Sheffield United vs Blackburn Rovers

So after Saturday's defeat we're immediately back in action for our third successive home game. Tonight welcoming Blackburn in the Carabao Cup. Likely to be a number of changes in a match that is not so important to win ....

But anyway...

Any team news?

Fleck obviously still out.

Morrison a likely starter?

Moore getting the nod?

And McBurnie and Sharp up front?

While I want United to win every game, some are less important than others. Avoid unnecessary cards and please no injuries and see what pans out. No extra time in these fixtures, so that is one less worry... Without knowing the lineup it's hard to predict but I think we'll win relatively easily 3-1 with Sharp getting 2...

UTB

 

[wizadry]

We were pants, and I mean pants. That wasn’t far off the Barnet debacle at all, the only difference being we won.

Ravel looked the best out of a very bad bunch and Lys showed some glimpses of causing a bit of chaos with some nice bits of interplay thrown in for good measure.

 

[Nesh Blade]

Not sure if its the best to stop in the competition , we need to give everything to stopping in the prem nothing else matters !
But at least reserve players get a run out ! And might get pigs in next round !

Odds on Stoke with Duffy to score a hat trick of wonder goals?

 

[Sheffsteel]

Just got back.

I’m not one to exaggerate but that 1st half is one of the most disjointed and effort lacking performances I’ve seen in years.
Our defence were laughingly bad, very disorganised, trying to play out of defence and passing it straight back to them.
We only had 2 attacks in the first half and amazingly scored 2 goals from half chances.
They had numerous attacks, at times playing us off the park but couldn’t get past our star performer Simon Moore.

I almost felt embarrassed to be going in 2-0 up at half time. Wilder will have been fuming.

Second half we were much better but still underpar with `Blackburn still looking the better team.
A win is a win, but it was just one of them nights where everything went for us. We were lucky.

New boys:
Besic: his positional sense is very good constantly running around defensive midfielder trying to protect the defence.
He was OK tonight but let’s not forget that the role he plays is hardly a glamour role, so he’s not going to stand out too much.

Ravel: thought he looked off the pace lacking sharpness however he did see more the ball 2nd half and did noticibly improve.
Was very impressed with his 1st touch and he seem to have a casualness and calmness with excellent peripheral vision, this got him out of trouble when being closed because he instantly knew where his team mate were to pass to.

He seemed a bit of a luxury player to me...in possession comes up with sparks of quality, he went on a dribble to set up the 2nd goal
but doesn’t look like he enjoys being out of possession, just jogging around with half hearted tackles.

Mousset: he actually made a big difference....reminded me of the Brian Deane effect.....him just being on the pitch seemed to scare their defenders.
He looked a big unit and fast....got the impression that the Blackburn defence didn’t know what he was going to do next
But you also got the impression that Mousset himself didn’t know what he was going to do next.
He’s very raw but you sense he could be a big asset. The 10 million we’ve paid is based on his potential.

 

[Paulus]

Very strange night, we were awful first half, Moore best player, back 3 out of their depth, Stevens coming on for Bryan improves things a bit. Osborne worked hard, did little wrong but I’m not sure he’ll make much of an impact in the PL. In parts Norwood seemed to have forgotten what a football was but his interaction with Morrison for the 2nd goal were the best thing about us by a mile. Freeman was anonymous, Besic struggled to do much creatively but seemed to be happy diving in to tackles. Sharp and Mc Burnie were ineffective, I don’t think McBurnie won a header all half. Sharp didn’t have a sniff of a chance. Apart from the missed pen, Blackburn looked fluent, strong and hard working, they cut through us a number of times how the hell they went in 2 down is completely beyond me.

2nd half better, more balance to the team but we lost it 1-0, very odd. Morrison showed his versatility and ability, I think he needs to start at Chelsea. The midfield began to get an element of control with Freeman on but the defence were still struggling. A lack of protection from the midfield certainly didn’t help but apart from the goal we conceded they looked dangerous every time they came forward.

