Deadbat
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Brief thoughts on yesterday. Not going to do a full match report as most were there or saw it but more just what I thought of the performance and how we did etc and match ratings.
United - Overall we did great. Sure we did not always keep it as well as we could and at times made some poor decisions when we did try and attack. We created very little of note and never really looked like scoring but we were committed, honest, hardworking and organised. We defended superbly, kept the best shape I have seen under Adkins and gave it everything. Most players had very good games and I felt for the large part of the game kept an albeit underperforming side to very few chances. Like many of the cup games from previous seasons, we did not look a league one side at all and looked nothing like the side that ships goals to teams such as Peterborough, Shrewsbury etc.
We did try and keep it when we could and for the first two thirds were sensible when clearing, kicking away/out when needed, but tried to pass it when we could. After this we did not have enough bodies around too really have a proper go. Would have liked Done or Adams or both to have had longer. Sammon was our weak link again (we need to move on from him – it is not working) and I felt the wingers were more defending than attacking which you expected.
We made very few mistakes all game from a defensive point of view and the goal was cruel. He made a meal of it but it was a penalty. A stupid challenge that derived from Brayford getting sucked in and beat for pace and skill. However, he (Hammond) still had a lot to do and it was an idiotic thing to do. Probably cost the club up to half a million upwards in terms of crowd/TV etc. Ironically may cost him his own move permanently as we may not be able to afford his wage/contract. He looked inconsolable at the end Hammond but sadly it was a terrible mistake that undid 93 minutes of graft.
I was proud of the team yesterday. They did great and were so unlucky but ultimately as is always the case with United, it was heartbreak again. We are always the nearly men. Like with Wembley (before Hull) I have been to Old Trafford 6 times (missed one we did score in – Franz Carr) in the league and semi finals and never seen a goal!
We now have to go back to the league and try and somehow get into the playoffs – automatic has gone really I feel. Worryingly we still have not addressed the key deficiencies in the side (centre back – although did well today, centre forward – big strong target man needed, midfield – some legs) and talk of being patient is rather frustrating. Wigan will be tough (they have had 5 days break to 3 from us) but we have to start performing like today on a regular basis to have a chance. The game showed again just showed how frustrating things can be as this side can show the effort, resilience and organisation but it happens too infrequently. They players should be embarrassed they can do what they did at Old Trafford or White Hart Lane but cannot do it in League One.
Manchester United – They were awful I felt for a team full of internationals, talent and many World Cup performers, players who have played at top level and on very big salaries. We did work hard, close them down and restrict them but I actually did not think they looked like scoring (of course they did) and that they looked clueless for the most part. They had a few half chances but hardly any clear chances and never penetrated very much at all. Of course I would have liked to have seen them tested more the other end but they did not get under much pressure there.
Van Gaal will go soon I feel. He will limp on for a while but inevitable while Guardiola and Mourinho are about there that they will make the change. His sides are dull to watch and do not seem to be improving. Speaking to Man Utd fans and stewards they have had enough. They said much of what we saw yesterday was the same all season and they never really look like scoring.
Opponent man of the match : Smalling. Best of a bad lot. Looked composed, good on the ball and played well with a poor opponent, Sammon up against him most of the time. I did feel he was the one decent player although miskicked at the end.. Rooney did a few things in flashes and also Lingaard and Depay made a difference with the pace and the latter won the game in many ways.
Opponent Weak link : Borthwick Jackson. Felt he looked very edgy and inexperience but we did not test him. I also thought Schweinsteiger and Fellaini were quite poor too. The latter looked hopeless and some of his control was abysmal. Man Utd did lack pace but we did not test them properly as we also had no pace.
SUFC Player Ratings –
Long 7.5/10 – Handled really well. Made a few regulation saves but his kicking was ok from backpasses etc and I felt he looked confident today in very hard conditions. Once came when he maybe shouldn’t when Rooney nearly got in.
Has had a lot of criticism but has done far better than Howard was doing since he came back in and is now the number one even though concerns over this position remain for me,=.
