pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
Doesn't get any better than that, does it?
Like many, we were all fearing Wilder would come to BDTBL and out strategise us ... take us to bits and simply bum us upside down with maybe a 0-3 loss and our players looking bereft and fucked. And we are dealing with Sheffield United here, aren't we? My dad always said 'Lad, they are too unpredictable to win anything big', but one assumes that logic is applicable for the not so big, like the arrival of the once anointed with his competitive team of fairly decent sluggers. It could have gone either way couldn't it? One thing is certain, these two weren't the teams at the Riverside earlier this season where we were shown the door big style. Loved how we simply dived on their players every time they had the ball and denied them any time to collect, control and look up. Across the park we nullified their better threats - Howson, Crooks and Tavernier and reduced Connolly to a McBurnie-esque display of diving and appealing. We simply called the shots throughout and dominated the game, more so than when we trunked Peterborough in fact. Boro simply didn't have an answer for Berge, MGW or the sheer professional graft of Mr Billy Sharp. They couldn't get the better of Norwood, Fleck and Hourihane and found Sander Berge a reyt pain in the arse. They struggled to muzzle RND and a refreshed Osborn and hardly troubled Fodders. It was as complete a game as you'd want - and we've been here before by smacking Swansea flat as well so we can do it with some consistency.
Coventry shouldn't be much of a challenge on Saturday if we keep to the plan and play to control the game. It was something we didn't do against Forest and paid for it. It was something we never seemed to get started on versus Millwall and they beat us. But tonight was a clarion call of our capability which we, as supporters, have been crying for for a few years now. And it's against our old manager, who was the architect of our rise and fall. So bloody satisfying to see.
I'm up in Sheffield tomorrow (couldn't come today because the mother-in-law - who lives with us - had to attend hospital for a dental operation) and obviously am a busy boy this weekend with some prior engagements, so no 'My take ...' on Saturday, fortunately or unfortunately, whichever way you want to take it.
Fodders 7/10: Drops half a mark for the slip. I did say that his ball-at-feet game may come unstuck at some time. Didn't think he'd slip over in front of the kop mind. Apart from that, fairly steady game, intercepting balls into the box and making the commitments when needed
RND 7.5/10: Tigerish appearance up and down the left and unlucky not to be on the end of a few passes and late arrivals just like Stevens used to. Had a bit of a handful early doors with Jones
Robinson 9/10: Truly outstanding change from the fucking C3PO liability to almost a complete JOC replacement. Tonight he made some decent blocks and headers and of course, is in the right place to stab in a goal. What a revolution in terms of a central defender. With Basham, we may have our 'pistons' back
Egan 7/10: Again, some pretty redoubtable defending but what is actually wrong with Egan's head when he nuts the ball? Every cross into the box that gets to him that he's expected to bury ricochets skyward. That said, neat header back across goal for Robinsons goal
Davies 7/10: Nice to see him back and imposing himself on their forwards. He practically shoved Coburn's face in the mud later on
Osborn 7.5/10: Contunies to impress, if out of position. Grafts hard and gets involved if still a bit iffy with his control. He intercepted a pass in the second half and had Berge, MGW and Sharp ahead of him up the wing and miscontolled it somewhat
Berge 8.5/10: Splendid game for him. So nice to see him growing and becoming twenty million worth of player. Again, deft, strong on the ball and always looking for the way forward be it with the ball at his feet or lay off and run. But ... fuck's sake Sander. Jump to your full height. Lovely goal mind
Norwood 8/10: Really good game. Got stuck in on the deck and aerially, won loads of personal battles and actually dominated the midfield. When have you ever heard that before? Shit, over hit free kicks in the first half mind, so drops a half point
Fleck 7/10: Contributed well until his injury
MGW 8.5/10: What a player. A consistent pain in the fucking arse for about five of their players. Ran at and harassed, flicks, tricks and sheer need and hunger for the ball and the win. A true Bramall Lane favourite now. Do not let him go back to Wolves or to another club. We have made that mistake before with the likes of Coady and Henderson and fucking paid for it. Sell the dross, break the bank and buy this kid. Need proof? That fucking goal. Glorious.
Sharp 7.5/10: Another dogged, grafting performance capped with yet ... Fallowfield ... another fucking goal. How you must fucking hate that. I'm glad. I'm also glad he plays and scores. I'm glad we've got Billy Sharp.
Hourihane 7/10: Had me shaking my head when he hurriedly stripped but had a decent, if unremarkable game
McBurnie 1/10: My wife said to me, "Is all McBurnie does is put his arms out and whine at the ref?" "Yes", I replied.
Gordon unmarked. On late. One challenge but by then the game was over
Hecky-Jack-and-Stuart-McCall 10/10: Fucking toasted it.
Boro crowd 6/10: For their chant "Your tits are offside, your tits are offside, Billy Sharp, your its are offside!"