I liked the look of Nyambe their right back and Dack definitely has something about him despite looking an unlikely footballer. Armstrong and Gallagher were a constant threat in the latter stages. Fortunate to progress and Wilder and Knoll have much to ponder.

Can’t help thinking Duffy would have improved us, Dack is as close as I can think of as an attainable replacement for him.

 

[SB_90]

wasn't great but early rounds of cup are tough, because they always have the intensity of friendly we did better than Norwich & palace proved, but we won & helps get some momentum so its not potienally 3 defeats in row going into international break. is more positive than last time we made 10 changes in cup game also we got some minutes & a look at some new signings. who look promising in patches. wouldnt be surprised if mousset was a sub on Saturday

who knows who we might get in 3rd round could get Wednesday. be fun but is interesting that he historically are dreadful in league cup i think this only the 3rd time since 08/09. weve made 3rd round of the league cup

08/09 4th round lost 6-0 to arsenal
14/15 semi final lost 3-2 agg to spurs
19/20 TBA

 

[Balham]

wasn't great but early rounds of cup are tough, because they always have the intensity of friendly we did better than Norwich & palace proved, but we won & helps get some momentum so its not potienally 3 defeats in row going into international break. is more positive than last time we made 10 changes in cup game also we got some minutes & a look at some new signings. who look promising in patches. wouldnt be surprised if mousset was a sub on Saturday

who knows who we might get in 3rd round could get Wednesday. be fun but is interesting that he historically are dreadful in league cup i think this only the 3rd time since 08/09. weve made 3rd round of the league cup

08/09 4th round lost 6-0 to arsenal
14/15 semi final lost 3-2 agg to spurs
19/20 TBA

You're right, we have an awful record in the League Cup. last night was the first time we've beaten a second tier side in the LC in over 10 years (granted, we've only played two other second tier sides in that time)

Last 10 seasons
2009/10 - 1st round (L1-2 at home against L2 Port Vale)
2010/11 - 1st round (L0-2 at L1 Hartlepool)
2011/12 - 2nd round (D1-1 then beat L1 Hartlepool on penalties before losing 1-3 at PL Everton)
2012/13 - 1st round (D2-2 then lost on penalties at home against L2 Burton)
2013/14 - 1st round (L1-2 at home against L2 Burton)
2014/15 - semi final (R1: 2-1 v L2 Mansfield; R2: 1-1 then win on penalties at PL West Ham; R3: 1-0 at L1 Orient; R4: 2-1 at L1 MK Dons, R5: 1-0 v PL Southampton; SF L 2-3 on aggregate v PL Spurs)
2015/16 - 2nd round (R1: W1-0 at L2 Morecambe; R2: L0-3 at Championship Fulham)
2016/17 - 1st round (L1-2 v L2 Crewe)
2017/18 - 2nd round (R1: W3-2 v L1 Walsall; R2: L1-4 v PL Leicester)
2018/19 - 1st round (D1-1 then lost on penalties to Championship Hull)
2019/20 - 3rd round & counting (R1: bye, R2 2-1 v Championship Blackburn)

*denotes penalties
vs PL: W2 (Southampton, West Ham*), L3 (Spurs, Everton, Leicester)
vs Champ: W1 (Blackburn), L2 (Fulham, Hull*)
vs L1: W4 (Hartlepool*, Orient, MK Dons, Walsall), L1 (Hartlepool)
vs L2: W2 (Mansfield, Morecambe), L4 (Port Vale, Burton x2 (x1*), Crewe)

vs 2 tiers lower: W0, L1 (Port Vale)
vs 1 tier lower: W4 (Mansfield, Morecambe, Walsall, Blackburn L5 (Burton x2 (x1*), Hartlepool, Crewe)
vs same tier: W3 (Hartlepool*, Orient, MK Dons), L1 (Hull*)
vs 1 tier higher: W0, L2 (Fulham, Leicester)
vs 2 tiers higher: W2 (West Ham*, Southampton), L2 (Everton, Spurs)

 