Brayford 7.5/10 – Played well save for the incident at the end. He tackled well, covered round the back and tried to link and get forward well. He looked resolute and determined and was part of a good defensive effort. At the end he got skinned and also I felt had a chance to clear as it bounced towards him. Cost us nearly as much as the Hammond error but sometimes as a full back you do get beat.
McEveley 8.5/10 – Excellent today. He defended really well. Made excellent decisions. Cleared well, tackled, fought and kept a good shape. He was faultless until he went off injured. We know he does not perform like that every week sadly. Today though deserves a lot of praise and led the team well from the back.
Edgar 8/10- As above. Headed, cleared, tackles and covered well. Thought he did not do anything wrong either. He was commanding and was resolute. Really good performance from all our defence.
Collins 8.5/10 –As with McEveley gets a lot of criticism but today even me as one of his harshest critics has to say how good he was. He kept the ball well when he had it, he got his foot in, covered and chased strikers and stopped them getting many chances. Again disappointing he can play like this v internationals but v ordinary joes he can look so bad
Basham 8/10 – Tremendous amount of effort and ground covered. Worked hard and got his foot in, covered ground and tried too play it when he could. Technically he is quite limited and at times his passing is mixed. He did have one good run and shot which lacked power. I felt he limited some very good players though in this central area. Really impressive effort today.
Hammond 7/10 – Thought he played really well and would be a mark or so higher but sadly his mark reflects one bad mistake which cost us the game. Like Basham he covered, defended well, got blocks in and also passed when he could. Lacks pace as does Basham and that is something that lead to them getting overrun at times but by keeping good positional shape today they compensated for that.
Woolford 7/10 – Steady game but praise for the most part is for the defensive side where he covered really well and even ended up at left back at the end and only got done once in this unfamiliar position. He had played a bit better over last few weeks in games I have seen. He is not a flashy player but a Flynn type who will do bits and pieces, cover round in midfield and at full back but going forward he does offer little really.
Coutts 8/10 – Very good and our best attacking player. Went on a few good runs and was our main threat. Showed some surprising pace over a few years although versus the slow Fellaini and Schweinsteiger which made it easier. He looked our best technical player today. Just hope he can get stronger fitness wise. Positive he lasted 90 minutes today.
Sharp 6.5/10 –Not really in the game that much. He did try hard and got involved when he could but with little service or support it was more of a game he had to chase, cover and just run after defenders. Would have hoped to get a chance but it never happened. Looked mad to come off but heard he may have picked up a knock too.
Sammon 5/10 – Our worst player. He put some effort in for spells but even that area I felt he looked the most laboured of our players. His touch is poor and he looks like Bambi on Ice but more than that for a 6 foot 2/3 guy, he is really weak and rarely wins a header all game. He does not even offer a nuisance factor. Started up top and then went wide left but was poor in both positions. Should have come off long before the end. I know we are probably tied into him for the full season but he is not going to be here next season (sadly not even good enough League One level and I feel Scotland or League 2 is about his level) so we ought to play Sharp and Done now. Ideally we need a strong centre forward next to either of them and would love us to get one in but not sure we will.
Subs
Flynn – Came on and played on the left as Sammon was moved inside. Worked hard and had a few touches and one sideways run.
Reed – Did not get that involved much but for the most part he was trying to stop the passes through and cover runners.
Done – Came on right at the end. Should have had longer for me. I also would have liked Adams to have had 10-15 minutes at the end.
Manager – Adkins 8/10 – Would have been 9 if we had held on but unfortunately we lost the game. His tactics and selection was really good and it worked. We frustrated them, were organised. He played two up top which was brave and also was able to change it second half to try and restrict them further. It worked completely till the late agony. He has to take a big amount of credit ofr getting the shape, organisation and pattern of the side from a defensive point of view spot on. Going the other way we offered little, due to the way we set up but you accept that. It worked very nearly. Easy too say we could have put Done or Adams on, but we were 0-0 and it was working and maybe one of those may have not had the defensive responsibility of others although not sure either could do much worse than the hopeless Sammon.