Our crowd 10/10: Total noise. Rocking All Over The World (someone needs to rewrite that with Blades lyrics) and "Chrissie Wilder - he's one of our own" in the dying minutes
pommpey
Like many, we were all fearing Wilder would come to BDTBL and out strategise us ... take us to bits and simply bum us upside down with maybe a 0-3 loss and our players looking bereft and fucked. And we are dealing with Sheffield United here, aren't we? My dad always said 'Lad, they are too unpredictable to win anything big', but one assumes that logic is applicable for the not so big, like the arrival of the once anointed with his competitive team of fairly decent sluggers. It could have gone either way couldn't it? One thing is certain, these two weren't the teams at the Riverside earlier this season where we were shown the door big style. Loved how we simply dived on their players every time they had the ball and denied them any time to collect, control and look up. Across the park we nullified their better threats - Howson, Crooks and Tavernier and reduced Connolly to a McBurnie-esque display of diving and appealing. We simply called the shots throughout and dominated the game, more so than when we trunked Peterborough in fact. Boro simply didn't have an answer for Berge, MGW or the sheer professional graft of Mr Billy Sharp. They couldn't get the better of Norwood, Fleck and Hourihane and found Sander Berge a reyt pain in the arse. They struggled to muzzle RND and a refreshed Osborn and hardly troubled Fodders. It was as complete a game as you'd want - and we've been here before by smacking Swansea flat as well so we can do it with some consistency.
Coventry shouldn't be much of a challenge on Saturday if we keep to the plan and play to control the game. It was something we didn't do against Forest and paid for it. It was something we never seemed to get started on versus Millwall and they beat us. But tonight was a clarion call of our capability which we, as supporters, have been crying for for a few years now. And it's against our old manager, who was the architect of our rise and fall. So bloody satisfying to see.
I'm up in Sheffield tomorrow (couldn't come today because the mother-in-law - who lives with us - had to attend hospital for a dental operation) and obviously am a busy boy this weekend with some prior engagements, so no 'My take ...' on Saturday, fortunately or unfortunately, whichever way you want to take it.
Fodders 7/10: Drops half a mark for the slip. I did say that his ball-at-feet game may come unstuck at some time. Didn't think he'd slip over in front of the kop mind. Apart from that, fairly steady game, intercepting balls into the box and making the commitments when needed
RND 7.5/10: Tigerish appearance up and down the left and unlucky not to be on the end of a few passes and late arrivals just like Stevens used to. Had a bit of a handful early doors with Jones
Robinson 9/10: Truly outstanding change from the fucking C3PO liability to almost a complete JOC replacement. Tonight he made some decent blocks and headers and of course, is in the right place to stab in a goal. What a revolution in terms of a central defender. With Basham, we may have our 'pistons' back
Egan 7/10: Again, some pretty redoubtable defending but what is actually wrong with Egan's head when he nuts the ball? Every cross into the box that gets to him that he's expected to bury ricochets skyward. That said, neat header back across goal for Robinsons goal
Davies 7/10: Nice to see him back and imposing himself on their forwards. He practically shoved Coburn's face in the mud later on
Osborn 7.5/10: Contunies to impress, if out of position. Grafts hard and gets involved if still a bit iffy with his control. He intercepted a pass in the second half and had Berge, MGW and Sharp ahead of him up the wing and miscontolled it somewhat
Berge 8.5/10: Splendid game for him. So nice to see him growing and becoming twenty million worth of player. Again, deft, strong on the ball and always looking for the way forward be it with the ball at his feet or lay off and run. But ... fuck's sake Sander. Jump to your full height. Lovely goal mind
Norwood 8/10: Really good game. Got stuck in on the deck and aerially, won loads of personal battles and actually dominated the midfield. When have you ever heard that before? Shit, over hit free kicks in the first half mind, so drops a half point
Fleck 7/10: Contributed well until his injury
MGW 8.5/10: What a player. A consistent pain in the fucking arse for about five of their players. Ran at and harassed, flicks, tricks and sheer need and hunger for the ball and the win. A true Bramall Lane favourite now. Do not let him go back to Wolves or to another club. We have made that mistake before with the likes of Coady and Henderson and fucking paid for it. Sell the dross, break the bank and buy this kid. Need proof? That fucking goal. Glorious.
Sharp 7.5/10: Another dogged, grafting performance capped with yet ... Fallowfield ... another fucking goal. How you must fucking hate that. I'm glad. I'm also glad he plays and scores. I'm glad we've got Billy Sharp.
Hourihane 7/10: Had me shaking my head when he hurriedly stripped but had a decent, if unremarkable game
McBurnie 1/10: My wife said to me, "Is all McBurnie does is put his arms out and whine at the ref?" "Yes", I replied.
Gordon unmarked. On late. One challenge but by then the game was over
Hecky-Jack-and-Stuart-McCall 10/10: Fucking toasted it.
Boro crowd 6/10: For their chant "Your tits are offside, your tits are offside, Billy Sharp, your its are offside!"
Our crowd 10/10: Total noise. Rocking All Over The World (someone needs to rewrite that with Blades lyrics) and "Chrissie Wilder - he's one of our own" in the dying minutes
pommpey
thanks again for report Pommpey