[SB_90]

that record is pretty damning Balham Blade but on 1 hand if your going to be crap in cup make sure that its in a cup that a you get more for winning Fa Cup 1st round game (£36,000) than making semi finals (£25,000) & more for winning FA Cup 3rd round game (£135,000) than winning the thing (£100,000). I knew were bad but that not bad, I remember the Mansfield game back in run to semi finals, a lot like tonight i remember we were awful & got lucky. but once its got serious not like a pre season friendly

 

[Balham]

that record is pretty damning Balham Blade but on 1 hand if your going to be crap in cup make sure that its in a cup that a you get more for winning Fa Cup 1st round game (£36,000) than making semi finals (£25,000) & more for winning FA Cup 3rd round game (£135,000) than winning the thing (£100,000). I knew were bad but that not bad, I remember the Mansfield game back in run to semi finals, a lot like tonight i remember we were awful & got lucky. but once its got serious not like a pre season friendly

Our record in the FA Cup once the PL clubs are involved isn't pretty either; Clough is the only manager to have beaten any higher league sides (Villa, Fulham, Forest & Charlton in the epic run to the semi finals in 2013/14 and QPR in 2014/15):

2009/10 R4 (R3 v Champ QPR, 1-1 at home then 3-2 away; R4 L0-2 at PL Bolton)
2010/11 R3 (L1-3 at home to PL Villa)
2011/12 R4 (R1 W3-0 v L2 Oxford; R2 W3-2 v L2 Torquay; R3 W3-1 v NLS Salisbury; R4 L0-4 v Champ Birmingham)
2012/13 R4 (R1 W2-1 at L2 Bristol Rovers; R2 W2-1 v L2 Port Vale; R3 W3-0 at L2 Oxford; R4 L0-4 at Champ Reading)
2013/14 SF (R1 W3-2 at L1 Colchester; R2 W2-0 at NL Cambridge; R3 W2-1 at PL Villa; R4 D1-1 then won 1-0 AET at PL Fulham; R5 W3-1 v Champ Forest; R6 W2-0 v Champ Charlton; SF L3-5 to PL Hull)
2014/15 R4 (R1 D0-0 then W2-0 v L1 Crewe; R2 W3-0 v L2 Plymouth; R3 W3-0 at Champ QPR; R4 D1-1 then L1-3 v L1 Preston)
2015/16 R3 (R1 W3-0 v NLN Worcester; R2 W1-0 v L1 Oldham; R3 L0-1 at PL Man U)
2016/17 R2 (R1 W6-0 v L2 Orient R2 L2-3 at L1 Bolton)
2017/18 R5 (R1, R2 byes; R3 W1-0 at Champ Ipswich; R4 W1-0 v Champ Preston; R5 L0-1 at PL Leicester)
2018/19 R3 (R1, R2 byes; R3 L0-1 v NL Barnet)

v PL: W2 (Villa, Fulham), L5 (Bolton, Villa, Hull, Man U, Leicester)
v Champ: W6 (QPR x2, Forest, Charlton, Ipswich, Preston) L2 (Birmingham, Reading)
v L1: W3 (Colchester, Crewe, Oldham), L2 (Preston, Bolton)
v L2: W7 (Oxford x2, Torquay, Bristol R, Port Vale, Plymouth, Orient) L0
v NL: W1 (Cambridge) L1 (Barnet)
v NLN/NLS: W2 (Salisbury, Worcester) L0

v 2 tiers higher W2 (Villa, Fulham), L2 (Hull, Man U)
v 1 tier higher W3 (Forest, Charlton, QPR) L5 (Bolton, Villa, Birmingham, Reading, Leicester)
v same tier W5 (QPR, Colchester, Crewe, Oldham, Ipswich, Preston) L2 (Bolton, Preston)
v 1 tier lower W7 (Oxford x2, Torquay, Bristol R, Port Vale, Plymouth, Orient) L0
v 2 tiers lower W1 (Cambridge) L0
v 3 tiers lower W2 (Salisbury, Worcester) L1 (Barnet)