Ref – Thought Marriner favoured them with some of the 50/50 decisions but overall he was fine and I cannot recall too many awful decisions. You expect as an away side at Old Trafford not to get much and that was the case to some degree but it was not like he gave everything. The penalty was right. He made a meal of it but there was contact and he had no choice.
Crowd / Day out – United fans were loud and really backed the side. I sat in the corner a few rows from the back (so right near the exit) and it was a good view from there. I could not really see the upper tier but seen back on TV and it was impressive following. I think we could have took another few thousand more. I liked there was a good range of songs and it was not all the same old new ones (Everyway we go and the Follow song) and some old classic brought out such as the Sheffield United, Sheffield United chant etc. Really sickening to lose at the end as it would have been a special night back at the Lane under the lights and with the way they are playing I felt we may have had a real chance back at home.
The facilities are rather limited for a big club and it was quite cramped on the concourse. I do felt the trams going and coming were quite organised compared to some clubs in terms of getting you there and away. We stayed till the end and clapped them off and still got away and back to Manchester fairly quickly. Train going was fine as we set off early in the morning but coming back as expected was not as easy. We did get on the 21.20 but only just. They had us in queues with gates which at least was some level; of organisation but slightly annoying if you were booked on a certain train as it seemed like basically it was just you got on the first one you could fit on and the police just wanted as many away as possible. Still back in Sheffield before 22.30.
Day was good. We got in early so went to the Waterhouse Wetherspoons near the Library and then went to the Museum of Science and Technology to break up the drinking for a bit. Then went drinking around the Northern Quarter with usual places including Odd Bar and also a good underground bar called Hold Fast with retro Sega games and a nice dinner at Dogs and Dough. We had a pint before getting the tram near the Sinclair Oyster Bar and it was very lively around that square with a lot of Blades around. Got to ground around 4.30pm. It was horrible weather though all day which made it a bit harder to get around. We went to the Knott at Deansgate after the game where tram dumped us off at and then walked through pouring rain back for the train home. My first away day of the season. Hope to do a few more but cost, performances and family stuff means that today is more of a rarity these days sadly.
United - Overall we did great. Sure we did not always keep it as well as we could and at times made some poor decisions when we did try and attack. We created very little of note and never really looked like scoring but we were committed, honest, hardworking and organised. We defended superbly, kept the best shape I have seen under Adkins and gave it everything. Most players had very good games and I felt for the large part of the game kept an albeit underperforming side to very few chances. Like many of the cup games from previous seasons, we did not look a league one side at all and looked nothing like the side that ships goals to teams such as Peterborough, Shrewsbury etc.
We did try and keep it when we could and for the first two thirds were sensible when clearing, kicking away/out when needed, but tried to pass it when we could. After this we did not have enough bodies around too really have a proper go. Would have liked Done or Adams or both to have had longer. Sammon was our weak link again (we need to move on from him – it is not working) and I felt the wingers were more defending than attacking which you expected.
We made very few mistakes all game from a defensive point of view and the goal was cruel. He made a meal of it but it was a penalty. A stupid challenge that derived from Brayford getting sucked in and beat for pace and skill. However, he (Hammond) still had a lot to do and it was an idiotic thing to do. Probably cost the club up to half a million upwards in terms of crowd/TV etc. Ironically may cost him his own move permanently as we may not be able to afford his wage/contract. He looked inconsolable at the end Hammond but sadly it was a terrible mistake that undid 93 minutes of graft.
I was proud of the team yesterday. They did great and were so unlucky but ultimately as is always the case with United, it was heartbreak again. We are always the nearly men. Like with Wembley (before Hull) I have been to Old Trafford 6 times (missed one we did score in – Franz Carr) in the league and semi finals and never seen a goal!
We now have to go back to the league and try and somehow get into the playoffs – automatic has gone really I feel. Worryingly we still have not addressed the key deficiencies in the side (centre back – although did well today, centre forward – big strong target man needed, midfield – some legs) and talk of being patient is rather frustrating. Wigan will be tough (they have had 5 days break to 3 from us) but we have to start performing like today on a regular basis to have a chance. The game showed again just showed how frustrating things can be as this side can show the effort, resilience and organisation but it happens too infrequently. They players should be embarrassed they can do what they did at Old Trafford or White Hart Lane but cannot do it in League One.
