form continues. We seem incapably of putting in 2 or 3 consistently good performances/results. As I say that is not a criticism of the team. It is just who we are and what these players are. Still we have a few games at the Lane, are due a few good results down there and the Xmas games always see some big crowds so I should not be too down. It is just frustrating to see us drop off again and it is exactly the game as last season how we are falling away. People may say it is not but the graphs in terms of points and position is almost identical. We have done a bit better in December but then we did a bit better last year in November. We are still good to watch but is so tantalising that we are so close to being very good but so often I find myself shaking my first as the final ball or final bit goes awry. Maybe it would be easier if we did not get to those positions or chances to win games and not quite get what they should and maybe this makes it more frustrating!
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