Manchester United – They were awful I felt for a team full of internationals, talent and many World Cup performers, players who have played at top level and on very big salaries. We did work hard, close them down and restrict them but I actually did not think they looked like scoring (of course they did) and that they looked clueless for the most part. They had a few half chances but hardly any clear chances and never penetrated very much at all. Of course I would have liked to have seen them tested more the other end but they did not get under much pressure there.
Van Gaal will go soon I feel. He will limp on for a while but inevitable while Guardiola and Mourinho are about there that they will make the change. His sides are dull to watch and do not seem to be improving. Speaking to Man Utd fans and stewards they have had enough. They said much of what we saw yesterday was the same all season and they never really look like scoring.
Opponent man of the match : Smalling. Best of a bad lot. Looked composed, good on the ball and played well with a poor opponent, Sammon up against him most of the time. I did feel he was the one decent player although miskicked at the end.. Rooney did a few things in flashes and also Lingaard and Depay made a difference with the pace and the latter won the game in many ways.
Opponent Weak link : Borthwick Jackson. Felt he looked very edgy and inexperience but we did not test him. I also thought Schweinsteiger and Fellaini were quite poor too. The latter looked hopeless and some of his control was abysmal. Man Utd did lack pace but we did not test them properly as we also had no pace.
SUFC Player Ratings –
Long 7.5/10 – Handled really well. Made a few regulation saves but his kicking was ok from backpasses etc and I felt he looked confident today in very hard conditions. Once came when he maybe shouldn’t when Rooney nearly got in.
Has had a lot of criticism but has done far better than Howard was doing since he came back in and is now the number one even though concerns over this position remain for me,=.
Brayford 7.5/10 – Played well save for the incident at the end. He tackled well, covered round the back and tried to link and get forward well. He looked resolute and determined and was part of a good defensive effort. At the end he got skinned and also I felt had a chance to clear as it bounced towards him. Cost us nearly as much as the Hammond error but sometimes as a full back you do get beat.
McEveley 8.5/10 – Excellent today. He defended really well. Made excellent decisions. Cleared well, tackled, fought and kept a good shape. He was faultless until he went off injured. We know he does not perform like that every week sadly. Today though deserves a lot of praise and led the team well from the back.
Edgar 8/10- As above. Headed, cleared, tackles and covered well. Thought he did not do anything wrong either. He was commanding and was resolute. Really good performance from all our defence.
Collins 8.5/10 –As with McEveley gets a lot of criticism but today even me as one of his harshest critics has to say how good he was. He kept the ball well when he had it, he got his foot in, covered and chased strikers and stopped them getting many chances. Again disappointing he can play like this v internationals but v ordinary joes he can look so bad
Basham 8/10 – Tremendous amount of effort and ground covered. Worked hard and got his foot in, covered ground and tried too play it when he could. Technically he is quite limited and at times his passing is mixed. He did have one good run and shot which lacked power. I felt he limited some very good players though in this central area. Really impressive effort today.
Hammond 7/10 – Thought he played really well and would be a mark or so higher but sadly his mark reflects one bad mistake which cost us the game. Like Basham he covered, defended well, got blocks in and also passed when he could. Lacks pace as does Basham and that is something that lead to them getting overrun at times but by keeping good positional shape today they compensated for that.
Woolford 7/10 – Steady game but praise for the most part is for the defensive side where he covered really well and even ended up at left back at the end and only got done once in this unfamiliar position. He had played a bit better over last few weeks in games I have seen. He is not a flashy player but a Flynn type who will do bits and pieces, cover round in midfield and at full back but going forward he does offer little really.
Coutts 8/10 – Very good and our best attacking player. Went on a few good runs and was our main threat. Showed some surprising pace over a few years although versus the slow Fellaini and Schweinsteiger which made it easier. He looked our best technical player today. Just hope he can get stronger fitness wise. Positive he lasted 90 minutes today.
Sharp 6.5/10 –Not really in the game that much. He did try hard and got involved when he could but with little service or support it was more of a game he had to chase, cover and just run after defenders. Would have hoped to get a chance but it never happened. Looked mad to come off but heard he may have picked up a knock too.
Sammon 5/10 – Our worst player. He put some effort in for spells but even that area I felt he looked the most laboured of our players. His touch is poor and he looks like Bambi on Ice but more than that for a 6 foot 2/3 guy, he is really weak and rarely wins a header all game. He does not even offer a nuisance factor. Started up top and then went wide left but was poor in both positions. Should have come off long before the end. I know we are probably tied into him for the full season but he is not going to be here next season (sadly not even good enough League One level and I feel Scotland or League 2 is about his level) so we ought to play Sharp and Done now. Ideally we need a strong centre forward next to either of them and would love us to get one in but not sure we will.
Subs
Flynn – Came on and played on the left as Sammon was moved inside. Worked hard and had a few touches and one sideways run.
Reed – Did not get that involved much but for the most part he was trying to stop the passes through and cover runners.
Done – Came on right at the end. Should have had longer for me. I also would have liked Adams to have had 10-15 minutes at the end.
Manager – Adkins 8/10 – Would have been 9 if we had held on but unfortunately we lost the game. His tactics and selection was really good and it worked. We frustrated them, were organised. He played two up top which was brave and also was able to change it second half to try and restrict them further. It worked completely till the late agony. He has to take a big amount of credit ofr getting the shape, organisation and pattern of the side from a defensive point of view spot on. Going the other way we offered little, due to the way we set up but you accept that. It worked very nearly. Easy too say we could have put Done or Adams on, but we were 0-0 and it was working and maybe one of those may have not had the defensive responsibility of others although not sure either could do much worse than the hopeless Sammon.
Ref – Thought Marriner favoured them with some of the 50/50 decisions but overall he was fine and I cannot recall too many awful decisions. You expect as an away side at Old Trafford not to get much and that was the case to some degree but it was not like he gave everything. The penalty was right. He made a meal of it but there was contact and he had no choice.
Crowd / Day out – United fans were loud and really backed the side. I sat in the corner a few rows from the back (so right near the exit) and it was a good view from there. I could not really see the upper tier but seen back on TV and it was impressive following. I think we could have took another few thousand more. I liked there was a good range of songs and it was not all the same old new ones (Everyway we go and the Follow song) and some old classic brought out such as the Sheffield United, Sheffield United chant etc. Really sickening to lose at the end as it would have been a special night back at the Lane under the lights and with the way they are playing I felt we may have had a real chance back at home.
The facilities are rather limited for a big club and it was quite cramped on the concourse. I do felt the trams going and coming were quite organised compared to some clubs in terms of getting you there and away. We stayed till the end and clapped them off and still got away and back to Manchester fairly quickly. Train going was fine as we set off early in the morning but coming back as expected was not as easy. We did get on the 21.20 but only just. They had us in queues with gates which at least was some level; of organisation but slightly annoying if you were booked on a certain train as it seemed like basically it was just you got on the first one you could fit on and the police just wanted as many away as possible. Still back in Sheffield before 22.30.
Day was good. We got in early so went to the Waterhouse Wetherspoons near the Library and then went to the Museum of Science and Technology to break up the drinking for a bit. Then went drinking around the Northern Quarter with usual places including Odd Bar and also a good underground bar called Hold Fast with retro Sega games and a nice dinner at Dogs and Dough. We had a pint before getting the tram near the Sinclair Oyster Bar and it was very lively around that square with a lot of Blades around. Got to ground around 4.30pm. It was horrible weather though all day which made it a bit harder to get around. We went to the Knott at Deansgate after the game where tram dumped us off at and then walked through pouring rain back for the train home. My first away day of the season. Hope to do a few more but cost, performances and family stuff means that today is more of a rarity these days sadly.
